NORTH TONAWANDA– Time for the Falcons to fly.
That’s just how you might explain the feeling around Niagara Wheatfield wrestling as they progressed via the brackets at the Section VI Department I specify qualifier Saturday at North Tonawanda Secondary School.
After hammering out challenging competitions all period– consisting of an at-large proposal that ended in a very early exit at the NYSPHSAA State Duals last month– the Falcons are sending 7 wrestlers to the state championships Feb. 24-25 inside the MVP Arena in Albany.
Niagara Wheatfield’s 7 state qualifiers comprise almost a third of the total Greater Niagara region wrestlers (20) completing again in 2 weeks, one much less from a year ago (21 ).
Behind the Falcons are their Department I equivalent Niagara Falls are once again sending a quintet to the state funding, with 4 of them returnees from a year earlier. Long-time Niagara Orleans Organization equals Newfane as well as Wilson are sending 3 each.
For Niagara Wheatfield head coach Rick Sweney, Saturday was an “remarkable day” for the program in a season that included winning the Niagara Frontier Organization title, among other private as well as team distinctions.
” Taking 7 is respectable,” Sweney said, that has spent nearly half a century coaching, including previously at Niagara Falls. “Wheatfield’s been a powerhouse for several years. Never ever taken seven (wrestlers) to state as well as I do not recognize if any other institution has ever before done it, to inform you the truth. … We’re rather thrilled. And also, what can you claim, you’re strolling residence with a lot of steel, you understand?”
Sweney stated, who has spent virtually half a century coaching high school wrestlers in Western New York, including formerly at Niagara Falls. that has actually invested nearly half a century mentoring high school wrestlers in Western New York.
Headlining the 7 are seniors and bros Tremell and also Te’Shaun Matthews. Tremell, that was the 2nd seed, pinned Niagara Falls’ Grady Peterson in the semifinals as well as beat Clarence’s AJ Didas in an 8-3 decision to protect the 132-pound title. Te’Shaun went into as the top-seed in the 138 bracket and revealed everybody why, pinning all three opponents, including teammate Chase Richards in the championship. Richards after that beat Ken-Ton’s Sawyer Dickinson in the second-place match.
After progressing in 2015 with a second-place victory, Falcons’ senior Casey Robinson took home the 215 title, by defeating Niagara Falls’ Cameron Hall in the semifinals and afterwards pinning Williamsville North-East’s Max Smith in the championship. Together with Richards, Evan Azbell (110 ), Garrett Chase (145) and Joe Cicco (160) all had runner-up finishes in their respective braces to head to Albany. Muntathar Abbas had a third-place surface in the 118.
For the Wolverines, head coach Josh Eagan responded like a child on Xmas morning at the event, specifically after how elderly Cameron Hall clawed his back to finish in second-place. After falling to Robinson in the semifinals, Hall then pinned Ken-Ton’s Islam Dubashi in the third-place match to advancement to an Area VI Course AA championship rematch with North-East’s Smith. In what was the last match of the day, Hall beat Smith in a 3-1 finish. Eagan stated the postseason is all about private success.
” If you would have asked me, would we rather, as a group, win the class (AA) event or send out to him to states next week? 100%,” Eagan claimed. “It’s everything about the end. It’s all about the private children, you understand what I mean? Like, team scores. Great. You understand, twin satisfies are incredible. and also it would certainly have been nice to win a class competition. Yet if I can trade mosting likely to states for the class title, 100%, undeniably. Due to the fact that at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about– this time of year.”
Earlier in the finals, senior colleagues and long-time buddies Jaden Crumpler and Amarfio Reynolds Jr. once more met in the finals of the 126 bracket. Crumpler defeated Reynolds in a 7-2 decision. Teammates Eian Peterson and Michael Syposs protected the 110 and also 160 braces. Eian, the sophomore, beat Grand Island’s Dylan Castiglia in the 110 final while Syposs beat Wheatfield’s Cicco in a 12-0 significant decision. Older brother Grady finished third in the 138 bracket.
In what was one of one of the most extreme surfaces of the day, North Tonawanda junior Dylan Gagnon defeated Dessert Residence’s Cameron Millender in a sudden-death triumph in the 152 finals, now standing for the Lumberjacks on the most significant phase, who were organizing the state qualifiers for the first time considering that 2018. As Gagnon claimed, the two had actually simply faced off last Saturday at the Area VI Course A champions, so there was some experience heading into the state qualifier.
” We understood all we needed to do was press, press, press, press, press right to the end,” Gagnon stated. “Grind out a difficult win yet wins come exactly how they come so we’ll take it.” A Gagnon-Millender rematch could take place once more in Albany as the Sweet House elderly after that defeated Clarence’s Joey Kelleher in the second-place match.
After entering the day as the sixth-seed in the 172 brace, Lockport junior Liam Whalen had an impressive day, knocking off Niagara Wheatfield’s Dante DiFiglia in the alleviation semifinals and afterwards Jamestown’s Carson Bane in a 2-1 decision in the 3rd location match. Whalen was after that pinned by Lancaster’s Mikey Schaefer, the bracket’s top-seed.
Grand Island ended up the day with 3 top-finishers, including Dylan Castiglia’s 3rd place surface in the 110 bracket.
Newfane, Wilson send triad each to states
Newfane is sending a pair of state qualifiers and also all four of its wrestlers put in the top-four of their brackets at the Division II competition held at Lake Shore Senior High School.
Getting in as the number-one seed sophomore Aidan Gillings defended his 132-pound championship, pinning both Fredonia’s Cameron Ingram and Iroquois’ Sam Donovan before defeating colleague as well as schoolmate Ayden Buttery in the finals in a 5-4 decision. Buttery still breakthroughs to Albany as he beat Randolph’s Caden Inkley– the general third place victor– in the semifinals.
Junior Jakob Lucinski was also victorious for the Panthers in the 102 brace. Going into the event as the second-seed, Lucinski beat Roy-Hart’s Lucas Kimber and Chautauqua Lake’s Gavin Burchowski to get to the finals before disturbing top-seeded Dylan Newman of Falconer in a 4-3 choice.
In what was his last tournament of his Panthers occupation, Miguel Salas finished third in the 138 bracket.
Out of its triad progressing, Wilson will certainly be represented by two finalists
Medina will certainly be sending Dominick Callara, that ended up as the runner-up to Southwestern Kenji Walters in the 110 bracket.
Quinn Brown was Roy-Hart’s only top-four finalist as he ended up third in the 152 bracket.
NOTE: A complete note pad including various other information and notes from Saturday’s Division I competition will certainly be launched on Monday.
