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Wrestling

Sipes not lacking in confidence

By Todd Irwin sports@altoonamirror.com After waging three tight battles en route to a 152-pound title at last year’s Northwest Regional Class 3A Tournament, Altoona’s Luke Sipes knows what it’s going to take to repeat this weekend. The Mountain Lion sophomore is coming off of another District 6 title and another close 3-1 win over Mifflin County’s Parker Kearns in the championship finals. Battle tested, the fourth-ranked Sipes (35-3) could face Kearns or even McDowell’s 16th-ranked Artis Simmons. Sipes beat Simmons, 3-1, in the regional quarterfinals last season, but ...

High school wrestling picks

107 POUNDS: Finalists: Braiden Weaver, Altoona vs. Brody Bishop, Hickory. Champion: Weaver. Comment: Weaver is on a roll heading toward the state tournament. 114 POUNDS: Finalists: Logan Sallot, McDowell vs. Alex Reed, Shikellamy. Champion: Sallot. Comment: Sallot and Punxsutawney’s Gould could be an interesting semifinal. 121 POUNDS: Finalists: Cael Nasdeo, Williamsport vs. Hunter Johnson, Mifflin County. Champion: Nasdeo. Comment: Top-ranked Nasdeo will win his third regional title. 127 POUNDS: Finalists: Hayden Cunningham, State College vs. Caleb Fasick, Altoona. Champion: ...

Girls wrestling closer to becoming an official PIAA sport

By Michael Boytim mboytim@altoonamirror.com The PIAA passed on a first-reading basis supporting taking over jurisdiction of high school girls wrestling Wednesday afternoon at its board meeting. “We met in the media center in the capitol (with senators),” PIAA executive director Robert Lombardi said. “We had a presentation of the 101 schools that have worked really hard with Sanction PA to sponsor girls wrestling. We had given them the 100-school benchmark as is our policy, and as of yesterday they exceeded that to 101.” The board will need to pass Wednesday’s motion ...

NBC underclassmen step into spotlight

By Todd Irwin sports@altoonamirror.com Northern Bedford junior Eion Snider and sophomore Aaron Bowers will look to step up further on the medals stand at the District 5 Tournament after finishing third at last year’s tournament. Snider (29-9), who is the top seed at 172, seems to have the best chance among the Panther wrestlers to claim a district title. Bowers (20-2) is seeded second behind Somerset’s returning state qualifier Rowan Holmes (26-3). “Eion had a really nice junior year,” Northern Bedford coach Brian Dutchchot said. “He ran into some really stiff ...

Todd Irwin’s high school wrestling picks

District 5 Tournament 107 POUNDS: Finalists: Dominic Deputy, Chestnut Ridge vs. Dakota Santamaria, Tussey Mountain. Champion: Deputy. Comment: Bedford’s Zach Burch will get a shot at Santamaria in the semifinals. 114 POUNDS: Finalists: Easton Mull, Chestnut Ridge vs. Wyatt Clouse, Northern Bedford. Champion: Mull. Comment: Mull should roll to his second District 5 title. 121 POUNDS: Finalists: Brock Holderbaum, Chestnut Ridge vs. Braden Durst, Berlin Brothersvalley. Champion: Holderbaum. Comment: Holderbaum continues his banner season with his second district title. 127 POUNDS: ...

Glendale’s Dubler wins thriller, named OW

For more than 7 minutes in their epic District 6 Class 2A Tournament 160-pound championship finals bout Saturday night at the Altoona Fieldhouse, Zeke Dubler and friend Andrew McMonagle waged a battle that will be remembered for awhile. McMonagle, the Williamsburg junior who wrestles for ...