The Tyrone junior high wrestling squad had a successful trip to Armaugh for the United Wrestling Tournament.
The Little Eagles raced to the team championship putting 11 wrestlers in the championships, with seven tournament champions. Tyrone rolled up 267.5 points, to far outdistance runner-up Everett which scored 179.5 points. Glendale was third with 169 points followed by Ligonier Valley with 167, and Richland with 163. The bottom five schools included Cambria Heights with 92, Marion Center with 85, United with 80, Northern Cambria with 32.5 and Elderton with 24.
Tyler Osterhout opened the championship finals with a 9-0 major decision over Glendale’s Justin O’Shell. Osterhout drew a buy through the first round and then edged Brennan Kline of Cambria Heights, 5-3, in the semifinals at 75.
At 80-pounds, Chase Weaver opened his tournament with a fall in 1:07, over Eric Claycomb of Everett, and won by a solid 9-2 decision over Brett Sweitzer of Glendale. In the finals, Chase took care of Ligonier Valley’s Tyler Gross 6-2 for the title.
A. J. Schopp pinned a pair of opponents to take home the crown at 85. Schopp pinned Devin Morder of Richland, in the semifinals in just 0:36 and earned his championship by decking Ben Britton of Northern Cambria, at the 4:26 mark.
Ronnie Garbinsky also pinned his way to the title at 90 pounds, with a couple quick falls, getting Eric Mulraney of Cambria Heights in 0:27, and Preston Lehman of Richland, in 0:55 to become the Little Eagles fifth straight champion.
At 122, Josh Miller pinned his way into the finals, where he decisioned Everett’s Levi Miller 8-2 for the title. Along the way, Miller pinned Ryan LaBryer of Marion Center, in 0:13 and Mark Poorbaugh of United, in 1:08.
Jeremy Barlett followed Miller at 130 becoming the Eagles seventh and final champion. Barlett pinned Mitch Thomas of United, in 0:47, Michael Corle of Everett, in 0:58 and in the finals added Glendale’s Codi McClellan in 4:12.
Ben Smerekar (95), Jimmie Weston (100), Jeremy Miller (115), Jordan Berry (145) and Josh Graham (165) also wrestled into the finals, but dropped their finals matches to finish second.
Smerekar pinned Jake Partner of Everett, in the semifinals, but was pinned in the finals by Bryant Sweitzer of Glendale, in 1:51. Weston decked Shane Mulraney of Cambria Heights, in 4:20, then lost by fall to Kevin Claycomb of Everett, in 2:27. Jeremy Miller pinned Robert Sager of Elderton, in 2:38 and decisioned Everett’s Bradley Ewing 8-2, before getting majored 13-2 by John George of Richland, in the finals. Berry pinned Bryan Gates of Glendale, in 2:15, then dropped a 7-0 decision to Neil Nanassy of Ligonier Valley. Graham pinned Greg Lewis of United, in 0:26, but lost by pin to Robbie Shultz of Ligonier Valley, in 1:48.
Doug Rudy (105) and Issac Walk (110) each claimed third place medals. Rudy pinned Ed Turner of Marion Center, in 0:38, but dropped a 2-0 decision to Garrett Imes of Everett in the semifinals. In the consolation rounds, Rudy pinned Charles Miller of Ligonier valley, in 4:08 and Tim Mason of Northern Cambria, in 2:37. Walk traded decisions taking Evan Crist of Richland, by an 8-2 count, before falling 3-0 to Levi Smeltzer of Everett. In the consolations, Walk pinned Kaleb McCullough of United, in 1:38 and the facing Crist for the second time, pinned him in 2:48 for third place.
Kris Decker pinned Nathan Pepple of Marion Center, in 0:48 at 138, then was pinned by Tyler Capitosti of United, and Dylan Bowman of Everett.
Devin Miller (155) and Kirby Lawrence (250) went 0-2 in the tournament.
The Eagles had no wrestler at either 185 or 210.
