HYDE, Pa. (EYT) — It may have been a tough day for the Clarion County wrestlers at Saturday’s District 9 2A Championships, but it will still have six headed to the Northwest Regional Tournament next weekend in Sharon.
(Pictured above in video: Clarion Bobcat’s Tom Wurster)
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The Clarion Bobcats, despite a rash of bad injuries to some of the best wrestlers leading up to the tournament, have three going to regionals, which is the qualifier for the PIAA Championships. The top four finishers will advance.
At 220 pounds, junior Tom Wurster had the best finish of the day for the Bobcats, finishing second. Wurster battled Brookville’s Tyler Cook in the finals, dropping an 8-1 decision.
Wurster had two pins Friday before beating Coudersport’s Corey Thompson, 10-3, in the semifinals.
Wurster is 22-9 entering regionals.
At 152 pounds, senior Mike LeFay (30-6) earned his way back to a regional berth after losing in the quarterfinals.
Clarion Bobcat’s Mike LeFay
LeFay won four matches, including a 4-3 decision over Coudersport’s Julian Smith in the third place match.
Freshman Ben Smith improved to 19-10 and placed fourth at 195.
Clarion Bobcat’s Ben Smith
Smith lost a quarterfinal match before winning three straight to reach the place match against Kane’s Ty Stahli, where he dropped a narrow, 2-0, match.
The Redbank Valley Bulldogs are sending two wrestlers to regionals in Hunter Martz and Mason Songer.
Redbank Valley Bulldog’s Hunter Martz
Martz, a sophomore at 120 pounds, placed second. Martz won a wild, 19-16, decision over Coudersport’s Trevor Olney in the semifinals.
In the finals, Martz was pinned by Brookville’s Gavin Park.
For Songer, the sophomore is 19-8 after placing fourth at 113 pounds.
Redbank Valley Bulldog’s Mason Songer
Songer pinned Coudersport’s Donovan Olney in 2:29 to make the consolation finals and dropped an 8-5 decision to Curwensville’s Blake Passarelli.
For the Keystone Panthers, sophomore 195-pounder Tyler Van Tassel (24-9) will carry the school banner to regionals after a runner-up finish. He was pinned by Brockville’s Xavier Molnar in the finals.
Keystone Panther’s Tyler VanTassel
Van Tassel won his semifinal match by pinning Kane’s Ty Stahli in 2:29.
The Northwest Regional tournament begins Friday.
