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Carson: Preview of this weekends NW wrestling tournament

By BRIAN CARSON

ALTOONA – The tournament trail enters phase two with 34 area wrestlers ready to tackle the Northwest Regional Class 3A championships this Friday and Saturday in Altoona.

First-round action begins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The top three place winners in each weight class will punch their tickets to the Giant Center in Hershey for the PIAA championships March 10-12.

Mifflin County, fresh off a district team title last week, advanced 11 into regionals with four – Nic Allison (113), Kyler Everly (160), Trey Shoemaker (189), and Jaxson Pupo (285) winning District 6 titles.

Also advancing were Hunter Johnson (120), Blake Aumiller (132), Jacob Cunningham (138), Deakon Schaeffer (145), Parker Kearns (152), Avery Aurand (172), and Anson Wagner (215).

Juniata advanced six to regionals, the most by the program since moving to 3A, with the Smith twins, Casey and Taylor, earning second-place medals at districts at 120 and 126, respectively.

Joining the Indian juniors at regionals will be Joey Bomberger (106), Daniel Painter (132), Josh Bomberger (160), and Jonathan Kauffman (215).

The Huskies first-round matchups feature Johnson (29-8) taking on Erie’s Mharel Lyons (9-8), Aumiller (23-15) battles McDowell’s Bobby Blue (14-10), Cunningham (6-8) faces Christian Hawkins (7-10) of Obama Academy, and Schaeffer (27-10) meets Carrick’s Matt Rump (12-11),

Kearns (27-9) tackles Lane Dellaquilla (23-5) of Saint Marys, Aurand (18-15) hooks up with Erie Prep’s Kelyn Blossey (17-6), Shoemaker (32-4) gets Tom Paternoster (10-13) of Allderdice, Wagner (28-6) goes against Williamsport’s Charlie Lundy (4-16), and Pupo (25-7) meets Shikellamy’s Blake Vankirk (10-17) in the first round.

Allison (31-2) and Everly (31-3) open with a bye. Allison enters the tournament fifth on the Huskies all-time win list (120) and fourth in falls (70). Everly is tied for eighth in victories (93) and fifth in falls (55). Shoemaker is sixth in career falls (49), and Wagner is seventh in pins (39).

First-round pairings for the Indians include Joey Bomberger (13-17) against Carrick’s Matt Marrs (19-7), Casey Smith (28-4) gets Bradford’s Devon Poe (22-11), Taylor Smith (25-7) faces Khalil Collins (7-10) of Obama Academy, Painter (16-15) takes on Shikellamy’ Ian McGregor (25-10), Josh Bomberger (20-14) battles Shikellamy’s Coltyn Sempko (28-8), and Kauffman (27-7) hooks up with Marcus Wahlia (16-4) of Allderdice.

Centre County

State College qualified nine to regionals, and Bellefonte advanced eight to represent Centre County.

The Little Lions have district champions Asher Cunningham (120), Pierson Manville (138), and Nick Pavlechko (215) leading the way. Also advancing were Jonathan Choates (106), Jacob Campbell (126), Josh Hershbine (160), Braden Newby (172), Carter Weaverling (189), and Shane Focht (285).

Cunningham (29-6), Manville (31-3), and Pavlechko (25-3) received byes in the first round. Choates (8-11) faces Jakari King (6-7) of Allderdice, Campbell (13-12) meets Williamsport’s Devon Harris (12-14), Hershbine (11-15) battles Erie Prep’s Clay Mallory (22-5), Newby (19-13) takes on Meadville’s Ty Tidball (13-13), Weaverling (20-14) hooks up with Erie’s Toa Mataafa Grove (13-10), and Focht (15-11) tussles with McDowell’s Jack Sroka (19-13).

Leading the way for the Red Raiders is district champion Jude Swisher, who will be going for his fourth regional title. Swisher (35-1), ranked first in the state at 145, has a bye in the first round. Garrett Choates (27-9) also has a bye at 113.

Cameron Garcia (106), Noah Weaver (126), Aidan O’Shea (132), Gage Long (138), Nate Smith (152), and Tyler Putnam (285) advanced to regionals and have first-round matches.

First-round pairings for Bellefonte include Garcia (15-15) versus Aubree Donahue (9-13) of DuBois, Weaver (18-13) against Clearfield’s Brady Collins (30-3), O’Shea (30-6) takes on General McLane’s Ben Watkins (8-12), Long (22-11) meets Arad Shehandeh (0-5), Smith (13-9) goes against Brashear’s Jermaine Williams (12-2), and Putnam (24-14) battles Oliver Billotte (26-2) of Clearfield.

NW Regional Class 3A Pairings

Mifflin and Juniata County

106:

(6-5) Joey Bomberger, Juniata, Fr. (13-17) vs. (8-1) Matt Marrs, Carrick, Sr. (19-7)

113:

(6-1) Nic Allison, Mifflin County, Sr. (31-2), bye

120:

(6-2) Casey Smith, Juniata, Jr. (28-4) vs. (4/9-4) Devan Poe, Bradford, Sr. (22-11)

(6-3) Hunter Johnson, Mifflin County, Jr. (29-8) vs. (10-3) Mharel Lyons, Erie High, Jr. (9-8)

126:

(6-2) Taylor Smith, Juniata, Jr. (25-7) vs. (8-3) Khalil Collins, Obama Academy, Jr. (7-10)

132:

(6-3) Blake Aumiller, Mifflin County, So. (23-15) vs. (10-2) Bobby Blue, McDowell, So. (14-10)

(6-4) Daniel Painter, Juniata, Jr. (16-15) vs. (4/9-4 Isaac McGregor, Shikellamy, So. (25-10)

138:

(6-4) Jacob Cunningham, Mifflin County, Jr. (6-8) vs. (8-1) Christian Hawkins, Obama Academy, Fr. (3-8)

145:

(6-3) Deakon Schaeffer, Mifflin County, So. (27-10) vs. (8-2) Matt Rump, Carrick, Sr. (12-11)

152:

(6-2) Parker Kearns, Mifflin County, So. (27-9) vs. 4/9-4) Lane Dellaquilla, Saint Marys, Sr. (23-5)

160:

(6-4) Josh Bomberger, Juniata, Sr. (20-14) vs. (4/9-2) Coltyn Sempko, Shikellamy, Sr. (28-8)

(6-1) Kyler Everly, Mifflin County, Sr. (31-3), bye

172:

(6-3) Avery Aurand, Mifflin County, Fr. (18-15) vs. (10-2) Kelyn Blossey, Erie Prep, Sr. (17-6)

189:

(6-1) Trey Shoemaker, Mifflin County, Sr. (32-4) vs. (8-3) Tom Paternoster, Allderdice, Fr. (10-13)

215:

(6-4) Jonathan Kauffman, Juniata, Jr. (27-7) vs. (8-1) Marcus Wahlia, Allderdice, So. (16-4)

(6-2) Anson Wagner, Mifflin County, Sr. (28-6) vs. (4/9-4) Charlie Lundy, Williamsport, Sr. (4-16)

285:

(6-1) Jaxson Pupo, Mifflin County, Sr. (25-7) vs. (4/9-4) Blake Vankirk, Shikellamy, Sr. (10-17)

Centre County

106:

(6-2) Cameron Garcia, Bellefonte, Fr. (15-15) vs. (4/9-4) Aubree Donahue, DuBois, Jr. (9-13)

(6-3) Jonathan Choates, State College, Fr. (8-11) vs. (8-2) Jakari King, Allderdice, Fr. (6-7)

113:

(6-2) Garrett Choates, Bellefonte, bye, Sr. (27-9)

120:

(6-1) Asher Cunningham, State College, bye, Fr. (29-6)

126:

(6-3) Jacob Campbell, State College, So. (13-12) vs. (4/9-2) Devon Harris, Williamsport, So. (12-14)

(6-4) Noah Weaver, Bellefonte, Fr. (18-13) vs. (4/9-1) Brady Collins, Clearfield, Fr. (30-3)

132:

(6-2) Aidan OShea, Bellefonte, Sr. (30-6) vs. (10-3) Ben Watkins, General McLane, So. (8-12)

138:

(6-1) Pierson Manville, State College, So. (31-3), bye

(6-3) Gage Long, Bellefonte, Jr. (22-11) vs. (8-2) Arad Shahandeh, Allderdice, Fr. (0-5)

145:

(6-1) Jude Swisher, Bellefonte, Sr. (35-1), bye

152:

(6-4) Nate Smith, Bellefonte, Sr. (13-9) vs. (8-1) Jermaine Williams, Brashear, Sr. (12-2)

160:

(6-3) Josh Hershbine, State College, Sr. (11-15) vs. (10-2) Clay Mallory, Erie Prep, So. (22-5)

172:

(6-2) Braden Newby, State College, Sr. (19-13) vs. (10-3) Ty Tidball, Meadville, So. (13-13)

189:

(6-2) Carter Weaverling, State College, Jr. (20-14) vs. (10-3) Toa Mataafa Grove, Erie, So. (13-10)

215:

(6-1) Nicholas Pavlechko, State College, So. (25-3), bye

285:

(6-3) Shane Focht, State College, Sr. (15-11) vs. (10-2) Jack Sroka, McDowell, Jr. (19-13)

(6-4) Tyler Putnam, Bellefonte, Sr. (24-14) vs. (4/9-2) Oliver Billotte, Clearfield, Sr. (26-2)

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