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By Todd Irwin
sports@altoonamirror.com
TYRONE -- Hollidaysburg and Tyrone opened the 2024-25 wrestling season with a flurry of points under the PIAA's new scoring system and falls on Thursday night at Tyrone's home gym.
The experienced Golden Tigers asserted their ability to score points and falls as they racked up seven pins, including five in the first period, to beat the young Golden Eagles, 51-20.
"Awesome," Hollidaysburg coach Christian Harr said of his team's performance. "It was the first night out, and it's about the same lineup as last year. We expected some good results. Most of our kids went out there and competed, even against their tougher kids. We had lot of bonus points and a lot of falls. We certainly do those things in practice."
"Conditioning was good," Tyrone coach Quentin Wright said. "Wrestling technique is what we need to get a little bit better at. With some of these positions, you get beat real quick."
A takedown is now three points instead of two points. Also, there are more opportunities for nearfall points -- with wrestlers getting anywhere from two to five nearfall points
"It's different. It takes a little bit to get used to," Harr said. "Certainly when you have 30 years plus in this sport and are trying to get used to new scoring, it's a little bit difficult. From an offensive perspective, it's good because you're awarding the offensive guy more as opposed to the defensive guy."
"Things go fast," Wright said, "and matches can change real quick, so you're really never out of a match."
Technical falls can happen quickly under the new rules. That was evident in the first bout as Tyrone two-time state qualifier and returning eighth-place wrestler Kyle Scott rolled to a 15-0 technical falls in only 42 seconds at 189.
Tyrone's Kayden Ansman was trailing Hollidaysburg's Lucas Darnell, 1-0, in the second period before the Golden Eagle junior took Darnell down to his back and pinned him.
"Kayden was in a dog fight, and he came out on top," Wright said. "He's been putting his time in for the past three years, and he's been injured the last two years. I was excited to see him wrestle."
Then the Golden Tigers stringed together falls by Scott Payne at 285, Conner Sidney at 107 and Brayden Sidney at 114 in a combined 1:35, including a 9-second pin by Brayden, to give the Tigers a lead they didn't relinquish.
After Hollidaysburg's Landon Krupka won by forfeit at 121, Logan Krupka won by fall in 1:21 at 127. Tyrone's Logan Rumberger stopped the run with a fall in 3:03 133.
Hollidaysburg's Jacob Brua avoided Rhys Rawlings' headlock attempts early, slipping through for a takedown. He built an 11-2 lead after two periods and won by fall in 5:41.
"Jacob was into one a little bit," Harr said. "He got into some bad positions early. He's not unfamiliar with those positions, but he certainly learned to recover and got into some scrambles with legs. He ended up coming out on top."
After Tyrone's Andrew Detwiler beat James Bialo, 12-5, at 152, Hollidaysburg's Mason Schenk was leading Mason VanAllman, 5-2, when the Golden Tiger senior got the fall in 3:01.
"He's a senior who has been working hard," Harr said. "He goes out there and gets after it. He got into some bad predicaments and came out on top. It's probably better that he's double jointed in some of those positions."
Aiden Schenk followed with a 6-1 win over Tyler Connelly at 160. Hollidaysburg returning state qualifier Mitchell Baronner closed the meet with a 28-second pin.
Notes: Tyrone's state champions were recognized before the dual meet, including two-time state champions Gib Fink and Bruce Wallace. State champs Gary DiDomenico (1966) and Terry Tate (2005) were in attendance. ... Hollidaysburg wrestles in the Hickory Tournament Invitational Tournament today and Saturday, while Tyrone visits Philipsburg-Osceola on Saturday.
189--Scott, T, tech. fall Ca. Frye, 15-0, :42; 215--Ansman, T, pinned Darnell, 2:23; 285--Payne, H, pinned Eaken, :38; 107--C. Sidney, H, pinned Hunter, :48; 114--B. Sidney, H, pinned Wicker, :09; 121–La. Krupka, H, won by forfeit; 127--Lo. Krupka, H, pinned Co. Frye, 1:21
133--Rumberger, T, pinned Detrick, 3:03; 139--Brua, H, pinned Rawlings, 5:41; 145--Detwiler, T, dec. Bialo, 12-5; 152--M. Schenk, H, pinned VanAllman, 3:01; 160--A. Schenk, H, dec. Connelly, 6-1; 172--Baronner, H, pinned Suhoney, :28.
Records: Hollidaysburg (1-0), Tyrone (0-1)
Exhibition winners: Parks, H; Kennedy, H; Krueger, H
Referee: Gary Barger