Hornets Earn Five Pin Falls In Win Over NEB

By: Ed Weaver  /  January 25, 2023

The Wellsboro Varsity Wrestling team scored a 48-21 league win over visiting Northeast Bradford for their third win of the season on Tuesday, January 24.

After a forfeit by the Hornets at 107 lbs. to open the match Wellsboro ran off a pair of victories to take an early 12-6 lead. Sophomore Alec Magli pinned Kolton Keir in 1:13 at 152 lbs. and freshman Alyssa Chilson earned a forfeit at 120 lbs.

A double forfeit at 127 lbs. and an 11-4 decision at 132 lbs. by NEB's Hunter Comstock over sophomore George Howlett closed the Hornets' lead to 12-9. Then the Hornets ran off six consecutive wins, putting the match firmly in their control.

Sophomore Will Gastrock pinned Nation Evans in 3:30 at 139 lbs., sophomore Silas Mickey scored a forfeit at 145 lbs., sophomore Jacob Dean pinned Lucas Lambert in 1:36 at 152 lbs., sophomore Evan Ingerick pinned Camron Rinebold in 1:15 at 160 lbs., sophomore Ryder Bowen won via forfeit at 172 lbs., and senior Wyatt Gastrock scored a 1:21 pin fall over Connor Eastabrook at 189 lbs.

"Our team came out tonight and wrestled hard and set the tone early," head coach Bryce Bitner said after the win. "Will, Jacob, and Wyatt all wrestled tough tonight earning big wins. Our takedowns tonight looked solid and we wrestled technically sound. Evan Ingerick came out and earned a big win for him tonight and Andrew Merriman won his first ever match in an exhibition bout after being out most of this year with an injury. We wrestled focused and intense earning pins across the board."

In the Junior High match earlier in the evening, Northeast Bradford edged the Hornets, 30-24. Despite Wellsboro scoring three pin falls and a forfeit, the Panthers' five forfeit victories pushed them over in the win column.

Vincent Arena (94 lbs.), Cooper Jones (170 lbs.), and Conner Bacon (190 lbs.) earned Wellsboro's pins while Gavin Carson won via forfeit.

The win improves Wellsboro's record to 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the NTL. The team is back on the mats at Towanda on Thursday.