DISTRICT 4 WRESTLING: SAYRE'S BENNETT EARNS ONE WIN BEFORE BOWING OUT (12 PHOTOS) (2020-02-22)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportW'PORT - Sayre sophomore Jake Bennett earned one win, but fell short in his for Regionals here Saturday afternoon at the District 4, Class AA wrestling championships at Williamsport High School.
"Jake Bennett has a couple of years left, and I really think he found some heart this year," said Sayre coach Ralph Warner.
"He knows what he needs to do in the offseason, and he seems to want to do it," added Warner. "I expect big things from him the next two years."
Bennett, the fourth seed at 152 pounds, opened his day with a convincing 16-2 major decision over 11th-seeded Jacob Dinges of Montoursville in the opening round of the consolation bracket.
Bennett scored a takedown and two-point tilt in the one-minute first period for a 4-0 lead.
He piled it on in the second period, with three sets of near-fall points to build a 13-2 lead heading into the final two minutes. He scored a three-point tilt in the third period.
"He wrestled real well. It was a good warm-up match for him," said Warner. "He looked much better on his feet. He was tough on top, and got to his tilts, which is what he wants to do."
In the semifinals, Bennett dropped a 10-2 major decision to eighth-seeded Christian Good of Muncy.
Good scored a takedown midway through the first period, a quick reversal to start the second period, and a pair of two-point tilts in the final 20 seconds to take an 8-0 lead into the third period.
"In the (semifinals), he just got out-powered,"said Warner. "We just need to get in the weight room, and he realizes that.
"You can see the difference. The 52-pounders here are just huge, compared to him.
"I think he wrestled well," added Warner. "It was a better match than the final score said, we gave up a turn that we shouldn't have. He wrestled tough and battled against a good opponent."
Junior Jake Burgess, the 11th seed at 132 pounds, finished the weekend 0-2 after a loss via fall in 2:32 to fifth-seeded Skylar Manahan in the opening round of wrestlebacks.
"He wrestled Manahan earlier this season at the Wyalusing Duals, and the kid decked Jake in 28 seconds," said Warner. "Today, he wrestled, and did a much better job against him.
"He wrestled a great first period. In the second period, (Manahan) just pulled him in.
"He was outsized and out-powered," noted Warner. "If you get pulled in underneath a kid like that, you know he's much stronger.
"For his first time down here, in his first year, he did a decent job," Warner added.
Warner is looking forward to his second year, and beyond, at the helm of the Sayre program.
"We had some eligibility problems with a couple kids, and a couple of injuries, this year," he said. "If we can get the kids to put in the work in the weight room, and get some time in the wrestling room in the offseason, I think we'll do much better.
"We have everyone back next year, and we should have five coming up from the junior high program that can help us," noted Warner. "I think the numbers will keep improving.
"It's a building process, it won't happen over night, but there's potential here," added Warner. "I think when these younger kids are seniors, and we get the next group up here, you'll see us turn the corner."
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IN PHOTOS 1-7: Sayre's Jake Bennett. IN PHOTOS 8-11: Sayre's Jake Burgess. IN PHOTO 12: Sayre coach Ralph Warner (left) and Cooper Mosier. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
