Feb 9, 2024 By Jonathan Guth 3 min read

HERSHEY – For the second time in less than 24 hours, pins doomed Burgettstown.

Montoursville had seven falls while the Blue Devils could only muster two in a 42-23 setback Friday morning in the first round of consolations in the PIAA Class 2A Team Tournament at the Giant Center.

Burgettstown’s team portion of the season ends at 15-3. The Blue Devils will turn their attention to the individual postseason tournaments, which begin next Saturday with the south section tournament that will be held at Burgettstown.

“We graduated some studs last year, and like I said yesterday, everyone knows who the studs are on our team, and the rest of the team is first-, second- and third-year kids,” Vigliotti said. “It seemed like the kids were satisfied with being here, which I disagree with. We come here to win. We don’t come here to visit the chocolate factory. It’s a disappointing end to the season. You finish with three straight losses. That’s not fun for anybody.”

Montoursville (24-4) clung to a 24-23 lead with three bouts remaining before Gage Wentzel (160), Owen Kleinman (172) and Evan Bloom (189) recorded falls to close out the dual meet.

Kleinman, who trailed 7-1 with 1:41 left in the second period, was trailing 7-5 when the referee slapped the mat signaling a pin in 4:05.

“It (Kleinman’s match) was just a great showing of character and toughness,” Montoursville coach Matt Yonkin said. “We try to battle test with our schedule and our opportunities throughout the year to prepare for these situations, and he (Kleinman) had to reach deep, and I am super proud of him.”

Cole Yonkin started Montoursville off on the right foot with a pin in 2:21 at 215.

Burgettstown’s Joey Barnoick scored a 4-0 decision at heavyweight to pull his team within three.

Aristotlis Bobotas extended the Warriors’ advantage to 12-3 with a fall in 2:07 at 107.

The Blue Devils’ Darius Simmons bumped up to 114 and scored a 6-4 decision over Brody Bower in sudden victory. Bower was deep in on double leg but Simmons scrambled out of danger and secured the takedown.

Simmons’ performance was one that Vigliotti hopes encourages the rest of the team as the individual postseason tournaments begin.

“That’s a third-year wrestler that we pulled out of the hallway,” Vigliotti said. “He’s a buzzsaw, and he’s one kid that we can count on, winning or losing, that he will never quit. He will put up a fight for six minutes or more, whether he’s getting beat 14-0 or he’s winning 14-0. He’s gonna roll. He’s going to be a senior next year, and that’s one of the kids that the underclassmen need to start looking up to. He’s the leader of the team next year.”

Daniel Smith escaped with 48 seconds remaining and hung on for a 3-2 decision at 121 to cut Burgettstown’s deficit to 12-9.

David Kennedy’s fall at 127 pushed the lead back up to nine for Montoursville with seven bouts remaining.

The Blue Devils’ Parker Sentipal (133) tralied 1-0 late in the third period to Blaize Vogel, but continued to push the action and was awarded a point for stalling before securing a takedown in sudden victory for a 3-1 decision. Teammate Gaven Suica (139) won by technical, 18-3, in 3:32 to pull Burgettstown within one at 18-17.

The teams split pins in the next two bouts as the Warriors’ Hayden Harvey (145) and the Blue Devils’ Rudy Brown (152) planked their opponents.