Boilings Springs’ Kobin Karper loves underdog role, blasts into KOM quarters

MILL HALL, Pa.: Boiling Springs’ Kobin Karper likes the idea of being an unknown heading into a wrestling tournament.

Not only does he feel like he has an advantage over his opponent, it’s motivation to prove his worth to the rest of the field.

Karper won’t be sneaking up on anyone during the final rounds of the King of the Mountain Tournament. Not after his performance in the opening two rounds Friday at Central Mountain High School.

The 126-pound unseeded freshman blasted his way through a pair of opponents, which included a decisive 10-1 major decision in the Round of 16 over No. 8 seed Micheal Palmer-Delaney, of West Chester Henderson.

“I kind of like being unseeded, because it’s always fun being the underdog,” Karper said. “I just want to prove to people that I can be at the top.

“I just want to keep wrestling my match, wrestle to the best of my ability, and have fun. Right now, I’m pleased with my wresting and want to keep it going.”

Karper had it going in his first-round match, a quick fall in 1:02 over Boyertown’s Nick Montanye. But the Bubblers ace was even more impressive against a better opponent in the second round.

Palmer-Delaney kept it close on the scoreboard in the first, only giving up a takedown to Karper. But, the period wasn’t as close as the score indicated.

Karper was a beast on top. Palmer-Delaney chose bottom to start the second, and the Bubblers standout scored two near-fall points at the 1:06 mark. He added three more to take a 7-1 lead into the third.

“After I got my first set of back points, I knew I could dominate there,” Karper said. “I looked over at my coaches and told them I wanted to go on top, because I knew I could dominate from that position.”

That was evident in the final two minutes.

Karper took top and added three more near-fall points. Palmer-Delaney never got close to getting out and dropped the 10-1 decision.

Now, Karper moves into Saturday’s 10 a.m. quarterfinal round. He will face Burrell’s Ian Oswalt, the top seed and No. 2-ranked wrestler in the state at 126 according to PA Power Wrestling.

“Coming into high school, I don’t really know a lot about kids, because I don’t take time out to watch them wrestle,” Karper said. “I think it’s a good thing, because I just try to wrestle my match.”