The Herald, Sharon, Pa: Winter sports '97-'98

Published Saturday, Feb. 28, 1998

Regional results
After Friday's action
Team Standings:

Sharon 15 1/2
Reynolds 13
Ridgway 11
Cochranton 9 1/2
Brookville 9
Kennedy Christian 6 1/2
Seneca 6
Ft. LeBoeuf 6
Comm. Perry 6
Youngsville 6

Quarterfinals 103 -- Adam Renner (Seneca) pinned Bo Bedow (Union City), 3:02; Glenn Sample (Saegertown) dec. Clint Puller (Brookville), 4-2; Drew Rose (Lakeview) maj. dec. Jay Carlson (Cameron County), 8-0; Bruno Iorfido (Ridgway) pinned Rocky Habel (Reynolds), 1:35

112 -- Steve Popovitch (Reynolds) dec. Dan Spen cer (Saegertown), 7-0; Scott Cornelius (Greenville) dec. Shelton Rowland (Smethport), 9-7 OT; Matt Boozer (Redbank Valley) maj. dec Cory King (Ft. LeBoeuf), 9-0; Dave Predko (Ridgway) dec. Zack Fejes (Hickory), 8-2.

119 -- Kurt Holzshu (Greenville) tech. fall over Chris Reynolds (Reynolds), 15-0, 5:10; Doug McGraw (Cameron County) maj. dec. Mike Shumac (Seneca), 12-0; Justin DeArment (Camb. Springs) pinned Mike Predko (Ridgway), 5:19; Anthony Adams (Redbank Valley) dec. Jeff Fors (Eisenhower), 8-4.

125 -- Jason Nestor (Reynolds) dec. Mike Battles (Greenville), 2-0; Mike Germano (Sharpsville) dec. Eric Bloom (Curwensville), 4-0; Justin Fischer (Shar on) dec. Brent Johnson (Smethport), 4-2 OT; Jeremi ah Steger (Ridgway) maj. dec. Nathan Bundy (Youngsville), 11-3.

130 -- Ryan Nuhfer (Maplewood) maj. dec. Vern Roberts (Seneca), 16-4; Jared Moss (Sharon) maj. dec. Keith Ferraro (Brookville), 9-1; Justin Nestor (Reynolds) dec. Mitch Reckner (Brockway), 6-0; Greg Puncheon (Ridgway) dec. Ryan Artman (Saegertown), 3-1.

135 -- Jeremy Artman (Saegertown) dec. Joel Urey (Commodore Perry), 5-2; Craig Griffin (Sharon) pinned Christian Fawcett (Clarion), 5:21; Paul Clough (Youngsville) pinned Emil Johnson (Brookville), 3:59; Aaron Wright (Coundersport) dec. Matt Lozowski (Seneca), 4-1.

140 -- Joe Charleton (Ft. LeBoeuf) pinned Anthony Errera (Grove City), 6:22 OT; Tom McMath (Sharpsville) dec. Aaron Rendos (Brockway), 4-2; Jim Farr (Youngsville) dec. Chris Shilk (Ridgway), 8-4; Jason Gilligan (Brookville) dec.Todd Shimshock (Greenville), 7-2.

145 -- Bob Tumpak (Reynolds) maj. dec. Damon Higby (Union City), 10-2; Josh McClimans (James town) pinned Curt Gerber (Ridgway), 5:08; Wes Sindlinger (Commodore Perry) maj. dec. Ryan Lewis (Clar ion), 9-0; Jeff Shaffer (Brookville) maj. dec. Tim Strausser (Greenville), 11-3.

152 -- Nevada Walker (Commodore Perry) maj. dec. Chad Holzshu (Reynolds), 18-5; Gary Gledhill (Cochranton) dec. Dave Shilk (Ridgway), 3-2; Tim Wil liams (Ft. LeBoeuf) dec. Cory Cathcart (Clarion), 8-2; Jeremy Reitz (Brookville) maj. dec. Stan Skakalski (Jamestown), 15-5.

160 -- Rick Hogue (Cochranton) tech fall over Ryan Sayers (Camb. Springs), 17-2, 5:32; Denny Mitchell (Smethport) dec. Don Lewis (Grove City), 12-6; Jason Cecil (Kennedy Christian) maj. dec. Nathan Gorley (Redbank Valley), 16-8; Randy Stout (Brookville) dec. Aaron Anderson (Seneca), 5-2.

171 -- Matt Hogue (Cochranton) pinned Norm Skakalski (Greenville), 3:52; Matt Tomeo (Grove City) pinned Scott Brigger (Ridgway), 4:54; Dan Vogel (Seneca) dec. Aaron Cantafio (Brockway), 3-2; Josh McCullough (Sharon) maj. dec. John Bickford (Cameron County), 11-2.

189 -- Eric Mausser (Sharon) tech fall over Dustin Harnett (Jamestown), 17-0, 2:49; Joe Rendos (Grove City) pinned Jason Barnett (Redbank Valley), 1:47; Travis Shirley (Kennedy Christian) tech. fall over Justin Costion (Ridgway), 15-0, 5:26; Kevin Henry (Union City) pinned Adam Bickford (Cameron County), 2:55.

275 -- Dan Svirbly (Reynolds) pinned Eric Shan non (Jamestown), 2:30; Greg Dinsmore (Conn. Lake) dec. Paul Shilk (Ridgway), 2-1 2OT; Shawn Lerch (Clarion) pinned Scott Eagley (Girard), 1:39; Luke Fragale (Cameron County) dec. Josh Fiske (Ft. LeBoeuf), 7-3

NORTHWEST AA REGIONAL WRESTLING
Sharon grabs the early lead

By Lynn Saternow
Herald Sports Editor

Home sweet home!

The Sharon High Tigers gave the home fans a lot to cheer about at the Northwest AA Regional Championships at Sharon High gym Friday as Coach Dave Ciafre's Tigers grabbed the team lead with 15 1/2 points.

District 10 champion Reynolds was in second place with 13, followed by Ridgway with 11.

Sharon and Reynolds both sent five wrestlers into the semifinals, which were to start at 10 a.m. today. It also sets the stage for the place where big points can be scored.

The consolation finals are slated for 5 p.m., with the finals at 6:30.

Sharon coach Ciafre was pleased, but not surprised by his team's perfect 5-for-5 effort in the opening round.

``We worked hard all week for this,'' Ciafre said. ``I told the kids that if they all take care of their own business we can put five in the finals. But we'll have some tough matches today.''

Josh McCullough at 171 pulled off a big win for the Tigers, knocking off District 9 champion John Bickford by an 11-2 count. Also advancing for Sharon were: Justin Fischer (125), Jared Moss (130), Craig Griffin (135) and Eric Mausser (189). Mausser lifted his season record to 30-0.

Reynolds' five advancers were: Steve Popovitch (112), Jason Nestor (125), Justin Nestor (130), Bob Tumpak (145) and Dan Svirbly (275).

``It went pretty much as we expected,'' said Reynolds coach Brian Hills. ``We sort of expected the kids who won to come through. But it's big to win in the semis because you know you're going to Hershey. Some of the other guys had some tough draws, but we hope they can come back and win some matches for us.''

A look at each weight class:

103 -- Favorite Bruno Iorfido of Ridgway wasted no time in the opening match against Reynolds freshman Rocky Habel, pinning the Section 3 champion in 1:35. Next up in the semis for the unbeaten (32-0) junior is Lakeview frosh Drew Rose. Seneca's District 10 champ Adam Renner notched a fall and faces a semis rematch with Saegertown's Glenn Sample, who lost to Renner, 4-0, in the D- 10 semis.

112 -- Reynolds' Steve Popovitch and Ridgway's Dave Predko stayed on course for an expected finals meeting which would be a rematch of last season's semis won by Popovitch, 7-0. Predko downed Hickory's Zack Fejes, 8-2. Popovitch will meet Scott Cornelius of Greenville in the semis as Cornelius won a thrilling 9-7 victory over Smethport's Shelton Rowland.

119 -- Kurt Holzshu of Greenville rolled to a tech fall over Chris Reynolds of Reynolds to earn a semis berth against defending regional champ Doug McGraw of Cameron County. Two talented wrestlers also collide on the other side of the bracket as Cambridge Springs' Justin DeArment takes on D-9 champion Anthony Adams of Redbank Valley.

125 -- D-10 champ Justin Nestor of Reynolds, who managed a hardfought 2-0 decision over Mike Battles of Greenville, will take on Sharpsville's Mike Germano, last year's 112-pound regional champ, in the semis. D-9 winner Jeremiah Steger of Ridgway will go against Sharon's Justin Fischer, a 4-2 winner in overtime over Smethport's Brent Johnson.

130 -- D-10 winner Ryan Nuhfer of Maplewood looked strong in a major decision over Seneca's Vern Roberts and will go against regional nemesis Jared Moss of Sharon in the semis. Last season Moss beat Nuhfer, 5-4, in the third-place consolation match here to advance to Hershey and send Nuhfer home. In the other semi, Reynolds frosh Justin Nestor tangles with Ridgway's D-9 winner Greg Puncheon in a battle for key team points.

135 -- Sharon's Craig Griffin, last year's 130 champ, roared from behind and pinned Clarion's Christian Fawcett to earn a semifinal match with Jeremy Artman of Saegertown. Artman edged Griffin in overtime in the D-10 semis. Unbeaten Aaron Wright of Coudersport (30-0) takes on Youngsville's Paul Clough in the other match this morning.

140 -- A pair of defending regional champs will meet in the semis as Joe Charlton of Ft. LeBoeuf takes on Sharpsville's Tom McMath. Charlton, who was taken to overtime before pinning Grove City's Anthony Errera Friday night, defeated McMath, 3-2, last week at districts. McMath looked impressive in a 4-2 win over Brockway's Aaron Rendos, who came in with a 26-1 mark. In the other semi, Brookville's Jason Gilligan, a 7-2 victor over Greenville's Todd Shimshock in the quarters, will meet Jim Farr of Youngsville.

145 -- Reynolds' D-10 champ Bob Tumpak, last year's 135-pound champ, will take on Jamestown's Josh McClimans this morning in a rematch of the D-10 semis won by the Raider senior, 8-0. Commodore Perry's Wes Sindlinger continues in his quest for a rematch of the D-10 finals with Tumpak as he meets Brookville's Jeff Shaffer, an 11-3 winner over Greenville's Tim Strausser.

152 -- Nevada Walker, Commodore Perry's defending regional champ, romped over Reynolds' Chad Holzshu, 18-5, and faces Cochranton's Gary Gledhill in the semis. The other side of the ledgers shows Tim Williams of Ft. LeBeouf going against D- 9 winner Jeremy Reitz of Brookville, a 15-5 victor over Jamestown's Stan Skakalski.. Walker beat Reitz, 7-2, in last year's 145 regional final.

160 -- D-10 winner Rick Hogue of Cochranton won by technical fall, but D-9 champ Randy Stout had a tougher time as he worked a 5-2 victory over Seneca's Aaron Anderson. Hogue will clash with Smethport's Denny Mitchell, a 12-6 winner over Grove City's Don Lewis. Stout will go against Kennedy Christian's Jason Cecil.

171 -- Cochraton's D-10 champ Matt Hogue pinned Greenville's Norm Skakalski in the quarterfinals and is looking at a district rematch with Matt Tomeo of Grove City, which Hogue won 10-7. Josh McCullough's victory over D-9 champ Bickford sets up another D-10 matchup with Dan Vogel of Seneca, which Vogel won 6-2.

189 -- Unbeaten Eric Mausser of Sharon and Kennedy Christian's Travis Shirley stayed on track for a third finals meeting on the tournament trail as both won by technical falls. Today Mausser takes on Grove City's Joe Rendos, whom Mausser beat 4-1 in last year's semis en route to the regional crown. Shirley takes on Union City's Kevin Henry who pinned District 9 champ Adam Bickford of Cameron County.

275 -- Reynolds' D-10 champ Dan Svirbly notched a fall over Jamestown's Eric Shannon to advance against Conneaut Lake's Greg Dinsmore, whom Svirbly beat 8-1 in the D- 10 semis. The other semi pairs Cameron County's Luke Fragale against Clarion's Shawn Lerch.

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Updated Feb. 28, 1998
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