Deklan Barr

MILL HALL — Altoona sophomore Deklan Barr captured the 127-pound title in the prestigious King of the Mountain wrestling tournament on Saturday at Central Mountain High School.

Altoona’s Braiden Weaver met up with Chestnut Ridge’s returning state champion Dominic Deputy in a much anticipated 133-pound final, and Deputy captured a 1-0 win for his third KOM title in his fourth finals appearance.

The top-seeded Barr earned the title by going 4-0 with a 17-2 technical fall and three decisions, including a 4-0 decision over State College’s third-seeded Kael Davis in the finals.

Barr notched an escape in the second period and a takedown with 1:26 left in the bout. He rode Davis the rest of the way for the win.

“I thought he wrestled well,” Altoona coach Joel Gilbert said. “He wrestled smart against pretty good competition. Deklan controlled the positions, controlled the ties and got to his offense when he needed to.”

The Penn State-bound Weaver rolled into the finals with a pin, a 15-0 technical fall and two major decisions. Deputy, a North Carolina State commit who had three pins and a decision in his first four bouts, made a second-period escape stand in his win over Orchard Wrestling Club workout partner Weaver.

“It was a good match of course,” Gilbert said. “Both guys wrestled well. It was nice to see them get on the mat. Both kids are highly touted kids going to Division I programs. It just depends on who gets the right position and gets an escape with those two.”

Five other Mountain Lions placed in the top eight of their respective weights. Dom Picciotti (107) and Gavin Ciampoli (160) placed fifth, while Mike Colyer (215) was sixth. Dominic Nardozza (114) and Phillip Sarbo (152) finished eighth.

The Mountain Lions finished third in the 32-team standings with 131.5 points. Chestnut Ridge won the team title by 16 points, 148.5-132.5, over Council Rock South.

Ridge had another champion in freshman Kooper Deputy, the younger brother of Dominic. Kooper pinned his way through the tournament. The Lions had four other placewinners.