Williamsville North/East Claims First Outright League Title Since 2000

Williamsville North/East capped off the 2023-2024 regular season on Tuesday with a convincing 56-15 victory over Jamestown to claim the outright ECIC I wrestling title with a 6-0 record this season.

The outright league championship is the first for the Spartans since the 1999-2000 season, but the second division crown since sharing title honors with Clarence in the spring 2021 season.

Williamsville's Zenki // Pataky

The WNY #3 ranked large school North/East Spartans navigated another deep ECIC I schedule that included close road wins over the league’s next highest ranked teams #4 Clarence on Jan. 10th and then at the defending league champion squad #8 Lancaster on Jan. 24th.

Williamsville's Libertone-Robinson // Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky

In both duals, Williamsville edged out the Red Devils and Legends winning seven weights in each match while also earning more pins in each of those contests. Against the WNY Honorable Mention ranked Red Raiders, Williamsville won ten of thirteen weights, pinning in seven of them to complete the league sweep for the first time in twenty four years.

Seniors Rocco Urbanczyk, Cam Catrabone, Hussein Zenki, Amari Libertone-Robinson, and Zaid El Nassar all won bouts for Williamsville against Jamestown.

Williamsville's Urbanczyk // Pataky

“I want to thank my coaches – Jeff Catrabone, Tom Shifflet, Joe Montroy, and the rest of our staff,” said North/East head coach Joe Muscarella after the match. “I do the head coaching things, but day to day operations are handled by Jeff and Tom, especially. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without them.”

Williamsville North/East coaches // Pataky

Muscarella continued “Additionally, thank you to our administration at Williamsville North, especially our athletic director Kristin Juergens-Tonge. They’ve given us everything we’ve needed and believe in what we are doing here.”

Williamsvillle's Catrabone // Pataky

The Spartans finish the 2023-2024 season perfect in ECIC I at 6-0 while finishing 10-1 overall with a second place finish in the Section VI Division I Dual Meet Championships.

2023-2024 Williamsville North/East ECIC I league scores:

Dec. 6th: Williamsville North/East 66 – West Seneca/Depew 6

Dec. 20th: Williamsville North/East 52 – Orchard Park 14

Jan. 4th: Williamsville North/East 50 – Frontier 15

Jan. 10th: Williamsville North/East 36 – Clarence 27

Jan. 24th: Williamsville North/East 41 – Lancaster 29

Jan. 30th: Williamsville North/East 56 – Jamestown 15