Defending Champion Chautauqua Lake Earns Section VI Dual Meet Top Seed

Cover photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky

Defending sectional champion squad Chautauqua Lake has earned the top seed for the 7th Section VI Division II Dual Meet tournament for next Saturday's sectional championship & NYSPHSAA Dual Meet Championships qualifier at Niagara County Community College. 

Chautauqua Lake (10-2 overall) earned the top seed on the way to the program’s first sectional dual meet title and trip to the state dual meet championships in January 2023. The Eagles competed in the first edition of the Section VI Duals in 2017 but had not been back since then. Chautauqua landed the 8-seed at the 2023 state championship and battled top seeded two time champion Tioga (IV) in a 33-24 loss in their pool dual – the closest score for the Tigers in last year’s championship.

Chautauqua’s CCAA Div. I league rival Southwestern (10-1) will make the team’s second straight appearance at the Duals as the 2-seed, up one spot from the Trojans’ 3-seed to open the tournament a year ago. 3-seed Newfane will keep the program streak of competing in all six contested Duals alive, while Gowanda and Wilson will each participate in the sectional duals for the second time in each programs’ history.

The Lakemen will make their second straight appearance in the Duals while the Panthers will compete in the championships for the first time since 2017. Gowanda and Wilson just met at the Grand Island Duals on Dec. 28th with the Panthers earning a 41-30 victory over the Lakemen.

Wrestling begins at 10am on Saturday, Jan. 6th at Niagara County CC.

7th Annual Section VI Div. I Dual Meet Championships seeds:

1. Chautauqua Lake (12-2)

2. Southwestern (10-1)

3. Newfane (8-5)

4. Gowanda (8-9)

5. Wilson (6-11)

First round matches:

1-Chautauqua Lake – bye

2-Southwestern vs. Newfane  

4-Gowanda vs. 5-Wilson