Colyer

Mike Colyer became the hero for the Altoona wrestling team last season when he captured the 215-pound weight class at the District 6 Class 3A Tournament, clinching the Mountain Lions’ first district team title since 1981.

Fast forward to the first dual meet of the 2025-26 season and Colyer again found himself donning the hero’s cape Wednesday at the Altoona Fieldhouse.

The emotional dual meet between Altoona and Chestnut Ridge came down to the final weight after Ridge’s sixth-ranked Jayden Imler had to injury default to Ty’Kear Davis at 215.

With the Mountain Lions holding a one-point lead, Colyer and fellow 215-pounderr Jesse Calhoun bumped up to 285. Colyer ended the drama when he hip-tossed Calhoun to his back and pinned him in 45 seconds.

The Altoona section of a large crowd erupted in celebration, and Colyer raised his arms as he had given the Mountain Lions, ranked 16th in the Class 3A statewide rankings by PA Power Wrestling, a 38-31 win over the Lions, ranked 10th in Class 2A.

“It keeps happening,” Colyer said. “I hit a lat drop. That’s something I’ve hit for awhile. I wouldn’t say it, but some would say I’m known for it. It felt great. We probably should have beat them last year, but they beat us.”

“What a wild match,” Altoona coach Joel Gilbert said. “The emotions in that match went up and down. They showed a lot of guts and resilience, and I think our team did also. It was just a great night for wrestling. It came down basically that young man getting hurt at the end.”

“It’s just an unfortunate way to lose,” Ridge coach Josh Deputy said. “I’m proud of my guys. They fought hard. I feel like we outwrestled them. There’s no doubt in my mind that we did. It’s just one of those things. Kudos to them. They came out with a win.”

The dual meet was supposed to take place at Chestnut Ridge on Tuesday, but it was postponed and moved to Wednesday at Altoona.

Ridge shot out to a 16-0 lead as Carter Ickes won by fall in 27 seconds at 107 and top-ranked freshman Kooper Deputy moved up to 114 and picked up a pin in 1:29. At 121, Garrett Weyandt rang up an 18-6 major decision over Dominic Nardozza.

But the Mountain Lions began chipping away at that lead with fourth-ranked Deklan Barr’s 10-2 major decision over Austin Bernash at 127. Bernash was aggressive in a bout that had the crowd into it, but Barr’s takedown with 31 seconds left earned him the major decision.

Many anticipated Ridge returning state champion Dom Deputy wrestling Altoona’s returning state third-placer Braiden Weaver at 133. Instead, Josh Deputy moved his son up to 139.

“Dom had no idea I was going to do that,” Coach Deputy said. “He thought he was going. With Chestnut Ridge, we try to win the dual meet. I thought that was the best chance for us to win the dual. He’s wrestled Braiden a million times. They’ve practiced together a million times.”

“I was thinking I was going to wrestle him,” Weaver said, “but you can only wrestle who’s in front of you.”

“We were looking to see that match,” Gilbert said. “I guess they didn’t want to see it. Maybe down the road we will see it.”

Weaver, who signed to wrestle at Penn State before the season, rolled to an 18-2 technical fall in 2:21 at 133. Deputy, who will wrestle at North Carolina State, followed with a fall in 31 seconds to give his team a 22-9 lead.

In an intense 145-pound bout that had both coaches disputing a call by referee Dr. Joe Bradley, Ridge’s Trenden Willey won by fall in 4:51 over Brayden Wible.

Altoona’s Reese Hite started the comeback with a pin in 2:14 at 152. Both coaches shifted their lineups up a weight from there.

At 160, Altoona’s Philip Sarbo rolled to a 19-4 technical fall in 3:37. Altoona’s 11th-ranked Gavin Ciampoli moved up to 172 and picked up a pin in 1:24, drawing the Mountain Lions to within two points, 28-26.

Ridge’s Tristan Casey earned a wild 14-11 win over Luke Geishauser with a takedown with 10 seconds remaining. That set the stage for the final two bouts.

Imler received a penalty point early when Davis was whistled for a push out of bounds. But when they got into a flurry again, Imler’s head hit the mat and he was knocked unconscious. Imler was down for several minutes before he was taken off the mat by EMS.

“He was completely knocked out and had tingling in his feet and hands,” Coach Deputy said. “We aren’t going to mess around with that.”

“I hated to see that,” Colyer said. “It affected the match, and we don’t want to win like that, but it happened unfortunately. I wish him the best of health.”

“Hopefully that kid’s all right,” Weaver said. “I sent up a prayer for him.”

And then Colyer pulled it out again for Altoona.

“I walked back to Mike and said ‘Mike there’s nobody better I’d want in this position right now than you,'” Gilbert said. “He’s really good at that lat drop series, and he went to his bread and butter. He finished the deal for us tonight.”

107–Ickes, CR, pinned M. Nardozza, :27; 114–K. Deputy, CR, pinned Chirdon, 1:29; 121–Weyandt, CR, maj. dec. D. Nardozza, 18-6; 127–Barr, A, maj. dec. A. Bernash, 10-2; 133–Weaver, A, tech fall Kaufman, 18-2, 2:21; 139–D. Deputy, CR, pinned Montgomery, :31; 145–Willey, CR, pinned Wible, 4:51

152–Hite, A, pinned Miller, 2:14; 160–Sarbo, A, tech fall Brown, 19-4, 3:37; 172–Ciampoli, A, pinned Feight, 1:24; 189–Casey, CR, dec. Geishauser, 14-11; 215–Davis, A, won by injury default over Imler, :57; 285–Colyer, A, pinned Calhoun, :45.

Records: Chestnut Ridge (0-1), Altoona (1-0)

Exhibition winners: R. Bernash, CR; Feight, CR; Ringler, CR

Referee: Dr. Joe Bradley