Wildcats advance to PIAA Dual quarters, edge out Braves in tight rematch
- TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain sophomore Gavin Heverly wrestles against Shikellamy’s Max Hallman at 114 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
- TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain sophomore Gavin Heverly gets his hand raised after defeating Shikellamy’s Max Hallman at 114 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
- TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain junior Collin Bauman wrestles against Shikellamy’s Ryder Borich at 121 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
- TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain freshman Hayes Donley drives Shikellamy’s Connor Slear down to the mat at 145 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
- TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain senior Dalton Perry works a pin against Shikellamy’s Gavin Keefer at 152 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
- TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain sophomore Aiden Kunes works for a takedown against Shikellamy’s Eben Kisner Central Mountain sophomore Gavin Heverly gets his hand raised after defeating Shikellamy’s Max Hallman at 114 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
- TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain head coach Biff Walizer, right, and alumnus Griffin Walizer, left, watch closely late in the team’s matchup against Shikellamy during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
- TIM WEIGHT/For the Express The Central Mountain student section, repping singlets, cheers on the team during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain sophomore Gavin Heverly wrestles against Shikellamy's Max Hallman at 114 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
MILL HALL – Through its high stakes rematch against Shikellamy (15-6) in the first round of states, Central Mountain found itself trailing by one entering the final bout. It was the same scenario it had faced the last time the two Heartland-I foes squared off back in December, one which saw the Wildcats come out on top thanks to a Dalton Perry pin.
Fortunately for the District 6 champion, that deciding bout would feature a similarly reliable anchor. Ranked No. 11 in the state at 114, Gavin Heverly took the mat wearing an expression of stoicism, familiar with the pressure and fully prepared for the moment.
“I don’t doubt my abilities,” said Heverly on his mindset entering the match. “It’s just another match. I prepared like it was any other match and didn’t value it any differently.”
His wrestling reflected that attitude.
Through the bout’s entirety, the sophomore would never allow his opponent, Max Hallman, to score a point, securing takedowns in the first and second period on his way to a 7-0 win by decision. That victory, coupled with Collin Bauman setting the tone and four Wildcats securing bonus points, allowed Central Mountain to escape tight battle against the Braves for a second time, winning 29-28 to clinch a spot in the PIAA Dual quarterfinals.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain sophomore Gavin Heverly gets his hand raised after defeating Shikellamy's Max Hallman at 114 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
“It’s a battle that we prepared for. Our coaches do a great job,” said Heverly. “But it’s no different than any other team. We go out there, we wrestle and whatever happens, happens.”
Though the situation and outcome were similar, how the teams got there in the first place was a different story. With Shikellamy flipping a pin at 107, an earlier flip going the other way proved crucial in the Wildcats finishing the job.
Junior Collin Bauman opened the bout for the Wildcats against Shikellamy’s Ryder Borich, an opponent that previously pinned him back in December. Despite feeling the weight of that previous loss along with two suffered through the team’s district run, Bauman benefited from a change in mindset, wrestling with better spatial awareness and using what he learned from their previous bout to his advantage.
“I knew it was important here because last time, we beat them by five and I gave up six,” said Bauman. “Mentally, I had to change that around and get points for my team. I was calm and confident, and just knew I had to let it fly.”
He’d land his first shot of the match, wrapping up both Borich’s legs on his way to an opening takedown. And through the next five-and-a-half minutes of match time, he’d never relinquish control, bolstering his lead to 9-1 with an early second-period reversal and four near-fall points in the third before holding firm despite a late reversal from Borich.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain junior Collin Bauman wrestles against Shikellamy's Ryder Borich at 121 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
That win was a big boost for the team, as the Wildcats went on to win four of their next five bouts – three featuring bonus points – on their way to a 22-3 lead. Without it, they would’ve trailed by an insurmountable eight entering that final match.
“Hats off to Collin Bauman, flipping the script from our first dual meet,” said Central Mountain head coach Biff Walizer. “Put on a really nice match to get us rolling and that got guys fired up and fed the momentum a little bit.”
“It feels great to get a win here,” said Bauman. “It could’ve been some of our seniors’ last match, but I know I didn’t want to go down like this in our stadium without getting another shot.”
Through that early run, Hayes Donley and Dalton Perry secured back-to-back first-period pins to cap it, with Aiden Kunes falling one point short of a tech fall at 133 and Patrick Tarantella securing a hard-fought 6-3 decision over Keaton Lattimore.
Though the Braves would battle their way back, cutting the lead to six with three straight victories, a major decision from Bryce Brungard put Central Mountain in a great spot heading into the last three bouts. In a well-rounded performance, Brungard’s third ever at 215, he’d secure a takedown with under a minute to go, holding firm from there to edge out the major, 8-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain freshman Hayes Donley drives Shikellamy's Connor Slear down to the mat at 145 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
It was a hard-fought win for the team, who made it 15 straight wins through the season to punch its third straight appearance to the PIAA Class AAA Dual quarterfinals. Though the going gets tougher from here, there’s plenty of confidence and pride to go around as it looks to cap another strong dual season on a high note.
“I’m super proud of them. Coming into the season, I don’t think many people expected them to be in the state quarterfinals,” said Walizer. “It’s nice to see that the guys are buying in and they’re able to go out and perform in big situations.”
“Just don’t doubt us,” emphasized Bauman. “Everyone was saying we lost key players, that we weren’t going to be as good, but one more win and we’re in the same spot as last year.”
In the quarterfinals, the Wildcats are slated to face their toughest challenge yet in No. 8 Boyertown (22-2). That match is set for 7 p.m. on Friday at Altoona.
Central Mountain 29, Shikellamy 28

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain senior Dalton Perry works a pin against Shikellamy's Gavin Keefer at 152 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.
121: Collin Bauman (CM) dec. Ryder Borich (S), 9-3. 127: Braylon Chestnut (S) dec. Luke Garman (CM), 6-3. 133. No. 4 Aiden Kunes (CM) maj. dec. Eben Kisner (S), 17-3. 139: Patrick Tarantella (CM) dec. Keatin Lattimore (S), 6-3. 145: Hayes Donley (CM) pinned Connor Slear (S), 1:18. 152: No. 1 Dalton Perry (CM) pinned Gavin Keefer (S), :44. 160: Cole Wetzel (S) maj. dec. Luke Ananea (CM), 14-3. 172: A.J. Benedict (S) dec. Dalton McDermott (CM), 10-6. 189: No. 9 Connor Wetzel (S) pinned Todd Caris (CM), :46. 215: Bryce Brungard (CM) maj. dec. Christian Boetsch (S), 8-0. 285: No. 9 Brody Rebuck (S) pinned Hayes Henry (CM), 2:25. 107: Jacob Hendricks (S) pinned Cael Bauman (CM), 3:23. 114: No. 11 Gavin Heverly (CM) dec. Max Hallman (S), 7-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain sophomore Aiden Kunes works for a takedown against Shikellamy's Eben Kisner Central Mountain sophomore Gavin Heverly gets his hand raised after defeating Shikellamy's Max Hallman at 114 during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain head coach Biff Walizer, right, and alumnus Griffin Walizer, left, watch closely late in the team's matchup against Shikellamy during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express The Central Mountain student section, repping singlets, cheers on the team during the first round of the PIAA Class AAA Team tournament on Tuesday at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 29-28.