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Wyoming Area had five wrestlers make it through the Dec. 3 season-opening Gary Woodruff Duals at Wyalusing Valley with 5-0 records, but that did not translate to the same success on the team level.
The Warriors finished the day 3-2, suffering a pair of close losses.
Anthony Evanitsky (152-160), Connor Novakowski (114), Ethan Speece (285), Garret Pocceschi (121) and two-time defending state champion Jaden Pepe (145-152) all went 5-0.
The Warriors defeated Scranton Prep, 57-12, and Blue Ridge, 53-18, before losing to host Wyalusing Valley, 36-33.
Wyoming Area then beat Juniata, 38-34, before losing their final match to Montrose, 39-36.
Evanitsky, Novakowski and Speece all pinned four opponents and won their other bout by forfeit.
Pocceschi had three pins and received two forfeits.
Pepe got a full workout with two pins, a technical fall and two decisions.
Jonathan Stone had three pins while going 3-2.
Pepe, Evanitsky, Speece, Novakowski and Stone all had first-period pins and Wyoming Area received four forfeits against Scranton Prep.
Evanitsky and Paul Panek had first-period pins during a 30-0 start against Blue Ridge.
Wyoming Area rallied from an early 18-0 deficit to tie Wyalusing Valley twice before falling short.
Evanitsky’s pin at 152 against Juniata was the clincher, giving the Warriors an insurmountable 21-point lead with three bouts left.
Wyoming Area and Montrose traded the lead five times with the Meteors pulled out the win in the final bout.
Season outlook
Wyoming Area returns top-line performers from its Wyoming Valley Conference championship team, which went 5-0 in the division and 13-7 overall.
The Warriors finished second in the district, fifth in the Northeast Region and fourth in the state in the team scoring during the individual championships.
Pepe went 45-0 while winning the state title at 120.
Evanitsky went 47-4 as a freshman and finished third in the state at 138.
After losing three of its top five winners to graduation, the Warriors are trying to rebuild their depth.
The Warriors open their title defense Wednesday at home against Berwick.
