Bellwood-Antis made the long trip to Penns Valley High School on Saturday morning, knowing that it wasn’t going to be a good day even before they got to Spring Mills. The Blue Devil wrestling team was giving five forfeits-30 team points in each of their matches against Penns Valley and West Branch. It didn’t get much better for B-A , which got hammered by West Branch in their second dual, after being humbled 70-0 by the host Rams in the opening match.
Bellwood-Antis began their wrestling program with a partial schedule in 1969-70, and a full schedule the following year. The Blue Devils had been shut out just twice in their 36-year history of the program, both times during their first full year of competition, before Saturday. Penns Valley was the first, handing B-A a 55-0 loss in 1970, and Central followed a couple weeks later with a 52-0 white-wash.
On Saturday, all the Blue Devils looked flat against Penns Valley. Bellwood-Antis was able to amass just eight match points in a complete humiliation. B-A had two takedowns, one reversal and two escapes in the nine matches that were wrestled.
The dual began at 130 with the Rams winning by fall. At 135, Ronnie Wilson and Greg Myers traded takedowns in the first two periods, before Myers recorded his second takedown in the third period to take a slim 4-2 win.
Josh Ervine ran into Penns Valley senior Preston Shawver at 140. Ervine trailed only 2-0 through the first period and a half, but Shawver recorded a nearfall in the middle stanza to lead 5-0 and added a third-period reversal and back points to nail down a 10-0 win that was his 100th career win.
Garett Wyland gave up a first-period takedown and third-period reversal to Luke Burkey that was all the scoring in a close 4-0 match at 152. At 189, Kane Bjalme broke up a scoreless battle with B-A senior Dwayne Cherry with an escape and takedown for all the scoring in a 3-0 win for the Penns Valley grappler. Eli Colyer dropped a 4-2 loss to Lucas Stover at 119, scoring an escape with time running out in the second and third period all that he could to counter a takedown and reversal by Lucas.
Against West Branch, the Blue Devils got a victory from Garett Wyland at 152, to break a 22-0 run by the Warriors. Wyland 2-7) trailed 4-1 after the opening period on a pair of Scott Ellis takedowns. That margin narrowed to 4-2 with Wyland picking up a second-period penalty point. Ellis took the B-A sophomore down to begin the third period, but Wyland reversed Ellis to his back at the edge of the mat and quickly recorded the fall just 18 seconds into the third period.
Don Partner (6-17) picked up a forfeit when West Branch failed to bring a 103-pounder for the Blue Devils second win.
The final win for the Blue Devils was a fall at 119. Eli Colyer (15-8) opened up a 4-0 advantage over Brandon Lefort after one period, then jumped the lead to 11-2 with a reversal, nearfall, penalty point and escape. In the final two minutes-period, Colyer registered two more takedowns and finally got the pin in 4:39.
The West Branch match started with a pair of quick first-period pins to give the Warriors a 12-0 lead.
Once-beaten Donnie Clark pinned Brandon Beech (14-13) in 0:41 at 130, and at 135, Jon Demchak pinned Ronnie Wilson (8-16) in 0:59.
Josh Ervine ran into tough Nathan Owens at 140. Owens led 2-0 through the first two periods, then added an escape, takedown and back points to win 8-0 over Ervine (16-9). Colt Vedic pinned Dwayne Cherry (13-7) while holding a 4-2 advantage at 189. Ricky Shawley and Amos Albright finished up the dual, with Albright shutting out Shawley 9-0, after jumping out to a quick 7-0 first-period lead on a takedown and five nearfall points.
Penns Valley 70 Bellwood-Antis 0
130 – Ben McNitt (PV) pinned Brandon Beech 3:39
135 – Greg Myers (PV) dec. Ronnie Wilson 4-2
140 – Preston Shawver (PV) maj. dec. Josh Ervine 10-0
145 – Matt Orndorf (PV) pinned Dustin Harris 4:55
152 – Luke Burkey (PV) dec. Garett Wyland 4-0
160 – Eric Herrold (PV) won by forfeit
171 – Nathan Andrews (PV) won by forfeit
189 – Kane Bjalme (PV) dec. Dwayne Cherry 3-0
215 – Evan Leitch (PV) won by forfeit
275 – John Keith (PV) won by forfeit
103 – Josh Manning (PV) pinned Donnie Partner 4:38
112 – Kelly Strouse (PV) won by forfeit
119 – Lucas Stover (PV) dec. Eli Colyer 4-2
125 – Tyler Myers (PV) pinned 2:40.
West Branch 50 Bellwood-Antis 18
130 – Donnie Clark (WB) pinned Brandon Beech 0:41
135 – Jon Demchak (WB) pinned Ronnie Wilson 0:59
140 – Nathan Owens (WB) maj. dec. Josh Ervine 8-0
145 – Teddy Little (WB) pinned Dustin Harris 1:08
152 – Garett Wyland (BA) pinned Scott Ellis 4:18
160 – Tim Tice (WB) won by forfeit
171 – No match
189 – Colt Vedic (WB) pinned Dwayne Cherry 2:39
215 – Tim Smeal (WB) won by forfeit
275 – No match
103 Don Partner (BA) won by forfeit
112 – Matt Wills (WB) won by forfeit
119 – Eli Colyer pinned Brandon Lefort 4:39
125 – Amos Albright (WB) maj. dec. Ricky Shawley 9-0.
