Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Altoona 139 pounder Reese Hite pinned Williamsport's Gavin Kline.

By John Hartsock

jhartsock@altoonamirror.com

With the District 6 Class 3A dual meet and postseason tournaments on the very near horizon, it’s important that a wrestling team like the one at Altoona Area High School gets sufficient mat time against live competition.

In that respect, the Mountain Lions’ dual meet against Williamsport Tuesday night at the Altoona High School Fieldhouse left something to be desired for Altoona.

The flu-ravaged Millionaires (2-6) forfeited seven weight classes and the Mountain Lions won four of the six bouts that were contested, as Altoona hiked its season dual meet record to 13-3 with a 54-10 victory.

“That was a quick one tonight,” said Altoona coach Joel Gilbert of the match that took just over 30 minutes to complete. “There’s a lot of flu going around with their team, and they had several weight classes open tonight.”

It was senior night for Altoona, and the Mountain Lions’ two seniors, Nick Irwin at 114 pounds and Luke Sipes at 160, both closed their regular-season careers in front of the home crowd with victories.

Sipes (30-4 this season) racked up the 143rd victory of his career by pinning Colin Guilhen in 41 seconds at 160 pounds, while Irwin won by forfeit at 114.

Sipes, a three-time District 6 and Northwest Regional champion and three-time PIAA medalist who will continue his wrestling career on the NCAA Division I level at the University of North Carolina, needs one more victory to match state runner-up D.J. Hollingshead’s all-time Altoona school record of 144. He’ll likely achieve that tonight, when the Mountain Lions visit Indiana, and he’s a lock to break the record shortly thereafter, likely in the District 6 Class 3A duals this Saturday at Central Mountain High School.

“He came out here tonight wanting to put on a good show in front of the home crowd for the final time in his career,” Gilbert said of Sipes. “Both Luke and Nick have been four-year letterwinners and great team leaders for our program.

“They’re both individuals of great character who are also outstanding students and who come from good families, and they’re both great team leaders,” Gilbert said.

Along with Irwin, Altoona’s other forfeit victories went to Tykear Davis (189 pounds), Mike Colyer (215), Khamden Thompkins (285), Braiden Weaver (121), and Caleb Darpino (172).

Among the other matches that were contested, Altoona freshman Brayden Wible logged a clinical 10-0 major decision over Steve Bott at 133, sophomore Reese Hite built a 13-2 lead before pinning Gavin Kline with 28 seconds left in the first period of their 139-pound bout, and returning state qualifier Gavin Ciampoli pinned Jakhi Burget in 2:18 in a matchup of sophomore 145-pounders.

“I’m happy with all of their performances,” Gilbert said.

Williamsport (2-6) got a fall from junior Austin Dunlap at 152 and a victory by 11-1 major decision from sophomore Jordan Piselli at 107.

Between sickness and injuries, it’s been a rough last two weeks for the Williamsport program, according to Millionaires coach Brian Nasdeo.

“We’re just really banged up and sick right now, and we have been for the last two weeks,” Nasdeo said. “Altoona is a very good team, but I’m disappointed that we couldn’t come down here and give those guys more of a struggle tonight.”

Meet notes: Altoona is the third-seeded team among the four entries in the District 6 Class 3 dual meet tournament Saturday and will battle second-seeded Mifflin County in the semifinals. The winner of that match will take on the winner of the match between top seed and tournament host Central Mountain and fourth-seeded State College for the championship. … The PIAA Class 3A and Class 2A state dual meet tournaments will both be held at the Altoona Fieldhouse Feb. 7-8.

189–Davis, A, won by forfeit. 215–Colyer, A, won by forfeit. 285–Thompkins, A, won by forfeit. 107–Piselli, W, maj. dec. Nardozza, 11-1. 114–Irwin, A, won by forfeit. 121–Weaver, A, won by forfeit. 127–Barr, A, won by forfeit.

133–Wible, A, maj. dec. Bott, 10-0. 139–Hite, A, pinned Kline, 1:32. 145–Ciampoli, A, pinned Burget, 2:18. 152–Dunlap, W, pinned Riccio, 3:13. 160–Sipes, A, pinned Gulihen, :41. 172–Darpino, A, won by forfeit.

Official: John Edgell

Records: Williamsport (2-6), Altoona (13-3)