The Golden Eagle wrestling season began on a sour note as Huntingdon took advantage of eight forfeits and three pins to rout Tyrone 71-9 in the season opener for both squads.

Tyrone’s points came from Sage Dixon, who recorded the Eagle’s only pin, and Devon Brown, who won a 10-3 decision.

“The good news is its early in the season and individual wrestlers can make improvements,” said head coach Mike Cherry, “We have the potential to fill all the weights, [but] we have a lot of work ahead of us. I remain optimistic and confident that the kids will get focused, come together as a team, and have better success as the season progresses.”

With all the missing wrestlers, and Huntingdon fielding a solid lineup, the Golden Eagles weren’t able to keep up with the seven forfeits.

“At Conamaugh Township we had only eight wrestlers,” said Coach Cherry. “We could of had more but a few kids were not prepared because of taking time off from football, one went hunting. Two of those wrestlers that wrestled at the Conamaugh Tournament are now on the injured list, one with a concussion and one with a knee injury.”

Other wrestlers were missing for various reasons.  According to Cherry, four have not completed the paperwork necessary to compete, one is academically ineligible, two are on a probation period for not attending mandatory practices, three are working on moving into their weight classes according to there weight management plans, and one has been sick for several days.

At 145 Sage Dixon led the way for the Golden Eagles by pinning Huntingdon’s Trenton Sheaffer at 2:43.

Devon Brown also defeated Huntingdon’s Warren Shope 10-3 with three takedowns, a reversal and one near fall.

“I was confident because I wrestled Trenton last year, and I was able to hit shots,” said Dixon, “I’d like to improve takedowns when people are backing up and are low. I wrestle to win, numbers don’t matter to me.”

Sophomore Jamal Hicks lost his match 18-3 against Isaac Benson with a technical fall of 5:38. Hicks had three escapes.

“I just need to work on getting stronger and quicker,” said Hicks.

At 220 junior Steve Coyler had a tough match against Huntingdon’s Landan Fisher, one of the top area wrestlers at 220.  Colyer had one escape, a near fall of five seconds and a reversal but got into trouble and took a fall at 1:49.

“Very simply put, the guys that did the best have been the ones that have spent the most time in the practice room before the mandatory practice date and have continued that commitment level,” said coach Cherry.

The Tyrone wrestlers next match is tonight at Altoona. The match starts at 7:00 pm.

Box Score

Tyler Scott (138), Logan Fisher (220) and Brady Shope (285) had pins for the Bearcats. Sage Dixon (145) had Tyrone’s lone pin.

106-Rhone, H, won by forfeit; 113-Ja. Wagner, H, won by forfeit; 120-Brown, T, dec. Shope, 10-3; 126-Benson, H, tech. fall Hicks, 18-3, 5:38; 132-Glorioso, H, won by forfeit; 138-Scott, H, pinned Harris, 1:21; 145-Dixon, T, pinned Sheaffer, 2:43.

152-Baney, H, won by forfeit; 160-Jo. Wagner, H, won by forfeit; 170-Oliver, H, won by forfeit; 182-Simpson, H, won by forfeit; 195-La. Fisher, H, won by forfeit; 220-Lo. Fisher, H, pinned Colyer, 1:49; 285-B. Shope, H, pinned Light, 1:21.

Records: Tyrone (0-1); Huntingdon (1-0).