Quick work: Central Cambria senior takes home 215 title, OW
H.S. wrestling
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CRESSON -- Central Cambria's Karter Quick never won a tournament his first two seasons while wrestling as a light heavyweight at 285 pounds.
It's still early in his senior season, but it appears Quick's drop to 215 was definitely the right move.
"I feel like I fit in here," Quick said of the new weight. "I feel more confident down at this weight class."
Quick went 5-0 at the 49-team Panther Holiday Classic at Mount Aloysius College, knocking off Charlotte, Fla.'s Cael Newton, a returning Florida state third-placer, 6-5, in the semifinals and Armstrong's Connor Jacobs, a Class 3AA state seventh-placer, 5-3, in the finals on Saturday night.
"That's great," Central Cambria coach Matt Niebauer said. "It's the beginning of the season, so I'm not going to get too excited about it, but it's a great accomplishment. But myself, Karter and everybody around him have higher goals this year. This is step one.
"He made the decision to cut down this year. To be honest, I didn't know if that was quite the right decision. But he's moving great, looks good and he feels better that weight."
Quick not only won his first tournament, he was also voted the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.
"I did not expect to get the Most Outstanding Wrestler award," Quick said after posing for photos with the award. "I'm very thankful for all of my coaches and teammates, and I'm very proud of myself. I feel very accomplished for winning this award."
Altoona went 2-for-2 in the finals as sophomore Luke Sipes repeated as 152-pound champion and freshman Braiden Weaver won at 107. Penn Cambria's Trent Hoover (145) captured his first Panther Classic title.
Sipes defeated Penns Valley's Ty Watson, 9-3, is matchup of returning Panther Classic champions. Weaver beat Marion Center's Griffin Tinsman, 3-1, while Hoover won his first tournament title with a 3-0 win over Mount Pleasant's Jamison Poklembo.
Glendale's Zeke Dubler was denied his second title in the 160-pound finals. The returning 160-pound state fourth-placer, lost to Boiling Springs' two-time Class 2A state third-placer Michael Duggan, 8-6, in an entertaining final.
Quick scored first against Jacobs, getting two nearfall points 12 seconds into the second period. Jacobs quickly reversed and rode Quick until the Red Devil scored a reversal with 38 seconds left in the period.
With Quick winning 4-3 entering the third, Jacobs released him to begin the period, but Quick avoided danger the rest of the way.
"Since the beginning of the season, I've been working hard for this tournament," Quick said, "and for tournaments and matches the rest of the year. The preparation has gotten me hear. I've got to keep working and keep moving forward."
Sipes went 6-0 with a pin, technical fall, two injury default wins and a decision. Sipes was up 3-2 in the third on fellow M2 Training Center partner Watson, a Southwest Regional champ last season.
And then the Class 3A state fifth-placer, who had labrum surgery in the offseason, hit Watson with a four-point move to go up 7-2. Leading 7-3, Sipes used a double-leg shot to take Watson down with 3 seconds to left.
"It feels good," Sipes said. "I've been off for so long, and it kind of reminded me that I'm back. It was a good win in the finals, and I'm pretty happy with that. I was looking for back points that whole match, and the back points opened up. My goal in that last 30 seconds was to not let up and not show any signs of weakness."
"Sipes wrestled real well out there," Altoona coach Joel Gilbert said. "He controlled the ties, got in good positions and he was able to finish takedowns. That's what you've got to do against quality wrestlers. I think he opened it up a little more toward the end."
Weaver reeled off four pins to get to the finals. He trailed Tinsman 1-0 in the second when the Mountain Lion took Tinsman down with a beautiful dump. Weaver added an escape in the third and was never threatened the rest of the way. Weaver clapped his hands in celebration.
"It feels amazing," Weaver said. "I just trusted my coaches, practiced and it all came together. I felt the key was to keep a high pace. I feel like not many people can keep up with my pace and work ethic."
"Weaver is a really, really tough kid," Gilbert said. "He's put a lot of work into wrestling. It's paying off for him right now. We're real happy to have him."
Hoover, a district and regional champ, had two technical falls, a decision and a major decision in the semifinals.
In the finals, Hoover escaped and scored a takedown at the edge of the mat in the second period. He rode Poklembo the rest of the second and the entire third period to win.
"It feels good," Hoover said. "I didn't do too great last year (seventh place). I came back, showed how hard I worked in the offseason and it paid off. I'm pretty good at riding. If I mix in a turn, I think I'll jump levels even more."
"I thought he wrestled really well," Penn Cambria coach Todd Niebauer said. "In the finals, we didn't open up a lot, but he was controlling. We took the opportunities when they were there."
Dubler (16-1) captured his 100th career win with a pin of Huntingdon's Devin Brenneman in 1:21 in Friday's quarterfinals. He went 4-1 with three pins and a 6-4 overtime win over Manheim Central's returning Class 3A qualifier Brett Barbush in the semis.
Down one in the third against Duggan, Dubler nailed a takedown 31 seconds into the period to go up 4-3. Duggan escaped to tie the score, and took Dubler down with 42 seconds left. Dubler tied the score again when he nailed a reversal with 14 seconds remaining, but Duggan reversed with 2 seconds left to win.
"I was pretty excited about (tying it up late)," Dubler said, "but I kind of overlooked the part of riding him out for the rest of the period. The next thing in my head was I need to go get a takedown in overtime. I kind of slacked off on top, which isn't like me. But he wrestled until the finish and ended up getting a reversal."
"I thought he had a great tournament," Glendale coach Brian Storm said. "In the finals, it wasn't the outcome he wanted, but he was right there. I really think that much could have gone either way. Zeke is a student of the game. He really learns from mistakes, and I expect him to get better from that."
Ten other area wrestlers placed in the top eight of their weights. Altoona's Caleb Fasick (133) and Glendale's George Campbell (152) finished third.
Tyrone's Lukas Walk (145) and Kyle Scott (172) and Glendale freshman Daniel Williams (285) placed fifth, while Tyrone's Logan Rumberger (121), Andrew Weaver (160) and Braden Ewing (285) took sixth.
Glendale's Britton Spangle (215) finished seventh, while Penn Cambria's Austin McCloskey (160) and Northern Bedford's Eion Snider (172) were eighth.
KEY, TEAM STANDINGS
1. BS--Boiling Springs 179.5; 2. HUNT--Huntingdon 157; 3. TRIN--Trinity 156.5; 4. SM--St. Marys 134; 5. PV--Penns Valley 126.5; 6. DB--Daniel Boone 119.5; 7. BENT--Bentworth 114; 8. MP--Mount Pleasant 112.5; 9. A--Altoona 110; 10. MU--Mount Union 104; 11. G--Glendale 97; 12. T--Tyrone 95.5; 13. C--Corry 92.5; 14. SG--Spring Grove 91; 15. F--Fairfax 88; 16. D--Dallastown 79.5; 17. MAC--Manheim Central 79; 18. M--McGuffey 77; 19. PC--Penn Cambria and S--Selinsgrove 76; 21. J--Johnsonburg 75.5; 22. WB--West Branch 72; 23. ARM--Armstrong 71.5; 24. BB--Berlin Brothersvalley 69; 25. MC--Marion Center and SOM--Somerset 68; 27. MIFF--Mifflinburg 65; 28. FH--Forest Hills 60.5; 29. B--Bedford 59; 30. PO--Philipsburg-Osceola 58.5; 31. NB--Northern Bedford 58; 32. I--Indiana 52; 33. SW--South Williamsport 50; 34. NS--North Star 49.5; 35. CC--Central Cambria 47; 36. CK--Claysburg-Kimmel 42.5; 37. E--Everett 38; 38. H--Hollidaysburg 33; 39. CT--Conemaugh Township 32.5; 40. CHAR--Charlotte 30; 41. BF--Beaver Falls 22; 42. WH--Westmont Hilltop 20; 43. BA--Bellwood-Antis, LV--Ligonier Valley and R--Ridgway 15; 46. CF--Colonial Forge 14; 47. C--Central 12; 48. CH--Cambria Heights 3; 49. RICH--Richland 2.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
107--Weaver, A, dec. Tinsmsan, MC, 3-1; 114--Bainey, WB, dec. Fanella, I, 3-0; 121--Canali, TRIN, dec. Longhi, MP, 6-4 OT; 127--Vargo, BENT, maj. dec. Allison, TRIN, 11-2; 133--Bounds BS, dec. Shunk, PV, 10-4; 139--Cassidy, B, dec. Ivcic, BENT, 12-5; 145--Hoover, PC, dec. Poklembo, MP, 3-0
152--Sipes, A, dec. Watson, PV, 9-3; 160--Duggan, BS, dec. Dubler, G, 8-6; 172--Wehler, SM, dec. Zimmerman, J, 3-1; 189--Hogan, DB, pinned Holmes, SOM, 1:03; 215--Quick, CC, dec. Jacobs, ARM, 5-3; 285--Ulrich, MIFF, dec. Singleton, HUNT, 7-3.
Most Outstanding Wrestler: Karter Quick, Central Cambria
CONSOLATIONS
AREA RESULTS
THIRD PLACE
133--Fasick, A, dec. Dunsmore, HUNT, 7-3; 152--Campbell, G, dec. Wolfanger, SM, 4-2
FIFTH PLACE
121--Keiffer, MAC, dec. Rumberger, T, 6-5; 145--Walk, T, dec. Ulderich, BB, 6-3; 160--Milliard, J, pinned Weaver, T, 4:46; 172--Scott, T, won by medical forfeit over Savitz. C; 285--Williams, G, dec. Ewing, T, 3-2 UTB
SEVENTH PLACE
160--Paradis, S, dec. McCloskey, PC, 10-3; 172--Marsalko, FH, pinned Snider, NB; 215--Spangle, G, dec. Conover, SG, 5-3