DISTICT 4 WRESTLING: ATHENS' BRADLEY, WEST QUALIFY FOR REGIONALS; BRAUND ONE WIN AWAY (24 PHOTOS) (2020-02-22)
BRADLEY WILL WRESTLE FOR TITLE, WEST FOR THIRD, BRAUND FOR FIFTH
By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports ReportW'PORT - Sophomore Gavin Bradley and senior Alex West have guaranteed themselves of top-five finishes here Saturday at the District 4, Class AA wrestling championships, and have advanced to next weekend's Northeast Regional, while senior Keegan Braund needs to win the fifth-place match later this afternoon to join them.
Six other Wildcats were eliminated Saturday morning as they went a collective 0-6 in the opening round of wrestlebacks.
Top-seeded 113-pounder Bradley, now 33-1, put on a takedown clinic in a 14-9 win over fourth-seeded Midd-West freshman Connor Heckman in the semifinals.
Bradley scored his first takedown 35 seconds into the bout, and rode Heckman out for the final 1:25 of the first period. He was, however, penalized for an illegal hold and led 2-1 after the first two minutes.
He scored three takedowns in the third period to build an 8-4 lead, and kept it going in the third period en route to a 14-7 lead, before Heckman scored the final takedown at the buzzer.
"(Conner Heckman) is tough," said Athens coach Shawn Bradley. "Gavin had a couple rough days this week, and there were a couple of days when he was on. He was definitely on in that match. He looked really good.
"(Heckman) kid is a hammer," noted Bradley. "He's beaten some good kids this year, and the losses he's taken have been close ones."
"I guarantee he's never been taken down seven times in a match," added Bradley. "That was a great effort by Gavin."
Bradley will face second-seeded Muncy freshman Scott Johnson (38-1) in the finals this evening.
West, the third seed at 182 pounds, lost via fall in the quarterfinals to second-seed Dylan Bennett of Montoursville in 65 seconds, but bounced back in the consolation semifinals with a pin of fifth-seeded Tristen Ditzier of Muncy to assure himself of no worse than a fourth-place finish and a trip to Regionals.
West built a 6-1 lead with three takedowns before finishing off Ditzier.
"(Dylan Bennett) beat David (Galasso) last year, he's tough," said Bradley. "But, Alex (West) bounced back and sealed the deal to Regionals, that's cool."
West will face fourth-seed Derek Atherton-ely of Canton in the third-place match.
Braund, the fifth-seed at 285 pounds, dropped an 8-2 decision to top-seeded Lear Quinton of Southern Columbia in the quarterfinals, then lost via fall to second-seeded Dawson Brown of NEB in 3:32 in the consolation semifinals.
Braund, who lost twice to Brown earlier this season, led his NTL counterpart, 1-0, when Brown came out on top in a scramble and recorded the fall.
"Keegan wrestled well," said Bradley. "He's just going to have to get it done later this afternoon.
"(Dawson Brown) is tough," he noted. "He got upset last night, but he's the second seed.
"It's probably best he's ever wrestled him," added Bradley. "We were right there."
Braund will wrestle ninth-seeded Gunner Treibley of Meadowbrook Christian later this afternoon in the fifth-place match.
In the morning session:
"¢ Freshman Jake Courtney, the eighth seed at 106 pounds, dropped a 10-4 decision to second-seed Isaac Landis of Canton;
"¢ Sophomore Kaden Setzer, the eighth-seed at 120 pounds, gave up three near-fall points in the final seconds in a 3-2 loss to 10th-seeded Chase Crawley of Muncy.
"Kaden Setzer took a tough loss, said Bradley. "He wrested really well."
"¢ Freshman Aiden Garcia, the ninth seed at 126 pounds, lost via fall to seventh-seed Caden Temple of Benton in 1:26;
"¢ Sophomore Karter Rude, the 11th seed at 145 pounds, dropped a 4-2 decision to fourth-seed Landon Lorson of South Williamsport;
"¢ Junior Zach Stafursky, the 10th-seed at 152 pounds, lost via fall in 50 seconds to eighth-seed Christian Good of Muncy, and;
"¢ Junior Ben Pernaselli, the eighth seed at 195 pounds, dropped a 7-2 decision to seventh-seed Damon Backes of Mount Carmel.
"The experience level is lacking," said Bradley. "We knew that at the beginning of the year. We know that now. We have some kids who just aren't there yet.
"Some of the kids fought, we just have to get better," he added. "They have all summer to put the work in. To get better, you just have to outwork everybody else."
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IN PHOTOS 1-6: Athens sophomore Gavin Bradley. IN PHOTOS 7-11: Athens senior Alex West. IN PHOTOS 12-16: Athens senior Keegan Braund. IN PHOTOS 17-18: Athens sophomore Kaden Setzer. IN PHOTOS 19-20: Athens freshman Jake Courtney. IN PHOTO 21: Athens freshman Aidan Garcia. IN PHOTO 22: Athens sophomore Karter Rude. IN PHOTOS 23-24: Athens junior Ben Pernaselli. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
