|
Jessica Shirey, Team Reporter February 28, 2009 ALTOONA – Eight Bison wrestlers survived Friday night’s opening rounds and will continue vying for a top three spot tomorrow afternoon at the Northwest Regional Championships at the Altoona Fieldhouse. Clearfield has advanced three wrestlers to the tournament’s semifinals in Andrew Spicer (119), Holden Lowe (130) and Sean Owen (285). “I think that we did pretty well. We want to keep guys alive. Their goal is to finish in the top three,” head coach Jeff Aveni said. “But I did think that we had another shot or two to get to the semis. We got three guys through, and that’s pretty good.” Spicer was the first to put himself in the hunt with a 5-1 win over Cathedral Prep’s John Agnello in the quarterfinals at 119 pounds. Up 2-1, the Bison senior started down in the second period. He used an escape and takedown before riding out Agnello for the win in the last stanza. At 130, Lowe scored a takedown for the early favor against Lewistown’s Jake Schultz. He would receive one in the following period after a Schultz interlocking call to set the 3-0 final. Owen kept his perfect record intact with a 10-3 decision over General McClane’s Caleb Baker at heavyweight. Baker entered the match-up with a 36-7 overall record and was the District 10 Runner-up last weekend. In the first, the Bison converted on a pair of takedowns for a 4-2 advantage, tacking on an escape to start the second. Following a Baker escape, Owen posted a takedown before cranking him to his back for three at the end. “Those guys are all where they need to be. They’re sitting in the semis and are one win away from a trip to states. And, they’re wrestling well. Hopefully, they’ll come back tomorrow strong,” Aveni said of the trio. Clearfield had five others pick up first round consolation wins to remain in the tournament. At 103, Shane Peters bounced back with a 17-2 technical fall over Conneaut Lake’s Aaron Smith. Even at two, the sophomore started in the defensive position in the second, reversing Smith for three back and a 7-2 lead. Peters took him down for two more in the second before turning him twice for three near fall each. The end came at the 4:52 mark. Peters, who opened the tournament with a 16-2 major decision over Perry’s Lydell Bell, suffered a 10-1 loss to Indian Valley’s Kaleb Loht in the quarterfinal round. Loht currently holds the 13th spot in the PA Power Rankings. Bison Kodie Lowder posted two takedowns and an escape for a 5-0 decision over Central Mountain’s Joey Miller in the wrestlebacks at 112 pounds. Lowder had previously earned a 5-3 win over Miller this season at the state team dual championships in Hershey back in February. At 145, sophomore Derek Danver scored on a trio of takedowns and a reversal for an 8-2 win against Corry’s Jesse Preisler. Danver dropped to the consolation bracket after coming out on the losing end of a 4-2 decision to District 6 Runner-up Shane Alterio, of Bellefonte, in the quarters. Alterio, a two-time state qualifier who is ranked 10th in the state, used a first period takedown and a reversal in the second for a 4-0 favor. Danver notched two escapes in the bout. Clearfield’s Shawn Hall scored on a pair of takedowns and an escape for 5-0 favor over Conneaut Lake’s Denny Diodati. After surrendering one, he went to back to work for a takedown and three backs, setting the 10-1 final at 160 pounds. Going scoreless in the first, 215-pounder Andre Buck escaped the grasp of Schenley’s Michael Ellwood. Buck took down Ellwood to go up 3-0 before pinning him at the 3:49 mark in the third. “They came back and did what they needed to do to stay alive. We’re going to see a lot of guys who we have already seen this year (in the consolation rounds). I’m hoping that we can come back and reverse some decisions and maintain the ones that we’ve already taken,” Aveni said. Aveni said that his wrestlers’ regional tournament has gone as expected for most part as of yet. “The guys who we expected to be in it are still in it. We wrestled pretty well today. They all did what they needed to do,” he said. “You know, it’s the post-season, and you want to go out and win. We’re not looking for anyone to be flashy or anything like that. We just want them to win and move on.” Saturday’s action will get under way with the semifinal and second consolation rounds set for 12 p.m.
|
