Section VI NYSPHSAA Dual Meet Tournament Preview

Cover graphic courtesy of Ciaran Edwards/CE Design

The 4th edition of the NYSPHSAA Dual Meet Championships is Saturday, January 29th at SRC Arena on the campus of Onondaga County Community College in Syracuse. For the second time in the history of the event Section VI will send four teams to the state duals. Only one other region has sent four teams to Syracuse at once when Section IV (Binghamton region) had four entries in the inaugural tournament in 2018.

Section VI Division I champion Lancaster will make the program’s third appearance in Syracuse, it’s second as the Section VI champion representative. The Legends last competed in the tournament in 2020 as a wildcard entry (0-2) and previously as the sectional champion in 2018 (0-2). Section VI Division I Dual Meet runner-up Starpoint will make the program’s first ever appearance at the state duals following the team’s first ever place finish at the 2021-2022 sectional championships.

Section VI Division II champion Newfane will make the team’s first ever appearance at the state duals after its championship performance in the 2021-2022 Section VI Duals. Finally, 2020 NYSPHSAA small school state champion Falconer will make the program’s fourth appearance in as many years at the Duals. In the history of the event, only six teams state-wide have qualified for all four tournaments: Falconer, Central Valley Academy (Sec. III Div. II), Fox Lane (Sec. I Div. I), Horseheads (Sec. IV Div. I), Minisink Valley (Sec. IX Div. I), and Tioga (Sec. IV Div. II). The Golden Falcons are 6-2 all-time at the Duals; 1-1 in 2018, 2-1 in 2019, and 4-0 in the 2020 run to the state title.

Because not every NYSPHSAA section-region is represented in large schools, three wildcard slots exist to fill the twelve team bracket that is then split into four pools of three teams. Teams that go 2-0 in their pool (or in some cases, a 1-1 team that advances on tiebreaker criteria) advance to the semifinal round. While Lancaster earned an automatic entry, Starpoint was the recipient of one of three wildcards.

Meanwhile in Division II, only one wildcard spot exists because all eleven section-regions have small school representation. With only one wildcard entry available, Falconer earned an invitation back to the Duals in that coveted twelfth spot.

While Section VI will be represented by four teams, only one – Newfane – was seeded out of all four. Wrestling begins at 9am on Saturday, January 29th with the finals set to begin at 6pm and live broadcast on the NFHS Network.

Lancaster preview

Unseeded Lancaster returns seven total wrestlers that appeared in the 2020 state duals lineups against Section IX powerhouse Minisink Valley, who went on to win the state title, and Section XI champion Commack. Lancaster will make its third appearance, but this time under second year head coach Clint Schaefer.

The Legends, who locked up the ECIC I title on Wednesday, take a 15-3 record into the Duals after another undefeated season in the league and with plenty of competitive individual and dual meet tournament experience on the resume from this season. Seasoned senior veteran Myles Gronowski will lead a group of seven returning wrestlers who competed in the 2020 Duals including classmates Kaleb Schurkus and Ethan Monin, juniors Tommy Carlsen, Carter Tadusz, and Alex Monile, and sophomore & 2020 sectional champion Michael Schaefer. Gronowski also competed in the 2018 Duals.

Rounding out the Legends lineup will be Carter Hunter, Ronan Christian, Joseph Frieberg, Micah Harry, Evan Stencel, Sam Judasz, and Nicholas Taylor.

Lancaster will meet Section VIII champion and 3-seeded Wantagh and Section I runner-up Arlington in pool action. The battle-hardened Wantagh Warriors will make the program’s second state duals appearance after surviving the rugged Section VIII Duals. Wantagh was the very first NYSPHSAA Division I Dual Meet champion in 2018. Arlington boasts some of the best individual talent in eastern New York including one of the top wrestlers in the state in senior Tim Bova.

Wantagh Warriors – Section VIII Division I champion

Hometown: Wantagh, Nassau County

Head coach: Paul Gillespie

2021-2022 dual meet record: 28-0

Wrestlers to watch: Joseph Clem (10th grade, 118-pounds), Ben Rogers (12, 160), Anthony Clem (10, 110), Noah Corwin (11, 172), Ryan Arbeit (11, 126), Thomas Bonasera (11, 132), Jesse Vandoren (10, 145), Luke Jansko (12, 160), Ethan Merone (12, 189)

Past state duals experience: 2018 NYS Division I champions, 4-0 tournament dual record

Scores vs. Section VI teams: No previous meetings

Arlington Admirals – Section I Division I runner-up

Hometown: LaGrangeville, Dutchess County

Head coach: Dave Grafmuller

2021-2022 dual meet record: 20-5

Wrestlers to watch: Aislin Kellner (9, 102), Dillon Arrick (10, 110), John Frustace (12, 118), Christopher Bischoff (12, 138), Nick Bronzi (12, 145), Tim Bova (12, 160), Joseph Peretta (10, 172), Jonathan Kerr (12, 215), Justin Kender (12, 285)

Past state duals experience: none

Starpoint preview 

It has been a season full of firsts for the Section VI Division I runner-up squad Starpoint. Eighth year head coach Steve Hart will take the unseeded Spartans to the NYS Duals for the first time in program history on Saturday.

Starpoint carries a current season record of 15-3 overall after wrapping up the ECIC II title on Wednesday, completing a perfect 6-0 season in the league for the team’s first outright league title since the 2016-2017 season. The Spartans also placed at the Section VI Duals for the first time in program history and captured the team title at the ECIC Championships last Saturday, January 22nd. The Spartans can add another program milestone with a win(s) at the state dual meet championships.

Sophomore standout and 2020 Section VI champion Gage LaPlante will lead a well coached group with a powerful lower-middle weight lineup highlighted by three returning sectional finalists (Gage LaPlante, Griffin LaPlante, and JR Leuer) into Syracuse. The supporting cast of Zach Caldwell, CJ Uptegrove, and Peyton Lyness complement the LaPlante/Leuer trio leading into the upper part of the lineup filled out by George Thompson, Keith Coleman, Thomas Browne, Landon Grainy, and Matthew Caldwell. The lightest part of the lineup is anchored by Kole Haseley and Coen Freundschuh.

Starpoint’s pool opponents will be the 4-seeded Section I champion Fox Lane and the 5-seeded Section III champion Indian River. Fox Lane will bring the most state duals experience in this pool as Indian River and Starpoint both make their program debuts. However, Indian River has an undefeated record and six tournament titles on its resume while giving up at least two forfeits in every single match this season.

Fox Lane Foxes – Section I Division I champion

Hometown: Bedford, Westchester County

Head coach: Anthony Rodrigues

2021-2022 dual meet record: 14-2

Wrestlers to watch: Luis Diaz-Giron (12, 102), Justin Gierum (11, 132), Jake Hoffmann (12, 160), Nicholas Magiera (12, 189), Alexander Berisha (9, 189), Marc Berisha (12, 285)

Past State Duals experience: 2018 (0-2), 2019 (0-2), 2020 (2-1) lost in semifinals

Scores vs. Section VI teams: 2018 – loss to Niagara Wheatfield, 50-30. 2020 – win over Niagara Wheatfield, 57-12

Indian River Warriors – Section III Division I champion

Hometown: Philadelphia, Jefferson County

Head coach: Jamee Call

2021-2022 dual meet record: 18-0

Wrestlers to watch: Tomah Gummow (10, 110), Alex Booth (12, 132), Manuel Gonzales (11, 138), Brady Lynch (10, 138), Gabe Lynch (12, 152), Jack Whitmore (12, 215), Davin Dewaine (11, 285)

Past sate duals experience: none

Newfane preview

The Section VI Division II champion Panthers will finally get a long awaited chance to compete in Syracuse after achieving another big program milestone this season. Head coach Matt Lingle’s Panthers are the 8-seed in the small school field going into Saturday.

Newfane wrapped up its eighth straight Niagara-Orleans title and unbeaten league season last week and currently own the best overall dual record in WNY at 17-1. Newfane has captured four tournament team titles this season including its first ever Section VI Duals title.

Newfane returns some of the top individual talent amongst WNY small schools led by freshman standout Aidan Gillings, a 2020 Section VI champion and NYS tournament place winner. Senior heavyweight Charles LaRose is the defending Section VI Division II champion. Senior Simon Lingle and freshman Ayden Buttery add sectional 3rd place finishes from the 2021 spring season to the team resume. Also, senior Adam Huntington is a 2020 sectional place winner but missed placement in 2021. With the addition of 7th grade phenom Brayden Kellison-Neglia at 102-pounds Newfane boasts one of the most star-powered lineups in the small school bracket.

Look for JJ Lucinski, Aidan Harris, Miguel Salas, Collin Doxey, Camden Rowles, Owen Schank, Cade Miller, and Christopher Kerr to fill out the rest of the Newfane lineup this weekend.

The Panthers will meet top seeded Section IV champion Tioga and unseeded Section IX champion Port Jervis in pool action. Tioga will make its fourth straight appearance at the Duals boasting one of the most high powered lineups in either division led by three 2020 NYS place winners including state champion Gianni Silvestri. The Port Jervis Raiders will make the program’s third appearance at the state tournament.

Tioga Tigers – Section IV Division II champion

Hometown: Tioga Center, Tioga County

Head coach: Kris Harrington

2021-2022 dual meet record: 13-0

Wrestlers to watch: Logan Bellis (8, 102), Deakon Bailey (10, 110), Gianni Silvestri (10, 118), Levi Bellis (10, 118), Mason Welch (12, 126), Tyler Roe (10, 126), Caden Bellis (10, 132), Drew Macumber (10, 138), Donovan Smith (11, 145), Ousmane Duncanson (10, 152), Emmett Wood (12, 160)

Past state duals experience: 2018 (1-2) – made semifinals, 2019 (2-1) – made semifinals, 2020 (1-1)

Scores vs. Section VI teams: No previous meetings

Port Jervis Raiders – Section IX Division II champion

Hometown: Port Jervis, Orange County

Head coach: Jonathan Foley

2021-2022 dual meet record: 10-11

Wrestlers to watch: Charlie Wylie (9, 102), Trevor Tufano (12, 118), Ryan Ross (10, 145), Matthew Oosterom (10, 215)

Past state duals experience: 2018 (1-1), 2019 (0-2)

Scores vs. Section VI teams: No previous meetings

Falconer preview 

WNY heavyweight and 2020 NYS champion Falconer/Cassadaga Valley will return to Syracuse for it’s fourth straight appearance at the Duals. The Golden Cougars are only one of six teams to do so in the four years of the event; only 42 teams state-wide have been to the Duals in the first three years of the tournament.

In each of the first three years of the Duals, Falconer improved by one round each time. Falconer’s first Section VI Division II Dual Meet title landed the team in the very first state dual meet championships in 2018 where Falconer went 1-1 in pool duals but missed advancing. In 2019, the Golden Cougars went 2-0 in the pool matches but fell to eventual small school runner-up CVA (Section III) in the semifinal. Finally, in 2020, head coach Drew Wilcox’s squad gutted out a 40-39 win in the championship match to unseat two-time defending champion Mt. Sinai (Section XI) for the first dual state title for both Falconer and Section VI. Also, Wilcox’s staff earned honors as the NWCA District 1 Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year for the 2019-2020 team’s achievements.

Falconer earned the lone Division II wildcard amongst all possible entries across NYS after a runner-up performance in the sectional dual meet tournament. The WNY #2 Golden Cougars captured the program’s 11th consecutive CCAA I title last week completing another unbeaten 6-0 season with an overall dual record of 15-3. Two out of three of Falconer’s losses this year are to other teams in the tournament: Newfane and 2-seeded Canisteo-Greenwood (V).

Wilcox returns a number of wrestlers with state duals experience including four Golden Cougars who wrestled in the state championship match in 2020. Junior Brodie Little has wrestled in all three of the previous state duals while classmate Austin Chase appeared in duals in the 2019 and 2020. Thirteen wrestlers from the 2020 team are on the roster still. Chase, Little, Karsen DePasquale, Mason Kilmer, Dalton Caldwell, and David Stein all appeared in pool duals in the 2020 tournament however Chase, Little, DePasquale, and Kilmer all appeared in the title match.

Filling out the lineup for Falconer are Dylan Newman, Evan Newman, Karsen Lundgren, Hunter Paulisick, Vinnie Bloomberg, Jacob Clark, Devyn Morrison, and Kyle Keefe.

Falconer went unseeded in the tournament bracket and will see the 4-seed Section X champion Gouverneur and the 5-seed Section I champion Edgemont in pool action. Upstate New York powerhouse Gouverneur will make its third ever appearance at the Duals led by 2020 NYS champion Carter Baer. Edgemont is a first time participant in the state championships.

Gouverneur Wildcats – Section X Division II champion

Hometown: Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County

Head coach: Joel Baer

2021-2022 dual meet record: 7-3

Wrestlers to watch: Carter Baer (12, 160), Drew Gates (10, 145), Trayton Tupper (12, 138), Vandavian Way (10, 152)

Past state duals experience: 2018 (0-2), 2020 (0-2)

Scores vs. Section VI teams: 2020 – loss to Iroquois, 58-24.

Edgemont Panthers – Section I Division II champion

Hometown: Scarsdale, Westchester County

Head coach: Pete Jacobson

2021-2022 dual meet record: 8-4

Wrestlers to watch: Sander Miller (12, 145), Wyatt Aslanian (10, 118), Dhilan Patel (12, 118), Aaron Freedland (12, 160)

Past state duals experience: none