With Montgomery clinging to a six-point lead and three-time state qualifier Teli Bobotas looming in the evening’s final match at 133, Harer decided to move Carden Wagner — who had only wrestled at 133 and 139 this year — down to 127 in hopes of putting the match to bed then and there.

It worked like a charm.

Wagner beat Brody Bower by decision, 7-1, staying in control and within himself from start to finish, as Montgomery held off homestanding Montoursville, 33-30, on Tuesday evening.

“(Moving Wagner) was the game plan coming in. Obviously, we wanted to win the flip and get those matchups up top. We didn’t win the flip, and they got the matchups they wanted,” Harer said. “We have a lot of guys on our team who can (shuffle around). Depending on who we wrestle, we’ll weigh guys in at different spots, and that’s the beauty of the sport. We have some guys we can get away with doing that, and when we have to do it, we do it.”

Gage Wentzel of Montoursville wins his match against Raiden Felix of Montgomery at 172 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Wagner made Harer look like a genius. The senior, who missed qualifying to the state tournament by one match last season, used a takedown in each of the first two periods to build up a lead, and cruised to victory with an 8-1 decision, clinching a dual that had plenty of twists and turns. According to his coach, he’s a kid who can get a bit ahead of himself on the mat, but that was not the case on Tuesday, and it paid off in a big way. 

“That’s what I’m working on a lot, just staying basic and not getting out of position, and staying basic, which I think I did really well at. It felt really good overall, our team winning the match, because this is a big dual for us and potentially a finals match for team districts,” Wagner said. “It felt really good being a senior and getting this win, because this is something we all really wanted, and we knew we could get it.”

The dual wasted no time grabbing the attention of a large and boisterous crowd inside Montoursville High School. Montoursville’s upset-minded Kaden Kleinman scored the opening takedown over AJ Kroft in a wild scramble and led 3-2 after the first period. Kroft added to his lead midway through the third period with a takedown of his own to go up, 7-3. But with 25 seconds left, Kleinman scored a reversal at the edge of the mat and elected to go neutral on the ensuing restart.

Kroft was able to count a desperate Kleinman takedown attempt in the final seconds and get a counter takedown to win 11-5 in what ended up being an important swing match. 

At 145, Brandt Harer inched closer to the Pennsylvania all-time wins record with a quick technical fall win over Haze Mullen, and teammate Trace Furman won via technical fall as well at 152 over hunter Gee. Josh Knoebel pinned Maxton Williamson in the first period with a cradle at 160 and Montomgery had built up a quick 19-0 lead. 
But things started to turn Montoursville’s way.

AJ Kroft of Montgomery takes Kaden Kleinman of Montoursville to the mat during their match at 139 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

At 172, returning state-runner-up Gage Wentzel beat Raiden Felix via a third period technical fall to get them on the board. And at 189, Matt Yonkin made his move, moving normal 215-pounder Mason Murray to 189. Murray made the move pay off in a big way. He used misdirection to score a takedown in the first period against Gage Furman, and then won a scramble for another score in the third period. He finished off an impressive 9-0 with another takedown in the third period and picked up a crucial bonus point. 

“I am very proud of Mason. Tonight, Mason showed maturity and growth and wrestled a good, hard six-minute match, and it paid off by getting us the win we needed from him,” Yonkin said. 
Murray’s move to 189 freed up Warrior star Hayden Harvey to bump to 215. He rose to the occasion, getting chest-to-chest with Evan Hugar for an enormous first-period pin. And at 285, Gabe Vanderwall kept the Montoursville momentum going with an 8-0 major decision over Keigan Clark to tie the match up at 285. 

The bout at 107 may have been the most anticipated bout of the night with a matchup of two former state qualifiers in Montgomery senior Manny Stoltzfus and Montoursville sophomore Branden Eisenhour. Eisenhour won two of three matchups last year. But none were as convincing as the display he put on Tuesday evening. He was dominant from start to finish and piled up points in a hurry en route to a 16-1 technical fall win early in the third period that showed why he is up to the third-ranked wrestler at Class AA at 107 in the PA Power Wrestling state rankings.

His win gave Montoursville their first lead at 24-19 with just four bouts remaining. 
Enter Montgomery freshman sensation Gabe Oberheim, who finished as the runner-up at the prestigious and difficult Mid-Winter Mayhem two weekends ago. Oberheim took on a fellow talented freshman in Warrior Ethan Amato. Oberheim made quick work of Amato, needing just under a minute to secure a fall and get Montgomery the lead back at 25-24. 

“Seeing that we were down, I knew I just had to go out there for my team. I’m not wrestling for me, I’m wrestling for my team. When I’m out on the mat, I’m having fun and scoring points. I just knew I had to go out there and get it done,” Oberheim said. 

Brandt Harer of Montgomery scores points within the first few seconds of his match against Haze Mullen of Montoursville during their match at 145 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Oberheim, who excelled in the youth wrestling ranks prior to this freshman season, looks like someone who could finish high up on the podium if he continues on this trajectory. According to Harer, things are going to plan.

“Each week he’s getting a little bit better, and that’s been the game plan for him moving forward since the beginning of the year, to keep getting better every week. He’s trusting the process, and he’s getting better,” Harer said.

At 121, Montgomery’s Liam Seeley won via a second-period technical fall to extend the lead, setting up teammate Carden Wagner’s aforementioned important victory. 

Montoursville’s Teli Bobotas won via first-period pin to end the dual at 33-30.

Montgomery 33, Montoursville 30

Brandt Harer of Montgomery controls the action against Haze Mullen of Montoursville during their match at 145 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

139 A.J. Kroft (Mg) dec. Kaden Kleinman, 11-5. 145: Brandt Harer (Mg) tech. fall Haze Mullen, 20-5, 0:53. 152: Trace Furman (Mg) tech. fall Hunter Gee, 18-3, 4:34. 160: Josh Knoebel (Mg) pinned Maxton Williamson, 1:22. 172: Gage Wentzel (Mv) tech. fall Raiden Felix, 17-1, 4:28. 189: Mason Murray (Mg) maj. dec. Gage Furman, 9-0. 215: Hayden Harvey (Mv) pinned Evan Hugar, 1:18. 285: Gabriel Vanderwall (Mv) maj. dec. Keigan Clark, 8-0. 107: Branden Eisenhour (Mv) tech. fall Manny Stoltzfus, 16-1, 4:27. 114: Gabe Oberheim (Mg) pinned Ethan Amato, 0:55. 121: Liam Seeley (Mg) tech. fall Coltyn Wagner, 20-5, 2:41. 127: Carden Wagner (Mg) dec. Brody Bower, 8-1. 133: Teli Bobotas (Mv) pinned Carter Finck, 0:39.

Brandt Harer of Montgomery controls the action against Haze Mullen of Montoursville during their match at 145 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Trace Furman of Montgomery takes down Hunter Gee of Montoursville during their match at 152 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Josh Knoebel of Montgomery controls the action against Maxton Williamson of Montoursville during their match at pounds at 160 Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Raiden Felix of Montgomery is taken down by Gage Wentzel of Montoursville during their match at 172 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Mason Murray of Montoursville takes down Gage Furman of Montgomery during their match at 189 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Mason Murray of Montoursville wins his match against Gage Furman of Montgomery during their match at 189 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Evan Huger of Montgomery tries to escape as Hayden Harvey of Montoursville scores points during their match at 215 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Keigan Clark of Montgomery loses his balance as he wrestles Gabriel Vanderwall of Montoursville during their match at 285 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Montgomery coach Denny Harer shouts to Keigan Clark of Montgomery as he wrestles Gabriel Vanderwall of Montoursville during their match at 285 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Gabriel Vanderwall of Montoursville wins his match against Keigan Clark of Montgomery during their match at 285 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Manny Stoltzfus of Montgomery and Branden Eisenhour of Montoursville try to score points during their match at 107 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Gabe Oberheim of Montgomery controls the action against Ethan Amato of Montoursville during their match at 114 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Liam Seeley of Montgomery and Coltyn Wagner of Montoursville tie up during their match at 121 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Liam Seeley of Montgomery wins his match against Coltyn Wagner of Montoursville at 121 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Carter Finck of Montgomery and Teli Bobotas of Montoursville wrestle during their match at 133 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Teli Bobotas of Montoursville wins his match against Carter Finck of Montgomery at 133 pounds at Montoursville High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette