Mifflin County matmen takes care of rival Little Lions

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: January 25, 2024

By Kenny Varner

STATE COLLEGE – It was an epic prime time match up.

Every year during wrestling season, the Mifflin County versus State College rivalry is always a very heated match up.

This year was no exception as the two battled in very close matches. The Huskies would have the advantage in most of those en route a convincing 40-18 victory.

“It’s important to have close matches and to get that feel and stay mentally tough through those situations,” said Mifflin County coach Kirby Martin. “I’m very thankful for those opportunities. That’s really good for our kids especially heading into the last part of the season.”

Though the match was at State College high school, both teams were well represented with faithful fans who wanted a chance to watch a battle of two legendary programs.

Early on in the match, the Huskies rolled out to a 25-9 lead over the Little Lions.

The first match of the contest was a battle at 152 when Parker Kearns went up against Pierson Manville in a battle of state ranked grapplers. Manville took an early takedown along with two back points to go ahead 4-0. In the second, Kearns was able to get loose of Manville’s grip and escape starting the second period trailing 4-1.

Manville was able to notch a second take down on Kearns. But once again the Huskies matman would escape, making it a 6-2 contest going into the final period.

Manville notched an escape in the down position, taking home the 9-3 contest in a very competitive contest.

Mifflin County bounced back at 160, as Deakon Schaeffer dominated in his match against Xavier Zeruth, winning by tech fall at the 4-minute mark, winning 18-1, giving the Huskies a lead they would never relinquish from that point.

Avery Aurand added some much needed early bonus points as he

pinned Regan Dillion at the 3:13 mark.

The heavyweights continued to give the Huskies some much needed points. At 189, Gavin Mickey picked a very methodical display winning by a 18-3 tech fall over Travis Bechtel at 3:32.

The wins continued for Mifflin County at 215, Truitt Davis notched a second period pin over Lucas Anderson at at 3:17. After a scoreless first, Davis, starting in the down position, was able to escape and followed up with a takedown on Anderson. Anderson was able to reverse things and put Davis down after an escape, cutting the Mifflin County lead. But Davis bounced back up and put Anderson down and rolled him up for the pin.

State College was able to pick up its second win of the night as they sent out 285-pounder and state ranked Nicholas Pevlechko to take on Dekker Pietzsch. Manville was too much for Pietzsch as Pevlechko was able to pick up the pin at 1:11.

In the lightweight division, 107 – pounder Andrew Alexander from Mifflin County was able to post a very hard fought decision over Noah Young, 4-1.

In the of the night’s most exciting matches, 114-pounder Peyton Shawver picked up a 2-0 overtime decision over Jon Whitbread. Both wrestlers were able to hold the other scoreless. But in the overtime period, Shawver got a clutch take down with time running out in the period, upping the Huskies lead to 28-9.

Teammate Jake Knable also won a very close decision as he topped Jonathan Coates, 4-2. With both wrestlers tied going into the final period, Knable, who was in the down position, was able to reverse control and take the lead for good at 4-2.

at 127, MIfflin County’s Blake Aumiller was able to take the nail biting decision over Nicholas Berrena 7-5 as he was able to pick up a late takedown with 10 seconds left to break open a 5-5 stalemate.

The Little Lions bounced back for a win at 133, James Whitbread overtime decision over Kamden Everly, 3-1.

State College won its second in-a-row at 139. Jacob Campbell pinned Brian Albert 5:27, giving the Little Lions its 18th point on the night.

In the final match of the night, 145 – pounder Colby Seiler for Mifflin County pinned Brody Bucher 2:35, rounding out the scoring at 40-18.