"Canner Comeback - Pin filled rally helps Biglerville improve to 12-0; Thunderbolts, Warriors start slow" (Gburg Times: 01/05/08)

BY SCOT ANDREW PITZER
Times Staff Writer

Apple Town was rocking Friday night at the 9th Annual Canner Duals in Biglerville, where the Canner wrestling team continued its undefeated season in dramatic fashion.
In an early 19-0 hole, against the Reading Red Knights, and then facing a seemingly insurmountable 33-18 deficit with three bouts remaining, the home team --- fueled by a raucous Canner Dome crowd --- garnered three consecutive pins, and won 36-33.
"Incredible," Biglerville head coach Bob Gano said following his team's victory. "Those matches are the reason why I love coaching at Biglerville."
Reading jumped out to an early 19-0 lead in the first four bouts, thanks to two falls and a major decision. But the Canners (12-0) rallied, gaining decisions at 215 and 285 pounds, a forfeit at 103, and a fall at 112, bringing the home fans --- still energized from Biglerville's 45-18 dismantling of local rival Gettysburg in the evening's previous contest --- to life.
"The kids never gave up, and that's what kept us in that match," Gano said. "Reading wrestled one heck of a match."
Trailing by 15 points with three bouts from 135-145 remaining, the Canners had arguably their top three middle weights --- juniors Nick Asper, Nic Lieberum, and Shay Shive --- still in the waiting room.
"We felt pretty good whenever we had Nick, Nic and Shay left," said Canner senior Jeff Foster. "We knew we had a chance. The crowd kind of energized the whole team."
When Shive opened the contest's final bout, at 145 pounds, with a takedown over John Moriarty, and the two were re-started in the center of the mat, the home audience was so deafening that the referee summoned spectators to quiet, because the grapplers were unable to hear the whistle.
"I had never seen that before in my life," said Foster.
Minutes later, when Shive sealed the comeback with a second period pin, the roof blew off the Canner Dome.
"I came here from Green Castle, where winning isn't that big, and tonight just blew my mind," said Canner upper weight Dale Nichols, a transfer from Green Castle. "I was just shocked. I'm used to 15 people in the crowd. I'm not used to half of the town being in the gym. Tonight was just intense, and it's just incredible to wrestle here and be a part of the tradition."
Asper notched a quick takedown at 135-pounds over Jose Rodriguez, and then stuck him in a cradle, earning a pin with 13 seconds left in the first period.
"We had some great anchors that match," Gano said regarding his middle weights. "The kids believed they could do it."
With two bouts remaining and Reading having what many teams would consider a comfortable 33-24 lead, Lieberum and Bryan Gold battled to a scoreless first period tie at 140 pounds. Lieberum escaped from the bottom position to begin the second period, and earned a quick takedown, taking Gold to his back in the process. The grapplers squirmed for several seconds, but Lieberum's grip tightened, and a fall was called at the 3:34 mark, pulling the Canners to within three points at 33-30.
"It was incredibly loud at that point," Nichols said.
Shive sealed the comeback in the ensuing bout, and the Canner Dome went into a frenzy.
"These are the kinds of wins that I grew up watching here as a kid,"Foster said. "The atmosphere was just unbelievable."
The Littlestown Thunderbolts, hoping to rebound from a Thursday night 51-18 destruction by Biglerville, finished the first day of the dual tournament 1-1, losing a 38-35 nail-biter to Kennard-Dale. Littlestown (12-4)actually held a 30-7 lead in the match.
The Bolts bounced back in the second round, topping Exeter 39-25.
After giving Biglerville a scare earlier in the night, Gettysburg (0-6) --- who was within eight points of the Canners with a half dozen bouts remaining the tilt --- was upended by Conestoga, 47-22.
"We always talk around here about how we want a perfect match, and that doesn't mean winning 85 to nothing," said Gettysburg head coach Perry Smith. "It just means everybody giving their best, going 100 percent. Against Biglerville, in seven of the 11 contested bouts, I felt our kids gave us everything they had. As long as we keep giving 100 percent every time we wrestle, we'll learn and we'll get better. We might take our lumps Saturday, but we're going to give it everything we have."
The second and final day of the tournament commences today at 9 a.m., and the unbeaten Canners face Pottstown in the opening round. Biglerville began its season last year in a similar manner, entering the second day of the Canner Duals with an unblemished record, before being topped.
"This is a tough tournament,"Gano said. "We've never won it, but we're going to keep wrestling hard and we'll see what happens."
Scot Pitzer is a Times staff reporter.

Round 1
Biglerville 45, Gettysburg 18
140-Nic Lieberum (B) fft; 145-Logan Bobo (B) p. Brandon Vogelsong, 1:27; 152-Shay Shive (B) p. Lucas Shultz, :29; 160-Seth Shive (B) d. Tony Cruz, 4-2; 171-Bryce Shaffer (G) d. Dale Nichols, 4-3; 189-D.J. Cool (G) d. Danny Thomas, 6-1; 215-Zach Mencl (G) fft; 285-Brett Smyers (B) p. Marshall Martin, 3:48; 103-Michael Shaffer (G) d. Briar Garber, 10-8; 112-Jesse Gardner (B) d. Justin Amato, 6-4; 119-Dustin Bower (B) p. Luke Mencl, 1:07; 125-Nick Leiphart (B) md. Matt Smith, 15-1; 130-Ryan Warner (G) d. Tim Kint, 9-6; 135-Nick Asper (B) fft.
*Biglerville deducted team point following 189.
Other results: Brandywine Heights 69, Oley Valley 12; Mount Carmel 52, Exeter 21; Carlisle 57, Greencastle 12.
Round 2
Kennard-Dale 38, Littlestown 36
145-Eric Smith (L) fft; 152-Thomas Showvaker (L) p. Folks, 2:34; 160-Lantz (KD) md. Charles Walls, 9-1; 171-Cory Beaver (L) p. Thompson, 1:10; 189-Page (KD) d. Joe Hansen, 4-2; 215-Ron Wetherson (L) p. Coulby, 4:19; 285-Tyler Zittle (L) p. Jones, :24; 103-Miller (KD) fft; 112-Stefanowicz p. Charles Keebaugh, 5:31; 119-Wilson (KD) d. Adam Bish, 8-2; 125-Gepp (KD) p. Michael Warner, 1:57; 130-Bracey (KD) md. Peter Leyva, 9-1; 135-Phil Macy (L) p. T. Robinson, 5:34; 140-B. Robinson (KD) p. Porter Strickler, 3:06.
Other results: Conestoga 48, Pottstown 20; Mount Carmel 48, Mercer 28; Carlisle 79, Oley Valley 0.
Round 3
Biglerville 36, Reading 33
152-Bauer (R) d. Bobo, 11-8; 160-Pena (R) md. Se. Shive, 10-2; 171-Ortiz (R) p. D. Gardner, :59; 189-Estela (R) p. Nichols, 1:07; 215-Thomas (B) d. Alvarez, 5-1; 285-Smyers (B) d. Metia, 4-2; 103-Garber (B) fft; 112-Gardner (B) p. Miller, :56; 119-Betancourt (R) tf. Leiphart, 1:50 (15-0); 125-Castillo (R) d. Bower, 16-11; 130-Galandis (R) p. Kint, 1:58; 135-Asper (B) p. Rodriguez, 1:47; 140-Lieberum (B) p. Gold, 2:49; 145-Sh. Shive (B) p. Moriarty, 3:34.
Littlestown 39, Exeter 25
152-Josh Lombard (L) d. Chrstian, 10-5; 160-Showvaker (L) p. Klebart, 3:48; 171-Walls (L) fft; 189-Beaver (L) fft; 215-Zittle (L) md. Farrell, 11-2; 285-Wetherson (L) fft; 103-Saylor (E) fft; 112-Kobylarz (E) md. Keebaugh, 14-4; 119-Bish (L) tf. Dreiling, 4:00 (16-0); 125-Hinkle (E) md. Warner, 12-2; 130-Feeny (E) d. Leyva, 6-2; 135-Macy (L) d. Giorgio, 5-2; 140-Edmonds (E) md. Strickler, 15-6; 145-Bower (E) md. Smith, 17-6.
Other results: Brandywine Heights 41, Dover 27; Kennard-Dale 36, Mercer 33.
Round 4
Conestoga 47, Gettysburg 22
160-Rogers (C) p. Cruz, 2:20; 171-Miles Sherman (G) d. Roe, 11-8; 189-Shaffer (G) p. Perkins, 2:14; 215-Cool (G) md. Marion, 14-3; 285-Martin (G) md. Frey, 14-2; 103-Horshor (C) d. Shaffer, 10-3; 112-Exler (C) d. Amato, 11-6; 119-Walk (C) p. L. Mencl, 2:10; 125-Chidester (C) p. Smith, 1:04; 130-Warner (G) tf. Christy, 18-3; 135-Biggin (C) fft; 140-Hyatt (C) fft; 145-Brady (C) p. Vogelsong, 5:50.
Other results: Dover 53, Greencastle 19; Reading 33, Pottstown 33 (Reading wins on bout criteria, 7-6)
Today
Wrestling begins at 9 a.m.
5th Round
Brandywine Heights vs. Greencastle, Biglerville vs. Pottstown, Littlestown vs. Mercer, Mount Carmel vs. Kennard-Dale.
6th Round
Conestoga vs. Reading, Mount Carmel vs. Littlestown, Dover vs. Oley Valley, Pottstown vs. Gettysburg.
7th Round
Brandywine Heights vs. Carlisle, Biglervile vs. Conestoga, Reading vs. Gettysburg, Kennard-Dale vs. Exeter.
8th Round
Greencastle vs. Oley Valley, Carlisle vs. Dover, Mercer vs. Exeter.Each team will wrestle two medal-round matches, with pairings to be determined following pool competition.