Scott

Tyrone’s Kyle Scott is entering the PIAA Class 2A Southwest Regional Wrestling Tournament looking to cross off another goal on his bucket list.

Scott has finished second at the regional tournament twice. He was the runner-up as a freshman and last year as a junior, when he was waging battles with Bald Eagle Area’s Caleb Close. Close beat Scott, 14-9, in last year’s regional, but Scott nearly pinned him late in the bout when he threw Close to his back.

“They helped me and made me appreciate winning a lot more,” Scott said of wrestling Close in four tournament finals. “I was thinking about this yesterday. I took second in every tournament I wrestled in except two if you count states. It was just constant, and it sucked.

“Now I’m on the other side, and it feels pretty good. Definitely having a competitor you had to get ready every single tournament helped a lot.”

The tournament begins at 4:30 p.m. today at the Altoona Fieldhouse with the pigtail round. A preliminary round will follow. The quarterfinals are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Wrestling resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday with the first consolation round. Another consolation round will follow before the 12:15 p.m. semifinals. The championship finals, third-place, fifth-place and seventh-place bouts are set for 5:15 p.m.

The top seven at every weight will advance to next week’s PIAA Championships in Hershey.

Scott (39-0), ranked second by PA Power Wrestling, is the top seed at 189. On the other side of the bracket there are Derry Area’s third-ranked Brady Brown, Bishop McCort’s seventh-ranked C.J. Pensiero, who forfeited to Scott in the District 6 finals, and Chestnut Ridge’s eight-ranked Jayden Imler.

“I think I can breeze through my side of the bracket,” Scott said, “and then whoever I get between Jadyn, Brady and C.J. it should be a good match. But I’ve been wrestling so well I don’t think anybody will be able to take me out.”

Scott was hoping to wrestle Brown at the Ultimate Warrior Tournament, but Brown missed it with an injury. Last year, Scott beat Brown, 4-2, in the regular and in the tiebreaker, 2-1, in the regional semifinals.

“I want to try and blow that match out of the water,” Scott said, “because it wasn’t like that last time. (Faith Christian Academy’s three-time champ) Adam (Waters) tech-falled Brown at state duals. I kind of want to do something like that.

“Whatever happens I’m going to take as many points as I can and not look at the scoreboard as much as I usually do because I just want to score points.”

Four wins this weekend will give Scott 160 for his career, tying A.J. Schopp for the program record. Two wins will tie him with Ronnie Garbinsky for second place on the all-time list.

“That should be fun,” Scott said. “I’m trying to keep that in the back of my head. That’s obviously not the real goal, but it’s definitely really cool that I’ll be one of the greats in Tyrone history. Once it comes I’ll celebrate, but I’m focused on a goal right now.”

The top six at every weight from District 6 are being joined by the top eight from District 7 and the top three from District 5.

There are 17 wrestlers from the Mirror coverage area who are looking to make that trip to Hershey next week, including Central’s District 6 champion Ty Matthews at 107 and Glendale’s runner-up Daniel Williams at 285.

Matthews (38-6) is the third seed at 107. If he gets to the semifinals, he’ll likely be facing Derry Area’s fifth-ranked and second-seeded Mason Keesecker. Chestnut Ridge’s top-ranked Kooper Deputy is the first seed.

“Ty wrestled a great tournament at districts,” Central coach Dave Marko said. “I anticipate him to continue to wrestle the same. If he does, then he’s got a great shot. We’re going into the tournament pretty healthy for this time of year and we’re going to give it our best shot.”

The fourth-ranked Williams (41-2) could get a semifinal bout against West Greene’s third-ranked and top-seeded Colin Whyte. Bishop McCort’s second-ranked Caleb Rodriguez, who beat Williams, 4-0, in the district finals, is seeded second.

Central has four other wrestlers in third-placer Blair Miller (285), fourth-placers Carsen Mowery (121) and Joel Morris (127) and sixth-placer Kaden Horn (145).

Penn Cambria’s third-placer Nate Mack (160), Tyrone’s fifth-placers Tanner Walk (107) and Mason VanAllman (160), Glendale’s fifth-placer Ethan Gilbey (145) and Central Cambria’s fifth-placer Jeremy Hajzus (189) will wrestle in the tournament.

Sixth-placers looking to defy the odds are Central Cambria’s Parker Anslinger (107) and Hadyn Strittmatter (133), Penn Cambria’s Layton Munyon (121) and Claysburg-Kimmel’s Ayden Soler (139).

Local wrestlers will battle nerves, talented opponents and deep weights in an attempt to get to Hershey — the goal of most high school wrestlers in the state.

“The regional is one of my favorite tournaments all year,” Marko said, “because guys down at states freeze and everybody is at districts. The level of wrestling I believe at the regionals is always fun. Guys sort of let everything hang out and make sure they try to do everything they can to secure themselves a spot in Hershey.”