Horning

BELLWOOD — Penn Cambria was meeting up with Bellwood-Antis on Tuesday night just five days after the Blue Devils pulled off a rare win over rival Tyrone.

The Panthers had lost five dual meets in a row, including at Tyrone two weeks ago, but that didn’t stop them from recording four falls in the nine contested bouts en route to a 49-24 win over the Blue Devils.

Go figure.

“Better,” Penn Cambria coach Todd Niebauer said when asked how his team wrestled. “We’re still not putting together a full team effort yet, but based on what we’ve done lately, it’s been better. Some of our guys overcame some adversity and got it done.

“Maybe on paper Bellwood was supposed to beat us based on some of our other performances. We’ve been finding ways to lose, to get hit in the big move. I think tonight in a couple weight classes we found a way to hit the big move or get the win.”

“I thought there were some matches that would have gone the other way,” Bellwood-Antis coach Josh Hewitt said. “Penn Cambria wrestled well tonight.”

The meet started with three straight forfeit wins — B-A’s Nolan Hewitt (15-6) and Bryson Guyer at 107 and 114, respectively, and Penn Cambria’s Keaton Brooks at 121 pounds.

The 127-pound bout turned into the first of three wild encounters. Penn Cambria’s Layton Munyon (14-4) charged out to a 9-0 lead on B-A’s Tanner McElravy, but McElravy began chewing into that lead with a reversal near the end of the second.

McElravy took Munyon down in the third period and put the Panther senior on his back for four points to tie the score, 9-9. Munyon, who was dealing with an unknown health issue, was able to score a reversal with 3 seconds left to win, 11-9.

“I don’t know what’s going on there,” Niebauer said. “He went through this a couple years ago. I don’t know if it’s his asthma or what. He came out like a house on fire and then he couldn’t even explain it. Hopefully we can get him back to 100 percent.”

“That was an interesting match at 127,” Coach Hewitt said. “I don’t know what was going on with that kid, but Tanner battled back and made it really interesting. It was a fun match to be a part of.”

Penn Cambria freshman Dominic Berardinelli charged out to a 10-1 lead on Sean McFarland at 133, but McFarland fought his way back to being down 10-7 and 13-8. Berardinelli ended the drama by taking McFarland down to his back and pinning him in 4:32.

“Berardinelli is a really good athlete,” Niebauer said, “and I think he’s going to be something special if he stays with this.”

There was no drama at 139, where junior Cameron Coudriet won by fall in 1:22 to give the Panthers (4-9) a 21-12 lead.

“Coudriet is super athletic,” Niebauer said. “Last year was his first year. He’s one of those guys you wish you had for a couple years. Tonight, he was just on.”

The third wild bout came at 145, where Penn Cambria’s Ben Shoemaker held a 7-5 lead over Gabe Alley early in the third period. Alley, however, took Shoemaker down by rolling through a standing cradle attempt, putting Shoemaker on his back and pinning him in 5:08.

“He wrestled well,” Coach Hewitt said. “He’s showing improvement as the year goes along. He’s one of our kids who we’ll depend on in the future.”

Mason Nagle’s fall in 2:31 at 152 gave the Blue Devils (2-11) a 24-21 lead, but that was the last bout win for B-A.

At 160, Penn Cambria’s Nathan Mack (15-6) notched three takedowns of Chase Focht in a 10-0 major decision. The Panthers were back in front for good.

Michael Watt and Landon Simala picked up forfeit wins at 172 and 189, respectively, to give the Panthers a 37-24 lead.

Penn Cambria 215-pounder Jesse Horning (18-11) needed only 59 seconds to earn his fall. And then Revin Gouchnour finished off the meet with a fall in 1:14 at 285.

“(Assistant) coach (A.J.) Brooks pours his heart and soul into this,” Niebauer said, “and he’s obviously one of the most athletic big guys I’ve ever seen first-hand. He works with these big guys, and it’s satisfying for him.

“Coach Brooks is so good technique-wise. I’m hoping that Revin is starting to get that toughness, that grittiness that Coach (Brooks) has.”

107–Hewitt, BA, won by forfeit; 114–Guyer, BA, won by forfeit; 121–Brooks, PC, won by forfeit; 127–Munyon, PC, dec. McElravy, 11-9; 133–Berardinelli, pinned McFarland, 4:32; 139–Coudriet, PC, pinned McCloskey, 1:22; 145–Alley, BA, pinned Shoemaker, 5:08

152–Nagle, BA, pinned Mardula, 2:31; 160–Mack, PC, maj. dec. Focht, 10-0; 172–Watt, PC, won by forfeit; 189–Simala, PC, won by forfeit; 215–Horning, PC, pinned Sneath, :59; 285–Gouchnour, PC, pinned Grager, 1:14.

Records: Penn Cambria (4-9); Bellwood-Antis (2-11)

Referee: Jim Weston