Butler flips shutout
JEFFERSON TWP — Justin Johnson feels like he's finally caught up.
Forced to miss time at the start of the season with a concussion, Johnson had to spend time getting healthy. Now, Johnson can focus on tinkering with his technique.
The 182-pound Butler sophomore rolled to a 17-6 major decision over Knoch's Dalton Ashton during the Golden Tornado's 77-0 Class AAA Section 3-A win in a match Wednesday night at Knoch High School.
While Johnson (5-3) was pleased with his win, he wanted a pin. Part of that comes with getting more time on the mat.
“I missed a lot. Like learning tilts,” Johnson said. “I was trying to tilt the kid, but I couldn't remember how to do them because I missed so much.”
Johnson took Ashton down seven times, but couldn't earn the pin.
“Justin had a lot of success of being bigger, stronger and aggressive,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “He has great speed and when he does go, he drops his hips real well. He's going from the point where he's too high all the time. We want to get him in the low couch position where he can go at any time. That takes time.”
Johnson looked comfortable throughout, picking up two takedowns in the first period to build a 4-1 lead. His only near-disaster was when he tried to roll up Ashton for a pin and landed on his back. Johnson escaped danger.
“I was trying to roll him over and pin him, but it didn't work out as planned,” Johnson said.
The Golden Tornado (3-2, 2-1) beat up a Knoch squad that was forced to forfeit eight bouts. The Knights (0-4, 0-4) are missing three wrestlers due to injuries, including 160-pounder Max Steinmiller, who is out for the season.
“We've got two guys that are potentially close within a week or so of coming back,” Knoch coach Mark McLaughlin said. “That doesn't put us in a formidable position. We're not focusing on the team score. We're going to focus on the individual results. As much as we talk about the team part, the team part is over for us.”
Will Bortmas (220 pounds) and JD Bojanac (285) both won by pinfall for Butler. Mason Kauffman (132) also picked up a major decision, while Ryan Hannon (170) won the closest match of the night, beating Ben Nowicki 7-1.
With a big match looming against Seneca Valley next Wednesday, Stoner wasn't sure how to evaluate his team. The Raiders, who beat Pine-Richland 39-30, will wrestle Butler for second place in the sub-section next Wednesday.
“It's tough to draw a lot from it. With six guys on (Knoch's) side, I don't know how you expect the kids to get up from this match,” Stoner said. “We needed a good match to respond to the (46-16) loss to North Allegheny the other night, but this wasn't it.”
Butler 77, Knoch 0
(Match started at 170 pounds)
106-Hugh O'Neil by forfeit; 113-Max Stalnaker by forfeit; 120-Scott Dietrich (B) by forfeit; 126-Connor Foust (B) by forfeit; 132-Mason Kauffman (B) maj. dec. Max Freyermuth, 17-6; 138-Cody Houston (B) by forfeit; 145-Hank Finan (B) by forfeit; 152-Jeremiah Bortmas (B) by forfeit; 160-David Slomers (B) pin Charlie Cook, 1:43; 170-Ryan Hannon (B) dec. Ben Nowicki, 7-1; 182-Justin Johnson (B) maj. dec. Dalton Ashton, 17-6; 195-Alex White (B) by forfeit; 220-Will Bortmas (B) pin Bailey Savage, 3:16; Hwt.-JD Bojanac (B) pin Kevin Kidd, :26.
