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By John Hartsock
jhartsock@altoonamirror.com
MARTINSBURG -- Hollidaysburg wrestling coach Christian Harr expected a donnybrook of a battle when the Golden Tigers visited Central Wednesday night for a Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference dual meet.
The toss-up bouts played a vital role in the overall outcome, and Hollidaysburg wound up taking a majority of those in a 31-27 victory.
"I knew this was going to be a tight one,'' said Harr, whose Golden Tigers improved to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in the conference. "(Central coach) Dave (Marko) always has his wrestlers prepared, and there were obviously some good matches.''
Marko felt that four key bouts were at 107, 114, 121, and 160 pounds, and Central won all four.
"Hollidaysburg won one more toss-up match than we did tonight,'' said Marko, whose Dragons dropped to 12-7 and 4-4. "We lost a few heartbreakers. The bouts at 107, 114, 121 and 160 could have gone either way, but we didn't get any of them.
"If we get one of them, we win the dual meet,'' Marko added.
In the feature match of the night, at 107, Hollidaysburg sophomore Brayden Sidney (17-8 this season) scored a 9-1 major decision over Central freshman standout Brooks Matthews (20-7).
Sidney built a 4-1 lead with a first-period takedown and second-period reversal, then cemented the outcome with a takedown and a 3-point near fall in the third period.
At 114 in a battle of freshmen, Hollidaysburg's Landon Krupka (16-9) outlasted Carson Mowery, 10-6, scoring a third-period takedown to gain separation after Mowery (16-10) had fought back from a 5-0 first-period deficit to draw to within 7-6 after two periods.
At 121, Hollidaysburg junior Logan Krupka scored the only points of the match on a second-period reversal to grind out a 2-0 win over Blair Morris, and at 160, Hollidaysburg junior Aiden Schenk parlayed a takedown in the first period and three back points in the second into a 5-0 decision over Camdyn Wenerick.
Hollidaysburg also came up with big performances at 285, where junior Wyatt Maines scored a 56-second fall over Walldims Benitez, and at 133, where junior Jacob Brua pinned Bailey Wilt in 53 seconds.
"We had some great performances tonight,'' Harr said. "Wyatt Maines got a big fall for us at heavyweight, Brayden Sidney scored a major decision over a very tough opponent at 107, Landon Krupka gutted one out at 114, Logan Krupka grinded one out at 121, and Jacob Brua got a fall at 133.
"There were also some matches where we didn't give up bonus points or a fall, which was important as well,'' Harr added.
Maines, whose fall at 285 helped Hollidaysburg rally from a 19-9 match deficit, came out aggressive in his victory.
"My main move is the hip toss, and I got in there and hit it,'' Maines said. "That's my go-to.''
Central - whose lineup is comprised of predominantly freshmen and sophomores - registered some impressive individual victories of its own.
Senior Isaac Smith (13-9) opened the dual meet with five takedowns in an 11-2 major decision over Mason Schenk at 145, and Central freshman Cody Clapper (16-10) followed with a 68-second pin of Blake Kennedy at 152.
Central senior John Pulcine used a cradle to pin Cayden Frye with four seconds left in the first period of their 215-pound bout, and Scarlet Dragons junior Thaide Mickel (18-4) logged a 17-2 technical fall in 1:33 over James Bialo in the final bout of the night, at 139.
Central sophomore Kaden Horn raised his season record to 19-5 with a 3-0 decision over Carson Krupka at 127.
"Kaden has come a long way from last year,'' Marko said of Horn. "He's a lot more physical and aggressive.''
In the night's most interesting match, at 189, Central freshman Blair Miller battled back from a 3-1 deficit with a late second-period takedown and third-period escape to carve out a 4-3 decision over Tyson Bridenbaugh.
"We're having a lot of success for as young as we are,'' Marko said. "Hats off to Hollidaysburg. They did a good job in the close matches tonight.''
Both teams are in high-profile tournaments this Friday and Saturday. Hollidaysburg -- which got a forfeit victory from junior Mitchell Baronner (15-11) at 172 pounds on Wednesday -- will compete in the Ultimate Warrior Tournament at West Branch High School, while Central will be in the Thomas Automotive Tournament at Bedford High School.
145--Isaac Smith, C, maj. dec. M. Schenk, 11-2. 152--Clapper, C, pinned Kennedy, 1:08. 160--A. Schenk, H, dec. Wenerick, 5-0. 172--Baronner, H, won by forfeit. 189--Miller, C, dec. Bridenbaugh, 4-3. 215--Pulcine, C, pinned Frye, 1:56. 285--Maines, H, pinned Benitez, :56.
107--Sidney, H, maj. dec. Matthews, 9-1. 114--Landon Krupka, H, dec. Mowery, 10-6. 121--Logan Krupka, H, dec. Morris, 2-0. 127--Horn, C, dec. C. Krupka, 3-0. 133-Brua, H, pinned Wilt, :53. 139--Mickel, C, tech. fall Bialo, 17-2, 1:33.
Records: Hollidaysburg (4-3 overall, 3-2 in the Laurel Highlands Conference); Central (12-7, 4-4).
Officials: Paul Myers, Kerry O'Hara.
Exhibition match: Karsten Lolas, H, won by fall.