Chase Baron’s pin 17 seconds into the second period Monday night lifted Pittston Area over visiting Blue Ridge in non-league wrestling, giving the Patriots District 2’s highest overall win total with 11 victories.
Blue Ridge moved into the lead for the third time, taking a 36-34 advantage into the final bout.
Baron pinned Nathan Oropallo in 2:17 at 152 pounds to produce the victory.
Pittston Area improved its overall wrestling record to 11-1, the second-best mark in District 2. Wallenpaupack is 8-0.
The Patriots, who lead Division 1, have more than double the overall wins of any Wyoming Valley Conference team. No other WVC team has more than five wins.
Noah Gruber, who won in 18 seconds at 285, and Shawn Shimonis, who won in the second period at 133, had the other pins for Pittston Area.
Dominic Innamorati and Jahiem Butler added technical falls at 160 and 127 and the Patriots picked up two victories by forfeit.
Turner Holiday Classic
Pittston Area’s Brody Spindler posted two pins at 215 pounds Friday to land a spot in the semifinals of the Turner Holiday Classic and Conestoga Valley High School.
After receiving a first-round bye, Spindler pinned Exeter’s Bryan Henry in 2:17 and Selinsgrove’s Jarrod Bullington in 1:40. He was the only Patriot to reach the semifinals of the tournament, which was scheduled to conclude Saturday.
Tibor Toth, at 114, and Noah Gruber, at 285, reached Friday night’s quarterfinals before losing.
Gruber got there with two pins, one in the first period. Toth had a first-period pin in his first Friday bout.
Toth and Gruber then recovered with consolation victories in their final bouts of the night to advance to Saturday’s wrestlebacks with a chance to finish as high as third in their weight classes.
All other Pittston Area wrestlers lost twice and were eliminated Friday.
Tim Riefler (121), Jahiem Butler (127), Chase Baron (152), Dominic Innamorati (160), Aiden Sweder (172) each won their first bout before losing two in a row. Mikel Roman (107) won one consolation bout between his two defeats.
Frank Wadas Memorial Tournament
Connor Novakowski and Nate Obrzut used quick pins in Friday night’s quarterfinals to reach Saturday’s semifinals in the tournament at Tunkhannock.
The tournament was scheduled to conclude Saturday.
Novakowski, in his only bout of the tournament’s first day, pinned North Pocono’s Seth Wheeland in 25 seconds.
Obrzut recorded his second pin of the event when he finished William Henniger of Dallas in 50 seconds at 285.
Chase Wilhelm also wrestled in the quarterfinals where he lost to Hanover Area’s C.J. Caines in 2:07 at 114.
Wilhelm, Shane Emsley (133) and Riley Pierce (172) all advanced into Saturday’s competition in the consolation brackets.
Wrestling in one of the event’s two largest weight classes, Pierce won by pin three times Friday.
Emsley had a pair of pins.
