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The Wellsboro Varsity Wrestling team was edged 36-30 by Jersey Shore during Senior Night on Tuesday, January 31.

“Wyatt and Aden have been with us since we restarted the program,” head coach Bryce Bitner said of his seniors. “Everything they’ve contributed to us has meant the world. Hopefully they can look back 10 years from now and see the program thriving with experience and lots of numbers. It’s something they should be extremely proud of going forward. Andrew was sidelined with an injury for most of the season but his positive attitude and the relationships he’s formed with the coaches and the players have meant so much to us as a team. We’re going to really miss having all of them around.”

The match started out with a double forfeit at 107 lbs. and after a forfeit win by sophomore Alec Magli at 114 lbs., the Hornets held an early 6-0 lead. Jersey Shore rebounded with back-to-back pin falls, the first at 121 lbs. as Mason Winter pinned freshman Alyssa Chilson in 55 seconds. The second by Brock Weiss over sophomore George Howlett at 133 lbs., making it 12-6 in favor of the Bulldogs.

Wellsboro then rattled off 4 forfeit victories from sophomore Will Gastrock (139 lbs.), sophomore Silas Mickey (145 lbs.), senior Andrew Merriman (152 lbs.), and senior Aden Tom (160 lbs.), to go up 30-12.

Again Jersey Shore rallied, and took the next 4 matches to edge out the Hornets.

At 172 lbs., Tyler Bauer pinned sophomore Ryder Bown in 3:43, Slate Sechrist pinned senior Wyatt Gastrock in 2:32 at 189 lbs., Hadyn Packer pinned freshman Hayden Stevens in 25 seconds at 215 lbs., to tie it up at 30-all, and Owen VanDruff closed out the match with a 14 second pin over freshman Jacob Thurstin at 285 lbs. to seal the victory.

“Unfortunately the match didn’t go our way,” continued Bitner. “I wish we could’ve wrestled harder in a couple different places and we made some key mistakes from lack of experience. It’s natural and we have to overcome it, but we’ll get there. It just takes time. That was a very talented Jersey Shore team that will do really well in the post-season and I wish them nothing but the best.”

Jersey Shore also took home the victory in the Junior High match, winning 83-3.

The loss drops the Hornets to 4-9 (2-6 NTL). The team is back in action this evening, heading across the border into New York to take on Elmira.