Trending
FLINTON -- The Glendale wrestling team's entrance for warm-ups, as well as single-bout walk-up songs were all of the Christmas variety.
It was fitting not only because it was five days from Christmas but also because the teams gave the fans at Donald A. Kitko Gymnasium a gift of a tight dual meet.
Curwensville won four of the seven bouts on the mat, but it was Britton Spangle's avenging 2-0 win over previously once-beaten Trenton Guiher at 215 pounds that made the difference for the Vikings in their 33-31 win on Tuesday night.
"I thought it was going to be close," Glendale coach Brian Storm said. "I knew we were going to have to win the battle at 215. Guiher's beaten Britton the last two times he's wrestled him. Britt was ready and looking forward to that match. I'm glad he got the win."
The Golden Tide, who forfeited three weights, were missing some wrestlers due to the flu.
"We're down some guys. The flu has really hit us hard," Curwensville coach Dean Swatsworth said. "Some of the guys are still wrestling a little sick. That's no excuse. Everybody has to wrestle as a team. We just didn't get a chance to get that one extra fall we needed to push it to a tie and have it go to (tiebreaker) criteria."
The Vikings (5-4) won the disc flip and allowed them to respond to who Curwensville (4-3) sent out for the first bout.
The meet began with Glendale's Zeke Dubler (17-1), who was recognized before the dual meet for his 100th career win at the Panther Holiday Classic, pinning Jarett Anderson in 1:04.
After Curwensville's Chase Irwin won by forfeit at 189, Spangle and Guiher hit the mat. Guiher beat Spangle, 3-0, in the third-place bout of the Inter-County Conference Tournament.
This time, after a scoreless first period, Spangle rode the entire second period. Guiher had to take an injury break for an elbow injury during the period.
Spangle scored a reversal 30 seconds into the third period and rode Guiher the rest of the way for the win.
"I knew it was going to be tight again," Swatsworth said. "I don't know if the injury had anything to do with Trenton's ability, or slowed him down at all. I know hyper-extending your elbow hurts a little bit. I don't want to make excuses. The Spangler kid is a heck of an athlete. Those two go back and forth. It's actually fun to watch them."
Forfeit wins went to Glendale's Daniel Williams (19-2) at 285 and Curwensville's Austin Gilliland at 107. Neither team had a 114-pounder, so the 121-pounders locked up in a close bout
Curwensville's Damian Brady broke open a scoreless bout with Ethan Gilbey with a reversal in the second period. Gilbey reversed 32 seconds into the third to tie the score.
Brady thrilled the Tide followers with a reversal with 20 seconds left. Gilbey nearly pulled off a reversal before the final buzzer, but Brady won, 4-2, tying the dual meet, 15-15.
"I thought Gilbey wrestled great," Storm said. "Damian Brady is a good wrestler, and Gilbey fought and was right in there. That really helped us too."
After Glendale's Nate Storm won by forfeit at 127, Golden Tide 133-pounder Dylan Deluccia won by fall in 54 seconds to tie the score again, 21-21.
Dayton Johnson's forfeit win at 139 put the Vikings ahead, but Nik Fegert's 12-3 major decision of Zach Vereshack at 145 pulled the Tide to within two, 27-25. Fegert notched four takedowns in the win.
"Fegert wrestled tough," Swatsworth said. "I would have liked to have seen him do a little more on top. But Nik will take you down and let you up all day long because that's what he likes."
With an ill Alex Murawski out of the Tide lineup, George Campbell (13-2) wrapped a bow on Glendale's win with a fall in 1:20 at 152, making the score 33-25.
"He knew we needed six there to seal the deal," Coach Storm said. "He went out and just worked."
Curwensville's Logan Aughenbaugh closed the meet with a pin in 25 seconds at 160.
172--Dubler, G, pinned Anderson, 1:04; 189--Irwin, C, won by forfeit; 215--Spangle, G, dec. Guiher, 2-0; 285--Williams, G, won by forfeit; 107--Gilliland, C, won by forfeit; 114--No bout; 121--Brady, C, dec. Gilbey, 4-2
127--Storm, G, won by forfeit; 133--Deluccia, C, pinned Krise, :54; 139--Johnson, G, won by forfeit; 145--Fegert, C, maj. dec. Z. Vereshack, 12-3; 152--Campbell, G, pinned Clyde, 1:20; 160--Aughenbaugh, C, pinned B. Vereshack, :25.
Records: Curwensville (4-3), Glendale (5-4)
Referee: Paul Myers