Juniata wrestlers fall just short against PO at D6 team tourney

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: January 31, 2023

By Kenny Varner

SPRING MILLS – After falling to Philipsburg-Osceola recently, the Juniata wrestling team was looking even the score as they met head-to-head in the District 6 Class AA Tean Duals Tuesday at Penns Valley High School.

It was a close match throughout but the Mounties had just enough to outlast the feisty Indians by a 36-33 margin.

“A lot of the guys turned the tables tonight. We just wrestled Philipsburg at our duals and the outcome wasn’t nearly what it looked like on the board here tonight. So they definitely improved,” said Juniata coach Jared Dressler. “The performance that they gave definitely impressed me. We’re there some points of not given up and points that we could have gotten? Yes, but that’s every match.”

With the contest starting at 215, the Indians went right to work.

Lane Peiper went up against Andrew Hensal.

After two scoreless periods, Peiper started slowly but confidently with an escape. He made the best of the neutral position as a he was able to get the takedown and turn it into a pin at 5:51.

But the Mounties would tie the team score at six at 285.

Dom Davis won by pinfall over Jason Goss at 4:21, evening things at six.

The Mounties added another pin fall at 107. Caleb Hummel started with a takedown and threw back points almost getting an early pin. However,

Juniata’s Anthony Maradiaga was able to hold his own, forcing a second period. However, Hummel was too much in the second as he was able to pick up the pin at 3:01.

Juniata bounced back at 114. Joey Bomberger topped Ace Foster.

Bomberger opened the first in a stalemate with Foster. But in the second while in the down position was able to escape. He then was able to post a takedown. He also notched a takedown in the third en route to the 5-0 decision.

Philipsburg retaliated at 121 when Sam McDonald defeated Colton Rowles via a pin fall at 0:30, upping the PO lead to 18-9.

Ryder Smith cut into that lead at 127 pounds. Smith would muscle out a late third period fall over Hunter Kephart at 5:21, cutting the Mounties’ lead back to three.

133-pounder Ben Gustkey pinned the Indians Quintin Parrish at 1:06.

Juniata rebounded at 139 when Taylor Smith pinned Layne Russell early on at 0:32.

At 145, the Mounties’ Nate Fleck picked up the easy win via a forfeit, making it a 30-21 Mounties’ advantage.

152: Marcus Gable put Philipsburg-Osceola in a good spot as he pinned Juniata’s Charlie Telfer at 0:51.

But the Indians continued to chip into the Mounties lead in the final three matches of the evening.

Javier Lopez gave his team a spark at 160 as he was able to outlast Dawson Snyder in a 4-3 decision.

Teammate Harrison Mummah followed in Lopez’s footsteps as he muscled out a hard fought 4-3 decision over Matthew Rowles, cutting the Juniata deficit to 36-27.

Rounding out the contest, the Indians went down fighting as 189-pounder Kelton Bonnell was able to work Jake Bainey over on his back for the 1:09, finishing the scoring at 36-33.