Clarence wins unforgettable ‘Border War,’ ECIC I title

The annual ‘Border War’ between the tradition-rich Lancaster and Clarence wrestling teams, in most years, isn’t just another neighborly rivalry.

On Wednesday night when the WNY #2 Clarence Red Devils hosted the #3 Lancaster Legends it would be for the ECIC Div. I title…again.

The Red Devils outlasted the Legends 46-26 at home on Wednesday night to take back the ECIC I title won by Lancaster in last season’s Border War. Clarence now holds seven ‘War trophies to Lancaster’s eight.

Senior Mackenzie Rider played a big part in helping to lead Clarence to victory.

With the Red Devils nursing an eight-point lead over the Legends, 34-26, in the second to last match of the evening, Rider went out and defeated defending sectional place winner Codie Scotland at 220-pounds to seal the match for Clarence.

“It’s the biggest win of my wrestling career,” Rider said at the conclusion of the match. “I know my record doesn’t look good and that I was going to have a tough match. I just said to myself that I needed to step up, my team was counting on me.”

Lancaster started out the night with wins by Michael Schaefer (99-pounds), Kaleb Schurkus (106), Myles Gronowski (113), and Nick Barberio (120) before Clarence started to battle back. Beginning with Jon Pallozzi’s 12-4 decision over Ethan Monin, Aiden Rabideau (132) followed up with a pin and Caleb Krantz earned a critical fall for Clarence at 138-pounds.

Josh Jelonek earned a decision win for Lancaster defeating Clarence’s Jake Slowinski at 145, giving Lancaster a 20-16 lead.

Ryan Stencel (152) earned a pin for Lancaster in the next bout extending the Legend lead 26-16, but it was all Clarence from there as the Red Devils won the last six bouts of the evening. Pins by Quentin Burke (160) and Jack Feltz (170) gave Clarence the 28-26 lead. Jonathon White followed up with a decision win at 182-pounds. Nathen Prelewicz earned a decision as well at 195. Rider and Marquise Carnes at 285-pounds both earned pins in the last two bouts to make the final score 46-26.

“Mack is the ultimate team player,” Clarence head coach Jason Chase said. “We’re going to remember that win for a long time. I thought we had the advantage at heavyweight with Marquise at 285. We we’re just hoping Mack could go out there and keep it close.”

Rider kept it close and then some.

“I had seen Scotland wrestle before, I knew who he was and to be honest I was a little scared going into it. I just knew I had to put it all on the line for my team and I was going to give it my all. He had great technique, everything I had he countered. I found something late and I just stuck with it.”

The win Wednesday was Rider’s first victory in the Border War rivalry.

“A guy like Rider gives his team everything he has. I’ve told him for years, he may never win a divisional tournament but there will be a time in his career where he’s going to win a big match for us. That’s what he did for us tonight,” Coach Chase said. “That’s a huge win. That made his career and that’s what it’s all about sometimes.”

With the win the Red Devils finish 7-0 in ECIC I wrestling and improved to 18-1 overall this season. Lancaster finishes 6-1 in league duals with a current record of 11-3. In addition to being ranked the #2 and #3, respectively, in WNY big schools, both squads are NYSSWA Honorable Mention teams in the latest January 10th poll.

Clarence will host Section V’s Attica/Batavia next Tuesday night (1/29). Both Clarence and Lancaster will compete in the Section VI Class AA tournament Saturday, February 2nd at Kenmore West HS.