Emma Scarborough-Perez got that ball rolling with a second-period pin at 112. And after the Bulldogs got on the board for the first time, a hard-fought decision from Kennedy Metzger would kick off a run that reached the match’s conclusion. Julia Hartman, Kendall Wagner and Ashlyn Miller picked up wins within it, as the Wildcats won six straight bouts to cruise past Shore, 44-4.

“Last year, we lost to them on their Senior Night by criteria. So that was a huge turnaround for the girls in general,” said Central Mountain girls wrestling head coach Dylan Caprio on the performance. “I’m happy to see their improvement from last year’s match to this year. Impressed with them for staying after it, believing in themselves and not giving up.”

Despite the final outcome, the Wildcats certainly endured their fair share of trials and tribulations on their way there. Even with three forfeits holding it back, Jersey Shore produced opportunities to turn the momentum its way.

After Scarborough-Perez and junior Sadie Caris opened the match with imposing wins, posting a second-period pin and tech fall respectively, sophomore Aaralynn Kimble would secure a 13-2 major decision against Kaityn Scarborough-Perez at 124 to give her team a spark.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Emma-Scarborough-Perez wrestles Jersey Shore's Makenna Brininger at 112 during a girls wrestling dual on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 44-4.

The next two bouts – at 130 and 136 – would push Central Mountain to the brink of losing its lead. But on both occasions, its wrestlers found a way to prevail in the clutch.

Facing Jersey Shore’s Chloe Corson, senior Kennedy Metzger would fall behind 3-0 in the first and 5-3 in the second, initially falling on the losing end of a back-and-forth. However, she was able to establish advantage out of a neutral start to the third before bringing Corson down and wrapping around her for a takedown, giving the senior her first lead at 6-5.

The lead was short-lived, with Corson quickly tying it back up. But Metzger maintained momentum, snapping Corson down in an upper-body tie-up, wrapping around her for another takedown in the match’s final minute and holding firm from there to win by 9-7 decision.

It was a similar story for fellow senior Julia Hartman at 136, only in her case, her deficit sat at 13-5 heading into the final period. But with one quick reversal out of bottom, she was able to turn the tide, coming back in one fell swoop with a momentous pin.

“Had my heart going a little fast there a couple times for them,” laughed Caprio when discussing those two bouts. “But I was glad they were able to find a way to win those matches, especially on a night like this for them.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Kennedy Metzger wrestles Jersey Shore's Chloe Corson at 130 during a girls wrestling dual on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 44-4.

Rounding out the senior class’s wins were Kendall Wagner (170) and Ashlyn Miller (190), with Miller’s coming by forfeit and Wagner’s not coming quite as easily. For the second time in her career, Wagner would face off against Jersey Shore’s Isabella Gottschall, who came into the match ranked No. 16 in the state.

After getting pinned in their previous matchup, it was a much different story a year later.

Wagner controlled the bout from the opening whistle, securing a takedown right out of the gate and another midway through the second behind a double-legged shot. Following that second takedown, Gottschall managed to briefly get back to her feet before Wagner slammed her back down to the mat, carrying that momentum into a pin soon after.

“The last time she matched up with Gottschall in a PIAA matchup, she got head-locked and pinned, and that was unexpected for her and unexpected for me,” said Caprio on Wagner. “But we’ve been working with her on getting her hands and feet moving, and she’s doing a good job putting that into effect and getting her shots going for her.”

From 130 to 190, Central Mountain (5-4) turned a slight lead into a big one, ultimately closing things out on a 31-0 run. Alana Rhodes (142) and Austynn Falls (148) rounded out the rest of that run, with Rhodes winning by forfeit and Falls by second-period fall.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Julia Hartman wrestles Jersey Shore's Eliana Herr at 136 during a girls wrestling dual on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 44-4.

Following the match, both teams get one day’s rest from competition before getting right back to it on Saturday. There, they’ll compete in the BEA Girls Wrestling Tournament, a tournament at Bald Eagle Area that’s already set to feature over 400 wrestlers.

“It should be a pretty big tournament, pretty big turnout,” said Caprio.

Central Mountain 44, Jersey Shore 4

100: No contest. 106: No contest. 112: Emma Scarborough-Perez (CM) pinned Makenna Brininger (JS), 3:03. 118: Sadie Caris (CM) tech fall Jazzlyn Jolin (JS), 19-1 (4:00). 124: Aaralynn Kimble (JS) maj. dec. Kaitlyn Scarborough-Perez (CM), 13-2. 130: Kennedy Metzger (CM) dec. Chloe Corson (JS), 9-7. 136: Julia Hartman (CM) pinned Eliana Herr (JS), 4:24. 142: Alana Rhodes (CM) won by forfeit. 148: Austin Falls (CM) pinned Taylor Ross (JS), 2:50. 155: No contest. 170: Kendall Wagner (CM) pinned Isabella Gottschall (JS), 3:36. 190: Ashlyn Miller (CM) won by forfeit. 235: No contest.

Records: Jersey Shore 1-5; Central Mountain 5-4.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Kendall Wagner gets her hand raised during a girls wrestling dual against Jersey Shore on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 44-4.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Austynn Falls gets her hand raised during a girls wrestling dual against Jersey Shore on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 44-4.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Sadie Caris works for back points against Jersey Shore's Jazzlyn Jolin at 118 during a girls wrestling dual on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 44-4.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Kaitlyn Scarborough-Perez wrestles Jersey Shore's Aaralynn Kimble at 124 during a girls wrestling dual on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 44-4.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Kendall Wagner works to flip Jersey Shore's Isabella Gottschall on her back at 170 during a girls wrestling dual on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 44-4.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain's Julia Hartman gets her hand raised during a girls wrestling dual against Jersey Shore on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at Central Mountain. The Wildcats won 44-4.