Cover photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky // All photos contained in this article are courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Photos contained within this article may not be used for republication unless authorized by WNY Athletics with prior written consent.
The 2024-2025 high school wrestling season concluded on Tuesday night at the Lake Erie Italian Club in Lackawanna with the 20th Western New York Wrestling Coaches Association Banquet of Champions. The annual banquet recognizes the outstanding wrestlers, coaches, and contributors of the recent wrestling season as well as the new WNYWCA Hall of Fame class.
On Tuesday, the WNYWCA recognized the eighty-four student-athletes representing Section VI and Msgr. Martin schools who qualified for the boys and girls NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships tournaments, Section VI Dual Meet champion teams, league champion teams and coaches of the year, three special award winners, and three individuals who were inducted into the Association’s Hall of Fame.
2024-2025 WNY Wrestling Coaches Association awardees
Media Award: Michelle Gilbert
Al Feuz Memorial Contributor Award: Jesse White
Ilio DiPaolo Family Commitment to Wrestling Award: Matt O’Rourke
2025 Hall of Fame: Greg Stoos
2025 Hall of Fame: Carlene Sluberski
2025 Hall of Fame: Chris Edwards
Stoos // Photo courtesy of Bryon DeYoung
Sluberski // DeYoung
Edwards // DeYoung
League coaches of the year
ECIC Division II: Jim Kloc, Iroquois
ECIC III: Zach Weidemann, Pioneer
ECIC I: John Chowske, Frontier
Niagara-Orleans: Matt McCauley, Barker/Royalton-Hartland
Niagara Frontier: Tony Fire, North Tonawanda
Msgr. Martin HS Athletic Association: Pete Kennedy, St. Joe’s
Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division I: Ken Rowe, Chautauqua Lake
CCAA Division II: Ray Logan, Gowanda/Pine Valley
Division I assistant coach of the year: Brandon Becker, Lancaster
Division II assistant coach of the year: Jeff Hart, Wilson
Rookie coach of the year: Vinny Catanzaro, Williamsville East
Jon Vesper Memorial Award: Joe Santilli, Fredonia
Santilli and Vesper Family // DeYoung
Wrestler Champion of Champions – girls: Michaela Thomas, Iroquois
Wrestler Champion of Champions – boy Division I: Griffin LaPlante, St. Francis
Wrestler Champion of Champions – boy Division II: Hamza Merrick, Wilson
In addition to the WNYWCA’s outstanding lineup of awards, I would also like to recognize some wrestlers and coaches for noteworthy performances this year as well as some of the top moments from the 2024-2025 wrestling season.
Special recognition – head coach: Dave Wilcox, Kenmore
Coach Wilcox (l)
Special recognition – assistant coach: Jake Davis, Gowanda
Coach Davis (m)
Special recognition – girls coach: Bill Edwards, Niagara Wheatfield
Coach Edwards (l)
Special recognition – male wrestler: Tyler Zwald, Jamestown
Special recognition – female wrestler: Emma Greene, Niagara Wheatfield
Unheralded Wrestler Award: Domanik Clark, Randolph
Selfless Soldier Award: Thandon Bensink, Chautauqua Lake
Newcomer of the Year: Kim Bauer, Silver Creek/Fredonia
As usual, the annual Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division I showdown between the Eagles and Golden Falcons didn’t disappoint in either the wrestling or the atmosphere in one of upstate New York’s best and most impactful small school rivalries. After a challenging week of winter weather that affected school openings, the Golden Falcons traveled to Mayville looking to take control of the league with a few weeks remaining. After falling behind 24-10 mid way through the lineup, CL rattled off twenty-four straight points of their own earning pins from 285-116 to take a 34-24 lead with only two weights left. A major by Dylan Newman at 124 brought the score back closer, 34-28, however star sophomore and returning state tournament qualifier Thandon Bensink put the match officially out of reach with a technical fall in the final bout. The Eagles picked up seven wins and five pins while Falconer collected six wins and three pins in the dual.
Most Outstanding Wrestler (each league):
Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division I: Mason Maring, Westfield/Chautauqua Lake
Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division II: Caden Inkley, Randolph
Niagara-Orleans: Hamza Merrick, Wilson
Msgr. Martin High School Athletic Association: Griffin LaPlante, St. Francis
ECIC Division I: AJ Didas, Clarence
ECIC Division II: Evan Braunscheidel, Hamburg
ECIC Division III: Chris Howatt, Pioneer
Niagara Frontier: Jaron Barrientos, Lewiston-Porter
Section VI girls: Michaela Thomas, Iroquois
(All of the above awardees were picked by WNY Athletics’ Matt O’Rourke)
2024-2025 WNY wrestling top-10 moments
(10) Newfane seniors Ayden Buttery and Aidan Gillings met in the NYS 145-pound Division II 3rd place bout in Albany to go out of their high school wrestling careers the same way they both started wrestling at a young age. Together since youth, it only made sense that the pair would meet for each’s last high school wrestling match and in the state tournament nonetheless. Ayden and Aidan end their careers with five individual sectional titles and eight NYS place finishes between them.
(9) #9 Hamburg upset #5 Frontier, 38-35, in a Hamburg Hammer instant classic on Jan. 30th. Although a non-league dual, the local rivalry was made officially here to stay each year with the Hammer that changes hands should the opposing team win each year. Trailing 35-21 with only three weights left in the match, the powerful trio of three NYS tournament qualifiers in Evan Braunscheidel (170), Noah Leavell (190), and Tristen Webb (215) all earned bonus point wins to overcome the big late match deficit to upset the Falcons and retain Town of Hamburg bragging rights.
(8) Pioneer ascended back to the top of the ECIC III dual meet standings with a late match come from behind victory over defending division champion Springville at home on February 5th. In arguably one of the toughest home environments in WNY, the Panthers found themselves trailing the Griffins 19-17 with four weights left in the dual in the Panther Den. However, three of Pioneer’s top wrestlers were on deck with the goal of winning the dual and outright division title, which they were able to do as Takota Smith (215-pounds), Chris Howatt (285), and Owen Bliss (101) all earned pins to seal the win and claim the Panthers’ 10th league title in the last eleven seasons.
(7) Eighteen place winners helped land Section VI Division II another top-5 place finish in the final state tournament sectional standings for a 21st straight tournament, now every year since the divisional split in 2004. Eighteen placers ties the 2013 team for the second most in one state tournament since 2001. Nine place winners in the top-3 of their weights in Albany ties the 2025 team with the 2008 team for the second most after the 2013 team placed eleven in either first, second, or third place.
(6) St. Francis dominated the field to claim the program’s fourth NYS CHSAA dual meet title on February 2nd. The Raiders went 8-0 in the two day Duals and earned impressive wins over fellow Catholic school powers Kellenberg (50-18), Msgr. Farrell (48-22), Chaminade (54-23), and a high value 50-21 victory over fellow NYS top-5 rated team Iona Prep.
Photo courtesy of Brian LaPlante
(5) The first Section VI Girls’ Wrestling Championships on Valentine’s Day Friday at Sweet Home High School was a historic first for WNY. Thirteen wrestlers claimed individual sectional titles representing their schools in the first official Section VI championship tournament that also served as a state tournament qualifier. After the finals, three wrestlers earned their way to the state tournament by way of wins in the ‘true second place’ bouts to put the total number of Section VI girls heading to the state tournament at twenty-six.
(4) St. Francis claimed the individual team title at the federation championships in impressive fashion, scoring with and placing all six wrestlers to outpace Section IX powerhouse Minisink Valley (who sent ten wrestlers to the tournament and placed five), 115 to 104-points. The Red Raiders are the first CHSAA member team to win the individual team title at the federation championships. St. Francis also helped the CHSAA team to the Association’s best place finish at the state tournament since competing in it starting in 1981 with a 3rd place finish in the Division I tournament.
(3) St. Francis junior Griffin LaPlante was the favorite to win the Division I 152-pound NYS federation title in Albany and not only won, but did so in dominate fashion. After a long and grueling season that saw him compete in a number of difficult individual and team dual meet events and a resolve hardened by challenges throughout his career, Griffin made sure to save his best performance for last and in doing so became St. Francis’s and the Msgr. Martin league’s first state federation champion.
(2) Iroquois junior Michaela Thomas claimed the 165-pound title at the first NYSPHSAA Girls’ Wrestling Championships to cap off an incredible season that presented her with a number of challenges. Michaela dominated throughout the season and captured a Section VI title to advance to the state tournament. After cruising to the finals in Albany, Michaela met the wrestler who handed her the only blemish on her season record in January. Michaela’s determination and preparation for this historic showdown was enough to help guide her to a dominating win in the state finals to become one of the first thirteen female NYS champions.
(1) Hamza Merrick captured the Division II 285-pound NYS title capping off an utterly historic state tournament run. As the 3-seed in the bracket, the two-time defending state place winner avenged three losses from the 2024-2025 season alone to his in-section rival in the state semifinals to advance to the title match. In the last match of the 2025 state tournament, Hamza tied the bout late with time winding down, 1-1, before tying up with underhooks in neutral and securing the state title sealing takedown as time expired and on the boundary line, causing MVP Arena to erupt in celebration. After gaining a following across NYS over the past two full seasons and three state tournaments, Hamza’s performances in Albany captivated wrestling fans not just in New York but across the country with his high flying, high risk/high reward style and can-do mentality.
2024-2025 Final team power rankings
Division I
1. St. Francis Red Raiders (24-2)
2. Niagara Wheatfield Falcons (14-4)
3. Clarence Red Devils (20-3)
4. North Tonawanda Lumberjacks (16-3)
5. Frontier Falcons (16-9)
6. St. Joe’s Marauders (11-15)
7. Lancaster Legends (10-8)
8. Hamburg Bulldogs (10-5)
9. Niagara Falls Wolverines (10-8)
10. Jamestown Red & Green (4-4)
Honorable Mention
Orchard Park Quakers (14-13)
Kenmore DevilDogs (9-11)
Amherst Tigers (12-11)
West Seneca/Depew Warhawks (6-8)
Division II
1. Chautauqua Lake Eagles (21-6)
2. Falconer/Cassadaga Valley Golden Falcons (15-8)
3. Newfane Panthers (12-4)
4. Gowanda Panthers (21-11)
5. Pioneer Panthers (9-8)
6. Eden Raiders (11-7)
7. Iroquois Red Hawks (7-0)
8. Wilson Lakemen (18-6)
9. Lackawanna Steelers (11-3)
10. Springville Griffins (12-6)
Honorable Mention
Randolph Cardinals (6-2)
Barker/Royalton-Hartland Rams (14-5)
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