ATHENS WINS FINAL TWO MATCHES AT 'MATNESS AT THE MAAC DUALS' TO FINISH 2-3

By: Tim Birney  /  January 30, 2021

MONTGOMERY — Athens dropped its first three matches here Saturday at the “Matness at the MAAC Duals,” but bounced back to win its final two.

The Wildcats opened the day with a 43-24 loss to Class AAA Selinsgrove, then were thumped 66-6 by Montgomery, and 53-24 by Muncy. They closed the day with wins of 65-6 over Wellsboro, and 39-30 over Sullivan County.

Junior Gavin Bradley, who is now 19-0 on the season, was 5-0, and logged just 18 seconds on the mats. He received four forfeits, then registered an 18-second fall in Athens’ win over Sullivan County.

Senior Kyler Setzer, in his first action of the season, junior Karter Rude, and sophomore Chris Bathgate were each 3-2, and senior Zach Stafursky, junior Lucas Forbes, and freshmen Josh Courtney, Josh Nittinger, and Emiliano Mallare were all 2-3.

Selinsgrove 43, Athens 24
Selinsgrove won five of the final six bouts to break open a tie match en route to a 43-24 win over Athens.

After the teams exchanged forfeits to open the match, Kyler Setzer decked Anna Kalcich in 36 seconds at 120 pounds to give the Wildcats a 12-6 lead.

After the Seals scored falls at 126 and 132 to take an 18-12 lead, junior Kaden Setzer registered a third-period fall at 138 pounds to tie the match.

Rude’s second-period fall over Derek Holtzapple at 160 pounds was the only other win the Wildcats would muster.

Montgomery 66, Athens 6
Montgomery, now 18-1, won all nine contested weight classes, and picked up three forfeits in a 66-6 win over Athens.

All seven of the Red Raiders’ falls were recorded in the first period.

In the only matches to go a full six minutes, Rude dropped a 5-1 decision to Montgomery standout Kaide Drick at 160 pounds, and Stafursky dropped a 6-1 decision to Colby Springman at 172 pounds.

Bradley received a forfeit at 113 pounds for Athens’ only points.

Muncy 53, Athens 24
Muncy raced out to a 23-0 lead after the first four weight classes, and cruised to a 53-24 win over Athens.

Forbes received a forfeit at 145 pounds to put the Wildcats on the board, and Bathgate followed with a pin of Kobe Fowler in 34 seconds at 152 pounds to cut the deficit to 23-12, but that was as close as it would get as the Indians won the next four bouts, including three by fall, to take an insurmountable 47-12 lead.

Nittinger broke the Muncy win streak with a pin of Braydon Bergey in 34 seconds at 285 pounds to make it 47-18.

The teams traded forfeits to end the match.

Athens 65, Wellsboro 6
Athens won all seven contested weight classes — six by fall, and one by technical fall — in a 65-6 win over Wellsboro.

After forfeits to Kyler Setzer (126) and Gavin McGrath (132) gave the Wildcats a 12-0 lead, Mallare registered his first varsity win with a pin of Jordan Costley in 1:28 at 138 pounds to make it 18-0.

The Wildcats would add three more consecutive pins to make it 42-0.

Forbes pinned Tylar Wright in 5:06 at 145 pounds, then Bathgate decked Nicholas Smith in 1:13 at 152, and Rude flattened Dillon Boye in 62 seconds at 160.

Stafursky kept it rolling with a 16-1 technical fall of Coleman Brown at 172 pounds, and junior Collin Rosh followed with a pin of Anthony Romania in 76 seconds at 189 pounds.

Wellsboro’s Joe Smith received a forfeit at 215 to put the Green Hornets on the board.

Nittinger logged the final win on the mat for the Wildcats, pinning Wyatt Gastric in 1:32 at 285 pounds.

Courtney and Bradley received forfeits at 113 and 120, respectively, to close out the match.

Athens 39, Sullivan County 30
Athens won the final three matches, picking up forfeits in the final two, to rally for a 39-30 win over Sullivan County in the final match of the day.

The teams traded pins in the fourth four weight classes.

Mallare decked Bryan Hope in 14 seconds at 138 pounds to tie the match at 6-6. Bathgate tied the match at 12-12 with a 64-second fall over Alex Doran at 152 pounds.

Rude broke the pattern, following Bathgate’s win with a 19-second pin of Mason Pankhurst at 160 pounds to give the Wildcats an 18-12 lead.

At 172 pounds, Stafursky forged a hard-fought, 6-3, decision over Colton Pretti to make 21-12.

However, the Griffins picked up pins at 189 and 285, and received a forfeit at 106 to take a 30-21 lead.

Bradley earned a win in the final contested bout of the match, pinning Cruz McCusker in 38 seconds at 113 pounds to trim the deficit to 30-27.

Courtney and Kyler Setzer received forfeits at 120 and 126 pounds, respectively, to seal the victory.

Athens is 9-6 on the season.

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Selinsgrove 43, Athens 24
106: Kassidy Ressler (S) won by forfeit;
113: Gavin Bradley (A) won by forfeit;
120: Kyler Setzer (A) by fall over Anna Kalcich (S), 0:36;
126: Trent Turner (S) by fall over Gavin McGrath (A), 2:35;
132: Aiden Gaugler (S) by fall over Emiliano Mallare (A), 1:03;
138: Kaden Setzer (A) by fall over Sylvan Martin (S), 4:19;
145: Garrett  Paradis (S) by fall over Lucas Forbes (A), 1:32;
152: Tucker Teats (S) dec. Christopher Bathgate (A), 9-8;
160: Karter Rude (A) by fall over Derek Holtzapple (S), 2:38;
172: Coy Bastian (S) by fall over Zachary Stafursky (A), 3:46;
189: Steven Miller (S) tech. fall Colin Rosh (A), 18-1. 4:51;
215: No match;
285: Nate Son (S) tech. fall Joshua Nittinger (A), 16-0 1:51;

Montgomery 66, Athens 6
113: Blake Snyder (M) by fall over Joshua Courtney (A), 1:21;
120: Gavin Bradley (A) won by forfeit;
126: Caden Finck (M) by fall over Gavin McGrath (A), 0:51;
132: Nevin Beachel (M) by fall over Emiliano Mallare (A), 0:51;
138: Hunter Leet (M) won by forfeit;
145: Conner Harer (M) by fall over Lucas Forbes (A), 0:37;
152: Devon Deem (M) by fall over Christopher Bathgate (A), 0:31;
160: Kaide Drick (M) dec. Karter Rude (A), 5-1;
172: Colby Springman (M) dec. Zachary Stafursky (A), 6-1;
189: Ben Marino (M) by fall over Colin Rosh (A), 0:58;
215: Weston Pick (M) won by forfeit;
285: Bradley Leon (M) by fall over Joshua Nittinger (A), 1:29;
106: Breannan Emery (M) won by forfeit.

Muncy 53, Athens 24
120: Phil McCormick (Mu) tech. fall Joshua Courtney (A), 16-0 4:00;
126: Alex Maiorana (Mu) by fall over Kyler Setzer (A), 5:35;
132: Scott Johnson (Mu) by fall over Gavin McGrath (A), 0:34;
138: Bryce Vollman (Mu) by fall over Emiliano Mallare (A), 0:26;
145: Lucas Forbes (A) won by forfeit;
152: Christopher Bathgate (A) by fall over Kobe Fowler (Mu), 0:34;
160: Ty Nixon (Mu) by fall over Karter Rude (A), 1:46;
172: Ethan Gush (Mu) won by forfeit;
189: Tristen Ditzler (Mu) by fall over Zachary Stafursky (A), 5:11;
215: Jason Shuda (Mu) by fall over Colin Rosh (A), 0:51;
285: Joshua Nittinger (A) by fall over Braydon Bergey (Mu), 0:34;
106: Joshua Hill (Mu) won by forfeit;
113: Gavin Bradley (A) won by forfeit.

Athens 65, Wellsboro 6
126: Kyler Setzer (A) won by forfeit;
132: Gavin McGrath (A) won by forfeit;
138: Emiliano Mallare (A) by fall over Jordan Costley (W), 1:28;
145: Lucas Forbes (A) by fall over Tylar Wright (W), 5:06;
152: Christopher Bathgate (A) by fall over Nicholas Smith (W), 1:13;
160: Karter Rude (A) by fall over Dillon Boyce (W), 1:02;
172: Zachary Stafursky (A) tech. fall Coleman Brown (W), 16-1 3:00;
189: Colin Rosh (A) by fall over Anthony Romania (W), 1:16;
215: Joseph Brown (W) won by forfeit;
285: Joshua Nittinger (A) by fall over Wyatt Gastrock (W), 1:32;
106: No match;
113: Joshua Courtney (A) won by forfeit;
120: Gavin Bradley (A) won by forfeit.

Athens 39, Sullivan 30
132: Evan  Cummings (SC) by fall over Gavin McGrath (A), 1:00;
138: Emiliano Mallare (A) by fall over Bryan Hope (SC), 0:14;
145: Nathan Higley (SC) by fall over Lucas Forbes (A), 1:05;
152: Christopher Bathgate (A) by fall over Alexander Doran (SC), 1:04;
160: Karter Rude (A) by fall over Mason Parkhurst (SC), 0:19;
172: Zachary Stafursky (A) dec. Colton Pretti (SC), 6-3;
189: Tre Powell (SC) by fall over Colin Rosh (A), 1:10;
215: No match;
285: Joseph Malkemes (SC) over Joshua Nittinger (A), 2:28;
106: Rocky Finnegan (SC) won by forfeit;
113: Gavin Bradley (A) over Kruz McCusker (SC), 0:38;
120: Joshua Courtney (A) won by forfeit;
126: Kyler Setzer (A) won by forfeit.