NTL WRESTLING: ATHENS PICKS UP KEY WIN OVER TOWANDA (17 PHOTOS) (2019-01-15)

Valley Sports Report
TOWANDA - Towanda won the first two weight classes by fall, but Athens won five of the next six, including three via first-period falls, to take the lead for good en route to a key 39-33 win here Tuesday night NTL wrestling action.

With the win, Athens remains unbeaten in the NTL, and one-game head of Troy, Wyalusing and North Penn-Liberty in the loss column.

Pins by Clay Green at 195 pounds, and Alex Perez at 220, put Towanda up 12-0, but the Wildcats quickly tied the score.

 Junior Keegan Braund flattened Aaron Herit in 24 seconds in their 285-pound match-up, then sophomore Kyler Setzer decked Mikey Nowell in 1:28 at 106 pounds to make it 12-12.

A forfeit to freshman Gavin Bradley at 113 pounds gave the Wildcats the lead for good at 18-12.

At 120 pounds, Towanda's Tyler Hawley forged a 9-3 decision over freshman Kaden Setzer to trim the deficit to 18-15, but the Wildcats scored 12 points in the next two weight classes.

Freshman Karter Rude scored a lightning-quick 13-second fall over Garrett Chapman at 126 pounds to extend the lead to 24-15. Then, freshman Lucas Forbes received a forfeit for the Wildcats at 132 pounds to make it 30-15.

Towanda made one final run with a pin by Skyler Allen at 138 pounds, and a forfeit to Preston Rogers at 145 pounds to close the gap to 30-27, but the Wildcats won the next three matches to sew up the victory.

At 152 pounds, Athens sophomore Zach Stafursky recorded an 8-2 decision over Riley Gowin, then junior Alex West edged Will Bowen to make it 36-27 with two weight classes remaining.

In the match of the night, Athens senior David Galasso scored a 2-1 win in the second overtime over Towanda 170-pound standout Cooper Mosier to give Athens an insurmountable 39-27 lead.

Towanda's Clay Watkins registered a first-period pin at 182 pounds to provide the final margin.

Athens, now 7-3 overall and 5-0 in the NTL, returns to action Thursday at North Penn-Liberty.

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IN PHOTO 1: Athens sophomore Kyler Setzer. ... PHOTOS COURTESY OF ED BOARDMAN.

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ATHENS 39, TOWANDA 33
195: Clay Green (T) by fall over Dylan Comstock (A), 3:12;
220: Alex Perez (T) by fall over Ben Pernaselli (A), 1:19;
285: Keegan Braund (A) by fall over Aaron Herlt (T), 0:24;
106: Kyler Setzer (A) by fall over Mikey Nowell (T), 1:28;
113: Gavin Bradley (A) by forfeit;
120: Tyler Hawley (T) dec. Kaden Setzer (A), 9-3;
126: Karter Rude (A) by fall over Garrett Chapman (T), 0:13;
132: Lucas Forbes (A) by forfeit;
138: Skyler Allen (T) by fall over Troy Jennings (A), 1:51;
145: Preston Rogers (T) by forfeit;
152: Zach Stafursky (A) dec. Riley Gowin (T), 8-2;
160: Alex West (A) dec. Will Bowen (T), 8-6;
170: David Galasso (A) dec. Cooper Mosier (T), 2-1, OT;
182: Clay Watkins (T) by fall over Tyler Coy (A), 1:06.