3 wrestlers earn 2nd trip to state finals in Syracuse

Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Sunday, February 23, 1992

Full Text: Copyright © 1992 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Company Inc.
 

The way the contenders were scrambling in the afternoon, you could tell last night's finals of the Section 5 Class A wrestling championships were going to be exciting.

What was certain was the four teams ― Spencerport, Greece Athena, Fairport and Canandaigua ― would be among the top four at Rush-Henrietta High School.

After that, go figure:

• Athena, ranked fourth in the most recent D&C large poll, placed five in the finals and none came away with a title.

• Spencerport, the top-ranked large schools team, sent four wrestlers to the finals and mustered two champions.

• Fairport, ranked third, placed four in the finals, and all won. But the Red Raiders didn't win the title because they only put two wrestlers in the consolation final, with one placing third.

• And Canandaigua, ranked fourth and the surprise team of the tournament, emerged with two champions, four third-place finishers and a fourth.

Despite the wide-open scramble, Spencerport's Rangers prevailed again, winning their fourth consecutive team title with 181.5 points.

Canandaigua, fourth through the semifinals and consolation semifinals, jumped past Fairport and Greece Athena with 146 points. Athena and Fairport tied for third with 143.5.

Spencerport's depth in the consolation bracket proved to be a key to the team title. The Rangers put six wrestlers into the consolation final matches, and Tom Heaton (91 pounds) was the lone wrestler to come away with a third place finish.

The title, along with last week's dual-meet victory over Athena in the Monroe County Dual Championships, were the results of grueling two-week double sessions in which Coach Bill Jacoutot called one of the hardest in his coaching career.

"I've never been as hard on a team in my 11 years as a coach," said Jacoutot. "We've had good teams, but this is the best comeback team that I've ever coached.

"Our motto this season was 'We don't wish for more than you're willing to work for.' Today, they proved that."

No one proved that more than 105-pounder Joe Barbera, who pulled the biggest upset of the tournament by defeating previously unbeaten Dan Nier of Greece Athena.

Nier, the top-ranked wrestler in the state at 105, had jumped out to a 7-2 lead through the first period. In the second period, Barbera used a reversal to close the gap to three points.

An escape by Nier gave him a 8-4 lead, but Barbera scored the takedown and a two-point near fall with less than :40 remaining to send the match into sudden-death overtime, where he hit the winning takedown.

Sirrell Gissendanner won his second straight sectional title, pinning Brockport's Eric Strafel at 2:57 of the second period in the 167-pound class.

The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify for next weekend's SuperSectional state qualifier, scheduled at Webster Junior High School.