RALPH WILSON/For The Express Bellefonte's Luke Hockenberry wrestles Central Mountain's Todd Caris at 215 during the semifinal rounds on the King of the Mountain boys wrestling tournament at Central Mountain on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. Hockenberry earned LHAC silver at 215 on Saturday.

On Saturday, Central Cambria High School played host to Day Two of the Laurel Highlands Wrestling Championships. Area teams in Bald Eagle Area, Bellefonte and Penns Valley were in attendance and able to leave their mark against the best the conference has to offer, with the Red Raiders leading the way.

Behind two LHAC finalists, six top four finishers and ten medalists, Bellefonte claimed bronze at the 20-team tournament, trailing only Bishop McCort (254) and Chestnut Ridge (208.5) with 160.5 team points while edging Clearfield out by 1.5.

Penns Valley followed it up by taking eighth with 97.5 points behind two finalists and one champion (Erik Carlile), and Bald Eagle Area placed 14th with 66.5 points behind four medalists – two which earned bronze.

For Bellefonte, senior Ezra Swisher and junior Luke Hockenberry led the way, each reaching their respective first-place bouts and ultimately claiming LHAC silver.

At 152, Swisher – state-ranked No. 4 in Class AAA – bulldozed his way to championship semis with a tech fall and quarterfinal pin before battling No. 4 Caden Judice (Bald Eagle) through a hard-fought semifinal, edging out the Eagle by 1-0 decision. Hockenberry saw similar success at 215, posting two pins and a major decision on his way to the final.

Four Red Raiders reached their third-place bouts, with Wyatt Long (139) earning LHAC bronze behind a second-period tech fall over No. 15 Burke Niebauer (Central Cambria) and Andrew Gall (145), Jackson Long (189) and Mason Englert (285) taking fourth. Rylan Lucas placed sixth at 114 and Colin Harter (107), Blake Glace (121) and Gavin Lucas (160) won their seventh-place bouts in bonus-point fashion.

Of the four area wrestlers to reach championship finals, Penns Valley junior Erik Carlile was the lone to earn gold, doing so at 133 behind three pins and a decision. Ranked No. 7 in the state at Class AA, Carlile further proved his high ranking, defeating No. 10 Jack Silfies (Bishop McCort) in a thriller, 5-4, before pinning No. 8 Brady Kostick (Richland) at the 2:32 mark of the 133 first-place bout.

Carlile was joined by sophomore Max Dinges in championship finals, who posted two pins and a tech fall to reach the 127 first-place bout before falling to No. 1 Dom Deputy (Chestnut Ridge) by 13-3 major decision to claim LHAC silver. Tripp Watson (139) finished fifth and Sawyer Fetterolf placed sixth, falling one takedown short of fifth, to round out Penns Valley’s medalists.

For Bald Eagle Area, seniors Caden Judice and Gage Gardner led the way, claiming bronze at 152 and 285 respectively.

Judice bounced back well from a tough semifinal loss, tech falling Penns Valley’s Sawyer Fetterolf before defeating No. 18 Colton Bumbarger (Clearfield) by 4-0 decision in the 152 third-place bout. And Gardner did the same, pinning Bedford’s Nathan Gardner in consolation semifinals and ending his bronze-medal run with a convincing, 12-5 decision over Bellefonte’s Mason Englert.

Rounding out the event’s area medalists were Bald Eagle’s Liam Purcell (121) and Tyler Corey (114), who placed sixth and eighth respectively.

The teams return to action in a dual setting next week. Bald Eagle faces No. 11 Clearfield on the road, Bellefonte travels to face Express area foe Jersey Shore and No. 22 Penns Valley hosts Philipsburg-Osceola, with all three of those matches set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

LAUREL HIGHLANDS WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

TEAM KEY: BEA – Bald Eagle Area; BED – Bedford; BEL – Bellefonte; BA – Bellwood-Antis; BM – Bishop McCort; CEN – Central; CC – Central Cambria; CHR – Chestnut Ridge; CLF – Clearfield; FH – Forest Hills; GJ – Greater Johnstown; HOL – Hollidaysburg; HUN – Huntingdon; PV – Penns Valley; PC – Penn Cambria; PO – Philipsburg-Osceola; RICH – Richland; SOM – Somerset; TYR – Tyrone; WH – Westmont Hilltop.

TEAM RESULTS: 1. Bishop McCort 254.0; 2. Chestnut Ridge 208.5; 3. Bellefonte 160.5; 4. Clearfield 159.0; 5. Huntingdon 159.0; 6. Philipsburg-Osceola 111.5; 7. Central 98.5; 8. Penns Valley 97.5; 9. Hollidaysburg 97.0; 10. Tyrone 92.5; 11. Bedford 92.0; 12. Westmont Hilltop 81.0; 13. Richland 69.0; 14. Bald Eagle Area 66.5; 15. Forest Hills 49.5; 16. Bellwood-Antis 34.5; 16. Central Cambria 34.5; 18. Penn Cambria 30.5; 19. Greater Johnstown 27.0; 20. Somerset 7.0.

CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS

107: Kooper Deputy (CR) pinned Connor Sidney (HOL), 2:29; Gaige Sholly (HUN) dec. Ty Matthews (CEN), 7-5. 114: Carter Ickes (CR) maj. dec. Landon Krupka (HOL), 13-3; Matt Rowles (CLF) pinned Santino Dipola (FH), 1:53. 121: Garrett Weyandt (CR) dec. Caleb Hummel (PO), 3-2; Keegan Bassett (BM) won by tech. fall over Carsen Mowery (CEN), 15-0 1:49. 127: Dominic Deputy (CR) pinned Bo Aveni (CLF), 2:19; Max Dinges (PV) won by tech. fall over Owen Dluhos (WH), 19-4 1:50. 133: Erik Carlile (PV) dec. Jack Silfies (BM), 5-4; Brady Kostick (RICH) maj. dec. Bryndin Chamberlain (CLF), 12-2. 139: Trenden Willey (CR) maj. dec. Burke Niebauer (CC), 12-4; Owen McMullen (BM) dec. Wyatt Long (BEL), 4-2. 145: Cash Diehl (CLF) maj. dec. Andrew Gall (BEL), 13-1; Jackson Butler (BM) pinned Averi Gable (PO), 2:45. 152: Ezra Swisher (BEL) dec. Caden Judice (BEA), 1-0; Bo Bassett (BM) won by tech. fall over Colton Bumbarger (CLF), 21-6 1:58. 160: Colton Ryan (CLF) dec. Doug McKim (HUN), 10-8; Melvin Miller (BM) pinned Nathaniel Mack (PC), 0:59. 172: Grady Clark (HUN) won by tech. fall over Mason VanAllman (TYR), 16-1 4:13; Emory Gunby (BM) pinned Blake Kennedy (HOL), 5:29. 189: Jayden Imler (CR) dec. Jackson Long (BEL), 5-2; Kyle Scott (TYR) won by tech. fall over Grayson Mahla (RICH), 19-1 3:41. 215: Luke Hockenberry (BEL) maj. dec. Ryan Ludwig (CLF), 10-0; Marquez Gordon (BM) maj. dec. Landon Erdman (HUN), 16-7. 285: Blair Miller (CEN) maj. dec. Gage Gardner (BEA), 8-0; Caleb Rodriguez (BM) pinned Scott Payne (HOL), 1:29.

CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS

107: Connor Sidney (HOL) maj. dec. Tanner Walk (TYR), 12-0; Ty Matthews (CEN) dec. Nolan Hewitt (BA), 5-2. 114: Landon Krupka (HOL) pinned Rylan Lucas (BEL), 2:57; Santino Dipola (FH) dec. Jacob Dugan (PO), 7-5. 121: Carsen Mowery (CEN) won by tech. fall over Liam Purcell (BEA), 16-0 2:34; Caleb Hummel (PO) won by tech. fall over Landon Maul (FH), 17-2 2:45. 127: Owen Dluhos (WH) dec. Joel Morris (CEN), 9-7; Bo Aveni (CLF) maj. dec. Tucker Boone (BED), 11-0. 133: Ace Foster (PO) dec. Bryndin Chamberlain (CLF), 9-5; Jack Silfies (BM) dec. Austin Bernash (CR), 4-3. 139: Wyatt Long (BEL) maj. dec. Tripp Watson (PV), 12-2; Burke Niebauer (CC) won by forfeit over Connor Guenot (PO). 145: Andrew Gall (BEL) maj. dec. Carter Kozielec (BED), 15-3. Averi Gable (PO) won by tech. fall over Christian Taylor (HUN), 16-1 4:54. 152: Caden Judice (BEA) won by tech. fall over Sawyer Fetterolf (PV), 17-0 2:06. Colton Bumbarger (CLF) pinned Luke Mykut (HUN), 1:36. 160: Doug McKim (HUN) pinned Christian Feight (CR), 1:35; Nathaniel Mack (PC) dec. Cuyler Hale (BED), 11-10 SV. 172: Tristan Casey (CR) pinned Blake Kennedy (HOL), 5:53; Mason VanAllman (TYR) pinned A.J. Leiato (WH), 1:53. 189: Jackson Long (BEL) pinned Keegan Hewitt (HOL), 2:06; Grayson Mahla (RICH) dec. Dom Peruso (HUN), 4-1. 215: Landon Erdman (HUN) pinned Johnny Ingraham (BED), 2:05; Connor Ward (WH) dec. Ryan Ludwig (CLF), 10-7 SV. 285: Mason Englert (BEL) pinned Scott Payne (HOL), 4:53; Gage Gardner (BEA) pinned Nathan Gardner (BED), 3:38.

SEVENTH PLACE

107: Colin Harter (BEL) maj. dec. Hayden Koptchak (PO), 14-0. 114: Wonye Hiller (GJ) won by forfeit over Tyler Corey (BEA). 121: Blake Glace (BEL) pinned Zeke Brambley (BED), 2:03. 127: Logan Moss (FH) pinned Carter Weaver (HUN), 1:59. 133: Chris Gibson (HUN) pinned Bryer Mickel (CEN), 1:54. 139: Parker Enciso (RICH) won by inj. default over Mikey Zahurak (WH). 145: Riley Bernash (CR) pinned Kaden Horn (CEN), 3:33. 152: Tyler Barton (BED) pinned Mason Nagle (BA), 2:16. 160: Gavin Lucas (BEL) pinned Tyler Rodgers (HOL), 4:29. 172: Chase Tresnicky (RICH) maj. dec. Tim Taylor (CLF), 15-3. 189: Josh Spontak (BM) won by inj. default over Jeremy Hajzus (CC). 215: Jesse Horning (PC) pinned Chase Elchin (SOM), 4:32. 285: Matthew Peace (CLF) dec. Conner Eichenlaub (PO), 4-1.

FIFTH PLACE

107: Nolan Hewitt (BA) dec. Tanner Walk (TYR), 12-7. 114: Jacob Dugan (PO) maj. dec. Rylan Lucas (BEL), 11-0. 121: Landon Maul (FH) dec. Liam Purcell (BEA), 4-3. 127: Joel Morris (CEN) pinned Tucker Boone (BED), 2:20. 133: Bryndin Chamberlain (CLF) dec. Austin Bernash (CR), 5-4. 139: Tripp Watson (PV) won by inj. default over Connor Guenot (PO). 145: Carter Kozielec (BED) dec. Christian Taylor (HUN), 4-2. 152: Luke Mykut (HUN) dec. Sawyer Fetterolf (PV), 7-5. 160: Cuyler Hale (BED) pinned Christian Feight (CR), 3:46. 172: Blake Kennedy (HOL) pinned A.J. Leiato (WH), 3:45. 189: Keegan Hewitt (HOL) dec. Dom Peruso (HUN), 4-1. 215: Ryan Ludwig (CLF) maj. dec. Johnny Ingraham (BED), 14-2. 285: Scott Payne (HOL) maj. dec. Nathan Gardner (BED), 11-2

THIRD PLACE

107: Ty Matthews (CEN) dec. Connor Sidney (HOL), 3-0. 114: Landon Krupka (HOL) won by tech. fall over Santino Dipola (FH), 20-3 4:28. 121: Caleb Hummel (PO) won by tech. fall over Carsen Mowery (CEN), 16-1 4:43. 127: Owen Dluhos (WH) dec. Bo Aveni (CLF), 5-3. 133: Jack Silfies (BM) dec. Ace Foster (PO), 10-4. 139: Wyatt Long (BEL) won by tech. fall over Burke Niebauer (CC), 15-0 2:18. 145: Averi Gable (PO) pinned Andrew Gall (BEL), 2:30. 152: Caden Judice (BEA) dec. Colton Bumbarger (CLF), 4-0. 160: Doug McKim (HUN) pinned Nathaniel Mack (PC), 2:26. 172: Mason VanAllman (TYR) pinned Tristan Casey (CR), 2:10. 189: Grayson Mahla (RICH) dec. Jackson Long (BEL), 6-4. 215: Landon Erdman (HUN) pinned Connor Ward (WH), 2:08. 285: Gage Gardner (BEA) dec. Mason Englert (BEL), 12-5.

FIRST PLACE

107: Kooper Deputy (CR) pinned Gaige Sholly (HUN), 1:08. 114: Matt Rowles (CLF) won by tech. fall over Carter Ickes (CR), 16-1 5:55. 121: Keegan Bassett (BM) won by tech. fall over Garrett Weyandt (CR), 23-5 4:40. 127: Dominic Deputy (CR) maj. dec. Max Dinges (PV), 13-3. 133: Erik Carlile (PV) pinned Brady Kostick (RICH), 2:32. 139: Trenden Willey (CR) pinned Owen McMullen (BM), 5:27. 145: Jackson Butler (BM) won by tech. fall over Cash Diehl (CLF), 23-8 5:00. 152: Bo Bassett (BM) won by tech. fall over Ezra Swisher (BEL), 19-4 2:14. 160: Melvin Miller (BM) won by tech. fall over Colton Ryan (CLF), 22-7 3:33. 172: Grady Clark (HUN) dec. Emory Gunby (BM), 9-8. 189: Kyle Scott (TYR) won by tech. fall over Jayden Imler (CR), 16-0 5:12. 215: Marquez Gordon (BM) pinned Luke Hockenberry (BEL), 0:48. 285: Caleb Rodriguez (BM) dec. Blair Miller (CEN), 8-1.