All Gas No Brakes

Cover photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky

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Talk about going hard through the finish line.

A huge week three of high school wrestling after a temperate week two brought us a ton of action going into a much needed winter break. An important weeknight slate of duals capped off by explosive results at SUNY Niagara on Saturday night was everything we could’ve asked for to conclude the first phase of the new season.

Saturday evening wrapped up what is an always eventful final week of wrestling before the short Christmas break and the 2-pound growth allowance goes into effect. Most of the area was in action at SUNY Niagara to conclude a week that had THIRTY-NINE duals from Tuesday to Friday including four girls’ results. Many important league duals were sorted out this week highlighted by five inner conference ‘upsets’ and a few more big showdowns. A special shoutout goes to our hardworking Niagara Frontier and Southern Tier wrestling officials’ associations for a week of really hard work covering varsity, junior varsity, girls’ freestyle, and modified wrestling throughout the region (insert Derek Jeter RE2PECT hat kid meme here).

Tuesday kicked off the big week with a slate of ten duals highlighted by a huge win for honorable mention Lackawanna over the defending ECIC III champion Springville Griffins on the road, 50-18. Head coach and program alumnus Abdulgawi Mohamed has the Steelers off to a 7-2 start to the season after Tuesday’s big win with their only two losses so far to fellow ranked teams Barker/Royalton-Hartland and Pioneer. Junior Abdelraheem Alajji has been huge for Lackawanna this season and impressed again with a big win over a quality opponent on Tuesday. So far, Alajji has wins over two returning sectional place winners. Likewise, Abdulhamid Albaneh, Raydon Abdallah, Adam Agawani, Hani Nashir, and Ali Alhumaidi, are all off to solid starts for the surprising Steelers, who at 1-1 are still very much alive in the ECIC III race at the break.

Wednesday was a little bit faster of a pace with twenty-two ranked teams in action highlighted by a great dual in Wilson between the #3 Newfane Panthers and #4 Lakemen and four matches that saw lower or even un-ranked teams ‘upset’ higher rated ones.

In Wilson, the Panthers again survived another big test to improve to 2-0 in the Niagara-Orleans League and continue their 10+ year unbeaten streak in league duals. Newfane won eight weights to Wilson’s five including a streak of five wins in six weights from 190 to 116-pounds with crucial results from Colin (190-pounds) and Richie (215) Doxey, a comeback decision win from Jaxson Tocco (108), and a big pin by Ryan Czaja (116). Fans of both teams came out in droves and were treated to an elite, state level match starting at 170-pounds where two-time state placer Ayden Buttery (N) bumped up to meet returning NYS finalist Jacob Stephenson (W), resulting in a close 2-0 decision for Jacob.

At Clarence, both the Red Devils boys’ and girls’ teams secured wins over Orchard Park as the #5 boys improved to 2-0 in ECIC I with a 38-28 win over HM Orchard Park in a lengthy #NOFORFEITS conference dual. Before that, Clarence girls secured their first home dual win 31-6 over the Quakers. Just a stone’s throw over the Thruway, #7 Frontier improved to 2-0 in ECIC I as well with an impressive 41-26 win over #6 Lancaster. The Falcons won eight bouts to the Legends’ six as the teams combined for #NOFORFEITS. A run of four wins from 145-170 with three bonus point results in the second half of the lineup were crucial for Frontier in the win.

Of note in ECIC I as well, unranked West Seneca/Depew were upset winners over the defending league champion Williamsville North on the road to claim the team’s first league win since the 2018-2019 season. Ty Talty-Reese decided the fate of the Warhawks with a tech fall at 138-pounds to break a 33-33 team score, sending them to a 38-33 victory. WS/D has had solid participation and very respectable results through three weeks of wrestling which is a testament to the hard work and leadership of head coach Dave Recor and staff after a few challenging seasons.

In the Niagara Frontier League, #2 Niagara Wheatfield and #4 North Tonawanda improved to 3-0 in the conference but it was unranked Lewiston-Porter who stole the attention on Wednesday with a 36-32 takedown of #3 Niagara Falls at home. After starting the season down a number of key wrestlers, the Lancers fell to 0-10 going into Wednesday’s dual. However, L-P fielded a wrestler at twelve of thirteen weights against the Wolverines for a much different look than the first two weeks of the season. Although the Lancers won only six weights to Niagara Falls’ seven, all six wins for Lewiston accounted for the 6-maximum team points including Dominic Srouji’s dual winning pin in the final bout at 124-pounds to send L-P to victory over the #3 large school in WNY.

A quick exercise in ‘dual meet relativity:’ take a look at the competition the Lancers have faced so far. In ten losses, L-P has meet seven currently ranked WNY squads and the (at the time) top ranked small school in NYS in week one.

Finally, a surprising honorable mention Fredonia team jumped all over crosstown CCAA I rival Dunkirk and the #10 Portville/Cuba-Rushford Panthers this week to remain at the top of the league standings with #2 Falconer, each at 3-0 after three weeks. The Hillbillies will have a shot at both of the big dogs in the league in the first two weeks of January when they visit #1 Chautauqua Lake on Jan. 8 before hosting the Golden Cougars only seven days later on the 15th. Four wrestlers are at the double digit wins mark for Fredonia already led by senior Cameron Ingram (13-4) and junior Issiah Ruiz (14-2).  

Other league leaders at the break are HM Randolph (2-0, CCAA II), HM Amherst (2-0, ECIC II), #6 Iroquois (2-0, ECIC II), #5 Eden (2-0, ECIC III), HM Pioneer (2-0, ECIC III), #1 St. Francis (1-0, MMHSAA), and #10 St. Joe’s (1-0, MMHSAA).

To cap off a big week, the annual Linda Knuutila Memorial Tournament went Friday-Saturday at sunny SUNY Niagara with full boys’ and girls’ tournaments. Nearly fifty teams entered wrestlers in the grueling two-day boy’s division that ultimately featured nine championship bouts between returning NYS tournament qualifiers. Consider how difficult this tournament is when a 3-2 record does not guarantee even a top-8 podium finish in many situations.

St. Francis cruised to the boys’ team title behind three individual champions and without three of their state tournament place winners in the lineup.

Heavyweight anchors Zach Caldwell (215-pounds) and Willy Wortkoetter (285) claimed tournament titles in their respective weights in impressive fashion. While Caldwell went 5-for-5 pinning his way to the title, Wortkoetter earned a high quality decision, 2-0, over fell returning state place winner in Frontier’s Mike Welsh before an impressive pin in the championship over fellow returning state runner-up Mason Maring from Chautauqua Lake. Meanwhile at 160-pounds, Rory White earned a major decision win over a returning state qualifier and avenged a loss to Randolph’s returning NYS 5th place winner Caden Inkley, 12-10, from STWOA to add a critical win over a state tournament placer to his season resume.

White vs. Inkley // Pataky

Caldwell vs. Hostettler // Pataky

Wortkoetter vs. Maring // Pataky

Perhaps two of the most impressive individual performances came at 131 and 145-pounds where the MOW conversation ran hot.

At 131, Eden’s 2023 state place winner Trevor DellaPenta put up nothing short of a remarkable performance going 6-0 over the two days with five tech falls. He earned a decision over a defending Section VI champion, a technical fall over a NYS finalist & returning 3rd place winner in the semifinal, and ultimately a 15-0 technical fall over Southwestern’s star three-time state place winner Carmine Calimeri in the final.

DellaPenta vs. Calimeri // Pataky

Also impressive was Clarence senior AJ Didas at 145-pounds who dominated the bracket on the way to the final with three techs and two pins. In the title match, the returning NYS 8th place winner met Newfane’s four-time state placer Aidan Gillings. Didas broke a late 3-3 tie match with a 3rd period takedown to go on to secure the 6-3 decision win between two of WNY’s best. For his efforts, Didas was awarded the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Didas vs. Gillings // Pataky

Also of note in the finals, Eden’s Mason DellaPenta was a narrow 1-0 winner over St. Francis’s Tanner Catrabone for the 101-pound title in a rare lightweight battle of returning state qualifiers. At 108, Southwestern’s Adrian Torres earned a crucial 3-2 overtime victory over Tioga’s returning NYS 4th place winner Declan McKee for the title. The win could be crucial for Torres later on this season as he seeks to punch through to the state tournament for the first time after having taken 3rd in Section VI last season.

Lewiston-Porter’s returning NYS 5th place winner Jaron Barrientos made quick work of the 116-pound weight class cruising to the title with a lightning fast 22-5 technical fall in the final. At 124, fellow returning state tournament place winner Brayden Kellison-Neglia from Williamsville North dominated the bracket earning technical falls over two returning state qualifiers including a finals tech fall over fellow returning sectional champion Dylan Newman from Falconer.

The 152 and 170-pound finals featured matchups of returning state qualifiers as well. At 152, Newfane’s two-time state placer Ayden Buttery gutted out a 5-2 decision over Niagara Wheatfield’s talented returning state qualifier Garrett Chase in the title match. At 170, Wilson’s returning state finalist Jacob Stephenson bested returning qualifier Evan Braunscheidel from Hamburg in the final, 5-0, in a hard fought match by both wrestlers.

Buttery vs. Chase // Pataky

Stephenson vs. Braunscheidel // Pataky

The importance of the results from this tournament are quite vast and will have major implications for post season considerations.

Linda Knuutila Memorial boys’ championship finals results:

101: Mason DellaPenta (Eden) d. Tanner Catrabone (St. Francis), 1-0

108: Adrian Torres (Southwestern) d. Declan McKee (Tioga), 3-2 (3OT)

116: Jaron Barrientos (Lewiston-Porter) tf. Ali Hamedeih (Frontier), 22-5

124: Brayden Kellison-Neglia (Williamsville North) tf. Dylan Newman (Falconer), 22-5

131: Trevor DellaPenta (Eden) tf. Carmine Calimeri (Southwestern), 15-0

138: Jayden Duncanson (Tioga) md. Tyler Zwald (Jamestown), 10-0

145: AJ Didas (Clarence) d. Aidan Gillings (Newfane), 6-3

152: Ayden Buttery (Newfane) d. Garrett Chase (Niagara Wheatfield), 5-2

160: Rory White (St. Francis) d. Caden Inkley (Randolph), 12-10

170: Jacob Stephenson (Wilson) d. Evan Braunscheidel (Hamburg), 5-0

190: Patrick Braley (Falconer) p. Noah Leavell (Hamburg)

215: Zach Caldwell (St. Francis) tf. Alan Hostettler (Frontier), 19-4

285: Willy Wortkoetter (St. Francis) p. Mason Maring (Chautauqua Lake)

Falconer's Braley // Pataky

Linda Knuutila Memorial boys’ consolation finals results:

101: Parker Brenon (Williamsville North) d. Zach Didas (Clarence), 8-5

108: Sean McDonald (Starpoint) p. Hani Nashir (Lackawanna)

116: Reece Senske (Medina) md. Mustafa Natiq (Amherst), 11-0

124: Kadin Cole (Tioga) tf. Thandon Bensink (Chautauqua Lake), 16-0

131: Kole Haseley (St. Francis) md. Muntathar Abbas (Niagara Wheatfield), 14-0

138: Quinlan Lyle (Amherst) d. Ricky Andres (Lancaster), 7-0

145: Vic Cusatis (Wilson) md. Brady Wilkinson (Iroquois), 11-1

152: William Kruger (Holley/Kendall-V) d. Reggie McCreary (Niagara Falls), 1-0

160: Quentin Getzin (Ithaca-V) d. Chase Richards (NW), 7-0

170: Cole Bloomquist (Jamestown) p. Ronan Klug (Barker/Royalton-Hartland)

190: Dikota Hamilton (Trumansburg-IV) d. Charles Fleming (Clarence), 7-2

215: Mohamed Abdullah (North Tonawanda) p. Colton Hamilton (Chautauqua Lake)

285: Mike Welsh (Frontier) md. Hamza Merrick (Wilson), 11-1

Wilson's Cusatis // Pataky

Welsh vs. Merrick // Pataky

Final boys top-10 team scores:

1.     St. Francis 211-points

2.     Niagara Wheatfield 147

3.     Chautauqua Lake 145.5

4.     Tioga 130

5.     Falconer 127.5

6.     Hamburg 116

7.     Clarence 109.5

8.     Wilson 103.5

9.     Frontier 97.5

10.  Newfane 95.5

Eight place winners and lone individual champion Gabriella Barone helped to lead Niagara Wheatfield/Niagara Falls to the Knuutila Tournament girls’ team title on Saturday. Two-time NYSPHSAA Invitational champion Barone overcame an early deficit in the 120-pound girls’ freestyle final to Spencer-Van Etten/Candor’s (IV) Tayah Beach but ultimately came back for a second period pin to secure the title. NW/NF’s Emma Greene (114) and Nevaeh Senik (126) wrestled to runner-up finishes helping to contribute significant points to the team score.

Lilly Hyde led Chautauqua Lake to a runner-up team finish as the lone champion and finalist for the Eagles at 152-pounds. Five wrestlers placed in the top-4 of their respective weight classes to help Chautauqua Lake to 161-points, outpacing 3rd place Lockport’s 143.

The Lions’ impressive junior Gabriella Gelnett captured the 107-pound tournament title with an impressive 10-0 technical superiority in the final. Returning Invitational place winners Alexa Doxey (Newfane), Avery White (Frontier), and Michaela Thomas (Iroquois) all cruised to their respective bracket’s titles while Fredonia’s Kim Bauer and Kenmore’s Aislyn O’Malley were in impressive in capturing the 185 and 235-pound brackets, respectively.

Sweet Home’s Sofia Guadagna continued her impressive start to the season with a 5-0 performance at SUNY Niagara on the way to the 132-pound title. Guadagna pinned her first two opponents to set up a quarterfinal meeting with returning Invitational 4th place winner Noli Paddock from Chautauqua Lake. Sofia earned an impressive 2nd period pin over Paddock to advance to the semis, where she earned first period pins in both that semifinal and ultimately in the title match over Tioga’s Kali Bailey. For her efforts Guadagna was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Orchard Park's Sophia Saffrin vs. Lake Shore's Alexiya Thuman // Pataky

Niagara Wheatfield's Miley Geschwender // Pataky

Linda Knuutila Memorial girls’ championship finals results:

94: Phoebe Bishop (Groton-IV) d. Anabelle Wessel (Alexander-V), 11-4

100: Jasmine Brucato (Alexander) p. Damarielys Cruz (Dunkirk)

107: Gabrielle Gelnett (Lockport) tf. Ashley Cox (Clarence), 10-0

114: Dallas Bohling (SVEC-IV) p. Emma Greene (Niagara Wheatfield)

120: Gabriella Barone (Niagara Wheatfield) p. Tayah Beach (SVEC)

126: Carmen Bishop (Groton) tf. Nevaeh Senik (Niagara Wheatfield), 10-0

132: Sofia Guadagna (Sweet Home) p. Kali Bailey (Tioga)

138: Alexa Doxey (Newfane) tf. McKella Hodkin (Fredonia)

145: Avery White (Frontier) tf. Amelia Toomey (Tioga), 12-2

152: Lilly Hyde (Chautauqua Lake) p. Anahi DeJesus (Dunkirk)

165: Michaela Thomas (Iroquois) p. Kyah Nelson (Tioga)

185: Kim Bauer (Fredonia) p. Ava Bragg (Lockport)

235: Aislyn O’Malley (Kenmore) d. Leonite Evans (Groton), 9-4

Final girls top-10 team scores:

1.     Niagara Wheatfield 195-points

2.     Chautauqua Lake 161

3.     Lockport 143

4.     Tioga 126

5.     Dunkirk 119

6.     Alexander 100

7.     Sweet Home 78

8.     Groton 77.5

9.     Fredonia 75.5

10.  Clarence 74.5

Team champion Niagara Wheatfield

Through three weeks of hard wrestling, it’s time for a quick break before teams head out for big competitions later this week. Take time to rest and reset because once January rolls around there’s no stopping until the state championships at the end of February.