WILLIAMSPORT — It’s certainly been a busy past few months on the mat for Matthew Smith.

In November, the Midd-West High School standout committed to Division II Clarion University to wrestle next year. On Friday, the senior became Midd-West’s all-time leader in wins during the first day of the District 4 Class 2A Tournament at Williamsport High School’s Magic Dome.

Smith came into districts tied with former Midd-West standout and current Lock Haven wrestler Avery Bassett at 153 wins. Smith wasted no time in breaking the tie with Bassett, who offered some words of encouragement to him prior to his district bout.

Smith also wrestled with Bassett a lot during the summer, so Smith was appreciative of the opportunity to wrestle someone who was competing at the next level.

On Saturday, the 145-pound Smith continued his quest to get back to the PIAA Wrestling Championships in Hershey but got upset in the championship bout.

The top-seeded Smith laid waste to the field at the two-day event to get to the final, dominating Wyalusing’s Jonathan Earle with a 20-3 technical fall in 2:23 in the championship quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, Smith dumped Canton’s Carson Rockwell, the No. 5 seed by an 11-4 count. In the final, second-seeded Riley Vanderpool outlasted Smith, 9-7, to capture the individual title.

Smith’s career total now stands at 155 victories as he continues down the postseason road.

Smith wasn’t the only Mustang to fall short in the final as Charley Paige, who came into the tourney as a No. 3 seed, suffered a 21-6 technical in 1:24 to top-seeded Brandt Harer, of Montgomery, in 139-pound championship bout.

Paige had advanced to the final by taking out second-seeded Reese Sluyter, of Towanda, by an 18-2 tech fall in 5:37 in the semis. In the quarterfinals, Paige dispatched of Sullivan County’s Keegan Bagley with a 17-2 tech fall in 5:31,

At 172 pounds, Midd-West’s Grant Yount, was the 11th seed but wrestled his way to an impressive fifth-place showing after downing Jordan Brown, of Sayre, by an 8-3 count.

At 107, Midd-West’s Mason Kerstetter finished sixth overall as he dropped a 15-0 tech fall in 3:02 to Northeast Bradford’s Mason Alexander, the No. 6 seed. Kerstetter came in ranked fifth in the district.

The Mustangs’ Lane Yount also placed sixth at 114 pounds as he was pinned by 12th-seeded Isaiah Harvey in 41 seconds. Yount was the fourth seed in his weight class.

Midd-West’s Evan Maneval took eighth at 152 after falling to No. 7 Riley Oakes, of North Penn, by an 8-3 score. In District 4, the top seven finishers advance to the regional tournament.

MIdd-West placed seventh out of 30 teams in the District 4 Class 2A team standings with 75 points. Montoursville cruised to the district title with 189 pounds, with Warrior Run (128), Line Mountain (124.5), Towanda (117.5) and Montgomery (112) rounding out the top five.

The Northeast AA Regionals are also scheduled to be held in Williamsport on Friday and Saturday.

Shikellamy was the District 4 3A champion with 202.5 pounds, with Athens (162.5), Jersey Shore (119), Selinsgrove (112.5) and Williamsport (110) rounding out the top five.

GIRLS WRESTLING

Juniata places 12th at District 5-6-9 tourney

JOHNSTOWN – The Juniata Indians finished 12th out of 33 teams at the District 5-6-9 Tournament held at First Summit Arena in Johnstown on Friday.

The Indians ended up with three place winners and a team score of 49 points. At 118 pounds, Madison Bryner lost in the championship bout by an 8-5 score to United’s Chloe Stiles. Bryner pinned Bellefonte’s Carly Bair in 41 seconds in the championship quarterfinals then did the same to Meyersdale’s Aurora Comfort in 5:29 in the championship semifinals.

At 190, Katelynn Krepps was pinned by Bald Eagle Area’s Grace Crestani in 52 seconds. Krepps needed 5:29 to flatten Redbank Valley’s Keyauna Schimp in the championship quarterfinals and did the same to Bedford’s Noelle Murray in 2:53.

In the fifth-place bout at 142 pounds, Juniata’s Jordana Steffen pinned Southern Huntingdon’s Liberty Lane in 46 seconds. Steffen got to that match by getting pinned by Huntingdon’s Noelle Rasmovicz in 3:30 and blanked by Bradford’s Shelby Shirley 14-0 in the consolation semifinals.

Northern Bedford captured the team title with 133 points, with Bald Eagle Area (91), Punxsutawney (80), Clearfield (76) and Chestnut Ridge (67) rounding out the top five.

The Central Regional Championships will be held Saturday at Milton High School.