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PHILIPSBURG -- Philipsburg-Osceola had a four-point lead and a 5-4 edge over Altoona in the first nine bouts in an entertaining dual meet on Thursday night at the P-O gymnasium.
But the Mounties, who had shifted their lineup earlier, pulled away with three straight pins from 120 to 132 in a six-pin output and beat the Mountain Lions, 43-27, on the last night before the Christmas break.
"We knew if we were going to make a move, we would have to do it right away just because of where we started," first-year P-O coach Justin Fye said. "Once we did that, I felt the guys definitely stepped up. When we had an opportunity to pin somebody, we were getting pins."
"We got hit with the flu big and we've got a guy injured," Altoona coach Joel Gilbert said. "They made some good moves early on in the match that benefited them."
The 3-4 Mountain Lions were wrestling without Super Regional qualifier Caleb Fasick (injured) at 132 and Jordan Carlucci (illness) at 126.
Fye opted to shift his lineup in the first four weights. The result was P-O (2-1) winning three of the first four bouts.
P-O Super Regional qualifiers Marcus Gable and Matt Foster were among those who shifted up. Gable moved up to 145 in the first bout and clinched an 8-0 major decision over Will Young with three nearfall points in the final seconds.
The anticipated bout between Altoona freshman sensation Luke Sipes (12-0), coming off a Panther Holiday Classic title, and Foster didn't happen. Sipes pinned Ian Phillips in 1:40, and Foster (7-2) moved up to 160 to pin Zach Reimer in 1:01.
"We wanted to see the Foster-Sipes matchup," Gilbert said, "but we were without a guy who went away on Christmas vacation. So we couldn't weigh him in today."
"I would love to see that matchup," Fye said, "but we need to get some wins. It's about the team here in a dual meet."
In the most entertaining and intense bout of the night, P-O's Luke Hughes withstood the physical and hard-charging effort of Elijah Houser to win, 9-6, at 172. Hughes got a takedown and two nearfall points in the second period to make the difference.
"This is Houser's first year out," Gilbert said. "He's very strong and athletic. He's very raw, and a lot can happen when you're raw. That kid could be very dangerous in the district this year."
At 189, Altoona's Connor Reimer was down 2-1 to Dom Shaw when he took the Mountie down, but him on his back and pinned him in 2:54.
"That's a nice confidence booster for Connor," Gilbert said. "I'm real happy for him because that's what he needs right now."
Altoona 215-pounder Alex Yost made a first-period takedown and second-period reversal stand in a 4-1 win over Andrew Hensal. P-O's Chase Klinger followed with a pin of Michael Riccio in 3:24 at 285 to give his team a 19-15 lead.
After pins by P-O freshman Sammy McDonald in 37 seconds at 106 and Altoona's Luke Hileman in 19 seconds at 113, the Mounties held a 25-21 lead.
At 120, P-O freshman Hunter Kephart held a 4-3 lead over Dillon DeGennaro, but Kephart reversed the Mountain Lion sophomore to his back and pinned him in 3:07.
"Once we turned that lineup over, the guys started wrestling tough," Fye said. "Sammy and Hunter are good spark plugs to have there."
Mountie senior 126-pounder Nick Coudriet clinched the dual meet win with a fall in 1:05.
Altoona's Logan Brandt and P-O's Scotty Frantz were locked in a 2-2 bout at 132 when Frantz got a takedown, put Brandt on his back and got the fall in 3:43.
Mountain Lion sophomore 138-pounder Wyatt Young closed out the meet by building an 11-5 lead on Nate Fleck and pinning him in 4:47. Gilbert, whose team wrestled in the Panther Classic and at Williamsport on Tuesday, is welcoming the break between now and the Jan. 5 match at Huntingdon.
"We're tired," he said. "We're ready for the Christmas break. Everyone went out and wrestled hard. I can't complain."
145--Gable, PO, maj. dec. Wi. Young, 8-0; 152--Sipes, A, pinned Phillips, 1:40; 160--Foster, PO, pinned Z. Reimer, 1:01; 172--Hughes, PO, dec. Houser, 9-6; 189--C. Reimer, A, pinned Shaw, 2:54; 215--Yost, A, dec. Hensal, 4-1; 285--Klinger, PO, pinned Mi. Riccio, 3:24
106--McDonald, PO, pinned Irwin, :37; 113--Hileman, A, pinned Russell, :19; 120--Hu. Kephart, PO, pinned DeGennaro, 3:07; 126--Coudriet, PO, pinned Wisor, 1:05; 132--Frantz, PO, pinned Brandt, 3:43; 138--Wy. Young, A, pinned Fleck, 4:47.
Records: Altoona (3-4), Philipsburg-Osceola (2-1)
Exhibition winner: Ha. Kephart
Referee: Jim Weston