Tyrone had a successful Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference Championship Tournament on January 2nd and 3rd at Central Cambria High School in Ebensburg.
Senior standout Kyle Scott claimed the Conference Championship at 189, sophomore Mason VanAllman finished third at 172, and freshman Tanner Walk was sixth at 107. As a team, Tyrone finished 10th of 20 competing schools.
Surprisingly, this was Scott’s first title at the LHAC Championships in three tries. He finished second in his first two LHAC tournaments, falling to Caleb Close of Bald Eagle during his junior year and Owen McMullem of Bishop McCort during his sophomore year.
“It’s crazy. I’ve never won this tournament, and I’m one of the best in the state,” Scott told the Altoona Mirror. “It shows you how tough this tournament usually is. Things were flowing well, and my attacks were coming together. I had a good feeling I was going to win it. I’m looking for the main goal, which is to win the state title. I’m enjoying my last year, but I’m looking at that main goal every day.”
Scott dominated the field at 189 pounds, with two first-period falls and two technical falls to claim the championship.
“Finally, after three long years,” Tyrone Head Coach Quentin Wright said. “He came in on a mission, and he’s been wrestling well all year.”
In the first round, Scott pinned Landon Simala of Penn Cambria in just 18 seconds. In the quarterfinals, he defeated Keegan Hewitt of Holidaysburg by pin in 1:02. In the semifinals, he defeated Grayson Mahla of Richland by an amazing 19-1 in 3:41
The championship match was an impressive 16-0 shutout in 5:12 over Chestnut Ridge’s Jayden Imler.
Scott reversed Imler for six points and a 9-0 lead in the first 16 seconds of the second period. Scott then used a standing nearside cradle in the third period to put Imler on his back, earning his ninth technical fall of the season.
“That nearside cradle has been there,” Scott said. “We work on that a lot. I hit that more than once (in the tournament). I love it.”
In addition to Scott, Tyrone had two other wrestlers reach the podium.
In the first round, Mason VanAllman pinned Carson Crawford of Bellfonte in 56 seconds. In the quarterfinals, he Major Decisioned 11-2 Tristan Casey of Chestnut Ridge. In the semifinals, he got tech-falled by Grady Clark of Huntingdon.
In the consi-semifinal, VanAllman pinned A.J. Leiato of Westmont in 1:53. In the finals for third place, he pinned Tristan Casey of Chestnut Ridge in 2:10.
Tyrone freshman Tanner Walk was the only other place winner for the Golden Eagles, taking sixth place.
In the first round, he pinned Michael Wesley of Bald Eagle Area in 1:09. In the quarterfinals, he was tech-falled by Gaige Sholly of Huntingdon
In the consi round of eight, he pinned Julian Croteau of Richland in 21 seconds. In the consi round of four, he pinned Hayden Koptchak of Philipsburg-Osceola in 4:20.
In the consolation semifinal, he was major decisioned by Connor Sidney of Holidaysburg.
In the match for fifth place, he was decisioned by Nolan Hewitt of Bellwood-Antis
Even though Tyrone only had one champion, they had two others who placed, and 10 out of the 13 wrestlers won at least one match.
KEY, TEAM STANDINGS
1. BM–Bishop McCort 254; 2. CR–Chestnut Ridge 208.5; 3. B–Bellefonte 160.5; 4. HUN–Huntingdon and CL–Clearfield 159; 6. PO–Philipsburg-Osceola 111.5; 7. C–Central 98.5; 8. PV–Penns Valley 97.5; 9. HOL–Hollidaysburg 97; 10. T–Tyrone 92.5; 11. BED–Bedford 92; 12. WH–Westmont Hilltop 81; 13. R–Richland 69; 14. BEA–Bald Eagle Area 66.5; 15. FH–Forest Hills 49.5; 166. BA–Bellwood-Antis and CC–Central Cambria 34.5; 18. PC–Penn Cambria 30.5; 19. J–Johnstown 27; 20. S–Somerset 7.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
107–K. Deputy, CR, pinned Sholly, HUN, 1:08; 114–Rowles, CL, tech fall Ickes, CR, 16-1, 5:55; 121–K. Bassett, BM, tech fall Weyandt, CR, 23-5, 4:40; 127–D. Deputy, CR, maj. dec. Dinges, PV, 13-3; 133–Carlile, PV, pinned Kostick, R, 2:32; 139–Willey, CR, pinned McMullen, BM, 5:27; 145–Butler, BM, tech fall Diehl, CL, 23-8, 5:00
152–B. Bassett, BM tech fall Swisher, B, 19-4, 2:14; 160–Miller, BM, tech fall Ryan, CL, 22-7, 3:33; 172–Clark, HUN, dec. Gunby, BM, 9-8; 189–Scott, T, teech fall Imler, CR, 16-0, 5:12; 215–Gordon, BM, pinned Hockenberry, B, :48; 285–Rodriguez, BM, dec. Miller, C, 8-1.
Outstanding Wrestler: Dominic Deputy, Chestnut Ridge
THIRD PLACE
107–Matthews, C, dec. C. Sidney, HOL, 3-0; 114–Krupka, HOL, tech fall Dipaola, FH, 20-3, 4:28; 121–Hummel, PO, tech fall Mowery, C, 16-1, 4:43; 139–W. Long, B, tech fall Niebauer, CC, 15-0, 2:18; 160–McKim, HUN, pinned Mack, PC, 2:26; 172–VanAllman, T, pinned Casey, CR, 2:10.
FIFTH PLACE
107–Hewitt, BA, dec. Walk, T, 12-7; 127–J. Morris, C, pinned Boone, BED, 2:20; 172–Kennedy, HOL, pinned Leaito, WH, 3:45; 189–Hewitt, HOL, dec. Peruso, HUN, 4-1.
SEVENTH PLACE
133–Gibson, HUN, pinned Mickel, C, 1:54; 145–Bernash, CR, pinned Horn, C, 3:33; 152–Barton, BED, pinned Nagle, BA, 2:16; 160–Lucas, B, pinned Rodgers, HOL, 4:29; 189–Spontak, BM, won by injury default over Hajzus, CC; 215–Horning, PC, pinned Elchin, S, 4:32.
