WNY Wrestling Roundup: Week Three

Dual meet results and notes for the week of Monday, December 9th through Friday, December 13th.

Monday, December 9th

Springville 43 – Gow School 42 (tiebreaker)

The Ravens again entered a full lineup and accepted four forfeits, but the Griffins earned eight wins to Gow’s seven to ultimately prevail on the tiebreaker. Springville earned five of their eight wins by pin compared to three falls for Gow. With the win, the Griffins have already doubled their 2018-2019 win total and sit at 4-5 overall. Acknowledge both of these schools for remarkably improved numbers; this same match on January 14th, 2019 featured four head to head matches, six forfeits in favor of Springville, and four double forfeits in SGI’s 54-6 win.

Tuesday, December 10th

#1 Falconer 69 – Franklinville/Cuba-Rushford 15

The Golden Falcons won twelve of 15 bouts, six of which were pins, for their second CCAA I win of the season. Joey Pillittieri is having an excellent start to the season for Falconer and earned a nice win over fellow Class C/D place winner Nolan Palmatier in the dual. Falconer’s John Kozlowski (no postseason place finish) pushed returning sectional finalist Cleon Lawton but fell by decision, 6-2.

#6 Portville 72 – Frewsburg 18

The Panthers cruised picking up seven pins on their way to the team’s third league win and eighth straight to start the season. Portville hosts its annual Invitational this weekend.

#7 Chautauqua Lake 46 – Southwestern 36

The T-Birds held off a solid Trojans team at home by way of seven head to head wins, four pins, and two forfeits. Hunter Harris earned a critical win at 132-pounds with a 6-2 decision over SW’s Garrett Swan and Zachary Wolcott did the same with an important win at 170 with a 7-2 decision over the Trojans’ Dagon Bryant. ‘Lake earned eight wins in the nine weight classes between 99 and 152-pounds in teeth of the T-Bird lineup. SW’s Michael Carnes disrupted the CL run with a pin at 120-pounds. SW responded winning five of six weights between 160 and 285-pounds. Despite the losses sustained due to an incomplete lineup last weekend at Sweet Home, the Trojans remain a team to watch as they have challenged Fredonia and Chautauqua Lake in back to back CCAA I duals.

Wednesday, December 11th

#8 Niagara Falls 39 – #2 Niagara Wheatfield 30

The Wolverines won eight matches to the Falcons’ seven and earned four pins to three to upset their league and neighbor archrival. Falls won four of the dual’s first five bouts (three by pin) however, Wheatfield responded with five wins in the next six to take a late 27-25 lead with only four matches remaining. Wolverines won three of the last four matches capped off by a Leviticus Cox pin at 182-pounds to seal the win at home and take the Niagara Cup back for the first time since 2014-2015. Falls moves to 2-0 in NFL action and 6-3 overall.

#1 Lancaster 65 – #7 Williamsville North 15

The powerful Legends stormed to a big ECIC I win over the upstart Spartans squad. Unfortunately for North, they were with a limited roster as they were forced to concede five forfeits in the dual. The re-addition of Trevor Sheehan (8-2, 6 by bonus points) should give head coach Ron Lorenz some excellent flexibility right in the middle of the Lancaster lineup the rest of the season. North’s defending sectional champions Cam Catrabone and Mike Catanzaro were impressive in individual wins. In contested matches, Lancaster captured four pins and two major decisions to add to the team score. Lancaster is cruising at a perfect 10-0 to start the season.

#2 Fredonia 60 – Olean 25

The Hillbillies got revenge on the Huskies after suffering a two-point league loss a season ago. Forfeits have plagued Olean this season, but five conceded weights is better than the previous few matches. Fredonia’s five contested individual match wins were all won by pin in the first or second period of the bout. Olean captured four head to head victories with solid wins over quality opponents by Jeremiah Crivelli, Gavin Kulp, and Conner Walsh. With the win, Fredonia takes sole position on top of CCAA I for now with a 3-0 league and 8-0 overall mark.

#10 Grand Island 63 – Lewiston-Porter 21

The Vikings took advantage of a thin Lancers lineup to capture their second NFL win of the season. GI senior Jack Randle earned his 100th career win in the dual as well. In the four contested matches, L-P wrestlers won three, two by way of pin and one decision win courtesy of Ciaran Edwards.

Franklinville 63 – Cattaraugus-Little Valley 6

The Panthers earned a CCAA crossover win behind pins from Nolan Palmatier, Cleon Lawton, and Kyle Wittenrich. Brandon Hughes was the lone Timberwolves winner with a pin at 285-pounds.

Tonawanda 39 – Cheektowaga 36

In four contested matches, Tonawanda was victorious in three of them earning two pins in the process. It was the first league dual of the season for the defending ECIC III champions.

#4 Newfane 69 – Wilson 18

The Panthers continue to extend their six year league unbeaten streak, now at 32 straight.

#10 Albion 57 – Akron 27

Albion is 2-0 in the N-O and 6-2 overall.

Barker/Royalton-Hartland 40 – Medina 36

The Rams earned their first league win since the 2016-2017 season.

Thursday, December 12th

#5 Frontier 60 – Jamestown 17

Frontier earned their second ECIC I win at home and improved to 9-1 overall on the season. The Falcons won eleven of the fifteen weight classes with seven pins in thirteen contested matches. Frontier will be tested again this weekend at the very tough Cheektowaga Warrior Duals. Acknowledgement to Jamestown for continuing to wrestle tough in WNY’s deepest wrestling league.

Erie, PA HS 43 – Frewsburg 30

The Bears hosted the Royals of Erie in an interstate friendly. Frewsburg conceded three true forfeits in the dual in an example of the program’s ever-improving participation. The Bears split the head to head win total with the Royals at five apiece, earning three of those wins by pin. Frewsburg has a chance at a couple of CCAA wins next week as they take on Franklinville and Gowanda.

#7 Williamsville North 54 – Olean 34

The Spartans rebounded a night after falling to the Section’s #1 large school with a non-league win over the Huskies. Olean traveled north for the first of a home-and-home arrangement between the squads. The Huskies were down to three forfeits in this contest. The Spartans won six of the eleven contested bouts while Olean claimed five, all between 160 and 220-pounds. Other than conceding one forfeit at 113, Williamsville won every match from 99 to 152. This Olean team has been improving steadily since the beginning of the season. Given the longstanding tradition at Olean, the win for the young North squad should be counted as a nice mile-marker this program.

#9 Starpoint 50 – Amherst 21

The Spartans improved to 2-0 in ECIC II and 5-4 overall with their second win over league rival Amherst since last Saturday.

#10 Albion 41 – Alexander (V) 36

The Purple Eagles held off a sound Trojans team at home in a non-league dual for their 6th team win of the season. The dual featured only one forfeit concession by each team and thirteen contested matches, two less forfeits than in the Eagles 43-39 win from a season ago. Albion won seven head to head matches to the Trojans six, however the squads tied with four pins apiece. Amilicar Morales and Ellwood Hafner added bonus points in their wins for Albion with major decisions at 126 and 132-pounds, respectively. With the match on the line, the Albion upperweights took care of business with three straight pins between 195 and 285-pounds including the victory sealing pin at 285 by gridiron star Cody Wilson.

Friday, December 13th

#3 Clarence 60 – West Seneca 25