DuBOIS, Pa. — While it seems like it’s becoming routine for the Brookville Raiders to win the District 9 Class 2A Team Wrestling Championship, head coach Dave Klepfer still doesn’t take it for granted.
“No, we still enjoy the accomplishment,” Klepfer said. “There were plenty of years when we didn’t, when things weren’t going as well, so we’ll appreciate it.”
Saturday at DuBois Area High School, the Raiders won the fourth straight title and fifth in the last six years by rolling past Clarion, 59-17, in the semifinals and Coudersport, 67-6, in the finals.
The Raiders will return to Hershey’s Giant Center Thursday to begin their quest for a second consecutive state championship.
The Raiders won in 2016 while finishing 29-0.
Brookville is 21-1 with its lone loss coming to Reynolds, 37-16, in the Ultimate Duals two weeks ago.
There is nothing more the Raiders would like doing is to knock off their rivals for another team crown and they will have the chance to do so. Both teams are on opposite sides of the bracket.
Reynolds rolled to its fifth straight District 10 2A title Saturday, beating Haborcreek, 55-6.
“We are happy to be on the other side, but it doesn’t mean it will be easy getting to the finals,” Klepfer said. “There are seven or eight teams there that are capable of winning it all and you have to wrestle your best every match and have a number of things go your way.”
Klepfer was happy with the way his team responded after Clarion jumped out to a 15-6 lead after four matches.
“A few things were said at that point,” Klepfer said. “I was happy with the way we came back.”
The Raiders ended up winning 59-17.
In the finals against Coudersport, which had beaten Redbank Valley 46-24 in the other semifinal, the Raiders trailed 6-4 after three matches.
But they didn’t lose again.
Raider 170-pounder Tyler Park got the win streak going with a 1-0 win over Coudy’s Isaac Wright to give Brookville the lead for good at 7-6.
Then the demolition really went into high gear for the Raiders as they scored nine straight pins to make it 61-6.
A little pre-match jawing gave the Raiders all the motivation they needed, if it really was.
“There was some talking going on and I told the kids ‘Hey, it’s your championship, but they’re still talking.’ So they showed everyone which team is the best in District 9,” Klepfer said.
Of the nine straight pins, only one went beyond the first period.
Noah Cieleski got the romp started with a 91-second fall of Eli Ayers at 182. At 195, Xavier Molnar needed only 45 seconds to plant Troy McKeone.
At 220, Tyler Cook worked for more than three minutes before decking Corey Thompson in 3:45. At 285, Colby Whitehill took just 49 ticks of the clock to pinning Jeff Gunn.
At 103, Parker Fleming scored a 45-second pin of Coudy’s Chris Davis, then at 112, Cabe Park put Donovan Olney on his back in 1:10.
Keelan Kunselman scored a pin in 1:26 at 120 over Brenan Kisiel and Gavin Park stuck Kurt Lefever in 1:06.
Kai Sorbin capped the pinfest with a 78-second fall of Chase Fuller to make it 61-6. Dontae Constable accepted a forfeit win to complete the match.
Caleb Hetrick grabbed Brookville’s first win with a 9-1 major decision at 152 pounds.
The Raiders will begin states Thursday against the winner of a wrestle-in match between the District 3 third-place finisher and the District 11 runner-up.
Coudersport ended up grabbing the second qualifying spot in the PIAA Team Tournament.
The Falcons beat Clarion 45-27 in the true second place match to grab a state berth. Coudy will wrestle the District 4 runner-up Monday. A Falcons win would pit them against the WPIAL champion Thursday.
Saturday’s action began with two quarterfinal matches. Redbank Valley beat Ridgway 38-37 and Clarion beat Brockway 37-27.
In the 3A semifinals, DuBois beat Clearfield 47-27 and St. Marys defeated Shikellamy. The Beavers won a hard-fought finals match 35-29.
