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Trent Hidlay wins second Powerade title

Sentinel photo by Marc Billett, Tri-State Sports & News Service
Mifflin County’s Trent Hidlay, right, works Tim Wallace of Albert Gallatin in the Powerade finals on Saturday.

CANONSBURG — It wasn’t the matchup Trent Hidlay had expected, but it didn’t stop the Mifflin County senior from claiming a second title at the Powerade Christmas Tournament, which concluded Saturday at Canon-McMillan High School.

Everybody was expecting a rematch of the King of the Mountain Tournament final between Hidlay and Saegertown’s Cody Mulligan. Both are returning PIAA champions.

Albert Gallatin senior Tim Wallace, the No. 3 seed, changed the script with a dominating 10-1 upset of Mulligan in the semifinals. Hidlay, the top seed, earned a third trip to the finals with a 5-3 semifinal win against Wyoming Seminary’s Darrien Roberts.

“A key to success is to be ready for whoever you have to wrestle,” said Hidlay, who recorded a 7-4 win over Wallace in the 182-pound final. “I wasn’t looking far ahead. I was just looking at the match in front of me. I just relied on my training.”

Hidlay, a North Carolina State recruit, recorded three takedowns in the match, the first coming 14 seconds into the match.

“That’s what I like to do every match,” Hidlay said. “I like to be physical and score first.”

It was the second title for Hidlay, who was making a third appearance in the finals. He placed second in 2015 and first last year at 170.

“The first one was pretty sweet, just because my brother and I had some struggles here in the finals,” Hidlay said. “Anytime you can come into a packed gym and put on a show for the crowd … this is the kind of tournament you work for.

“Every time you win a title here it’s special. I’m just glad to be a part of it. To come back and win a second title is awesome.”

Huskies coach Kirby Martin was impressed.

“His talent, composure, and work ethic are outstanding,” Martin said.

Hidlay was one of three Mifflin County wrestlers who began the day in the winners bracket. Christian Fisher and Trey Kibe were not as fortunate in their semifinal bouts, but did battle back to place among the top eight in their respective weight classes.

“The grind of this tournament is brutal,” Martin said. “They had a great day one. Day two really tested our composure, and of course you run into some really top-notch, nationally ranked kids. It’s so important to be on your A-game in every match. They learned that today.”

Fisher, a junior, dropped a 4-0 decision to Reynolds’ Beau Bayless, the eventual champion, in the 113-pound semifinals. Fisher suffered a second defeat in the consolation semifinals, as he dropped a 2-1 decision to Burrell’s Ian Oswalt. He eventually placed sixth after 2-1 loss to Nic Botello of Wyoming Seminary.

Kibe, an unseeded freshman, had the unfortunate task of facing Parkersburg (W.Va.) South’s Josh Humphreys, a two-time finalist, in the semifinals at 152. Humphreys recorded a 16-0 technical fall, thus sending Kibe to the consolation bracket.

Kibe rebounded with a 1-0 win over Wyoming Seminary’s Benny Baker in the consolation semifinals. He then faced Belle Vernon’s Brock Godzin in the consolation for third place and came up on the short end of a 2-0 decision.

Wallace’s upset before losing to Hidlay wasn’t the only surprise of the tournament.

Fans packed the gym to see if Jefferson-Morgan senior Gavin Teasdale would win a fourth title Saturday. They were expecting to see Teasdale face North Hills sophomore Sam Hillegas in the 126-pound final, as both were unbeaten in their career. And both were returning PIAA champions.

Wyoming Seminary sophomore Beau Bartlett spoiled the show by upsetting both. He posted a 2-0 win over Hillegas in the semifinals, then defeated Teasdale, a three-time PIAA champion, 4-3 in the title match. Bartlett, who was named the Outstanding Wrestler, recorded two takedowns, including the deciding one with 26 seconds left.

The loss ends Teasdale’s quest to become the sixth wrestler in PIAA history to finish his career unbeaten and untied. He now has a 134-1 career record.

Semifinals

113: Beau Bayless, Reynolds dec. Christian Fisher, 2-0.

152: Josh Humphreys technical fall Trey Kibe, 16-0 (5:07).

182: Trent Hidlay dec. Darrien Roberts, Wyoming Seminary, 5-3.

Consolation Semifinals

113: Ian Oswalt, Burrell dec. Christian Fisher, 2-1.

152: Trey Kibe dec. Benny Baker, Wyoming Seminary, 1-0.

Finals

182: Trent Hidlay dec. Tim Wallace, Albert Gallatin, 7-4.

Third Place

152: Brock Godzin, Belle Vernon dec. Trey Kibe, 2-0 SV.

Fifth Place

113: Nic Botello, Wyoming Seminary dec. Christian Fisher, 2-1.

Wrestling

Conestoga Valley tourn.

LANCASTER — Four Juniata wrestlers placed in the final day of Conestoga Valley’s holiday wrestling tournament.

Jared Heister was the lone semifinal winner for the Indians, advancing to the 160-pound championship, where he fell in a 2-0 decision to Central Mountain’s Asher Corl.

The three others who advanced out of Friday’s first day made it back to their third place match; all three ended the weekend in fourth place.

Garrett Gabel (182) fell to Kyle Swartz of Northern York. Tyler Feltman (138) was pinned by Brendon Stocku of Penn Crest. And Tyler Wileman (152) was on the low side of a 5-3 decision with James Caldwell, New Jersey’s Gerald Jones.

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