SHAMOKIN - It's an oddity of dual meet wrestling that a meet can go down to the wire, end in a tie and be decided by criteria, as Line Mountain's 36-36 win over Shamokin finished Tuesday, and really be decided by the meet's first match.
In that bout, at 126, the Eagles' Blake Carl, with a 6-14 record, took a 6-1 win over the Indians' Bill Leon, who was 14-5, giving Line Mountain a lead the Eagles needed right down to the end. The Eagles gave up three forfeits to Shamokin's one and the referee had to go the rulebook and to the fourth criteria, most wins including forfeits, which Line Mountain won 7-6.
That was the margin by which the Eagles (9-8) will enter the district dual meet tournament, which they qualified for with the win. Line Mountain coach Mike Martz has no illusions of winning the tournament but said in a tough year, it will be good to have another match or two.
"We're thinking about the postseason now," Martz said. "It's good to get in the tournament because now we can get some kids an extra match or two. These kids deserve it with the season we've had. The kids we have left are really team players.
"Blake's was a really big win for us. He was not the favorite going into that bout by any stretch. Leon was 12-5, 14-5, something like that, and a pretty good wrestler," Martz said. "But Blake's really gelling, too. He had a tough start this season but he's had some good wins lately and he's really worked hard."
"If there was one match we needed to go our way, it was probably that one," Sham-
okin coach Todd Hockenbroch said of the opening bout. "We knew after the toss that was going to be a big one based on what the rest looked like."
Shamokin's Brett Long and Luiz Martinez picked up forfeits at the next two weights before Line Mountain picked up four straight wins. Seth Lansberry (25-1) had a 14-second pin at 145, Britton Heim (17-9) had to work hard for a 3-0 win over Josiah Miller (7-11), Brendan Renn pinned Ken Anderson in 3:02 at 160 after falling behind in the first period, and Erik Smeltz (21-6) had a pin at 170.
That gave the Eagles a 24-12 lead. Shamokin's Anthony Anonia pinned freshman Riley Shaffer at 182, and the Eagles' Rayce Boyer returned the favor at 195. The Indians then took the lead, on a pair of pins by Zach Biddiscombe (16-7) at 220 and Jordan Glosek (12-6) at 285, and a forfeit for Mike Britton at 106.
Both teams forfeited at 113 but Line Mountain's Cameron Newman (21-5) got a forfeit at 120 to tie the match.
Shamokin had Jon Carl weighed in at that weight but he is coming off an injury, according to Hockenbroch.
"He was cleared to weigh in but not to wrestle," Hockenbroch said. "That's what happened there. We've had a bunch of injuries this year in addition to being young. We have a bunch of first and second-year kids who are giving us everything they have. We've only had our full team for one meet, I think."
The Indians (6-13) have five dual meets remainin.
Meet Summary
Line Mtn. 36, Shamokin 36 (Line Mtn. wins on criteria, most wins including forfeits, 7-6)
126 - Blake Carl, LM, dec. Bill Leon, 6-1 (3-0); 132 - Brett Long, S, forfeit (3-6); 138 - Luis Martinez, S, forfeit (3-12); 145 - Seth Lansberry, LM, pinned Noah Young, :14 (9-12); 152 - Britton Heim, LM, dec. Josiah Miller, 3-0 (12-12); 160 - Brandon Renn, LM, pinned Ken Anderson, 3:02 (18-12); 170 - Erik Smeltz, LM, pinned Brett Rebuck, 1:35 (24-12); 182 - Anthony Anonia, S, pinned Riley Shaffer, 2:33 (24-18); 195 - Rayce Boyer, LM, pinned Darris Harrold, :44 (30-18); 220 - Zach Biddiscombe, S, pinned Nick Strohecker, 1:19 (30-24); 285 - Jordan Glosek, S, pinned Charles Hoffman, 1:57 (30-30); 106 - Michael Britton, S, forfeit (30-36); 113 - Double forfeit; 120 - Cameron Newman, LM, forfeit (36-36)
