ATHENS TAKES DOWN TOWANDA, 54-1

By: Chris Manning  /  January 27, 2021  /  Photo: Chris Manning

TOWANDA — Athens won 10 of 13 matches to defeat Towanda 54-18 in NTL wrestling action Wednesday.

The Wildcats received five forfeits and three falls, but also picked up two close wins as junior Lucas Forbes (145) used a third-period cradle to beat Garrett Chapman, 8-4, and junior Colin Rosh (189) won 3-2 over Spencer Jennings.

Athens coach Shawn Bradley was pleased with how his kids performed in the rivalry match Wednesday.

“Some of the kids are just starting to come around,” said Bradley.  “We reversed the one decision from Saturday at 189. Colin (Rosh) wrestled a good match. Lucas wrestled that boy on Saturday and Garrett actually wrestled better today than he did there, so hat’s off to him, but Lucas found a way to win.”

Overall, the Wildcats won five of the six matches wrestled on the mat.

“A good team effort,” said Bradley. “I wish everybody else had a chance to wrestle, but we’re just happy to get a chance to wrestle.”

Athens jumped out to a 24-0 lead on four forfeits: Joshua Courtney (113), Gavin Bradley (120), Mason Vanderpool (126) and Landon McGrath (132).

At 138 pounds, Athens junior Kaden Setzer got a second-period fall over Dillon Gallagher. Setzer used two takedowns and three sets of back points to build a 12-1 lead in the first period.

In the second, they started neutral with Setzer quickly getting his third takedown and using it to get the pin in 2:28.

The 145-pound match was closer, with Chapman being the aggressor, getting in on two single-leg shots in the first period. Forbes got out-of-bounds on the first and time ran out on the second, keeping it a 0-0 score.

In the second period, it was Forbes getting the first takedown to go up 2-0, but a Chapman reversal tied things up at 2-all. Forbes scored an escape, but Chapman finally got the takedown he was looking for late in the period to take a 4-3 lead into the third.

In the final period, Forbes scored a reversal, then turned Chapman for three back-points to get the decision.

Sophomore Chris Bathgate (152) and junior Karter Rude (160) got quick falls for Athens; Bathgate pinned Zayne McPeak in 1:04, while Rude pinned Brandon Lantz in 29 seconds.

Senior Zach Stafursky scored a forfeit at 172 to make it a 51-0 lead.

Rosh’s match against Spencer Jennings was close at 189 pounds. The two tied up for much of the first period. In the second, Jennings got the takedown to go up 2-0 ,with Rosh scoring an escape point.

Rosh started down in the third period, and tied things up with an escape. Then, late in the third period, Spencer was called for a penalty as he grabbed Rosh’s headgear, giving the Wildcat the 3-2 win.

Clay Watkins got Towanda on the scoreboard with a forfeit at 215.

Then at 285, Towanda’s Alex Perez scored two first period takedowns to go up 4-1. Both were on the edge of the mat.

In the second Athens freshman Josh Nittinger rolled out for an escape to make it 4-2 after four minutes.

Perez took down in the third and was able to get Nittinger’s leg. He stood up, lifted Nittinger’s leg up and then took him straight to his back for the fall in 4:24.

Towanda’s John Parker (106) scored a forfeit in the final bout.

Athens, now 7-3, returns to action Saturday at the Montgomery Duals.

——————