Cover photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Dual meet and tournament results and notes for the week of Monday, Dec. 11th – Saturday, Dec. 16th, 2023.
Monday, Dec. 11th
Cheektowaga 33 – Tonawanda 27
Two schools that carry names derived of the Seneca tradition and share the ‘Warriors’ mascot met on Monday for an ECIC crossover dual. Through two weeks of action, both squads have already shown improvement with stronger participation than recent years. In this match, Tonawanda fielded a wrestler at all but two weights whereas Cheektowaga sent a wrestler out at ten weights. Cheektowaga won six of nine head to head bouts with only two pins and collected one forfeit while Tonawanda claimed two pins and two forfeits.
Tuesday, Dec. 12th
#1 Chautauqua Lake 69 – Fredonia 18
Fredonia put out a wrestler at all but one weight in this dual but the powerful Eagles lineup was just too much to handle as Chautauqua Lake won eight head to head matches, all by pin, and earned one forfeit to improve to 3-0 overall. Fredonia’s Issiah Ruiz won a quality 3-2 decision over another returning sectional place winner in the dual.
#5 Amherst 58 – Williamsville South 18
The Tigers improved to 2-0 in the league with a road ECIC II win over their Main Street rival. Amherst won ten weights in the dual collecting three forfeits and five pins while fielding a full lineup to improve to 8-1 overall. Seniors Joe Magnano, Zak Saeed, and Killian Simonson are all unbeaten in duals leading a team heavy with upperclassmen that certainly has potential to capture a league title and perhaps even improve on the teams’ 4th place finish at the Section VI Duals from a season ago.
Canisius 33 – St. Mary’s 30
#4 St. Joe’s 69 – Gow School 0
Dunkirk 28 – Erie (PA) 27
Wednesday, Dec. 13th
Clarence 46 – #10 Orchard Park 28
After a slow start to this season the Red Devils rebounded with a 4-1 performance at their dual meet tournament on Sat. 12/9 before an impressive showing Wednesday night in Orchard Park. The teams each traded two forfeits while the nine contested matches ended in pins or major decisions. Clarence won six of those contested matches, five by pin, to secure the victory. The dual started at 160-pounds which set the Red Devils up with a powerful cleanup crew if needed on the back end. With three weights to go and a 28-28 team score, Trevor Mueller, AJ Didas, and Joey Keller earned three straight pins to lock up Clarence’s first ECIC I win of the season, on the road and over a ranked squad, which should help the team’s resume for Section VI Dual Meet considerations. The Quakers and Red Devils also combined for sixteen exhibitions which included a number of all female head to head bouts.
Road teams ruled on Wednesday night in WNY high school wrestling; out of eighteen matches, ten road teams were victorious across the area.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Lafayette/Buffalo Public Schools 38 – East Aurora 30
The new BPS team formed just this season got their first team win as an organized squad in the history of the Buffalo Public School District. The Violets and Blue Devils combined for twelve contested bouts with only a single double forfeit at 101-pounds while adding six exhibitions. BPS won seven matches with six pins while EA won five matches all by pin. Senior Kahmari Cook is 6-1 with six pins on the season for Lafayette covering 215 and 285-pounds.
#4 Newfane 36 – Medina 31
The Mustangs jumped out to an 18-0 lead on the road for each teams’ Niagara-Orleans opener. Medina got two decisions and two pins courtesy of Conor Crandall and Sawyer Kingsbury in the first four bouts starting at 170. The Panthers tied things up accepting three forfeits from 101-116, but Luke Duffina (124) and Liam Castricone (131) put the Mustangs back on top, 25-18 with a decision and major decision, respectively. However, one more Medina forfeit and pins by Aidan Gillings and Ayden Buttery gave the defending league champions an insurmountable 36-25 lead with only one bout remaining in the dual.
#5 Pioneer 61 – Cheektowaga 9
The Panthers made a strong statement in their ECIC II season opener on the road entering a full lineup and winning eleven weights with seven pins. Give credit to Coach Haberl and the Warriors for improved numbers so far this season; Cheektowaga fielded ten wrestlers in Monday’s dual vs. Tonawanda and then eleven against Pioneer on Wednesday.
#6 North Tonawanda 48 – Kenmore 27
NO FORFEITS! The Lumberjacks improved to 2-0 in the NFL and 8-2 overall in their home opener on Wednesday in a forfeit-less, near complete pin fest against the visiting DevilDogs. NT won eight matches, all by pin, and jumped out to a 36-6 lead after seven weights. Kenmore won five bouts with four pins and the night’s only six minute decision in the very last match. Next up for the ‘Jacks is a crucial NFL road test at #8 Grand Island; NT beat GI 39-28 on Dec. 2nd at Sweet Home.
#7 Iroquois 51 – Lackawanna 21
The Chiefs improved to 2-0 in ECIC III with a road win over the Steelers. Iroquois earned forfeits at the three heaviest weights but conceded 101 to Lackawanna. All nine contested bouts were between 108 and 170-pounds where Iroquois won six of them, five by pin. The WNY #7 small school hosts Eden next Wednesday.
#8 Portville 39 – Olean/Allegany-Limestone 31
The Panthers held off the Huskies on the road for their fifth win of the season in a CCAA crossover dual. Portville entered a wrestler in all but one weight in the match. The Panthers host Southwestern for a ranked CCAA crossover contest next Wednesday.
#9 Randolph 55 – Franklinville 12
The defending league champions improve to 1-0 in CCAA II winning ten of thirteen weights against the Panthers on the road.
Tonawanda 39 – Eden 34
The Warriors improved to 2-0 in ECIC III entering a wrestler at all but one weight against the Raiders on the road. Tonawanda won seven weights and four head to head bouts compared to six wins and four pins for Eden. Tonawanda visits #6 large school North Tonawanda next Friday for the annual T-NT rivalry match.
Lancaster 42 – West Seneca 24
The Legends get the home win in their ECIC I opener fielding a full lineup winning eight weights and collecting four pins. With a 30-24 lead Ricky Andres and Chris Gill put the match out of reach for Lancaster in the final two weights. The Legends visit Frontier next Wednesday for a very interesting ECIC I showdown. Give credit to Coach Recor and the West Seneca team for improved numbers so far; they fielded a wrestler in eleven of thirteen weights against Lancaster.
Starpoint 36 – Sweet Home 28
The Spartans escaped Amherst with an ECIC II win over the Panthers even after receiving three forfeits (but giving one back). Sweet Home won five straight weights from 138-170 but Starpoint pinned in all four head to head wins to secure the victory. The Panthers also honored 1986 graduate Tim Shifflet and program alumnus & current girls’ varsity head coach Bailey Crouse as the newest members to the team’s wrestling hall of fame.
Hamburg 65 – Lake Shore 6
The Bulldogs are 2-0 in ECIC II and host Williamsville South for their last league dual before the new year next Wednesday.
#1 Niagara Wheatfield 66 – Lockport 3
The Falcons are 2-0 in NFL and 6-1 overall.
#8 Grand Island 54 – CSAT 18
The Vikings host #6 North Tonawanda for a crucial NFL showdown next Wednesday.
#9 Niagara Falls 61 – Lewiston-Porter 10
Falls improves to 2-0 in the league and 8-2 overall.
Frewsburg 36 – Salamanca 27
Akron 48 – Albion 12
#6 Wilson 1 – Barker/Royalton-Hartland 0
Thursday, Dec. 14th
Gowanda 39 – #10 Maple Grove 34
A Panthers team that has shown signs of being a scrappy squad so far this season takes down a ranked Red Dragons team on the road in both team’s CCAA II season opener. Gowanda accepted two forfeits but gave one back to Maple Grove in the dual. Each team won five head to head matches and collected four pins while the Dragons got the nights’ only non-pin bonus point with a major decision at 108. With only six weights to go in the dual, Maple Grove held a 22-15 lead, however, four pins from 152-190 for Gowanda sealed the win with two bouts remaining in the match. Along with a host of other Panthers off to good starts, Michael Horth has been solid again for Gowanda currently holding a 9-1 season record.
#2 Williamsville North/East 71 – Williamsville South 6
North/East is 3-0 with a home ECIC I showdown coming up next week with #10 Orchard Park.
Lyndonville (V) 48 – Albion 21
Lockport Girls’ Quad Meet
Lockport hosted a quad meet on Thursday with NFL rivals Kenmore and Niagara Wheatfield and Section V small school Alexander. Each team wrestled their very first independent girls’ team duals with Lockport going a perfect 3-0 in those matches; Lockport 60 – Kenmore 6, Lockport 51 – Alexander 24, Lockport 39 – Niagara Wheatfield 36.
Lockport was led by undefeated wrestlers Gabriella Gelnett, Jamiela-Khai Johnson, Neveah Erickson, Bella Andes, Alexandra Thurston, Ava Bragg, and Khamya J’Maxwell.
Niagara Wheatfield went 2-1 in duals with wins over Alexander, 54-16, and Kenmore, 53-15. Emma Greene, Nevaeh Senik, Emma Beckles, Emma Ponzi, and Lily Pieczonka all went unbeaten for the Falcons.
Alexander posted a 1-2 record with a 42-24 dual win over Kenmore. Anabelle Wessel went 3-0 for the Trojans and improved to 8-0 overall on the season. Kenmore finished 0-3 on the night but had an unbeaten wrestler in Aislyn O’Malley.
Friday, Dec. 15th – Saturday, Dec. 16th
4th Annual Linda Knuutila Memorial Wrestling Tournament @ Niagara County CC
St. Francis captured the team title at NCCC on Saturday night scoring 123 of their 207 team points just on day two alone led by champions Gage LaPlante (170), Griffin LaPlante (152), and Cullen Edwards (108) and five more top-7 place winners. Gage was named the tournament MOW in a dominant performance with three pins and a finals decision, 3-2, over small school favorite and fellow defending Eastern States champion Braidon Woodward from Palmyra-Macedon (V). LaPlante’s crucial finals victory and 35 team points helped to secure the team title for the Raiders as they out paced Pal-Mac 207 to 200.5 team points.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Please follow the below link for a full breakdown of the tournament:
Saturday, Dec. 16th
3rd Annual Linda Knuutila Memorial Girls' Wrestling Tournament @ Niagara County CC
Niagara Wheatfield captured the team title in the girls’ tournament led by lone champion Nevaeh Senik at 138-pounds along with five more top-4 place winners. Wheatfield entered twenty wrestlers in the event and outpaced 2nd place Chautauqua Lake with nineteen entries, 181 to 171 for the team title. The Eagles were led by champion Noli Paddock at 126-pounds and four more top-4 place winners. West Seneca West senior Christina Evans captured her third straight tournament title and second consecutive Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
Tournament results
94-pounds: Alexander (V) freshman Anabelle Wessel earned two pins to capture her second straight Knuutila Tournament 94-pound title. St. Mary’s senior Louisa Martin was runner up while Wheatfield 7th grader Sumaya Syed was 3rd in the bracket.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
100: Returning runner-up in Fredonia senior Meyah Aponte earned a decision and a first period finals pin over NW’s impressive freshman Lily Pieczonka to win the Knuutila Tournament title on Saturday. Alexander’s Alyssa Adair finished 3rd and Dunkirk’s Sheila Vega was 4th.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
107: North Tonawanda senior Brenna McCarley claimed her second straight 107-pound Knuutila title earning three straight pins including a first period fall in the championship bout in a rematch of last year’s final against Fredonia’s star sophomore Leah Waite. Waite dominated the lower side of the bracket earning three pins on the way to the title match. St. Mary’s senior Ashley Burns won four straight matches after falling in the first round to claim 3rd place while Clarence’s Ella Vertino Flynn finished 4th.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
114: NT’s Hannah McCarley got redemption in this year’s Knuutila final capping off a dominant performance on Saturday with three pins in less than a minute including the title match over last year’s 100-pound champion. Impressive Alexander 8th grader Kennedy Lear finished as the runner-up to the experienced Lumberjack senior, picking up three pins on the day to reach the final. Wheatfield’s Emma Green fell only to Lear on the day and wrestled back to a 3rd place finish, defeating Sweet Home 7th grader Kaitlyn Mieczkowski in the bronze match.
120: Fredonia 7th grade rising star McKella Hodkin earned three consecutive pins all over 10th-12th graders to reach the 120-pound Knuutila final. Sweet Home’s Georgia Zorich earned a pin and major decision to meet Hodkin in the title match where Hodkin was an 8-5 winner by decision for the title. NW freshman Jazelle Allen fell only to Zorich on the way to a 3rd place finish. Allen went 4-1 on the day winning three matches by decision including an OT tiebreaker 1-0 victory over Chautauqua Lake’s Madison Szymanowski in the consolation final.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
126: Outstanding Chautauqua Lake 8th grader Noli Paddock continued her strong start to the season earning four pins on Saturday including the title match to win the 126-pound bracket. Owego’s (IV) RaeAnn Craft was runner-up in the bracket, going 4-1 on the day with four championship round pins. Orchard Park junior Marissa Tara fell in the first round to Craft, but rampaged through the wrestlebacks thereafter to claim 3rd place. NW 8th grader Emma Ponzi fell in the semifinal, but posted a 4-2 record on Saturday to land 4th place at 126.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky
132: Newfane’s young star Alexa Doxey cruised to the Knuutila title with four straight pins in the 132-pound bracket to win at NCCC for the second consecutive season. Experienced juniors Alexiya Thuman from Lake Shore and Mia Smith from Chautauqua Lake met in the semifinal bout with Thuman advancing to the final with a pin. Smith finished 4-1 on the day with four pins to finish 3rd in the bracket while Wilson’s Isabel Nugent finished 4th overall.
138: Team champion Niagara Wheatfield’s lone individual champion in freshman Navaeh Senik earned four straight wins at 138 to claim the tournament title. Senik met impressive Frontier junior Avery White in the final for a rematch of last year’s final and overcame a late deficit to secure a 3rd period pin for the Knuutila title. White went 3-1 overall with three pins to reach the final. Orchard Park’s Sophia Saffrin fell in the quarterfinal round, but won four consolation matches in a row, all by pin, to finish 3rd at 138. Chautauqua Lake’s Alex Siliano finished in 4th place for the Eagles.
Photo shared by Niagara Wheatfield Wrestling Facebook page
145: Tournament MOW and now three time Knuutila champion Christina Evans from West Seneca West dominated the field on Saturday to win her third and final title at NCCC. Evans was a winner by pin in the semifinal and a late third period pinner in the title match to capture 1st place as well as tournament MOW honors again. Chautauqua Lake’s Sophia Gervasio earned two pins and a close 4-1 decision in the championship rounds but ultimately fell to Evans in the title match. Alexander’s Eva Heinman finished in 3rd place at 145 while Dunkirk’s Eva Colon-DeJesus won four wrestle back matches in a row, but fell in the bronze match to earn 4th place.
152: Lockport sophomore Bella Andes earned three pins on Saturday including the title match to win the 152-pound Knuutila girls’ tournament title. Chautauqua Lake 8th grader Lillian Hyde secured a first period pin in the semifinal to advance to the title match, ultimately settling for 2nd place. Dunkirk’s Jianna Cave, who was upset by Hyde previously, won four consecutive matches to end the day, all by pin, to take 3rd place. CSAT’s Tabarek Aldulaimi finished 4th overall in the weight class.
165: Iroquois standout sophomore Michaela Thomas captured her second career Knuutila title on Saturday defeating a group of quality opponents. Thomas earned a late pin over Lockport’s Ava Bragg in the semifinal in the only meeting of the tournament between two returning NYSPHSAA Girls’ Invitational place winners to advance to the final. In the title match, Thomas met Clarence’s rising star Ryann Berner, who earned three straight pins to reach the final. Michaela was a 1st period winner by pin to claim the title again; she was a champion in 2021 in the first edition of the girls’ tournament at NCCC but had to settle for a runner-up finish in 2022. Bragg wrestled back to 3rd place in the bracket on Saturday while Bryleigh Wicks from Fredonia landed in 4th place.
185: Sweet Home senior Yaletsy Tamayo earned two pins to reach the title match to take on Lockport’s returning state girls’ invitational place winner Khamaya J’Maxwell. In the championship bout, Tamayo earned a first period pin over the Lions’ star to claim the 185-pound title while leading the Panthers to a 5th place finish in team scoring. Fellow Panther Angel Gonzalez earned two wrestle back pins to claim 3rd place while Wilson’s Rayn Cooper finished 4th in the bracket.
235: Lockport’s Jyla Johnson was the lone Knuutila champion to help pace the Lions to a 3rd place team finish. Johnson defated Kenmore’s Aislyn O’Malley by decision, 12-5, before earning first period pins in the semifinal and final to capture 1st place. The Lions’ Kyleen Mendetta was runner-up, falling only to Johnson on the day. Dunkirk’s Jaslieen Morales-Salgado finished in 3rd place, getting revenge for an opening round loss to Clarence’s Alessia Dellapenta in the bronze match with an early third period pin.
3rd Annual Linda Knuutila Memorial Girls' Wrestling Tournament top-15 team scores (out of 34 teams):
1. Niagara Wheatfield 181
2. Chautauqua Lake 171
3. Lockport 157
4. Fredonia 131
5. Sweet Home 108
6. Alexander (V) 88
7. Dunkirk 82
8. North Tonawanda 67
9. Clarence 66
10. Orchard Park 64
11. Frontier 41
12. Kenmore 38.5
13. Iroquois 27
14. CSAT 30
14. Newfane 30
16. Wilson 29
48th Annual Portville Invitational Wrestling Tournament
Five individual champions and three runners-up led by tournament MOW Ethan Coleman helped the host Panthers cruise to their own tournament title by nearly one hundred points, earning 252 points to the runner-up team Frewsburg’s 168.5.
Coleman (season record 16-1) dominated the 145-pound field earning three pins in less than a minute to capture the Portville Invitational title. The 2022 NYS tournament place winner was one of four Panthers in a row from 131-152 to capture tournament titles on Saturday.
Portville juniors Mekhi Muhyee and Maxx DeYoe each captured Invitational titles at 131 and 138-pounds, respectively. Senior Samuel Zeigler gutted out three straight six minute match victories to win the 152-pound Portville title while teammate Hayden Emley extended his unbeaten start to the season winning the 215-pound title.
Frewsburg was paced to a 2nd place team finish by a pair of champions, both of whom won within the three lightest weight classes. Sophomore Mason Raymond pinned his way to the 101-pound title while freshman Logan Fuller earned a pin and then a semifinal major to reach the 116-pound title match, winning by pin in the second period for 1st place.
Gowanda was the next highest placing WNY team with 132 points for a 4th place finish. Unbeaten junior Brody Mescall was the lone champion for the Panthers who also had three runners-up. Mescall earned three first period pins to win the 190-pound Portville Invitational title.
Salamanca and Franklinville each claimed one champion to round out the WNY Portville Invitational champions. The Warriors’ Keegan Hardy and Ian Breazeale each pinned their way to the 285-pound title match where Hardy was a 2-0 winner in an all-Salamanca championship. Franklinville senior Evan Leonard dominated the field at 170-pounds earning three first period pins for the Portville title.
Rambler Duals @ Cathedral Prep HS, Erie, PA
St. Joe’s made its way back to Erie for the annual Rambler Duals against an all Pennsylvania and Ohio field. The Marauders went 1-4 on the day posting competitive scores but falling to Cathedral Prep (43-24), South Fayette, PA (42-27), St. Edward, OH (45-24), and Perry, OH (42-27) and defeating Ashtabula Edgewood, OH, 42-26.
While they the Marauders didn’t have any unbeaten wrestlers on the day, seniors Austin Zimmerman, Nik Massaro, and Nathaniel Lopez all posted 4-1 records against the stiff competition. Also, Zimmerman became the 13th wrestler in the history of the St. Joe’s program to win 100 career varsity matches.
Photo courtesy of St. Joe's Wrestling @SJCIWrestling on X
3rd WNY wrestling dual team ranking – following results from Mon. 12/11 – Sat. 12/16
Division I
1. Niagara Wheatfield Falcons
2. Williamsville North/East Spartans
3. St. Francis Red Raiders
4. St. Joe’s Marauders
5. Amherst Tigers
6. North Tonawanda Lumberjacks
7. Jamestown Red Raiders
8. Grand Island Vikings
9. Niagara Falls Wolverines
10. Frontier Falcons
Division II
1. Chautauqua Lake Eagles
2. Southwestern Trojans
3. Falconer/Cassadaga Valley Golden Cougars
4. Newfane Panthers
5. Pioneer Panthers
6. Iroquois Chiefs
7. Portville Panthers
8. Randolph Cardinals
9. Wilson Lakemen
10. Medina Mustangs