The Bellwood-Antis Blue Devils came back from the 36th annual Tri-County Wrestling Tournament with one of coach Ron Wilson’s goals for the season. Since he returned to coach his alma mater three years ago, one of the team’s goals every year, has been to improve their showing in in-season tournaments. In 2003, B-A scored 76 points and finished ninth of 10 teams in the TCT. Over the past weekend, the Blue Devils scored 111 points, a huge increase, and finished in seventh place. While that was only a step-up of a couple places, it means much to the program and the B-A coaching staff.
“I think our kids did very well,” said Wilson. “We won a bunch of matches, we got a lot of falls. That is helpful, we got a bunch of bonus points. We are still very green, overall, we can’t be displeased with the effort. The kids wrestled hard, won a bunch of matches. We improved our standing in the tournament, significantly over what we did last year.”
Josh Ervine was the lone Blue Devil to reach the finals, but had the unfortunate luck of meeting Claysburg-Kimmel senior Ryan McIntyre, who was looking for his 100th career win.
Ervine (5-4) had an easy path into the championship finals at 140. Josh pinned Tom Ayers of Juniata Valley, with 10 seconds remaining in the third period on Friday night, then took care of David Felton of Everett in the semifinals by tech fall 17-1 in 4:25. In the finals however, McIntyre, 99-21 and a 2002 TCT and District 6 champ coming in, dominated the match 16-3 to get to the century mark in wins. Ervine moves up from a third-place finish in 2003.
Eli Colyer (119) and Dwayne Cherry (189) both earned third place medals.
Colyer (5-1) decisioned Chris Shoff of Portage, 7-3 on Friday night, before running into talented Moshannon Valley sophomore Ryan Jacoby (5-0) in the semifinals. Jacoby sent Eli into the wrestle-backs with a 7-1 win. Colyer then won two straight matches to claim third place. Eli pinned Reo Wiser of Everett, in 1:43 and edged Caleb Musselman of Northern Bedford, 10-9 in the consi-finals. Colyer finished in fifth place a year ago.
Cherry (4-1) pinned Anthony Panosetti of Southern Huntingdon in the opening round, then the second of three straight fall victims of top seed and eventual champion Adrian Ritchey of Everett, in the semifinals. In the consolation rounds, Cherry pinned Mike Snyder of Claysburg-Kimmel, in 1:40, and Dustin Hess of Tussey Mountain, in the consi-final for third place in 2:13. Cherry moves up two spots from a fifth place performance in 2003.
Don Partner (103) and Dustin Harris (145) finished fourth for the Blue Devils.
Partner, a freshman, lost to Bob Chirden of Glendale twice in the tournament. First Partner was pinned by Chirden in 2:59 on Friday night, then again in 2:29 in the battle for third place. Partner (1-6) won his first varsity match in the consi-quarters with a 4-0 shutout win over Wayne McMullen of Portage.
Harris (4-6) was the busiest Blue Devil over the weekend, wrestling three times on Friday night and three times again on Saturday. Beginning with a pin of Jarod Pollock of Portage, in the pigtail round, in 3:32. Harris was then pinned by top seed and eventual 145-pound champ Justin Berrier of Southern Huntingdon, in 1:41, and won his first round consolation match by pinning Derrick Johnson of Juniata Valley, in 1:54. On Saturday, Dustin pinned Asheton Grube of Everett, in 2:31 and received a win over Matt Parry of Claysburg-Kimmel. Parry won his first match on Friday night, but was taken to the hospital with a concussion following his victory and forfeited out of the rest of the tournament. In the third-place finals, Harris was pinned by Josh Williams of Northern Bedford, in 1:38.
Bellwood-Antis also had two wrestlers place fifth in the tournament and one sixth place finisher. Brandon Beech (125) and Ricky Shawley (130) each finished in fifth place and Ronnie Wilson (135) was sixth.
Beech was pinned by Robby Roxby of Portage, on Friday night, then decked Josh Clarkson of Glendale, in the consolation quarters in 1:37. After falling to Dan Oberman of Northern Bedford, 8-3, Brandon was all over Garrett O’Rourke of Everett, winning by tech fall 18-2 in 3:00.
Shawley (2-4) was pinned by top seed and eventual 130-pound king Jared Mellott of Northern Bedford, on Friday night. Shawley received a bye in the consolation rounds, then majored Bryant Yohn of Southern Huntingdon 16-2 before being majored himself, by Jon Pollock of Portage 10-1. Ricky received a forfeit from Josh Vaughn of Tussey Mountain, in the fifth place final.
Bellwood-Antis had no wrestler at 112, Ron Colyer was 1-2 at 152, Josh Hanna was 0-2 at 160, Jonathan Davila was 0-2 at 171, Caleb Stephens was 0-2 at 215, and Brian Dougherty was 0-2 at 275.
Claysburg-Kimmel, with a 30 point lead and seven finalists heading into the championship finals outdistanced the rest of the 10-team field third straight tournament title. The Bulldogs have won seven of the last eight Tri-Counties after winning just twice (1990, 1992) in the first 21 years of the tournament.
Team Standings
CK-Claysburg-Kimmel 218.5, NB-Northern Bedford 175, SH-Southern Huntingdon 156, G-Glendale 136.5, E-Everett 124, MV-Moshannon Valley 116, BA-Bellwood-Antis 111, TM-Tussey Mountain 97, JV-Juniata Valley 94, P-Portage 79.
Championship finals
103 – Kelly Sell (CK) pinned Steve Risbon (NB) 4:45
112 – Cody Myers (SH) pinned Jon Cartwright (MV) 3:33
119 – Ryan Jacoby (MV) pinned Shane Burkett (CK) 4:38
125 – Adam Whetstone (CK) tech fall Jason Foor (SH) 27-11, 5:52
130 – Jared Mellott (NB) maj. dec. Merv Killion (G) 12-2
135 – Garrett Scott (JV) pinned Glenn Werner (SH) 1:04
140 – Ryan McIntyre (CK) maj. dec. JOSH ERVINE (BA) 16-3
145 – Justin Berrier (SH) tech fall Matt Wilkins (TM) 17-0, 4:00
152 – David Sunderland (SH) pinned Peter Westwood (E) 3:30
160 – Greg Kilgore (NB) dec. Ian Leslie (CK) 3-2
171 – Andrew Nave (E) tech fall Alan Collins (G) 16-1, 6:00
189 – Adrian Ritchey (E) pinned Bob Hewitt (G) 1:14
215 – Josh Heaster (JV) dec. Derick Musselman 2-1
275 – Tony Paris (CK) pinned Chris Lyons (SH) 5:08.
(Bellwood-Antis wrestlers only)
Third/fourth place finals
103 – Bob Chirden (G) pinned DON PARTNER (BA) 2;29
119 – ELI COLYER (BA) dec. Caleb Musselman (NB) 10-9
145 – Josh Williams (NB) pinned DUSTIN HARRIS (BA) 1:38
189 – DWAYNE CHERRY (BA) pinned Dustin Hess (TM) 2:13
Fifth/sixth place finals
125 – BRANDON BEECH (BA) tech fall Garrett O’Rourke (E) 18-2, 3:00
130 – RICKY SHAWLEY (BA) won by forfeit Josh Vaughn (TM)
135 – Levi Love (CK) pinned RONNIE WILSON (BA) 0:57
