NTL WRESTLING: ATHENS' NASON PLACES FOURTH AT RUGGED PANTHER HOLIDAY CLASSIC; CAMPBELL, DAVIDSON FALL IN 'BLOOD ROUND' (2024-12-14)

Valley Sports Report
CRESSON, Pa. — Athens senior Caleb Nason was 1-2 on the day, but was the only Wildcat to reach the podium here Saturday, placing fourth at the rugged Panther Holiday Wrestling Classic at Mount Aloysius College.

Both of Nason's losses came to two-time PIAA place-finishers.

The only other Wildcat wrestlers to reach Saturday — sophomores Zaine Campbell and Connor Davidson — both lost their first bouts of the day in the "blood round."

Somerset's Rowan Holmes, a Lehigh University commit, who finished fourth in Class AA as a sophomore and third as a junior handed Nason his first loss of the day in the 285-pound bracket semifinals.

Holmes scored a first-period takedown for a 3-0 lead, then rode top the entire second period.

Holmes escaped with 1:14 remaining in the third period to take a 4-0 lead. Sixteen seconds later, Holmes scored another takedown to extend lead to 7-0.

In the consolation semifinals, Nason gave up a takedown with 25 seconds remaining in the first period, but hit a six-point move in the closing seconds to take 6-1 lead on his way to an 8-4 win over Everett's Howard Brambley.

In the third-place match, Nason was tied 3-3 with Dante Donaldson of The Hill School after two periods. Thirty seconds into the third period, Donaldson reversed Nason to his back for a fall at 4:36.

Donaldson placed sixth in the state as a sophomore and third as a junior.

Campbell, who was 3-1 in the 127-pound bracket Friday, scored an early takedown and led 5-2 in his bout, but Philipsburg-Osceola's Averi Gable rallied to take a 9-6 before scoring a fall at 3:45.

Davidson, who was 3-1 in the 172-pound weight class Friday, scored a takedown midway through the second period to take a 4-2 lead over Spring Grove's Chas Amspacher.

Davidson recorded an escape early in the third period to take a 5-3 lead, but Amspacher scored a takedown with 1:21 left in the third period to take a 6-5 lead.

Amspacher rode Davidson, but was warned for stalling with 52 seconds remaining, and banged a penalty point for stalling with 9 seconds remaining to tie the bout at 6-6, sending it to overtime.

In the extra session, Amspacher scored a late takedown into a fall in the final 10 seconds.

Athens returns to action Tuesday at home against NEB and Thursday at Wyalusing.

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IN PHOTO: Athens senior Caleb Nason.

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