Two D-9 wrestlers will seek Pa. championships

By Scott Shindledecker

HERSHEY, Pa. — Thirteen District 9 Class AA wrestlers guaranteed themselves a medal finish while two of them will wrestle for a state title after Friday’s action in the PIAA Championships at Hershey’s Giant Center.

Brookville senior Tate Ortz and Smethport senior James Duffy will each wrestle for state championships Saturday afternoon. Both have yet to lose this season.

At 132 pounds, Ortz continued his undefeated march with a 5-3 win over Southern Columbia’s Todd Lane in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Ortz won a thriller, 2-1, in a overtime tiebreaker over Palisades senior Jacob Wasser to punch his ticket to the state title match against Bishop McDevitt junior John Pipa.

Wrestling at 145 pounds, Duffy beat Freedom junior Kody Komara, 7-5, to reach the semifinals. There, he beat Huntingdon junior Seth Baney, 5-3, to clinch a spot in the finals and stay unbeaten at 36-0. There, Duffy will face another unbeaten wrestler in South Fayette senior Mike Carr (42-0). Carr beat Northwestern Lehigh sophomore Caleb Clymer, 7-4.

Including Ortz, Brookville leads the way with five medalists, while Brockway and Redbank Valley have two each. Also with one medalist each are Clarion, Smethport, Curwensville and Port Allegany.

Here’s a look at each school’s wrestlers who didn’t make the finals and how they performed Friday.

Brookville

• 138-pound senior Cole Aaron dumped previously unbeaten Warrior Run senior Zack LeBarron, 2-0, in the quarterfinals. LeBarron was 39-0. For Aaron, he fell 11-4 in the semifinals to Boiling Springs senior Cole Wetzel. In the fifth round consolation, Aaron wrestled Wylausing’s Creighton Edsell and won 6-1. Aaron will face Fort LeBoeuf’s Jarret Carter for third place.
• 152-pound sophomore Caleb Hetrick dropped a 7-1 decision to unbeaten Hughesville senior Zach Fry in the quarters, but the Raider bounced back with a 7-1 win over Saucon Valley’s Nathan Harka. In the fourth round consolation, Hetrick lost 3-1 to Chestnut Ridge junior Morgan Deremer. Saturday, Hetrick will wrestle for seventh against Huntingdon’s Jon Wagner.
• 113-pound junior Gavin Park fell in the quarterfinals, 6-4, to Boiling Springs freshman Kollin Myers. Park rebounded with a pin of Habor Creek’s Nick Oosterkamp in 4:18, then lost to Benton senior Alan Diltz, 3-0. Park will wrestle for seventh against Notre Dame Green Pond’s Ritchie Markulics.
• 106-pound junior Keelan Kunselman was pinned in 4:49 by Chestnut Ridge’s Aaron Burkett in the quarters, but he also fought back with a 2-1 win over Everett’s Garrett Cornell in the third round consolations. In the fourth round, Kunselman beat Benton’s Joe Klock, 1-0. In the fifth round, he lost 2-0 against Reynolds freshman Beau Bayless. Kunselman will wrestle for fifth against Bishop McDevitt freshman Chase Shields.
• Two Raiders lost their second round consolation matches to end their respective seasons. At 182, Noah Cieleski lost 3-1 to Mount Union senior Adam Rigney. At 220, Tyler Cook, dropped a 3-2 decision, in overtime, ultimate tiebreaker, to Saucon Valley Devin Fontanez.

Brockway

• 126-pound senior Mason Lindenmuth clinched his medal with a 3-1 win over Saucon Valley’s Jonah Lynch in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he dropped a 7-1 decision to Central Cambria junior Max Murin. In the fifth round consolation, Lindenmuth faced Bedford senior Johnathan Gabriel and lost 4-3. The Rover will wrestle Redbank Valley’s Tanner Altobelli for fifth.
• 120-pound senior Ryan Carlson lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Muncy senior Angelo Barberio in the quarterfinals, but he rallied to shut out Bloomsburg’s Matt Milbrand, 6-0, in the third round consolations. In the fourth round, Carlson lost 2-1 to Lewisburg senior Jordan Gessner. Carlson will wrestle for seventh against Habor Creek sophomore Mark Sallot.
• 113-pound Mitchell Overbeck and 138-pound Dustin Jamison each lost their second round consolation matches to see their seasons end. Overbeck lost 3-1 to Penns Valley’s Darren Yearick while Jamison lost 6-3 to Annville Cleona’s Josh Renninger.

Redbank Valley

• 285-pound senior BryLee Shumaker followed his pin Thursday with a fall Friday in the quarterfinals against Wyomissing senior Robert Dunbar. In the semifinals, he saw a state-title match berth end as he dropped a 5-3 loss to Southmoreland senior Jacob Beistel. Shumaker faced Wyalusing junior Dawson Otis in the fifth round consolations and he scored an overtime pin in 5:51. Shumaker will wrestle Salisbury Township’s Alex Nicholas for third.
• For 126-pound senior Tanner Altobelli, he dropped into the wrestle backs with an 8-2 loss to Central Cambria junior Max Murin in the quarterfinals. In the third round consolations, Altobelli assured himself a medal with an 11-4 win over Jamestown’s Hunter Goodlin. In the fourth round, Altobelli beat Tamaqua’s Tanner McHugh, 5-3. In the fifth round, the Bulldog wrestled Reynolds sophomore Cole Matthews and lost 4-2 in overtime, sudden victory.

Clarion

• Bobcat 195-pound senior Zach Sintobin was pinned in 44 seconds by Jefferson Morgan’s Bill Bowlen in the quarterfinals, but he bounced back with an 8-4 win over West Branch senior Clayton Green in the third round consolations. In the fourth round, Sintobin scored a 3-1 win in overtime, sudden victory against Cambridge Springs senior Deven Simpson. In the fifth round, Sintobin faced Greenville’s Blake Reynolds and lost 7-0. Sintobin will wrestle for fifth against Chestnut Ridge’s Conner Buttry,

Port Allegany

• 220-pound senior Ethan Budd moved into the semifinals with an 8-1 decision over Scranton Prep’s Thor Balavage. There, he lost 5-4 to Bishop McDevitt’s Harrison Cole Nye. Budd wrestled South Fayette senior Rausaun Culberson in the fifth round consolation and won 13-5. Budd will wrestle Greenville senior Gage Gladysz for third place.
• 160-pound senior Mac Tanner lost his second round consolation match, 3-1, to Susquenita’s Dalton Group to finish his senior year at 31-5.

Curwensville

• 152-pound senior Shae Bloom dropped his quarterfinal round matchup, 4-2, to Burrell senior Damon Greenwald, but came back strong in the third round consolation with of pin of Delone Catholic junior Brian Shermeyer in 4:05. In the next round, Bloom beat Huntingdon senior Jon Wagner, 3-1, in overtime, sudden victory. In the fifth round consolation, Bloom faced Saegertown’s Nick Monico and lost 3-2. Bloom will wrestle Chestnut Ridge’s Morgan Deremer for fifth.