Tibor Toth’s technical fall in the final bout, at 127 pounds, Wednesday night lifted Pittston Area to a 39-32 victory over Wilkes-Barre Area and into sole possession of the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 lead.
The Patriots are already the only team in the division with an unbeaten record. They are 2-0 in the division and 10-1 overall while the other five Division 1 teams have suffered at least their first loss.
Pittston Area took a 34-32 lead into the final bout, but Toth left no doubt. He put an end to his meeting with Emanuel Degante by building a 17-0 lead.
The Patriots had earlier leads of 10-0 and 16-5, but the Wolfpack won three straight from 160 to 189, meaning the Patriots needed to win four of the last five bouts that were decided on the mat. They lost once by forfeit during that closing run.
Brody Spindler started the rally from a 20-16 deficit when he decked Jacob Estremera in 14 seconds at 215.
Noah Gruber followed with a pin of Altamir Terry in 2:29 of the 285-pound bout.
Tim Riefler ended his bout with Jayson Sanchez two seconds before the first-period buzzer at 114, creating a 34-26 lead.
After the forfeit, Toth closed out the win.
Shawn Shimonis, in the first period at 139, and Chase Baron, at 152, had pins earlier in the night.
Jahiem Butler won a major decision at 133.
Dallas 40, Wyoming Area 36
Wyoming Area’s Wednesday match also came down to the final bout.
Aidan Hilburt’s pin at 139 pulled out the victory for Dallas in the WVC Division 2 match.
The Warriors dropped to 0-2 and 1-12.
Wyoming Area got its points on four forfeits and pins at the two heaviest weight classes.
Caden Reynolds and Nate Obrzut won at 215 and 285.
Dandy Duals
Wyoming Area lost all six of its matches in the dual meet event at Towanda Dec. 14.
The Warriors were shut out by Bald Eagle Area 72-0, then fell to Jersey Shore (59-17), Montgomery (64-12), Honesdale (63-10), North Penn-Liberty (42-33) and Wilkes-Barre Area (42-33).
Nate Obrzut opened with a win at 285 against North Penn-Liberty. When Connor Novakowski’s 15-10 decision at 133 was followed up by pins from Shane Emsley and Michael Appel, the Warriors had a 27-18 lead.
Wilkes-Barre Area did not allow the Warriors to get out of the first period from 145 to 172 while taking a 42-15 lead to clinch the win. Wyoming Area’s Riley Pierce, Caden Reynolds and Obrzut then finished up with consecutive pins at the three heaviest weights.
Obrzut suffered his only loss of the season in a 9-0 decision against Bald Eagle Area’s Gage Gardner. He then received a forfeit against Jersey Shore and posted four straight pins, all in the first 43 seconds of the second periods, to finish 5-1 on the day.
Novakowski was 4-2 on the day at 133 and 139 with the losses coming to a defending state champion and another returning state medalist. He had a pin, a technical fall and a major decision among his wins.
Reynolds was 3-3 at 215, with all three of his wins and two of his losses coming in first-period pins.
