Controversy adds sub-plot to C-G Redskins' 47-30 wrestling win over visiting Wildcats
By MARK RICCI, Tribune Sports
The Evening Tribune (Hornell, NY)
Friday, January 13, 2006

CANISTEO - A controversial call overshadowed Canisteo-Greenwood's impressive 47-30 Steuben County Athletic Association wrestling victory over Jasper-Troupsburg Thursday evening.

Despite the controversy surrounding the 135-pound bout, the host Redskins remained unbeaten in conference play (3-0).

J-T's Brandon Marlatt ended up beating C-G's Joe Rinaldi by injury default at 135. The referee determined Rinaldi used an illegal slam during the first period, resulting in an injury to Marlatt. C-G coach Mickey Woodworth was visibly upset with the call.

“Nobody called it a slam,” Woodworth explained. “The other coaches came in and talked the official into calling it a slam. There's no way the ref can do that. He's just throwing his butt around because he's a ref - that's what he's doing.”

J-T coach Mike Davis declined comment following the match.

A key point came in the 119-pound match when seventh-grader Brandon Mills of Canisteo-Greenwood wrestled senior Curtis Dennis of Jasper-Troupsburg. It would turn out to be the biggest upset of the night with Mills winning by pin with a little over a minute remaining in the final period.

“He's a seventh-grader and in his first year of varsity, but he's been doing real well,” Woodworth said. “Many times when a seventh-grader comes up they don't do well, but he's been excellent this year.

“Getting him out there and winning has really boosted our team,” Woodworth added. “Just one kid can do that to a team.”

Coach Woodworth credited a lineup change with determining the final outcome.

“We moved some kids around and got the squad out there that we thought we could handle,” Woodworth said. “It all worked out well. The key was the moving of the kids and they all wrestled excellent tonight. We have to start getting ready for sectionals right now.”

The night featured two more close matches; one at 171 and one at 215.

C-G's Alec Pratt beat Chris Hadley by a 5-2 decision in the 171-pound match. Pratt built a 3-0 lead going into the final period, but Hadley wouldn't go without a fight. Hadley pulled a reversal on Pratt in the closing minute making the score 3-2, but Pratt was able to pull his own reversal immediately, resulting in the final decision.

The 215-pound match featured much of the same as Zach Rouse defeated Travis Smith, 5-3. Rouse led at the end of two hard fought periods, 5-1, but Smith mustered up a comeback, picking up two more points before time ran out.

The other matches featured lopsided Canisteo-Greenwood wins or forfeits by both squads.

Craig Amidon opened the night at 152 with a win for the Redskins by technical fall over Josh Paraldo. Senior Kyle Amidon of C-G made short work of Cody O'Dell with a pin in 51 seconds at 160 and classmate Nick Clark followed Pratt's win with a pin on Garrett Hamilton in the 189-pound match.

Tyler Leach at 275 was the first Wildcat to win, but did so by forfeit. This would prove to be a trend, as the only other match not featuring a forfeit was the 140-pound match where C-G's Leon Woodworth pinned Justin Robinson in 29 seconds.

The forfeits included: 103 Dustin Updyke (J-T), 112 Chris Rauber (C-G), 125 Trent Ahearn (C-G), 130 Mark Guinup (J-T) and 145 Jess Stone (J-T).

Although Canisteo-Greenwood won by a considerable margin, Coach Woodworth saw room for improvement.

“We still have to keep working hard,” Woodworth noted. “We have to get a lot more takedowns. We're still slow on most of them. We'll keep working on the takedowns and get better for sectionals.”

Canisteo-Greenwood improved to 4-2 overall and will travel to Addison Tuesday for a highly anticipated match against the Knights. Both teams are undefeated in the conference, and Woodworth knows the match will be a tough one.

“That's going to be a league match, and that's a tough one,” Woodworth exclaimed. “Addison's got a good team and it will be a real good match down there.”

Jasper-Troupsburg is now 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the conference. The Wildcats will be off until Saturday, Jan. 21 when they compete in the State Farm Classic hosted by Hornell High School.