SOURCE: www.the-leader.com

February 27, 2004

By Shawn Vargo
The Leader
February 27, 2004

AMHERST — The NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships begin today at the University at Buffalo's Alumni Arena with three area wrestlers vying for top honors.

Addison's Michael Thompson will compete at 140 pounds in the Division II competition, while Hornell's Bill Drake (Division II) and Horseheads' Josh Johns (Division I) will wrestle at 215 pounds.

For the first time, the tournament has been split into divisions. Large schools with an average daily attendance of 600 and larger will compete in Division I, while schools with 599 or less students will wrestle in Division II.

Johns, a senior and four-year starter on the varsity squad, is making his first venture to the state tourney. After spending much of his high school career at 171 and 189 pounds, Horseheads wrestling coach Shane Lese thought a move up in class would make a difference this season.

"Josh has spent the last two years at 189, but we moved him up to 215 this year because we thought it was his best chance to make the state tournament," Lese said. "He weighs less than 200 pounds, so he'll be giving up a little weight at the tourney."

Johns will open against Section X winner Zach Zerniak of Franklin Academy, who finished fifth at 215 in last year's state tournament.

"The key for Josh is that he has to wrestle smart," Lese said. "He has to work on his feet and create angles. He can't put himself in a position where he thinks he has to muscle someone who weighs 20 pounds more than him."

Johns is the first wrestler Lese has taken to states since Rick Webster in 1999.

"Anytime you have an athlete make it to the state tournament - it's a proud moment," Lese said. "Josh has put so much time and effort into this sport - he deserves it."

After wrestling much of the season at 145 pounds, Thompson set his sights on Buffalo by dropping a weight class - a move that didn't hurt him, according to Addison head coach Frank Bielski.

"Mike is the strongest wrestler in the area at 140 or 145," Bielski said. "He's undefeated in the area at 145, but has only faced Rochester schools at 140."

At the state qualifier, Thompson earned two very close decisions in the semis and finals to earn a spot in Buffalo. Thompson edged Alfred-Almond's Greg Davis by a 3-2 margin before downing Waterloo's Josh Mateo 4-2 in the finals.

Bielski calls Thompson one of his better wrestlers - high praise considering his coach calls this year's Knights squad the hardest working group of wrestlers he's coached.

"He's a great kid," Bielski said. "Just a great kid."

Like Johns, Drake also spent much of his high school wrestling career competing in considerably lighter weight classes.

"Two years ago, he wrestled at about 135, 140 and two summers ago, he really grew, so last year he wrestled heavyweight for us and this year he's a solid heavyweight," Hornell head coach Matt Sheldon said. "He kind of has a lighter wrestler's mentality in a large body."

Drake will get a first-round bye and then take on the winner of the match pitting the champions of Section XI and Section III. Although Drake has not wrestled against anyone in the Division II, 215-pound bracket this season, Sheldon likes Drake's chances.

"We've gone to some really tough tournaments," Sheldon said. "We went to the Canandaigua tournament with wrestlers from all over the state there and Bill Drake won that one. He's really done well all season."

Wrestling preliminaries begin at 11 a.m. today. Quarterfinals are slated to begin at 2:30 p.m. today. Finals are scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Saturday.