Though Central Mountain (1-0) faced a deficit as large as 12 points and as deep as the second-to-last match, it managed to keep its win streak in regular-season competition alive for at least another two days. Behind five pins, multiple coming in crucial moments, the Wildcats scraped past the Huskies, 37-28, to start their 2025-26 dual campaign 1-0.

“We did a pretty good job picking up bonus points where we had the opportunity, which basically made the difference in the match,” said Central Mountain head coach Biff Walizer on the win.

“I don’t think either team had their full lineups out tonight, but every time we wrestle Mifflin County, we know they’re going to give their best. It’s always a slugfest where you’re full strength or not, so credit to them for coming out and fighting.”

After going down 12-0 early, the Wildcats got their first of five pins from Gavin Heverly, who wasted no time cutting that deficit in half with an 18-second fall. Three matches later, their situation remained dicey, with their deficit at 18-10. But that was about to change.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express The Central Mountain wrestling team gathers in the center of the mat before a dual match against Mifflin County on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 37-28.

At 145, Aiden Kunes – ranked No. 4 in the state – worked tirelessly to secure the team’s second pin, consistently getting opponent Layten Bowersox into a position to pin before Bowersox found a way to get back to his stomach. However, just before Kunes posted a tech fall, he got the adjustment he needed to secure the pin, granting his team an extra bonus point.

With that, the gap was narrowed to two, but Central Mountain had just exhausted its last state-ranked wrestler, with one still on the board for Mifflin County. Up multiple weight classes at 152, senior Luke Garman would be tasked with carrying the momentum from the previous pin forward.

And carry it forward, he did.

Garman needed just 15 seconds to get on the board with a takedown. attacking his opponent, Camden Kauffman, from the jump and never giving him room to breathe. He’d come close to working a pin a minute in, racking up four near-fall points, before doing it again soon after. And on the second attempt, the Wildcat was successful.

“The biggest thing was just trying to go in and be aggressive. We’re trying to get as many points as we can, and even if I’m wrestling up a few weight classes, I’m going to just do the best I can there,” said Garman. “These guys are working their butts off every day, so to be able to help them out and give us as many points as I can, it feels really good.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Gavin Heverly secures a pin during a dual match against Mifflin County on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 37-28.

“Went for a bar and didn’t get as deep as I wanted. Got a little dicey but I was able to switch off to a cradle and sink that deep,” he added on what went into the pin.

That pin gave the Wildcats their first lead of the night at 22-18. And although the Huskies would tie it back up the following match and take a 28-25 lead three matches later, they’d hold firm and finish strong.

Coming off successful Top Hat stints, Todd Caris and Hayes Henry would continue that success with the match on the line, with Caris giving Central Mountain back the lead with a pin and Henry finishing the job with a fall of his own.

Like Heverly and Garman, Caris wasted little time, securing the team’s third first-period pin of the night. And though Henry’s match was tense, remaining deadlocked at 0-0 until the third, he’d take a 4-0 lead in the final stanza before closing things out soon after.

“We saw the work that they put in, the time they put in over the summer and offseason, and we were hoping that what’s happening was going to happen,” said Walizer on Caris and Henry, who now have a combined record of 12-1.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Aiden Kunes gets his hand raised during a dual match against Mifflin County on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 37-28.

“You can’t just go out there and practice from 4:00 to 5:45 every day and expect to light the world on fire. These guys work out multiple times a day, and it’s showing.”

Outside of pins, Patrick Tarantella – ranked No. 17 in the state at 133 – gave the Wildcats a sixth bonus-point victory, posting two take downs and two near-fall points to score a 9-0 major decision. Dalton McDermott rounded out the team’s wins at 172, posting a 6-1 decision in a tense bout against Brayden Aurand.

And in terms of losses, Hayes Donley and Collin Bauman kept Mifflin County from securing bonus points despite lopsided starts, with Bauman securing a late escape to cut his deficit to 11-4 and Donley battling No. 19 Jake Knable to a 7-2 decision.

Following its tough opening match, the going doesn’t get easier for Central Mountain.

On Thursday, the Wildcats will face Shikellamy in a rematch of last year’s PIAA first-round matchup. In their last two matchups, the Braves have given the Wildcats all they could handle, with both duals coming down to the wire. Central Mountain won those matches by scores of 35-30 and 29-28.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Luke Garman secures a pin during a dual match against Mifflin County on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 37-28.

“There’s no time to celebrate too long. We’ve got to get back to work tomorrow and prepare for a tough Shikellamy team,” said Walizer. “Their junior high was really solid last year, and they’ve got some kids coming up and a core of guys from last year’s team that played a role in that one-point match. So, I’m looking forward to another exciting match.”

That match is set for 7 p.m. at Central Mountain.

Central Mountain 37, Mifflin County 28

107: Ethan Johnson (MC) pinned Hunter Nace, 3:40. 114: Andrew Alexander (MC) won by forfeit. 121: Gavin Heverly (CM) pinned Landon Helm (MC), :18. 127: Reece Fisher (MC) dec. Collin Bauman (CM), 11-4. 133: Patrick Tarantella (MC) maj. dec. Bentlee Felm (MC), 9-0. 139: Jake Knable (MC) dec. Hayes Donley (CM), 7-2. 145: Aiden Kunes (CM) pinned Layten Bowersox (MC), 3:51. 152: Luke Garman (CM) pinned Camden Kauffman (MC), 1:35. 160: Tyler Williams (MC) maj. dec. Hayes Miller (CM), 13-5. 172: Dalton McDermott (CM) dec. Brayden Aurand (MC), 6-1. 189: Reese Christine (MC) pinned Tanner McCall (CM), 1:15. 215: Todd Caris (CM) pinned Adrian Griffith (MC), 1:03. 285: Hayes Henry (CM) pinned Dekker Pietzsch (MC), 5:22.

Records: Mifflin County 0-2; Central Mountain 1-0.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Hayes Henry secures a pin during a dual match against Mifflin County on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 37-28.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Patrick Tarantella performs a shot during a dual match against Mifflin County on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 37-28.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Hayes Donley wrestles Mifflin County's Jake Knable during a dual match against Mifflin County on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 37-28.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Hunter Nace wrestles Mifflin County's Ethan Johnson during a dual match against Mifflin County on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 37-28.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Patrick Tarantella get his hand raised during a dual match against Mifflin County on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 37-28.