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By Todd Irwin
sports@altoonamirror.com
It was a heck of a season opener on Friday night with a large crowd watching at the Altoona Fieldhouse -- traditional Class 2A state power Chestnut Ridge tangling with Class 3A rising power Altoona.
In the end, Chestnut Ridge rallied to win, 39-24, with five straight victories to close the dual meet, including the last two bouts involving state-ranked wrestlers.
Ridge's Easton Mull, ranked fifth in Class 2A by PA Power Wrestling, pulled off a sudden second-period pin of freshman star Deklan Barr, ranked ninth in Class 3A, in a scoreless bout at 121.
And second-ranked and two-time state runner-up Dominic Deputy beat second-ranked Braiden Weaver, 7-0, at 127 to close the meet.
"Altoona's a great team," Ridge coach Josh Deputy said. "On paper, I honestly couldn't figure out how we were winning. We're very young and inexperienced, but we're finding a way. They found a way to win. Our heart showed. We have a little bit of a team atmosphere, and our kids thrive on that. I'm super proud of them."
"I'll be honest, we have a decent team, but it doesn't matter what people think," Altoona coach Joel Gilbert said. "You have to go out and prove it on the mat. Tonight they (Chestnut Ridge) went out and proved it on the mat that they're a better team. They toughed out the situations they needed to tough out, and we didn't."
Deputy shifted his lineup beginning at 127 all the way to 215. Ridge's Cam Dodson moved up to 133 to beat Brayden Wible, 5-3, at 133. The score was tied, 3-3, when Dodson scored two nearfall points in the second period. Then he fought off a Wible takedown attempt at the end of the bout.
After Ridge's Trenden Willey won by fall in 5:15 at 139, Altoona returning state qualifier Gavin Ciampoli rolled to a 19-2 technical fall in 3:33 over Aaron Ickes at 145.
At 152, Altoona's Reese Hite earned a 13-3 major decision over Maddux Sipe. Altoona three-time state placer Luke Sipes began his senior season with a pin of Jon Mark Harbaugh in 1:37 at 160.
After Ridge's Christian Feight won by fall n 5:21 at 172, Altoona's Mike Colyer earned a pin in 1:40 at 189.
At 215, Altoona's Julian Pringle outlasted Tristan Casey in the ultimate tiebreaker, 3-2 as the Altoona wrestlers and coaches urged him on. Casey was called for interlocking in the ultimate tiebreaker, giving the winning point to Pringle, who pumped his fists as the bench and crowed erupted.
"It was pretty exciting," Gilbert said. "Overall, I was pretty happy with Julian Pringle. Julian wrestles within himself. He doesn't get nervous. He's tough to hold down. He doesn't have a ton of offense. He will stay in your face and continue to wrestle."
The Mountain Lions held a 24-15 lead, but Ridge began the rally with a Kyler Caulley's 15-second pin at 285. Garrett Weyandt followed with a 14-3 major decision over Dom Nardozza at 107, giving Ridge a 25-24 lead.
After Jeffrey Ickes' technical fall at 114, Mull and Barr were locked in a scoreless second period when Mull reversed Barr to his back and pinned him in 3:16. It was the Clarion University commit's 73rd career pin.
"He kind of pulled him on top of him," Gilbert said. "It was a rookie mistake to get caught in those situations, and that's what happens. I know Deklan Barr will come back. We'll maybe see that match again down the road, and we'll see where he's at."
"He's a pinner," Deputy said. "That's who he is. If he gets you on your back, you're in trouble. That was a very good win. Deklan is a very good wrestler."
Dominic Deputy scored a takedown of his training partner Weaver in the first period and added an escape and takedown in the second. Neither wrestler could score in the third.
"I think Dom Deputy came at Braiden, and Braiden didn't come back real well at the beginning of the match," Gilbert said. "I think Braiden started wrestling with Dom toward the end, and I think he started to become a lot more competitive. Our goal in that match was to be a lot more competitive."
133--Dodson, CR, dec. Wible, 5-3; 139--Willey, CR, pinned Sarbo, 5:15; 145--Ciampoli, A, tech fall A. Ickes, 19-2, 3:33; 152--Hite, A, maj. dec. Sipe, 13-3; 160--Sipes, A, pinned Harbaugh, 1:37; 172--Feight, CR, pinned Darpino, 5:21; 189--Colyer, A, pinned Ringler, 1:40
215--Pringle, A, dec. Casey, 3-2 UTB; 285--Caulley, CR, pinned Bradshaw, :15; 107--Weyandt, CR, maj. dec. Nardozza, 14-3; 114--J. Ickes, CR, tech fall Chirdon, 15-0, 1:41; 121--Mull, CR, pinned Barr, 3:16; 127--Deputy, CR, dec. Weaver, 7-0.
Records: Chestnut Ridge (1-0), Altoona (0-1)
Exhibition winners: Miller, CR; Leedy, CR; Miller, CR
Referee: Tyler Morder