The Section 10 Wrestling Division II Championships and State Qualifier climaxed with an OFA highlight.
Two Blue Devils in senior Archie Green and freshman Connor competed for the 285-pound weight class title. Green scored a first period pin and advanced on to the New York State Championships for a second straight time. The State Championships will be held at the Times Union Center in Albany on Feb. 24-25.
Green scored OFA’s lone top spot on the podium but the Devils enjoyed a solid scoring night as the A entries scored 109 points behind team champion Gouverneur at 199 points and runner-up Malone A with 135. Young led the OFA B entries who scored a tournament high 56 points.
“Overall we wrestled very well. Some of young guys had a very good night. We had a couple guys post big wins to get into the finals” said OFA Bill Mitchell.
“I really wanted to get back to the states and I hope I can get one win at least. I feel good about it. I wrestled in a tournament in Vermont and did well against a guy who placed third,” said Green who also one of four wrestlers to qualify for a NAC Senior Athlete of Distinction Award by maintaining a 90 and above average throughout his wrestling career.
“Conner did a good job getting to the finals and he is just a freshman,” said Green of Young who also received OFA’s NAC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award.
Ashtyn Amo at 138 pounds and Brayden Wall at 126 pounds also placed second and JC DeGroat at 189, Collin Brenno at 138, Kierce Whitney at 118 and Trent Cushing at 126 all placed third. Jayden Rivers took fourth at 132 and Peyton Worden took sixth at 172 pounds.
Gouverneur continued its longtime domination of team honors and crowned eight champions in Paul Minckler at 102, JD Minckler at 110, Cyler Baer at 126, Zoe Griffith at 132, Turner Sochia at 138, Hunter Mashaw at 145, Vandavian Way at 152 and Drew Gates at 160.
“Our wrestlers just keeping hard looking to get to the podium. Vandavian Way placed fourth last year and he should very well,” said Gouverneur Coach Joel Baer.
The Wildcats also reached the semi-finals of NYSPHSAA D2 Dual Meet State Championships. The Wildcats won their pool with wins over Saugerties 45-27 and Seaford 43-26 before losing to Tioga 55-15 in the semi-finals.
Way heads into states with 39 wins on the season, JD Minckler and Drew Gates raised their season totals to 34 and Zoe Griffith who took second at the first New York Girls Tournament raised her total to 33.
Malone produced four champions in Tanner King at 118, Cayden Carter at 172, Cooper Frank at 189 and Edin Cecunjanin at 215.
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Team Totals: Gouverneur A 199, Malone A 135, OFA A 109, Canton A 99, OFA B 56, Malone B 23, Gouverneur B 16, Canton B 7.
102: Paul Minckler (G) dec Liam Hart (Mal) 8-0.
110: JD Minckler (G) pinned Noah Curry (C) 4:06. John Stevens (Mal) dec Marcus Collins (Mal).
118: Tanner King (Mal) dec Ryan Mashaw (G) 5-2. Third place: Kierce Whitney (O) pinned Mason Dusharm (G).
126: Cyler Baer (G) pinned Brayden Wall (G) 1:58. Third: Trent Cushing (O).
132: Zoe Griffith (G) pinned Joseph Green (O) 1:33. Third Place: Connor Clifford (C) pinned Jayden Rivers (O).
138: Turner Sochia (G) dec Ashtyn Amo (O) 10-4. Third Place: Collin Brenno (O) pinned Nick Locy (C).
145: Hunter Mashaw (G) unopposed.
152: VanDavian Way (G) pinned Grahm Rozler (C) 1:06.
160: Drew Gates (G) dec Logan Robideau (Mal) 6-4. Third Place: Jack Joyce (C).
172: Cayden Carter (Mal) pinned Charlie Rossner (C) 5:29. Third Place: Marco Skamperle (O) pinned Khasar Tulga (G).
189: Cooper Frank (Mal) pinned Caleb Murcray (C). Third Place: JC DeGroat (O).
215: Edin Cecunjanin (Mal) pinned James Hayden (G) 0:43. Third place: Mikey Cogdill (C) pinnned Calvin Landry (Mal).
285: Archie Green (O) pinned Conner Young (O) 0:56. Third Place: Reegan Morin (Mal) pinned Damien Perrea (Mal).
Notes: Massena is the lone Division I team in Section 10 and will have two wrestlers competing in the state championships in Colden Hardy and Roy Gamble...Section 10 Sportsmanship Awards went to Nick Cody of Canton, James Hayden of Gouverneur, Logan Robideau of Malone and Liam Green of Massena...Isaiah Sochia of Gouverneur, Cayden Carter of Malone and Colden Hardy of Massena.
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