After all, Muncy led 36-6 with just six weight classes remaining. Just one win of any kind the rest of the way and Jersey Shore would find themselves on the wrong side of their first home dual of the year.

But the upper part of the Bulldog lineup had other ideas.

Jersey Shore reeled off five straight bonus point wins to set the stage for a winner-take-all bout at heavyweight, and Garrett Barner played hero, pinning Jacob Johnson to complete the comeback and win the dual meet, 41-36.

“He’s normally a 215-pounder. Our normal heavyweight was out this week for disciplinary reasons. On Monday I looked at Garrett and said, ‘Do you want to do it?’ He said, ‘Coach, I’ll do it. If you need me, I’ll do it.’ Fortunately the weights were pretty similar, which made it a little easier for him to wrestle,” Jersey Shore coach Tony Owens said. “Still, he had to go out and perform. Garrett doesn’t have a lot of varsity experience, but he’s been in the room with a lot of good varsity kids. He was able to take what we preach in the room and bring it out here. I’m so pleased with him, because that’s something he’ll never forget for the rest of his life.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Gabe Fisher wrestles Muncy's Roman Maiorana at 121 during a high school boys wrestling match at Jersey Shore on Tuesday. Shore wone 41 to 36.

Barner had plenty of time to watch his teammates cut into that lead, bit by bit. By the time he took to the mat, the lead had been cut to 36-35.

“I was a little nervous. I didn’t know what was going to happen. But, I knew I had to win,” Barner said.

Barner entered the second period up 3-1 after a first-period takedown. The junior had tried to take Johnson to his back in the first period, but was unable to. He didn’t let the opportunity slip away a second time. Barner scored another takedown, and sunk in a deep half on Johnson for the fall, sending the Bulldog crowd into a frenzy.

Muncy opened the match with a 12-0 lead due to two forfeits at 107 and 114, but a pin by Jersey Shore’s Gabriel Fisher over Roman Maiorana got the Bulldogs on the board.

A scary scene unfolded at 127 as Jersey Shore’s Bentley Nihart was forced to injury default after a mat return. Nihart was removed by medical professionals on a backboard and taken to a local hospital for observation.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Draylen Phillips wrestles Muncy's Anthony Strobel at 133 during a high school boys wrestling match at Jersey Shore on Tuesday. Shore wone 41 to 36.

Muncy had three consecutive falls by Anthony Stroble, Kase Snyder and Chase Boozer to extend the lead to 36-6. But, that’s all the Indians would get.

A forfeit win for Louden Spotts cut the deficit to 35-12, and Tobias Morgret picked up a first-period pin over Chayse Scampone at 160.

At 172, Jersey Shore’s Jonathan Dincher and Cameron Caldwell went into the second period scoreless. Dincher was able to break the ice with a quick escape and takedown in the second period, and nearly had the fall multiple times in the period, but had to settle for an 8-0 lead. But, Dincher was able to hit a feet-to-back standing cradle in the third period to get the pin and cut the lead to 36-24.

At 189, Jersey Shore’s Riley Kanski had to settle for a 16-0 technical fall win over Liam Driscoll after coming close to a huge fall multiple times. Aidan Patts was able to get a fall at 215 to bring the deficit to just one, setting up Barner’s dramatics.

“We’re decent up top, we’re solid. We just preach to the kids that we have to wrestle six minutes and pick each other up. God gives us these opportunities sometimes to be the next man up,” Owens said. Tonight just happened to be Garrett’s turn. We’re thankful for the guys who gave him that opportunity, but somebody still had to finish it, and he did. That’s a good one for him, and obviously it’s a good one for the program as well.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Dylan Hensler wrestles Muncy's Kase Snyder at 139 during a high school boys wrestling match at Jersey Shore on Tuesday. Shore wone 41 to 36.

Jersey Shore 31, Muncy 36.

107: Gannon Swank (M) by forfeit. 114: Chris Cummins (M) by forfeit. 121: Gabriel Fisher (JS) pinned Roman Maiorana, 4:48. 127: Gage Swank (M) def. Bentley Nihart via inj. def. 133: Anthony Stroble (M) pinned Draylen Phillips, 2:10. 139: Kase Snyder (M) pinned Dylan Hensler, 3:56. 145: Chase Boozer (M) pinned Benjamin Lovell, 0:45. 152: Louden Spotts (JS) by forfeit.1 60: Tobias Morgret (JS) pinned Chayce Scampone, 0:58. 172: Jonathan Dincher (JS) pinned Cameron Caldwell, 5:53. 189: Riley Kanski (JS) tech fall Liam Driscoll, 16-0. 215: Aiden Patts (JS) pinned Dylan Sander, 3:54. 285: Garrett Barner (JS) pinned Jacob Johsnon, 3:14.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Tobias Morgret wrestles Muncy's Chayce Scampone at 160 during a high school boys wrestling match at Jersey Shore on Tuesday. Shore wone 41 to 36.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Riley Kanski wrestles Muncy's Liam Driscoll at 189 during a high school boys wrestling match at Jersey Shore on Tuesday. Shore wone 41 to 36.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Garrett Barner wrestles Muncy's Jacob Johnson at 285 during a high school boys wrestling match at Jersey Shore on Tuesday. Shore wone 41 to 36.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore wrestlers and coaches react as Garrett Barner defeats Muncy's Jacob Johnson at 285 during a high school boys wrestling match at Jersey Shore on Tuesday. Shore wone 41 to 36.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Jersey Shore's Aiden Patts wrestles Muncy's Dylan Sander at 215 during a high school boys wrestling match at Jersey Shore on Tuesday. Shore wone 41 to 36.