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By Todd Irwin
sports@altoonamirror.com
TYRONE -- The Corry wrestling team began chanting "Hershey, Hershey, Hershey" soon after edging Tyrone, 36-29, in a preliminary PIAA Class 2A Duals match on Monday night at Tyrone.
The Corry wrestlers, coaches, cheerleaders, and some fans posed for photos in the stands.
After that, two Corry coaches, including head coach Brad Proper, wanted a photo with Tyrone coach and former Penn State two-time NCAA champ Quentin Wright afterward. An assistant coach grabbed Wright's leg like he was taking a shot.
"Usually when guys grab my leg like that I pin them," Wright joked.
The Beavers (14-3), who finished third in District 10, were in a celebrating mood after advancing to Hershey to face top-ranked Notre Dame-Green Pond Thursday, The Golden Eagles (11-7), though, could only wonder what might have been if some things had gone their way.
"We wrestled tough out there," Wright said. "We had some unexpected wins and some unexpected losses. Overall, we kept on fighting out there. I'm happy with the guys' performances. Tonight just wasn't our night. Corry is a tough team."
Much like they did in the District 6 finals against Forest Hills, the Eagles battled a Corry team with impressive individual records. Seven bouts into the dual meet, the score was tied, 17-17.
It looked like the Golden Eagles were poised to take the lead at 172 as Zach Lash put Mason Savitz on his back in the first period and led, 6-3, in the third period. Savitz, however, reversed Lash to his back and pinned him in 5:02.
"If that goes the other way, then they're probably going to Hershey," Proper said. "They almost got the pin, but Mason fought super hard to get off his back. Mason got him on his back and stuck him."
"When you look at the mathematics of the match, 172 is where it all changed," Wright said. "At that point, it kind of put the match a little bit out of reach for Tyrone. Their kid did a good job looking for the ways to score there. Our kid just held on a little too long rather than get out of a bad position."
That started a four-bout winning streak for the Beavers. Tyrone's Richard Rawlings battled before falling to Ethyn Allen, 11-1, 189. Caleb McKinney, filling in for Jason Barr (medical issue) at 215, made it to the third period before getting pinned by Hayden Linkerhof in 4:25.
With Corry holding a 33-17 lead, the Eagles needed six-pointers out of the next three bouts. But at 285, Corry's 275-pound Xavier Reyda rode 227-pound Braden Ewing hard the entire second period of a scoreless bout. Reyda (20-2) reversed in the third and rode Ewing out to win, 2-0.
"Our guy at 285 is one of the top kids in the entire state," Proper said. "We're so excited to have him on our team."
Tyrone's Korry Walls picked up an expected forfeit at 106 before the Beavers forfeited to Logan Rumberger at 113 to end the meet.
The Beavers opened the meet with pins from Cody Proper in 3:07 at 120 and Logan Hodak in 1:24 at 126.
But Ashton Sipes started a three-bout run for the Eagles with a 12-4 major decision over William Allen at 132. Sipes built an 8-2 lead after two periods and added two more takedowns in the third to win, 12-4.
At 138, Lukas Walk ran a bar and half nelson to pin Hunter Savitz in 2:43. Tyrone 145-pounder Reese Wood scored seven nearfall points in a 13-2 major decision over Damion Kinney.
"In the last three matches, Lukas has really stepped up his game," Wright said, "and he's really performed."
Tyrone's Brody Klein avoided getting pinned by Corry brute Trey Proper at 152 - losing by a 17-1 technical fall in 5:40 instead.
Andrew Weaver tied the score for the Eagles with a 9-4 decision over Waylon Jackson.
"He wrestled awesome too," Wright said.
But it wasn't to be for Tyrone, which could be the team celebrating a trip to Hershey next season if the Eagles continue their rise to the top of District 6.
Before that, the Eagles will take today off (their match with Bellefonte was canceled) and get ready for the District 6 Tournament on Feb. 18-19 at the Altoona Fieldhouse.
"It's a fantastic start," Wright said. "I have a relatively younger team, so they're hungry to get back in that room. I told them I was going to give them practice off tomorrow. They wanted to practice, and I said 'No, no, we need to rest.'
"The loss is going to motivate the younger guys on the team. They've got the feeling this year. They're going to come back next year ready to soar."
"I know Quentin Wright is going to get this team on track," Proper said. "I'm sure in the future they're going to be quite the team."
120--C. Proper, C, pinned R. Fleck, 3:07; 126--Hodak, C, pinned E. Walk, 1:24; 132--Sipes, T, maj. dec. W. Allen, 12-4; 138--L. Walk, T, pinned H. Savitz, 2:43; 145--Wood, T, maj. dec. Kinney, 13-2; 152--T. Proper, C, tech. fall Klein, 17-1, 5:40; 160--Weaver, T, dec. Jackson, 9-4
172--M. Savitz, C, pinned Lash, 5:02; 189--E. Allen, C, maj. dec. Rawlings, 11-1; 215--Linkerhof, C, pinned McKinney, 4:25; 285--Reyda, C, dec. Ewing, 2-0; 106--Walls, T, won by forfeit; 113--Rumberger, T, won by forfeit.
Records: Corry (14-3); Tyrone (11-7)
Referees: Aaron Gustkey, Larry Guenot