Lancaster Wrestling Seeks For Another ECIC I Championship

Coming off a championship season in 2015-16, the Lancaster High School wrestling team is off to a strong start this season and seems like championship material again.

The Legends have had some impressive showings against top competition.

“We’re just rolling right now,” Lancaster coach Ron Lorenz said. “The kids are working hard and doing their jobs. And that’s what happens.”

Lancaster opened the season at 6-1 in dual meets, posting a 4-1 record at the Pal Mac Duals on Dec. 3 and then also posting non-league wins over a pair of tough Section VI teams in St. Joe’s and Grand Island. The Legends took second at the Penfield Hunter Holiday Wrestling Tournament on Dec. 10.

Last season Lancaster reclaimed the ECIC I title for the first time since 2010, the final in a run of 15 straight championships for the program. The goal now is to continue a new run of dominance. The Legends’ ECIC I opener against Orchard Park was postponed by Wednesday’s snowstorm – but Lancaster is ready to go against its rivals.

“Our league is always real good,” Lorenz said. “North is tough, Clarence always battles us, you can’t count out Hamburg … there’s a lot of tough teams,” Lorenz said. “That’s good for us, that’s what we want. We want to wrestle tough teams.”

Leading the Legends will be senior Mason Mastrangelo, a state-qualifier at 220 pounds as a junior. The starting center on the Legends’ Section VI champion football team, Mastrangelo will again be at 220 in the postseason but opened this season at heavyweight. He won his class at the Penfield Tournament. He got a scare in the dual meet against Grand Island as the Vikings’ Jaquan Johnson took a 5-3 lead into the third period before Mastrangelo was able to make his move to win by fall.

“That was a tough match,” Lorenz said. “Jaquan’s a contender at heavyweight. We’re going down to 220 (with Mastrangelo) but we have to roll with those guys and Jaquan is a great wrestler. But Mason is just a battler, he stays in matches and always stays mentally focused.”

There are plenty of other standouts on board as well for the Legends. Parker Rozler is a 106-pounder wrestling at 120 for the good of the team, Joseph Andreessen “is one of our front-runners” in the upper-weights, Lorenz said, and Jake Harry (106 pounds) remains undefeated this season at 106. Bryce Bolognese (99) has also been strong.

Codie Scotland has also performed well in place of the injured Anthony Tigani, a mainstay in Lancaster’s lineup for the last several years.

“We’re just looking at one match at a time,” Lorenz said. “Anything can happen, lot of good teams. Everyone is trying to close the gap a little.”