Bald Eagle Area wrestling thumps Quaker Valley to make return to PIAA dual championships

It’s been 18 years since Bald Eagle Area last made a trip to Hershey to compete in the PIAA dual championships.

The Eagles were competing in the Class 3A bracket back then, and finished fourth in the state.

After crushing Quaker Valley, 55-9, on Monday night, BEA is making a return trip. It will take on District 11 champion Notre Dame Green Pond in the first round at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

“It’s pretty special. Everyone on the team works hard at practice. It’s going to be really cool to share the experience with everyone in Hershey,” junior Caleb Close said. “It’s definitely a once in a lifetime type of thing, so it’ll be really cool and fun.”

Added senior Cameron Dubbs: “It’s amazing to think I’ve been doing this for 11 years, and we’re going to state in my senior year.”

“Proud” was the one word that kept coming from Eagles coach Ron Guenot to describe what his team was able to accomplish.

Over the past couple of weeks, Guenot hasn’t been thrilled with how his team has been performing, even though they were winning.

But Monday night, BEA wrestled one of the best and complete matches of the year.

“The kids showed up. They were hungry, and wrestling with a lot of enthusiasm. The momentum started early with the fall from (Dawson) Lomison, and the huge win there from Lucas (Fye) against a state place winner,” Guenot said. “I think that set the tone. The crowd got into it, and just caught fire from there with all the kids.”

Like Guenot said, the dual began with the Eagles collecting bonus points, with Dawson Lomison pinning Eion Parnell in 42 seconds at 127 pounds.

Lucas Fye was bumped up to face the Quakers best wrestler in Jack Kazalas, who was 33-3 coming in and a PIAA place winner.

Kazalas came out and fired off two quick takedowns on Fye, and led 4-1 after one period — from there it was all Fye.

The Lock Haven commit opened the second period with an escape, and tacked on a takedown. Fye then rode Kazalas out for the remainder of the period to be tied 4-4.

In the third period, Fye cranked Kazalas to his back for nearfall points. Kazalas did escape late, but it was too late in a 7-5 win for Fye.

He jumped to his feet and was raising his hands up and down in the air to rile up the already rambunctious crowd.

“This is wrestling country. I have a lot of family that live in the Phillipsburg-Osceola area. We used to train with the Mounties all the time,” Quaker Valley coach Austin Reinl said. “I know that this is going to be a hostile environment. I knew right away whether we were winning matches or losing matches, they were going to be chirping right away.

“A lot of respect to their fans that came out. This is what wrestling needs. We need more of this in western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh. There’s a lot of tough wrestling, but the fans aren’t as into it.”

Following Fye’s win, things kept rolling for the Eagles.

Kayson Tice got the nod at 139 pounds as usual starter Conner Maney was sidelined due to an injury. Tice came out and racked up a 9-0 major decision on Wyatt Hamm.

Mason Reese gave BEA a 16-0 lead after grinding out a 5-1 win over Matthew Danna.

The Quakers got to within 16-9 thanks to a 7-3 win from Jack Diemert and a pin from Marcus Richey in 50 seconds, but that was it for the dual.

“We came in with a couple guys missing out of our lineup with injuries, so we knew we were coming into a tough matchup. We think Bald Eagle is a very strong program,” Reinl said. “It stinks when they have a program like Bishop McCort that they lose to, and that’s a team (BEA) that we have to go up against. We want to wrestle these teams when you go to the Pennsylvania state tournament. There’s no easy matches when you come to the state tournament. All the respect to the Bald Eagle team, wish best of luck to them in Hershey.”

BEA’s Shawn Knepp received a forfeit at 172 pounds to open a parade of seven straight wins.

Cameron Dubbs, who is the normal 160-pound starter, was up two weight classes to take on Kris Brown. Dubbs secured a late takedown in the first period to lead 2-0.

The second period saw Dubbs earn a reversal to pin Brown in 3:10.

“I can’t say I’m not used to it, especially after my individual postseason last year. I honestly enjoy wrestling up,” Dubbs said. “It’s more my style. Wrestling bigger boys, I’m a lot faster than they are, so it feels great.”

Close and Eric Clark followed Dubbs’ fall with a pin of their own.

Close needed just 1:11 to dispatch Aris Haniotes. His win sealed the dual for the Eagles as they led 34-9 with four bouts left.

Clark trailed Chase Kretzler, 3-2, after two periods, but he choose to start the third from the top position. It paid off as Clark pinned Kretzler in 4:37.

“The thing I saw was the determination in the third period and conditioning looked really good. Even when we lost a match,” Guenot said, “we were pushing the pace in the third period, that’s what we want to do. If your winning the third period, there’s a good chance you’re going to win the match, and that’s what happened.”

At 107 pounds, there was a top-10 tilt with BEA’s Tanner Guenot, who is ranked fourth by PA Power Wrestling, taking on No. 9 Bruce Anderchak.

Guenot had an escape and a takedown in the second period to lead 3-0. In the third period, Guenot used a full period ride to keep Anderchak off the board.

Caden Judice got a forfeit before the dual was closed out with Liam Purcell pinning Isaac Maccaglia in 2:34.

“I think it was just a great atmosphere, that’s what dual meets are all about. The community, the fans and the kids are not going to forget this for the rest of their lives,” Ron Guenot said. “It’s a moment they made the most of. I’m just proud of them for coming through tonight.”

PIAA Class 2A Preliminary Round

Bald Eagle Area 55, Quaker Valley 9

Monday at Wingate

127: Dawson Lomison, BEA, pinned Eion Parnell, :42

133: Lucas Fye, BEA, dec. Jack Kazalas, 7-5

139: Kayson Tice, BEA, major dec. Wyatt Hamm, 9-0

145: Mason Reese, BEA, dec. Matthew Danna, 5-1

152: Jack Diemert, QV, dec. Gavin Bennett, 7-3

160: Marcus Richey, QV, pinned Hunter Davis, :50

172: Shawn Knepp, BEA, won by forfeit

189: Cameron Dubbs, BEA, pinned Chris Brown, 3:10

215: Caleb Close, BEA, pinned Aris Haniotes, 1:11

285: Eric Clark, BEA, pinned Chase Kretzler, 4:37

107: Tanner Guenot, BEA, dec. Bruce Anderchak, 3-0

114: Caden Judice, BEA, won by forfeit

121: Liam Purcell, BEA, pinned Isaac Maccaglia, 2:34

Takedowns: QV 5, BEA 10

Records: Quaker Valley (13-3), Bald Eagle Area (12-2)

Next match: Bald Eagle Area vs. Notre Dame Green Pond, PIAA Class 2A First Round, Thursday, 4 p.m.