Trending
By Todd Irwin
sports@altoonamirror.com
FLINTON -- Fans from Glendale and Moshannon Valley filled Glendale's Kitko Gymnasium in the Vikings' home opener -- a change from the near empty gyms of the 2020-21 COVID-19 season.
The fans were loud and excited, but they weren't in the gym for very long.
There were only seven bouts wrestled on the mat in the dual meet. The Vikings recorded six pins in those bouts, including Britton Spangle's odd third-period fall over David Honan from the neutral position at 215, to beat the Black Knights, 48-30, in 30 minutes.
"We know we don't have a lot of kids, so we've got to get pins," Glendale coach Brian Storm said. "We have pinners. They showed up tonight. They were fired up, and I was excited just like them. They really wanted this match."
"They have a good team," Mo Valley coach Thad Walstrom said. "If they get rolling and you get in bad position, they know how to wrestle. They scored when they needed to and picked up some big wins. They're going to be a tough team for everybody all year."
The coaches were impressed by the atmosphere.
"It was electric," Storm said. "I wonder if Mo Valley had more fans than us here. We wanted to quiet them down a little bit, and I think we did that."
"It's always loud in here," Walstrom said. "It's a small gym and they pack the place. It's a tough place to wrestle. I told the kids make sure you're looking over at us because you're not going to hear."
The Vikings (5-1) and Black Knights (0-1) forfeited four and three weights, respectively. The first four weights were forfeited. Mo Valley's Autumn Shoff (106) and Trenton Weld (120) won by forfeit, as did Glendale's Ryder Krise (113) and Nate Storm (126).
Mo Valley's Luke Yarger took a 2-0 lead over freshman Zach Vereshack into the second period at 132, but Vereshack reversed, put Yarger on his back and pinned him in 2:42.
"That was awesome," Coach Storm said. "I think (Vereshack) was a little nervous at first. It was his first home varsity match. I have all the faith in Zach. He's a battler."
Glendale's George Campbell (138) and Dayton Johnson (145) recorded pins in 1:58 and 2:36, respectively, to give the Vikings a 30-12 lead.
After Mo Valley's Jalen Kurten won by forfeit at 152, Glendale stars Zeke Dubler and Suds Dubler clinched the dual meet victory convincingly. Zeke recorded a pin in 26 seconds, and Suds followed with a fall in 1:08.
After Mo Valley's Niko Smeal won by forfeit at, Spangle and Honan tangled in one the most competitive bouts of the night.
Honan took Spangle down in the first period, escaped in the second and took a 3-0 lead into the third period, exciting the Mo Valley crowd.
But after Spangle escaped, he countered Honan's offense with a Japanese whizzer from the standing position. Spangle used the counter to force Honan's shoulders to the mat. Referee Randy Brungard slapped the mat in 5:09, and the Viking crowd and bench erupted in celebration.
"Britton just found a way," Storm said. "He always does. I have to watch it again, but all I know is (Honan) went to his back."
The 285-pound bout between Glendale's Brock Smeal and Mo Valley's Connor Williams was tied, 1-1, in the second period, when Williams hip-tossed Smeal to his back and pinned him in 2:37.
"We kind of got settled down and we were riding well on top in the second period," Walstrom said. "Then we got into a heavyweight flurry and came out on top."
106--Aut. Shoff, MV, won by forfeit; 113--Krise, G, won by forfeit; 120--Weld, MV, won by forfeit; 126--Storm, G, won by forfeit; 132--Vereshack, G, pinned Yarger, 2:42; 138--Campbell, G, pinned Moore, 1:58; 145--Johnson, G, pinned Vanish, 2:36
152--Kurten, MV, won by forfeit; 160--Z. Dubler, G, pinned Gallaher, :26; 172--S. Dubler, G, pinned Aus. Shoff, 1:08; 189--Smeal, MV, won by forfeit; 215--Spangle, G, pinned Honan, 5:09; 285--Williams, MV, pinned Smeal, 2:37.
Records: Moshannon Valley (0-1), Glendale (5-1)
Referee: Randy Brungard
Time: 30 minutes