NW's Emma Beckles (top) // Cover photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
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Thirteen wrestlers led by Chautauqua Lake freshman Noli Paddock earned Section VI individual titles on Friday at Sweet Home in the very first official Section VI Girls Wrestling Championships. Paddock went 4-0 on the day with a first round technical superiority, 10-0, followed by three consecutive first period pins including in the title match to earn the 132-pound Section VI title. She was also awarded Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.
Paddock // Pataky
Paddock was one of six Eagles to place at the sectional championships and one of two individual champions for Chautauqua Lake alongside classmate Lilly Hyde who claimed the 152-pound title, helping to lead CL to a 2nd place finish in the final team standings.
Paddock // Pataky
After fighting off of her back twice in a wild back and forth match in the final, Hyde eventually earned a late second period come from behind pin to secure the Section VI individual title and automatic qualification to the NYS championships.
Hyde (r) // Pataky
The thirteen individual Section VI champions and the runner-up at every weight except 114-pounds advances to the 1st NYSPHSAA Girls Wrestling Championships in Albany at MVP Arena on Thursday, February 27th, preceding the NYS federation boys wrestling championships on Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1.
Because Section VI was allocated two wrestlers at most weights for the state championships, true second place matches were conducted at the conclusion of the championship finals.
True second place matches may be contested in an advancement-qualifier tournament in brackets where the 3rd place wrestler had not previously lost to the finals runner-up during the course of the tournament.
Out of the thirteen brackets on Friday, four weights featured true second place matches, with three 3rd place wrestlers in a row at 152, 165, and 185 all defeating the finals runner-up to earn qualification to the state tournament.
Niagara Wheatfield secured the team title at Sweet Home behind four individual champions and eight total top-4 place winners, outpacing Chautauqua 190 to 146-points. Two-time NYSPHSAA Invitational champion Gabriella Barone added a Section VI championship to her already impressive career resume at 114-pounds while senior Emma Greene (107), sophomore Nevaeh Senik (126), and senior Emma Beckles (138) all captured titles for the Falcons in the team championship effort.
All four NW champions earned ten point differential technical superiorities in their respective title matches on Friday.
Greene // Pataky
Barone // Pataky
Senik // Pataky
1st Section VI Girls Wrestling Championships top-10 teams:
1. Niagara Wheatfield 190-points
2. Chautauqua Lake 146
3. Lockport 137.5
4. Fredonia 101.5
5. Dunkirk 91.5
6. Sweet Home 74
7. Clarence 68
8. Orchard Park 61.5
9. Kenmore 48
10. Gowanda 36.5
Niagara Wheatfield // Pataky
Chautauqua Lake // Pataky
Cassadaga Valley freshman Anastazia Hale was the first champion of the night cruising to the 94-pound title in impressive fashion going 3-0 in the tournament with three technical superiorities. Hale, who wrestles as part of the combined Falconer/Cassadaga Valley team, can officially go down in the record books as the first Section VI Girls Wrestling Championships champion.
Hale // Pataky
“It’s a lot of fun, and definitely why where I am right now, is because of the coaching,” said Hale after the finals. “Coach [Drew Wilcox] pushes us and invites other teams to come help. My teammates are really good as well.”
Hale, who just started wrestling last year, said looking ahead to the state tournament “people are going to be there cheering me on, and I don’t want to let them down.”
Hale // Pataky
The first female to win a Section VI individual wrestling title was Fredonia alumnus Carlene Sluberski when she won the 96-pound boys sectional title and reached the NYS finals in 2009.
100-pound champion Gabriella Gelnett and 235-pound champion Khamya’J Maxwell led Lockport to a 3rd place finish behind seven place winners in the final team standings as both of the top seeded Lions pinned their ways to individual titles in their respective brackets.
Gelnett // Pataky
Maxwell // Pataky
Top seeded Silver Creek junior Kim Bauer defended her seed in impression fashion going 4-for-4 pinning her way to the 185-pound Section VI title. After missing all of last season with an injury, Bauer had a true breakout 2024-2025 winter season helping to lead the Lady Hillbillies to a consistent #4 team ranking amongst WNY teams as well as a 4th place team finish in the sectional championships on Friday.
Bauer (top) // Pataky
1st Section VI Girls Wrestling Championships finals results:
94: Anastazia Hale (Falconer/Cassadaga Valley) ts.
Kassidy Benedetto (Chautauqua Lake), 10-0
100: Gabriella Gelnett (Lockport) p.
Damarielys Cruz (Dunkirk), 1P
107: Emma Greene (Niagara Wheatfield) ts.
Lily Pieczonka (Niagara Wheatfield), 10-0
114: Gabriella Barone (Niagara Wheatfield) ts.
Giavonna Slocombe (Lockport), 16-6
120: Olivia Phillips (Orchard Park) ts.
Emma Penna (Niagara Wheatfield), 10-0
126: Nevaeh Senik (Niagara Wheatfield) ts.
Braelynn Wicks (Fredonia), 10-0
132: Noli Paddock (Chautauqua Lake) p.
Sofia Guadagna (Sweet Home), 1P
138: Emma Beckles (Niagara Wheatfield) ts.
Emma Ponzi (Niagara Wheatfield), 10-0
145: Avery White (Frontier) ts.
McKella Hodkin (Fredonia), 10-0
152: Lilly Hyde (Chautauqua Lake) p.
Anahi DeJesus (Dunkirk), 2P
165: Michaela Thomas (Iroquois) dec.
Knionna Leeper (Health Sciences), 5-2
185: Kim Bauer (Fredonia) p.
Meghan Pauley (Chautauqua Lake), 1P
235: Khamya’J Maxwell (Lockport) p.
Jaslieen Salgado (Dunkirk), 1P
True second place results:
94: Kassidy Benedetto (Chautauqua Lake) p.
Audiyanna Cheverez (Dunkirk), 1P
152: Kiernan Quinn (Gowanda) p.
Anahi DeJesus (Dunkirk), 1P
165: Lauren Winfield (Springville) p.
Knionna Leeper (Health Sciences), 2P
185: Mackenzie Vetter-Higgins (Kenmore) p.
Meghan Pauley (Chautauqua Lake), 1P
As the 3-seed in the bracket, Orchard Park freshman Olivia Phillips dominated on the way to the 120-pound Section VI title after a breakout season for the Quakers. She earned three wins on the bottom side of the bracket before earning an impressive 10-0 technical superiority in the final.
Phillips // Pataky
“I didn’t think I was going to do this well…I’m obviously very excited for states,” said Phillips after the finals. “I knew that I was good and knew what I was doing. Before every match I would say to myself ‘I know my moves, I can wrestle my match’ to calm myself down.”
Orchard Park was one of the first public schools in WNY to organize a girls’ team in the infancy of the movement across the country. This year, the Quakers will graduate three seniors who have been wrestling for three or more years at the varsity level.
“I’ve been with the team for so many years with club and [Orchard Park girls’ coach Steve] DeLucia has been my coach on modified for two years. Ella [Newell] and Marissa [Tara] are like older sisters to me…they taught me everything I know…I owe everything I have to them.”
Looking ahead to Albany, Phillips said “I just want to do my best, wrestle as best as I can. I want to make my dad proud…I do everything for him. Make my coaches, my teammates proud.”
Phillips // Pataky
Top seeded Frontier senior Avery White cruised to the 145-pound Section VI title with two pins in the championship rounds before a finals technical superiority, 10-0.
White // Pataky
White, a returning 5th place winner at the 2024 state Invitational, has spent three years of high school on the Falcons’ boys’ team. Seven girls certified to wrestle for the 2024-2025 season and White was able to lead the small group in two girls’ freestyle duals in the last two weeks of the regular season.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that I have had,” said White. “I’m the first girl to place from Frontier in history – making history. I started off my sophomore year as the only girl on the team and this year we have seven girls. It’s crazy to see how fast the sport is growing and it’s a privilege to be able to wrestle. It’s hitting finally that I’m a senior and its sad, but I’m happy to be ending the season on good note – but the jobs not finished yet.”
White // Pataky
Iroquois junior and #24 nationally ranked (via Flowrestling) Michaela Thomas captured the 165-pound Section VI title on Friday to qualify for the NYSPHSAA championships. Thomas, a returning runner-up from the 2024 Invitational, should be considered one of the favorites in the weight class in Albany on the 27th.
Thomas // Pataky
“It’s pretty to cool to be a part of it and part of this family,” said Thomas.
Widely regarded as one of the ‘blue bloods’ in Section VI wrestling history, the Iroquois Wrestling alumni base remains one of the more active and engaged alumni groups amongst WNY programs now.
Thomas recognized the support of the alumni saying “I think about that all the time…every single match. I want to make them proud, especially [current Red Hawks head coach] Jimmy [Kloc].”
Looking ahead toward Albany, Michaela said bluntly, “I’m winning it.”
Thomas // Pataky
In the true second place matches, only one runner-up was able to successfully defend her place finish as Chautauqua Lake’s Kassidy Benedetto maintained her position to qualify for the state championships.
At 152, returning state Invitational competitor Kiernan Quinn posted a 4-1 day to take 3rd place in the bracket. Because she had not seen the finalist runner-up in the tournament yet, Quinn was able to take another shot at reaching the state tournament and did so successfully with a quick first period pin in the true second place match.
Quinn // Pataky
Likewise, Springville’s Lauren Winfield and Kenmore’s Mackenzie Vetter-Higgins each bounced back from semifinal losses at 165 and 185-pounds, respectively, to earn pins in their true second place matches to qualify for the state tournament.
Winfield // Pataky
Vetter-Higgins // Pataky
2024 Section VI Girls Wrestling Championships place winners:
(bold = qualified for NYS championships)
94-pounds
Champion - Anastazia Hale - Falconer
2nd - Kassidy Benedetto - Chautauqua Lake
3rd - Audiyanna Cheverez - Dunkirk
4th - Coco Munther - Clarence
Pataky
100
Champion - Gabriella Gelnett - Lockport
2nd - Damarielys Cruz - Dunkirk
3rd - Kortlyn Fairbank - Chautauqua Lake
4th - Lillian Sikora - Orchard Park
107
Champion - Emma Greene - Niagara Wheatfield
2nd - Lily Pieczonka - Niagara Wheatfield
3rd - Ashley Cox - Clarence
4th - Julia Lorenz - Clarence
Pataky
114
Champion - Gabriella Barone - Niagara Wheatfield
2nd - Giavonna Slocombe - Lockport
3rd - Alice Scarpine - Chautauqua Lake
4th - Reese Kepner - Wilson
Pataky
120
Champion - Olivia Phillips - Orchard Park
2nd - Emma Penna - Lockport
3rd - Kaitlyn Mieczkowski - Sweet Home
4th - Jamiela-Khai Johnson - Lockport
Pataky
126
Champion - Nevaeh Senik - Niagara Wheatfield
2nd - Braelynn Wicks - Fredonia
3rd - Heather Blatto - Clarence
4th - Mackenzie Sweeney - Niagara Wheatfield
Pataky
132
Champion - Noli Paddock - Chautauqua Lake
2nd - Sofia Guadagna - Sweet Home
3rd - Eva Colon-DeJesus - Dunkirk
4th - Hailie Vetter-Higgins - Kenmore
Pataky
138
Champion - Emma Beckles - Niag. Wheatfield
2nd - Emma Ponzi - Niagara Wheatfield
3rd - Marissa Tara - Orchard Park
4th - Alexiya Thuman - Lake Shore
Pataky
145
Champion - Avery White - Frontier
2nd - McKella Hodkin - Fredonia
3rd - Bella Andes - Lockport
4th - Miley Geschwender - Niagara Wheatfield
Pataky
152
Champion - Lilly Hyde - Chautauqua Lake
2nd - Kiernan Quinn - Gowanda
3rd- Anahi DeJesus - Dunkirk
4th - Jyla Johnson - Lockport
Pataky
165
Champion - Michaela Thomas - Iroquois
2nd - Lauren Winfield - Springville
3rd - Knionna Leeper - Health Sciences
4th - Bailey Fuller - Frewsburg
Pataky
185
Champion - Kim Bauer - Fredonia
2nd Mackenzie Vetter-Higgins - Kenmore
3rd - Meghan Pauley - Chautauqua Lake
4th - Angel Gonzalez - Sweet Home
Pataky
235
Champion - Khamya’J Maxwell - Lockport
2nd - Jaslieen Salgado - Dunkirk
3rd - Selene Torres - Niagara Wheatfield
4th - Maelonnee Bacelli - Salamanca
Pataky
Section VI girls' wrestlers past...
...and future
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