LANCASTER - So far in the young wrestling season, lightweights have carried the day for Mifflin County.
On Friday, it was the big brothers who ruled the roost.
Tre Carter, Kyle Kahley and Caleb Rhodes all won their final bouts in the opening day of the Conestoga Valley Holiday Classic, as the top end of the scale produced three of Mifflin County's six wrestlers who return to action today in the event.
Juniata has four still alive, and has one advantage on the Huskies - the Indians have two still in contention for gold, while only one from Mifflin County can say that.
At the end of the first day, Juniata was tied with Mechanicsburg for seventh in the team race, while Mifflin County was 11th. Spring Grove was leading.
Along with the three upper weight wrestlers, Mifflin County's Noah Stewart (126 pounds), Ian Underhill (120) and Joe Knarr (152) will hit the mats again today. Stewart is the lone top-bracket contender, getting a technical fall over Red Lion's Donald Smith before winning a major decision over Hamburg's Kerry Mega in the quarterfinals.
It's no surprise that returning state medalist Sean Heggs (138) is in the semifinals; he'll be joined there by 220-pounder Patrick Fitzgerald. Heggs scored a pair of decisions in the first two rounds; Fitzgerald got a straightup win before flattening Tyler Wholaver of Huntingdon to make the final four.
Rich Gilson (120) and Adam Barrick (132) are still alive in the wrestle backs.
The even concludes today with a 10:30 a.m. start.
Swimming
Girls: Bellefonte 106, Mifflin County 56
Boys: Bellefonte 110, Mifflin County 47
BURNHAM - Beckers and Bonsons provided most of the punch for Mifflin County in its non-league swim meet against Bellefonte Friday.
Although both teams fell to the Red Raiders overall, there were several placewinners and a smattering of district qualifiers before the meet, held at the Juniata Valley YMCA, was over.
For the boys, Evan Becker's second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle and third-place outcome in the 100 butterfly were both good enough to hit the district mark. Zack Bonson also made district time in the 500 freestyle, where he finished second, and picked up third in the 50 freestyle.
Among the girls, Sarah Bonson was the 100 backstroke winner and runner-up in the 50 freestyle, while Megan Becker was second in both the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events, all four district times.
"They are really great swimmers, and what makes them so great is they swim YMCA as well. It really does help push the swimmers to do better," Mifflin County coach Connie Welch said of the quartet.
Other individual top-three finishers were Chase Shinn in the boys 200 individual medley and 100 freestyle, and for the girls, Jenna Kile (500 freestyle, second), Rachel Stimeline (100 butterfly, second) and Allison Besch (100 breaststroke, third). The girls won the 200 freestyle relay and finished third in three others. The boys won the 400 freestyle relay and added a second and a third.
Mifflin County hosts Hershey on Thursday.
Boys basketball
Greenwood 46,
West Perry 28
ELLIOTTSBURG - A slow start by Greenwood only delayed the inevitable as the Wildcats ran off with a win in the first round of the Perry County boys basketball tournament Friday, knocking off host West Perry 46-28.
Greenwood coach Kent Houser said his team got a boost "after we decided we were going to play some defense."
"We didn't start too well in the first," he said. "Nick Kerstetter came off the bench and gave us a nice effort."
Ryan Kerstetter boosted the offensive effort with 13 points, hitting three from downtown. Josh Ferguson added 10.
The Wildcats (6-2) play Susquenita in the championship game tonight.
Junior high
Girls basketball
Mifflin County won the Harrisburg freshman tournament by winning four games Friday. Game scores and high scorers were Mifflin County 45, Susquehanna Township 19 (Katelyn Arnold 11); Mifflin County 43, Central Dauphin East 13 (Marissa Byler and Jessa Wright, 8); Mifflin County 38, Red Lion 28 (Jessa Wright 15); Mifflin County 45, Central Dauphine East 30 (Selene McCaffery 9). The Huskies are 10-0.
