WEXFORD — North Allegheny weathered the storm — then stormed past Butler.

The host Tigers (6-2, 3-0) took control of Class AAA Section 3-A Thursday night with a 39-25 dual wrestling match victory over the Golden Tornado (2-1).

“This was disappointing,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “I know we were heavy underdogs, but the score was within reach for us.

“We didn’t reach out and grab it. We laid back too much and you can’t do that in this sport and expect to win.”

Butler trailed 21-6 before successive pins by Korey Caudill at 126 pounds and Cody Houston at 132, followed by a major decision from Xavier Bennett at 138, gave the Tornado a 22-21 lead with five matches remaining.

Bennett narrowly missed a third straight pin for Butler, keeping Blynn Shideler’s back to the mat for several seconds in the second period.

“Getting through some of those middle weights was going to be tough for us,” North Allegheny coach Jamie Kyriazis said. “I knew things could get pretty tight there.

“It was a matter of weathering the storm and taking control of the dual when we had the chance.”

With 160-pounder Will Bortmas sidelined with a concussion, Stoner had to juggle his lineup once his team got the lead. That left junior Zach Shultz competing in his first varsity match of the season against once-beaten Jesse Rodgers at 145.

Rodgers secured a pin midway through the second period and the Tigers never trailed again.

Vincent Leschak nipped Jeremish Bortmas, 4-3, at 152 and Ben Schweiger pinned David Slomers in the first period at 160. That gave the Tigers a 36-22 lead with two matches left and clinched the victory.

“Schweiger, Alex DeCiantis and a couple other guys in our lineup are just getting back from football,” Kyriazis said. “I wasn’t sure how they’d do tonight, but they came up big when we needed them.”

Damian Wheeler pinned NA heavyweight Dan Watson (9-2) only 1:19 into their match. Wheeler improved to 9-5 with eight pins as a first-year wrestler. Ryan Hannon improved to 10-0 for Butler by winning a 6-2 decision at 170.

“Dan made a mistake and that kid made him pay for it,” Kyriazis said of Wheeler. “It was an aggressive move.”

But the Tornado needed more of them.

“The aggressiveness and intensity just weren’t there tonight,” Stoner said. “It’s OK to make a mistake, but we should be going 100 miles an hour when we make it.

“We didn’t deserve to win tonight.”

Butler wrestling, now in its 22nd season, has yet to defeat North Allegheny in varsity dual competition.

The Tornado are off this weekend before hosting Knoch Wednesday night.

North Allegheny 39, Butler 25

(Match started at 195 pounds)

106-Scott Stossel (NA) pinned Max Stalnaker, :23; 113-Connor D’Amato (NA) dec. Connor Foust, 3-0; 120-Dom Forys (NA) dec. Blake Caudill, 5-2; 126-Korey Caudill (B) pinned Sal Peluso, 3:27; 132-Cody Houston (B) pinned Ben Sipple, 3:19; 138-Xavier Bennett (B) dec. Blynn Shideler, 17-8; 145-Jesse Rodgers (NA) pinned Zach Shultz, 3:45; 152-Vincent Leschak (NA) dec. Jeremiah Bortmas, 4-3; 160-Ben Schweiger (NA) pinned David Slomers, 1:25; 170-Ryan Hannon (B) dec. Clay Byerly, 6-2; 182-Zach Smith (NA) dec. Zach Weaver, 4-2; 195-Alex DeCiantis (NA) tech. fall over Alex White, 5:05 (23-8); 220-Layne Skundrich (NA) dec. Nick Gibson, 11-3; Hwt.-Damian Wheeler (B) pinned Dan Watson, 1:19