One county away they staged a tournament that has developed into the perfect fit for Centre County’s wrestling programs.
Penns Valley, State College, Philipsburg-Osceola and Bellefonte packed their singlets and headgear and spent Friday and Saturday competing in the King of the Mountain Tournament at Central Mountain High School.
All four schools liked what they received from the event which expanded to a 32-team format in 2002.
Their best wrestlers were pushed. Their inexperienced wrestlers had a chance to wrestle more than twice. Their fans didn’t need to search for hotels.
The only Centre County school that avoided Mill Hall this weekend was Bald Eagle Area, which placed third in the Beast of the East, the massive event in Delaware where many of the sport’s giants showcase their best wrestlers.
BEA once again proved why the Beast is a good fit for its wrestlers.
The county’s other four teams spent this weekend at the right place.
State College, a former Beast participant, produced the county’s only King of the Mountain champion. Junior Steve Bosak won the 145-pound weight class by defeating returning state qualifier Jake Kemerer of Hempfield in the finals.
Every other county wrestler lost at least once.
“We have been to Reno, we have been to Chapel Hill, so it’s real nice to have this tournament nearby, “said Bellefonte coach Larry Walker, whose team finished sixth. “We didn’t have to go very far to find competition.”
Most of the competition came from outside the county.
The tournament included 38 returning PIAA qualifiers and teams from eight PIAA districts. Phillipsburg, one of New Jersey’s most successful programs, also participated in the event.
The frequency of meetings between county wrestlers represented a major reason the Centre County Tournament ended after the 2004-05 season. King of the Mountain’s diverse field produced only six bouts between county wrestlers.
“We didn’t hit up with the local schools that much which was good, “P-O coach Mike Maney said.
Wrestlers from other areas also evaded meetings with familiar opponents.
Districts 4 and 6 each had eight teams in the event. But the 160-pound final between Greater Latrobe’s Kameron Zitelli and Hempfield’s Travis Uncapher represented the only final with wrestlers from the same district. Latrobe and Hempfield are District 7 schools.
“The tournament helps the Centre County teams see other people, “tournament director Norm Palovcsik said. “They get to see teams from Erie, Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley and even the Philadelphia also. I think that helps them down the road.”
The tournament also exposed wrestlers to competitors from other classifications. Eleven Class AA programs competed in the event, including Bloomsburg, Line Mountain, Mifflinburg, Athens and Brandywine Heights, which own PIAA Class AA team titles.
Nine small-school wrestlers advance to the finals and four claimed titles.
“Your better kids need to face these types of kids and the other kids need to see where they ultimately need to get, “Penns Valley coach Joel Brinker said. “I want to come here as long as I am coaching. It’s a great tournament and the tradition is great.”
Penns Valley and six other Class AA programs earned invitations to next year’s tournament by placing in the top 24.
P-O was the only county school that failed to crack the top 24. But the Mounties, who returned to the tournament for the first time since 2000, are a logical candidate to receive a spot in next year’s field.
“The Centre County influx into our tournament has been a good thing, “Palovcsik said. “If you look at traditional programs, there are few better than Bellefonte, Philipsburg-Osceola, State College and Penns Valley over the years.
“Bringing them here has been a good thing for us.”
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