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DISTRICT 4 WRESTLING: SAYRE DUO BOTH LOSE FIRST MATCH; FALL INTO WRESTLEBACKS (6 PHOTOS) (2020-02-21)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
W'PORT "” Sayre sophomore Jake Bennett and junior Jake Burgess both dropped their opening matches here Friday night to fall back into the consolation bracket at the District 4, Class AA wrestling championships.

Bennett, the fourth seed at 152 pounds, received a bye into the quarterfinals, but fifth-seed Devon Deem of Montgomery handed him an 18-2 technical fall in 5:21.

"Jake (Bennett) didn't wrestle," said Sayre coach Ralph Warner. "He didn't look good on his feet to begin with, then when he did get to his shot, they butted heads and the official stopped it.

"They re-started, and he wasn't ready, and got taken down," noted Warner.

"It's the third time he's wrestled (Deem) ... it was a 7-5 match going into the this period at Montgomery ... a couple weeks ago in Sayre, (Bennett) lost to him, 9-7," added Warner. "(Deem) was ready to wrestle and we weren't."

Bennett will face 11th-seed Jacob Dinges of Montoursville in the opening round of wrestlebacks Saturday morning.

For Burgess, who has been away from wresting since 7th grade, it was his first appearance at Districts. He lost via fall in 33 seconds to Warrior Run's Noah Hunt in the opening round.

"This is definitely a bigger stage than he's seen, and that bracket is tough," said Warner. "He looked a little timid to start.

"Jake has worked hard this year. He hasn't wrestled in a few years ... and I'm glad he came back out.

"He got here, and that's an accomplishment," added Warner.

Burgess will face fifth-seed Skyler Manahan of Wyalusing Saturday morning in the opening round of the consolation bracket.

The top five advance to Regionals next weekend, so Bennett and Burgess will have to win three matches in the consolation bracket Saturday, including the first two to get to the consolation semifinals, to move on.

"It will be a long road tomorrow," said Warner.

"If you make it to the semis, win or lose there, it makes it a lot shorter route to advance," he added. "Now, we have to win three matches."

Wrestlebacks begin at 8:30 a.m., with the semifinals set to begin at 10 a.m.

"”"”"”"”"”"”

IN PHOTOS 1-4: Sayre's Jake Bennett. IN PHOTOS 5-6: Sayre's Jake Burgess. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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