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PIAA WRESTLING: ATHENS' GALASSO LOSES IN QUARTERFINALS; DROPS INTO WRESTLEBACKS (7 PHOTOS) (2019-03-08)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
HERSHEY - Athens senior David Galasso came up short in a contrast of styles, losing by second-period fall to McGuffey senior Chrisitan Clutter in their 170-pound quarter-final match-up at the PIAA Class AA wrestling championships here Friday morning at the Giant Center.

"(David) needs to move his hands and keep his head going, and (Clutter) has a style that ties up that side," said Athens coach Jay White.

"(Clutter's) job was to slow down the pace, and David job was to pick up the pace," noted White. "David just wrestled (Clutter's) match, and he's better at that than we are. David needed to pick up the pace, keep the hands moving and wrestle his style.

"He didn't need to do anything new, he just needed to do our stuff and that's not what he did," added White.

After spending the first 90 seconds of the bout upright, Clutter was able to score a takedown for a 2-0 lead, which he carried into the second period.

Galasso started the second period on top, but Clutter scored a quick reversal and used an arm bar to score the fall at 2:35.

Clutter is now 42-3 with two of his losses coming to top-seeded Jared McGill of Chestnut Ridge.

Galasso now faces Reynolds sophomore Cole Toy (31-13) in the third round of wrestlebacks early this afternoon.

White believes bouncing back from a loss is a double-edged sword for Galasso, who also lost his second bout at States last year.

"Having gone through this before makes it a little easier, but it also adds a little pressure," said White. "He wasn't able do it last year, and he doesn't want that to happen again since this is his last shot."

White believes Galasso and his teammate, freshman Gavin Bradley, who also wrestles in the consolation bracket this afternoon, can make it back to medal.

"David and Gavin are both in the same situation," he said. "They don't have to do anything special, they don't have to do anything new, or anything they're not capable of. They need to do what they can do, and what we've told them to do, and they will be fine.

"If they do that, they'll come out of here with hardware," added White. "It won't be a state title, but it will be a medal."

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IN PHOTOS: Athens senior David Galasso. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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