Tyrone senior Thad Westley has already collected three places at Districts, three trips to Regionals and two to the PIAA state tournament. Thad entered the 2003-04 season with 88 wins and counting. Westley kept his record perfect at 7-0 with four solid wins at the Sheetz Holiday Tournament at Penn Cambria High School in Cresson over the weekend and came home with the Outstanding Wrestler award for his efforts. After breezing into the finals with two pins and a technical fall, Westley bounced Sal Lascari of North Star by a 13-2 major decision to win the title at 135. Thad pinned Chris Stephens of Greenville, in 3:57 and Brian Johnston of Baldwin, in 4:59 and won by tech fall in 3:11 over Brett Shaffer of Central Cambria, to reach the finals.
Terry Tate (7-0) pinned Roger Pittman of Penn Cambria, in 0:59 and Jason Edmiston of North Star, in 5:13, then decisioned Chris Taueetia of Burrell, a fifth place district finisher by a 3-0 score to earn a place in the finals at 275. Tate put the finishing touches on his championship by edging Tim Reed of Madison, Ohio, 1-0 for the title.
Dane McCloskey (6-1) along with Westley and Tate earned a berth in the finals, but was turned away by Benny Barette of Madison, Ohio, 11-9 in the closing seconds of the championship final at 130. Dane defeated Aaron Oldham of Chestnut Ridge, by major decision 11-3, downed Derek Maloney of Burrell, 11-9 in overtime to get into the finals against Barette.
A huge 6-1 ride through the championship semifinals and titles by Westley and 275-pounder Terry Tate pushed Tyrone (155.5 points) past North Star (151) and Jamestown (148) into second place behind tournament champion Burrell (191). The Eagles put seven wrestlers in the top seven at their respective weight class and were able to move up two spots with their semifinal push.
“Going 6-1 in that round was just awesome,” said Tyrone coach Blair Packer who had three starters absent. “I don’t think we could have gotten any more that we did out of this team.
Robert Waite (6-3) pinned Josh Boyle of Laurel Highlands, in 1:15 and defeated Paul Hollowell of Greenville, 5-1 before falling by fall to eventual 112-pound champ Josh Snyder of Hyndman, a second place PIAA state placer last year in 2:32. In the consolations, Waite decisioned Matt Boyer of North Star, 11-5, then wrestled all the way back to capture third place. Waite received a bye, then pinned Mike Schwartz of Valley, in 1:57 and defeated Ron Barr of Burrell, 10-3 for third.
David Miller (8-1) also finished in third place, going 5-1 in the tournament. Miller pinned Levi Holler of Hyndman, in 2:59 to open his tournament, then was pinned by B. J. Greenman of Port Allegany, in 0:57. David came back with wins by fall over Nick Sible of Laurel Highlands, in 1:22 and Central Cambria’s Steve Makin in 2:10 and decisioned Alex Byler of Jamestown, 11-5 to reach the consifinal for third place. There he won by medical default in one second over Shane Hower of Mount Union.
At 103, T. J. Albright (6-3) pinned Kelly Strouse of Penns Valley, to begin the tournament, decisioned Solanco’s Ryan Finkbiner 13-8 and edged Caleb Douglas of Greenville, 3-2, before dropping a 9-5 decision to Devon Maloney, the eventual champ from Burrell. In the consolations, Albright was pinned by Finkbiner in a rematch, then rebounded for fifth place by defeating Nathan Fink of Penn Cambria.
At 171, Heath Walk (6-2) finished seventh with a 3-2 decision over Tim Halverstadt of East Lake North, Ohio, in the seventh place consolation final. Walk opened his tournament with a decision over Halverstadt by the same exact score before dropping a 7-4 verdict to Logan Downes of Valley. In the consolation rounds, Heath majored Cory Jackson of Solanco, 14-1, and was shut out 3-0 by Brian Souffer of Perkiomen Valley.
Justin Clark (3-4) went 3-2 for the tournament, picking up his first wins of the season. Clark pinned Rudy Nadbath of Madison, Ohio, in the first round, then was pinned by Trey Rogers of Mount Union. Clark decisioned Joe Grata of Central Cambria, 7-1 and decked Ben Lego of Penn Cambria before dropping out of the tournament in a loss by fall to Jason Flynn of East Lake North, Ohio.
The Golden Eagles next action will be the King of the Mountain Tournament held at Thomas Field House on the Lock Haven University campus next Friday and Saturday, Dec. 19 and 20.
