Pittston Area and Wyoming Area each split their two matches Wednesday when the District 2 Dual Meet Wrestling Championships were conducted.
Those results made the Patriots one of four teams in Class 3A and the Warriors one of four in Class 2A to take part in the remainder of the consolation bracket Saturday at Pittston Area to determine third- through sixth-place teams in the district tournaments.
Both teams lost quarterfinals, then came back with wins in the consolation quarterfinals before the night was over. Teams that lost twice in a row had their tournament end Wednesday.
The matches for the week were:
Wallenpaupack 48, Pittston Area 25
Jahiem Butler and Shawn Shimonis produced back-to-back pins for Pittston Area at 121 and 127 pounds for an early 12-12 tie before Wallenpaupack pulled away in the Class 3A quarterfinal match at Abington Heights.
The Buckhorns followed the Butler and Shimonis pins with three consecutive pins to open a 30-12 lead.
Jacob Aftewicz won a 3-0 decision at 152 and James Spindler followed with a major decision at 160 to cut the deficit to 30-19, but Wallenpaupack again won three straight bouts, this time clinching the victory.
Dave Sudo closed with a pin for Pittston Area at 285.
Pittston Area 37, Dallas 30
Brody Spindler and Dave Sudo came through with late wins to rally Pittston Area to the consolation quarterfinal victory at Abington Heights, extending the Patriots’ stay in the tournament.
Dallas led 24-3 early and was still in front 30-21 before Spindler’s major decision at 215.
Sudo followed with a pin that served to clinch the team victory with Oscar Ciriaco about to pick up a forfeit in the closing 107-pound bout.
James Spindler and Keegan Bucci won by pins in 16 and 32 seconds at 160 and 172.
Jahiem Butler (121), Dominic Innamorati (145) and Jacob Aftewicz (152) won decisions for the Patriots.
Pittston Area was 11-10 going into Saturday morning’s match with Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 champion Wyoming Valley West, the second seed with an 18-5 record. West Scranton and Wallenpaupack were the other two teams pursuing a third-place finish.
Montrose 35, Wyoming Area 31
Fifth-seeded Montrose, the Lackawanna League Division 3 champion, used a pin, a major decision and a forfeit in the final three bouts to come from behind and the defeat fourth-seeded Wyoming Area in the Class 2A quarterfinals at Lackawanna Trail.
The Meteors took advantage of three forfeits, compared to two received by the Warriors.
The teams split the eight bouts decided on the mat.
Anthony Evanitsky and Jonathan Stone had pins for the Warriors in 28 and 45 seconds at 152 and 127 pounds.
Alex Cordts, at 121, and Kendall Heck, at 145, added major decisions.
Wyoming Area 48, Scranton Prep 27
Wyoming Area won seven of the first nine bouts to secure its Class 2A consolation quarterfinal victory early.
Kendall Heck provided the clincher at 160 with the team’s third straight first-period pin, following up Jaden Pepe and Anthony Evanitsky at 145 and 152.
Connor Novakowski, at 114, and Jonathan Stone, at 133, also won by first-period pin and the Warriors added 18 more points on forfeits.
The Warriors took an 11-7 record into Saturday morning’s consolation semifinal with second-seeded Berwick, the only team it trailed in the WVC Division 2 standings. Montrose and Valley View were the other teams pursuing third place.
Pittston Area 48, Blue Ridge 22
Pittston Area moved above .500 on the season with Monday’s home, non-league win.
District 2 extended the season two days to Monday before determining its final power ratings for playoff qualification and the loss cost Blue Ridge the eighth and final spot in the Class 2A field.
Pittston Area won the seven heaviest weight classes, led by pins from Keegan Bucci and kevin Hower at 172 and 189. James Spindler had a technical fall at 160, Dominic Innamorati a major decision at 145 and Jacob Aftewicz a decision at 152.
