1 vs. 2 match highlights Northwest Regional
ALTOONA – Facing the No. 1-ranked wrestler in Class AAA at 195 pounds, State College senior Cole Urbas got a little help from an unexpected source – his younger brother, Lance.
Cole Urbas, who is ranked second in the state, won the high-profile showdown with Luke McGonigal of Clearfield 1-0 on Saturday night in the Northwest Region finals.
After a scoreless first period, Urbas was able to ride out McGonigal in the second. McGonigal tried several Granby rolls, but Urbas followed him each time.
“That’s something I see often when I wrestle my brother,” Urbas said, referring to 170-pounder Lance, who is a freshman for the Little Lions. “Whenever I wrestle him, that’s all he does is Granby. I think over the years, I’ve adapted to that move.”
Urbas escaped about 10 seconds into the third period for a 1-0 lead. That’s all he needed, as he fought off McGonigal’s shot attempts. The Clearfield senior, who was undefeated enter the match, almost came up with a winning takedown. With the taller Urbas doing a partial split as a single-leg defense, McGonigal locked up a cradle just before the buzzer, but he wasn’t able to take Urbas to his hip to secure the takedown.
“I kind of got save by the buzzer there,” Urbas said.
Urbas said there is a mutual respect between the top-ranked wrestlers, as they have known each other for years. So what would happen if they met again in the state finals next weekend?
“Um, it’ll be the exact same,” Urbas said with a laugh.
The other two top-ranked wrestlers in the Northwest Regional fared better than McGonigal.
Mifflin County’s Trent Hidlay won by 17-1 technical fall over Zach Becker of St. Marys in the 170-pound final.
Erie Cathedral Prep’s Carter Starocci pinned Coy Bastian of Selinsgrove for the 160-pound title. Starocci was one of four Ramblers to win individual titles, as they cruised to the team title, easily outdistancing Hidlay’s Mifflin County team.
Paniro Johnson (120), Luigi Yates (182) and Kawaun DeBoe (285) also won titles for Cathedral Prep.
Altoona’s Matt Sarbo started the finals with a bang, as he pinned #3 Andrew Brest of General McLane for the 106-pound title.
Bald Eagle Area’s Gage McClenahan, ranked fifth at 152 pounds, scored a third-period reversal, a penalty point and two backpoints for a 5-1 victory over #4 Trey Kibe of Mifflin County.
McClenahan’s 138-pound teammate, Seth Koleno, won a title while Garrett Rigg fell to DuBois’ Kolby Ho in the 145-pound final.
Mifflin County’s Christian Fisher (113), DuBois’ Ed Scott (126) and McDowell’s Jeffrey Boyd (132) were the other champions.
Northwest Regional Class AAA
Finals
106 Matt Sarbo (Altoona) F Andrew Brest (General McLane), 3:45
113 Christian Fisher (Mifflin County) DEC Johnathan Shreffler (Central Mountain), 8-1
120 Paniro Johnson (Cathedral Prep) MD Matt Leehan (General McLane), 13-3
126 Ed Scott (DuBois) DEC Cade Balestrini (Shikellamy), 7-2
132 Jeffrey Boyd (McDowell) DEC Seth Andrus (Central Mountain), 3-2
138 Seth Koleno (Bald Eagle Area) DEC Leno Ciotti (McDowell), 5-2
145 Kolby Ho (DuBois) DEC Garrett Rigg (Bald Eagle Area), 9-4
152 Gage Mcclenahan (Bald Eagle Area) DEC Trey Kibe (Mifflin County), 5-1
160 Carter Starocci (Cathedral Prep) F Coy Bastian (Selinsgrove), 3:09
170 Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County) TF Zach Becker (St. Marys), 23-8 4:18
182 Luigi Yates (Cathedral Prep) DEC Josh Krieger (Shikellamy), 11-4
195 Cole Urbas (State College) DEC Luke Mcgonigal (Clearfield), 1-0
220 Nate Schon (Selinsgrove) DEC Parker Mcclellan (Altoona), 9-3
285 Kawaun Deboe (Cathedral Prep) F Nick Morelli (Meadville), 1:16
Third
106 Vincent Rinella (Meadville) DEC Cooper Gilham (Bald Eagle Area), 7-1
113 Ben Tirpak (Cathedral Prep) DEC Ryan Madigan (Warren), 7-1
120 Derek Burk (Mifflin County) DEC Matt Ryan (Clearfield), 3-2
126 Tyler Mckinney (Cathedral Prep) DEC Hunter Weitoish (Philipsburg-Osceola), 9-7 SV
132 Andrew Stark (Cathedral Prep) DEC Logan Wise (Mifflin County), 10-5
138 Nathan Swartz (Hollidaysburg) DEC Justice Jones (Carrick), 9-3
145 Logan Long (Central Mountain) DEC Kishawn Higgins (Cathedral Prep), 5-1
152 Matt Johnson (Philipsburg-Osceola) MD Nick Rinella (Meadville), 11-2
160 Hunter Wright (Clearfield) F Ian Barr (State College), 2:08
170 Tanner Weaver (Central Mountain) DEC Ian Klinger (Philipsburg-Osceola), 10-5
182 Mason Mccready (Hollidaysburg) DEC Dylan Bisel (Bald Eagle Area), 5-3 SV
195 Dorian Crosby (Cathedral Prep) DEC Brandon Anderson (Philipsburg-Osceola), 7-2
220 Mahlik Houtz (Central Mountain) DEC Kross Todaro (Mifflin County), 3-1
285 Nate Simmers (Altoona) F Matt Starr (DuBois), 2:08