DISTRICT 4 WRESTLING: SAYRE'S BENNETT PLACES FOURTH AT NORTH SECTION - ADVANCES TO DISTRCT 4 CHAMPIONSHIPS (24 PHOTOS) (2019-02-16)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
TROY - Freshman Jacob Bennett wrestled back from a loss in the quarterfinals to finish fourth here Saturday at the North Section Tournament, and advance to next weekend's District 4, Class AA Championships.

Otherwise, it was a pretty rough day as freshman 285-pounder Nik Polzella was the only other grappler to record a win, finishing 2-2 on the day.

Towanda claimed the North Section team title with 157.5 points, while Wyalusing was second second with 133 points, Troy was third with 126.5, Jersey Shore was fourth with 103 points, and Athens was fifth with 102. Sayre finished 11th with 16 points.

Bennett, the sixth seed at 145 pounds, lost via second-period fall to third-seed Colt Ammerman of Sullivan County in the quarterfinals.

Bennett bounced back to pin NEB's Dustin Cook in 2:45 in his first wrestleback match, the pinned Jersey Shore's Zack Kline in 4:50 in the consolation semifinals to guarantee a trip to the District 4 Championships.

In the third-place match, Ammerman, who lost a 4-3 decision to second-seeded Bailey Cohick in the semifinals, pinned Bennett again - this time in 2:03.

Towanda's Preston Rogers edged Cohick, 3-2, in the 145-pound title match.

Polzella, the eighth seed at 285 pounds, pinned Williamson's Jacob Puffer in 48 seconds in their pigtail-round match-up.

Polzella was knocked into the consolation bracket after his loss, via first-period pin, to Athens junior Keegan Braund.

Polzella bounced back in wrestlebacks with a pin of Towanda's Aaron Herit in 2:17, but was eliminated one win shy of advancing with a loss to North Penn-Liberty's John Minnich in the consolation semifinals.

While the remaining six wrestlers did not win a bout, there were some tough losses along the way.

Freshman Daniel Horton lost a 4-3 decision to Wyalusing's Alex Boyd in his opening match in the 106-pound bracket. He lost via fall to third-seed Isaac Landis of Canton in wrestlebacks.

Senior Thomas Hendricks trailed Jersey Shore's John Smith 7-4 before succumbing to a fall at 5:22. He also lost by third-period to Towanda's Evan Johnson in wrestlebacks.

Senior Zaine Patnode gave up three near-fall points early in the second period in a 3-0 loss to Canton's Christian Ward. He lost via fall to NEB's Dale Brown in wrestlebacks.

Freshman Cam McCutcheon was 0-2 at 113 pounds, sophomore Robert Benjamin was 0-2 at 132 pounds, freshman Josh Wilson was 0-2 at 170 pounds, and sophomore Jordan Goodrich was 0-2 at 182 pounds.

The District 4 Championships begin Friday at 5 p.m. at Williamsport High School.

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IN PHOTO 1: Sayre's Jacob Bennett. IN PHOTO 24: Sayre seniors Zaine Patnode and Thomas Hendricks display their "Sportsmanship" certificates from the District 4 wrestling officials. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.