Down to the wire

Andrew Alton

Tyler Buckwalter

Dylan Alton

Jordan Rich

Brian Brill

HERSHEY, Pa. – So close … yet so far away …

Very cliché indeed …. In a battle of Titans, the defending PIAA AAA team champions toed the line with a very capable and confident Wildcat squad, with the winner taking home all the rewards.

While Central Mountain kept it very close, and there was an opportunity for a very qualified yet young wrestler to put an exclamation point on the event, the Wildcats came up short in a 35-34 loss to the Rams of Central Dauphin.

Andrew Alton opened up the scoring a 145 by taking all of 30 seconds to pin CD’s Wesley Rick. Tyler Buckwalter followed suit by decking Jamison Peake in 2:48.

Dylan Alton added another fall in 28 seconds over Justin Wolfe to put the Wildcats up 18-0 at 160 pounds. At 171 the Ram’s vaunted veteran, Marshall Peppleman earned a fall over Blaze Buckwalter in 3:07. Then Kenny Courts posted an 11-3 decision over CM’s Dylan Caprio.

Cody Dolan moved the scoring back to theWildcat column at 215 with a 7-4 decision over Kyle Wolfe. Zach Corl followed with a 4-1 decision over Nate Stewart at 285 pounds.

Ty Dippery came up with a pin over Logan Bechdel at 103 in 1:49. Then Shyheim Brown added another fall in 1:00 over Cole Hanley at 112 pounds with CD now inching closer trailing 24-22.

Nick Barndell garnered a 4-0 decision over Joey Miller, while Kevin Goodling majored Bryant Vannoy 14-2 to put the Rams up 29-24.

Tyler Buckman added to the effort fort Central Dauphin with a fall over Dillon Gavlock at 130 pounds with a fall in 1:24. The Jordan Rich willed his way to a fall over Colton Peppleman in 5:27 at 135 pounds to bring the team score within 5, 35-30 in CD’s favor.

Brian Brill had a wonderful opportunity at 140 pounds. The sophomore accepted the challenge and owned the Ram’s A.J. Sweigart, nearly pinning him several times but had to settle for a 10-1 major decision and ending the team score 35-34.

With the loss, the Wildcats move to the consolation round and will work to battle back to claim the third place title.

PIAA State Team Championships – Easton

Logan Bechdel

Jordan Rich

Brian Brill

Andrew Alton

Dylan Alton

Cody Dolan

HERSHEY, Pa. – Central Mountain faced their toughest opponent thus far when taking on perennial powerhouse, Easton in the quarter-final round of the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships.

The Wildcats fell behind the Rovers 21-0 before embarking on an impressive rally to post a 40-24 victory to advance to the semi-finals and take on No. 1 Ranked, Central Dauphin.

Logan Bechdel was pinned in 3:04 by Evan DiSora at 103, while Michael Fleck followed suit for Easton decking Cole Hanley in 0:46 at 112 pounds.

Robert Rizzolino decisioned Joey Miller 4-1 at 119 with Calvin Daly adding another decision 6-3 over Bryant Vannoy at 125 pounds.

Mitchell Minotti added to the Rover’s total with a 8-2 decision over Dillon Gavlock. Jordan Rich stopped the bleeding at 135 pounds with an important 11-3 major decision over Robert Rizzolino.

Mark Hartenstine closed out the scoring for Easton with a 7-0 decision over Brian Brill at 140 pounds.

Then the Wildcats roared back with a vengance … recording five falls in the remaining seven weight classes, four were earned in under a minute … Andrew Alton decked Kenneth Lear in 0:18 at 145 while brother, Dylan Alton stomped Anthony Minnotti in 0:54 at 152.

Tyler Buckwalter decisioned Zachary Bambary 5-2 at 160 pounds. Dylan Caprio dropped back down to 171 pounds and pinned Josh Rotger in 0:17.

Cody Dolan pounded Jalal Paige for a fall in 2:41 at 215 pounds, while Zach Corl took all of 0:15 to deck Thomas Cevoli at 285.

Now CM will have a tall task, defeating state rival Central Dauphin in the semi-final round, slated for 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Giant Center.

PIAA State Team Championships – Council Rock South

Zach Corl

Cole Hanley

Andrew Alton

Dylan Alton

Cody Dolan

HERSHEY, Pa. – Central Mountain opened action against Council Rock South at the Giant Center this morning capturing a 42-20 win over the Golden Hawks. CRS was the first team to hold the Wildcats to fewer than 50 points in the 2009-10 dual meet season.

Wrestling started at 285 with Zach Corl earning a 14-4 major decision over Tom Trampe. Logan Bechdel received the short end of a 18-2 tech fall in 5:29 to Billy Rappo.

Cole Hanley picked up some very crucial team points at 112 pounds with a 7-2 decision over Mack Moore. Joey Miller added bonus points to the cause with a fall over Trey Bolasco in 5:29 at 119 pounds

Matt Rappo picked up a 14-8 decision over Bryant Vannoy at 125 pounds, while Connor Moore edged Dilon Gavlock 5-4 at 130 pounds.

Josh Dziewa managed a to get by Jordan Rich with a 8-6 decision at 135. Brian Brill picked up a win over Matt Martoccio at 140 pounds with a 3-2 decision.

Andrew Alton only neede 3:38 to record a tech fall over Tim Riley at 145 pounds, while Tyler Buckwalter decked Carl Wtken in 1:32 at 152 pounds.

Dylan Alton dispatched Austin Reichenbach in 3:50 at 160, with Blaze Buckwalter succumbing to a pin in 2:54 to Bobby Lavalle at 171.

Dylan Caprio bumped up to 189 pounds again and ponded Michael Bennett for a well-deserved 8-3 decision. Cody Dolan rounded out the scoring with a fall over Josh Kupperstein in 1:30.

Next for the Wildcats is Easton in the quarter-final round.