Official seeds for Saturday’s Section VI Division II Wrestling Championships at Lake Shore HS have been released.
The top-2 place winners at each weight class will advance to the NYS federation championships, Feb. 24-25, at MVP Arena in downtown Albany.
In cases where the finalist runner-up does not wrestle the 3rd place wrestler in the bracket during the course of the tournament, those wrestlers will meet at the conclusion of the finals for the ‘true’ second place match. The winner will earn an entry to the NYS championships.
**Seeds and Weight by Weight Preview**
**102** 1. Dylan Newman (8th grade) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (individual season record 40-6) 2. Jakob Lucinski (11th) – Newfane – (38-7) 3. Gavin Burchanowski (8th) – Chautauqua Lake – (23-12) 4. Reece Senske (10th) – Medina – (19-9) 5. Evan Newman (11th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (19-10) 6. Josh Pfeiffer (9th) – Iroquois – (25-14) 7. Lucas Kimber (9th) – Barker/Royalton-Hartland – (16-9) 8. Jonathan Tidd (9th) – Olean/Allegany-Limestone – (19-11) 9. Jacob Sweeney (8th) – Wilson – (22-18) 10. Kamden Neeley (7th) – Olean/Allegany-Limestone – (7-6)
(NS) Tyler Schoenthal (8th) – East Aurora/Holland
Two returning sectional place winners in Lucinski and Senske bring in the most experience in an otherwise very young light weight group. Top seeded Dylan Newman hasn’t met Lucinski this season, but has four decision wins over 3-seed Burchanowksi and one over his brother the 5-seed. Lucinski was a 7-0 winner over Burchanowski in last weekend’s C/D final.
**110** 1. Dominick Callara (12th) – Medina – (20-2) 2. Kenji Walters (11th) – Southwestern – (32-5) 3. Karsen Lundgren (11th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (31-13) 4. Thandon Bensink (8th) – Chautauqua Lake – (28-13) 5. Issiah Ruiz (9th) – Dunkirk – (17-5) 6. Evan Wright (7th) – Pioneer – (22-10) 7. Trey Pfeiffer (7th) – Iroquois – (16-13) 8. Ahmed Albakri (12th) – Lackawanna – (24-12) 9. Luke Duffina (9th) – Medina – (14-10) 10. Owen Pfaffenbach (10th) – Gowanda – (15-10)
All three of the weight’s top-3 seeds placed in Section VI last season. Medina’s star senior won the 102-pound title and placed 7th in NYS while Walters finished runner-up at 110 and competed in the state tournament. A Callara/Walters final would be a rematch of last weekend’s C/D final where Callara was a 9-5 decision winner.
**118** 1. Carmine Calimeri (9th) – Southwestern – (30-5) 2. Lucas Hoffman (12th) – Fredonia – (32-5) 3. Mekhi Muhyee (10th) – Portville – (19-7) 4. Victor Cusatis (9th) – Wilson – (35-6) 5. Adan Harris (12th) – Newfane – (25-10) 6. Greg Reid (10th) – Gowanda – (20-16) 7. Gabe Lundmark (10th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (28-21) 8. Dominick Hirliman (9th) – Olean/Allegany-Limestone – (21-16) 9. Jayden Fish (8th) – Gowanda – (17-10) 10. Brandon Jopp (11th) – Tonawanda – (7-4)
(NS) Caden Sweeney (9th) – Iroquois – (11-14)
Trojan freshman Calimeri jumped up two weights from last season and has been tested at 118, 126, and even 132 at times. The defending Section VI champion and NYS 6th place winner has already met and beaten eight of the other ten wrestlers in the weight including the 2-8 seeds. Calimeri could see an interesting semifinal opponent from the Niagara-Orleans league. This may be a potential weight to host a true second place match. Hoffman and Cusatis are also both returning sectional place winners.
**126** 1. Jordan Joslyn (11th) – Chautauqua Lake – (37-2) 2. Blake Hageman (12th) – Lake Shore – (26-3) 3. Konner Spring (12th) – Salamanca – (28-5) 4. Hunter Paulisick (11th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (33-16) 5. Cody Freyburger (10th) – Maryvale – (23-9) 6. Wyatt Opferbeck (10th) – Pioneer – (28-15) 7. Jaxon Kraft (7th) – Maple Grove – (27-15) 8. Riley Horsley (9th) – Portville – (27-16) 9. Luke Fay (9th) – Barker/Royalton-Hartland – (21-13) 10. Hunter Molnar (11th) – Tonawanda – (7-6)
Defending section finalist and state tournament qualifier Jordan Joslyn has had another excellent season leading the sectional champion Thunderbirds. Joslyn is likely to be the heavy favorite in the weight going into Saturday. Hageman does have a loss this season to Joslyn but has not meet Salamanca’s Spring yet. Both Hageman and Pioneer’s Opferbeck are the only other returning sectional place winners in the bracket. After a strong sectional tournament last year, Opferbeck could be one to watch at this weight.
**132** 1. Aidan Gillings (10th) – Newfane – (41-4) 2. Ayden Buttery (10th) – Newfane – (37-5) 3. Caden Inkley (10th) – Randolph – (31-6) 4. Jacob Striejewske (12th) – Maryvale – (16-6) 5. Sam Donovan (10th) – Iroquois – (18-13) 6. Adam Algawani (10th) – Lackawanna – (23-12) 7. Joseph Nottingham (12th) – Randolph – (17-11)
(NS) Cameron Ingram (10th) – Fredonia – (21-22)
(NS) Mickey Wozniak (12th) – Franklinville – (10-12)
(NS) Christopher Gray (11th) – Lake Shore – (8-14)
Two-time Section VI champion and state tournament place winner Gillings returns as the most accomplished wrestler in the weight. Team mate and classmate Buttery reached the Div. II final a year ago, but feel just short of Albany in the true second place match. The Panther pair have already met twice this season, the latest in the C/D final where ‘Gilly’ was a 3-1 winner in OT. Buttery had to first get through Randolph’s rising star and returning sectional placer Inkley by decision, 4-2, to get there. A Buttery/Inkley semifinal could be a can’t miss at Lake Shore on Saturday.
**138** 1. Xander Kirsch (12th) – Pioneer – (34-4) 2. Martin Ohlsson (12th) – Chautauqua Lake – (37-5) 3. Miguel Salas (12th) – Newfane – (31-8) 4. Domanik Clark (10th) – Randolph – (28-8) 5. Maxx DeYoe (10th) – Portville – (24-6) 6. Griffin McKinsey (10th) – Springville – (24-10) 7. Aeddon Landphair (12th) – Pioneer – (28-15) 8. Mohammad Noor (9th) – Cheektowaga – (22-15) 9. Abdelraheem Ahmed (9th) – Lackawanna – (22-15)
(NS) Adam Perciak (12th) – Lake Shore – (7-15)
Pioneer’s returning place winner Kirsch has been hungry to make the state tournament now for a few seasons and has one last chance to do so this weekend. Kirsch and 2-seed Ohlsson already have a rivalry going this season as they are split with one win each. However, Kirsch has the most recent win – a 2-0 decision from Dec. 17th. Ohlsson is also a retuning sectional placer who qualified for the 2020 state tournament and placed 5th at 99-pounds. In order to get back to the final, Ohlsson will likely have to take down Newfane’s Salas, also a returning section placer. Ohlsson pinned Salas in their first meeting this season, but the Panther senior made it a closer match in the C/D final last weekend by a 9-5 deficit loss.
**145**
1. Austin Chase (12th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (43-3) 2. Trent Burchanowski (12th) – Chautauqua Lake – (12-1) 3. Michael Horth (11th) – Gowanda – (32-3) 4. Jack Bourgeois (12th) – Chautauqua Lake – (25-15) 5. Brady Wilkinson (10th) – Iroquois – (32-10) 6. Nathan Warrior (9th) – Gowanda – (27-6) 7. Christian Klonowski (11th) – Akron – (28-8) 8. Charlie Reichenbach (10th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (25-15) 9. Josh Bovenzi (11th) – Albion – (16-12) 10. Cain DeGolier (9th) – Olean/Allegany-Limestone – (22-15)
Falconer’s Chase earned the top seed in the bracket putting together a great season that seemingly flew under the radar. Perhaps the most experienced senior in WNY without an appearance at the state tournament will look to capitalize on the top seed but the 2-5 seeds are quite dangerous in their own rights. Burchanowski was limited by injury this season but got back on track for the state duals and C/D tournaments recently. Burchanowski did also qualify for the state tournament just last season. A Burchanowski/Horth rematch of the C/D finals in Saturday’s semifinal seems likely; The T’Bird senior was a 3-1 winner over the Gowanda junior who has had a breakout season.
**152**
1. John Watson (11th) – Chautauqua Lake – (33-5) 2. Jacob Clark (12th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (26-11) 3. Quinn Brown (12th) – Barker/Royalton-Hartland – (29-10) 4. Brandon Doyle (11th) – Pioneer – (25-11) 5. Alex Schiffhauer (12th) – Iroquois – (24-11) 6. Mohammad Alnamah (12th) – Tonawanda – (12-5) 7. Brad Smith (12th) – Chautauqua Lake – (28-13) 8. Rhett Krieger (11th) – East Aurora/Holland – (27-13) 9. Camden Morrison (10th) – Portville – (17-12) 10. Dan Quattrone (12th) – Maple Grove – (25-15) 11. Mason Kilmer (11th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (12-10)
Watson’s solid season coming off of a 3rd place finish in the 2022 Section VI tournament has the T’Bird senior set up with the top seed and a chance at the small school title. Falconer’s Clark and Brown are also returning sectional placers, however Watson holds the head to head advantage over both with three decisions over Clark and a 9-2 win over Brown from the C/D finals. Clark holds an 11-5 decision win over Brown from Dec. 17. If Pioneer’s Doyle doesn’t reach the final, he could be one to keep an eye on in the wrestle backs.
**160** 1. Evan Leonard (11th) – Franklinville – (33-2) 2. Neves Hoose (11th) – Southwestern – (33-7) 3. Brodie Little (12th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (40-11) 4. Jacob Stephenson (10th) – Wilson – (34-7) 5. Vincent Marszalek (12th) – Lake Shore – (19-8) 6. Jax Schoenthal (12th) – East Aurora/Holland – (27-12) 7. Quinlan Smathers (10th) – Frewsburg – (16-11) 8. Michael Hanlon (11th) – Dunkirk – (16-11) 9. Adam Brown (10th) – Springville – (22-15) 10. Ronan Klug (10th) – Barker/Royalton-Hartland – (22-15)
(NS) Lucas O’Dell (12th) – Olean/Allegany-Limestone – (16-18)
Two first time NYS tournament qualifiers will represent Section VI Div. II at 160-pounds. Leonard and Hoose are the only returning sectional placers in the brakcet, however Falconer’s Little is immensely experienced and Wilson’s Stephenson has proven to be a solid up and coming wrestler. Leonard doesn’t have a head to head over Hoose this season, but has beaten Little and Stephenson. A Hoose/Little semifinal would be their 5th meeting of the season; they are 2-2 against one another with one match decided by 1-point and three decided by 2-points.
**172**
1. Tavio Hoose (9th) – Southwestern – (37-1) 2. Brady Heckathorn (12th) – Pioneer – (36-2) 3. Jayden Malecki (11th) – Chautauqua Lake (31-10) 4. Ben Wortkoetter (12th) – Wilson – (31-4) 5. Hayden Emley (11th) – Portville – (25-9) 6. Jordin Bautista-Cruz (12th) – Dunkirk – (16-7) 7. Takota Smith (9th) – Pioneer – (19-10) 8. Bryant Morrison (12th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (21-14) 9. Benjamin Brol (12th) – Franklinville – (15-9)
(NS) Jacob Lemke (12th) – Fredonia – (11-11)
Two returning NYS qualifiers highlight a weight class that normally doesn’t feature five wrestlers who placed 5th or better in the preceding sectional championship. Tavio is a returning Section VI champion and Heckathorn a finalist. Each wrestler has put up some downright scary results against other talented wrestlers, especially Hoose being a freshman at a ‘man’s’ weight class. Hoose/Heck have not met so far this season, but a collision course for the section title seems in place. However, CL’s Malecki has been really strong this season and has very narrow losses to both of the top seeds including only a 3-1 loss to Tavio in the C/D final. A Heck/Malecki semifinal could be one to keep a close eye on. Wilson’s Wortkoetter does have a loss by pin to Hoose recently, but defeated Portville’s Emly, 5-4, in the C/D 3rd place match.
**189**
1. Dalton Caldwell (12th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (42-8) 2. Matt Trim (11th) – Maple Grove – (38-2) 3. Chris Bargy (12th) – Olean/Allegany-Limestone – (27-5) 4. Mason Maring (10th) – Chautauqua Lake – (32-9) 5. Conor Crandall (11th) – Medina – (29-8) 6. Dawson Russo (12th) – Fredonia – (27-17) 7. Brayden Potter (9th) – Southwestern – (23-11) 8. Dominick Collazo (12th) – Fredonia – (16-9) 9. Brody Fry (10th) – Medina – (13-9)
(NS) Nate Wheeler (12th) – Iroquois – (13-16)
A wide-open sectional title is there for the taking at 189-pounds as all four of the top seeds have a number of head to head tie ins with one another. Caldwelll and Trim are both returning sectional place winners while Bargy was a 2022 Section VI Div. I champion now in Div. II. Caldwell has an impressive 14-7 winner over the O/A-L senior in the B final while Trim took down CL’s Maring 8-5 for the C/D title. In their one head to head meeting this season, Trim was a late 2nd period winner by pin over Bargy in late January. A Caldwell/Maring semifinal could be a big one to see as Caldwell was a narrow 2-0 winner in their league title dual meet on Jan. 18.
**215**
1. Trevor Barry (11th) – Iroquois – (19-1) 2. Ison Shirley (11th) – Chautauqua Lake – (24-3) 3. Christian Hernandez (11th) – Dunkirk – (21-4) 4. Sawyer Kingsbury (11th) – Medina – (27-6) 5. Luke Matheis (11th) – Pioneer – (29-11) 6. Henry Chamberlain (10th) – Portville – (27-10) 7. Kolden McCall (11th) – Maple Grove – (23-10) 8. Peter Conley (11th) – Southwestern – (20-14) 9. Mateo Rodriguez (12th) – Pioneer – (16-15) 10. Conner Jakubowicz (11th) – Dunkirk – (9-8)
In only twenty matches this season Iroquois’s Connolly Cup winning junior has impressed as he marches toward adding a NYS title to his already extensive resume. The returning sectional finalist and NYS 5th place winner has pinned in every one of his wins so far this season except one, including over the 2-seed Shirley, who is the only other returning sectional placer in the bracket.
**285** 1. Hamza Merrick (10th) – Wilson – (39-2) 2. Ryan Carpenter (12th) – Randolph – (30-5) 3. William Wortkoetter (9th) – Wilson – (11-3) 4. Gavin Segovia (12th) – Chautauqua Lake – (35-8) 5. Chris Howatt (10th) – Pioneer – (26-12) 6. Jaykwon Torres (10th) – Lackawanna – (12-10) 7. Thi Van Guilder (11th) – Falconer/Cassadaga Valley – (22-19) 8. Walter Lukasiak (8th) – Chautauqua Lake – (10-8)
(NS) Jermaine Parsons (11th) – Cheektowaga – (11-11)
(NS) Angelo Gonzalez (9th) – Cheektowaga – (7-10)
A rarely-deep small school heavyweight bracket is just the opposite this time as the entries feature three returning sectional place winners and one NYS tournament qualifier in Randolph’s Carpenter who was a small school sectional finalist last season. Merrick has put together an excellent season as one of two star heavyweight underclassmen for the Lakemen. Merrick has wins over all three of the 2-4 seeds and defeated Carpenter in the C/D final, 8-6, a week ago and also earned a pin over Segovia in the semi.