After losing four of their last five dual meets, the Tyrone Golden Eagles buried Altoona 47-21 on Wednesday night at the Altoona Fieldhouse to improve their record to 13-5, with a match at Philipsburg-Osceola on Saturday evening to finish up the regular season, before the beginning of the post season tournaments.
The Eagles controlled most of the match, beginning with wins by Donnie Conrad (189) and Johnny Miller (215), then five straight through the middle and finally three of the last four weight classes to secure the victory.
“We knew that they (Altoona) had a couple quality kids and it would be a tough one at those matches, but the kids did well,” said Tyrone coach Blair Packer. “We were in end-of-season form.”
The dual began at 189, with Conrad (11-11) drawing back to the .500 mark with a reversal and nearfall in the second period to solidify an 8-3 decision over Dave Williams. Conrad edged Williams 7-5 at the Zeigler Tournament also at the Fieldhouse, in early January. At 215, Miller (14-13) picked up a forfeit to push Tyrone out to a 9-0 lead.
Brett Clouser got the Mountain Lions on the scoreboard at heavyweight by pinned Tyrone junior Brandon Oswalt (12-17) in 2:52.
“Even in our losses, I thought we wrestled decently tonight,” said Packer. “Starting with Donnie Conrad. He wrestled well against a tough kid and had some excellent, excellent shots. He is one of the most improved wrestlers on our squad. Top to bottom I was pleased with the way we wrestled..”
Turning the lineup back to the lightweights, 103-pounder Cody Weaver began a five-match swing for the Golden Eagles that would catapult the Orange and Black into a 35-6 advantage.
Weaver (20-11) quickly registered a takedown against Tom Gvozd and repeated a first-period fall from the Zeigler tourney in 1:39, just six seconds sooner than at the Zeigler.
T. J. Albright (22-3) wrestled Brandon Potts, who was determined not to repeat a loss by pin to Albright from last year’s dual meet. While he did accomplish that feat, Albright used a second-period nearfall and third period escape and takedown for a solid 6-1 triumph. Robert Waite (30-4), next up in the 2005-06 Eagle edition of Murderer’s Row, scored four sets of nearfalls, an escape and three takedowns to tech fall Josh Potts in under three minutes of mat time (2:57).
“We kind of rely on them (Tyrone lightweights Weaver, Albright and Waite, who combine for a 70-18 mark on the mat),” said Packer. “It was good to see Josh Hunter at 130 come out and get a pin. That was a good match for him. He needed that and that could springboard him into the postseason.”
Anthony Romano (125) and Josh Hunter (130) each decked their opponents to complete the sweep down the middle.
Romano (16-16) quickly took Adam Pelligrino down and recorded the fastest fall of the evening in 1:20, while Hunter (5-15) was almost as quick in breaking out of a personal slump, grabbing Chris Smith and showing him the lights at the 1:48 mark.
Altoona picked up two wins in a row for the only time in the dual, getting a 10-5 decision by Pete Casserly, who doubled up J. P. VanAllman (11-17) at 135, and Rob Capriotti picked up a forfeit at 140.
With the Mountain Lions still mathematically holding a chance to get the win, Sam McCloskey (24-6) eliminated that possibility, controlling Rob Kyle with a takedown and three back points in the first stanza and then a reversal in the second, before turning Kyle for the fall in 2:24 to ice the Tyrone win.
Altoona got one more win at 152, when Ricky McPhee pinned Cody Reese in 3:55, with the score tied 2-2 and just five ticks left in the second period.
In what was probably the most exciting matchup of the night, Justin Schopp (19-12) used a big middle period to squeeze past Zach Bender 11-10, at 160. Bender opened up a 7-2 lead after one stanza, when Schopp hit a reversal and nearfall to close to within one at 7-6, then following an escape that put Bender up 8-6, scored a takedown and three more back points, while all Bender could counter with, was a final period reversal.
James Updike (13-14) ended the night on a happy note, opening up a 6-1 lead in the second period, after a scoreless opening period at 171 against Jeff Miller, on the way to an 8-3 victory.
Tyrone will wrestle at Philipsburg-Osceola Saturday at 7 p.m. The junior high will wrestle at P-O at 12 noon.
Tyrone 47 Altoona 21
189 – Donnie Conrad (T) dec. Dave Williams 8-3
215 – Johnny Miller (T) won by forfeit
275 – Brett Clouser (A) pinned Brandon Oswalt 2:52
103 Cody Weaver (T) pinned Tom Gvozd 1:39
112 – T. J. Albright (T) dec. Brandon Potts 6-1
119 – Robert Waite (T) tech fall Josh Potts 18-1, 2:57
125 – Anthony Romano (T) pinned Adam Pelligrino 1:20
130 – Josh Hunter (T) pinned Chris Smith 1:48
135 – Pete Casserly (A) dec. Jon VanAllman 10-5
140 – Rob Capriotti (AL won by forfeit
145 – Sam McCloskey (T) pinned Rob Kyle 2:24
152 – Ricky McPhee (A) pinned Cody Reese 3:55
160 – Justin Schopp (T) dec. Zach Bender 11-10
171 – James Updike (T) dec. Jeff Miller 8-3
