SOURCE: www.fltimes.com

February 10, 2006

Area wrestlers take aim at titles
By ALAN BRIGNALL
Finger Lakes Times (Geneva, NY)

Full Text: Copyright 2006 Finger Lakes Times.
Reproduced by armdrag.com with permission.

For the area's best wrestlers, the postseason revolves around the state tournament. A Section V class championship is nice, but progressing to the final rung of New York's high school wrestling ladder is the ultimate.

Like their wrestling brethren, Midlakes High School seniors Morgan Hoven and Chris Teed are eyeing a trip to Long Island two weeks from now. First, though, each Finger Lakes league grappler will try achieve a first.

Hoven and Teed go after their first Section V class championships this weekend when the BBBB tournament is held Friday and Saturday at Attica High School.

Both wrestlers appear to be cinches to finish in the top four, the requirement needed to book a spot in next weekend's state qualifier at Fairport High School. They'd like to stitch a Section V patch onto their wrestling jackets before then.

'To win a sectional title is everyone's dream, remarked Midlakes coach Chris VanGorden, himself a two-time class champion in the early 1990s at Palmyra-Macedon. 'I'm sure they're hoping to do the same, but I know both guys are taking it one match a time right now.

This year marks the third that Section V is staging a six-classification tournament. The change was made in conjunction with the New York public-school association's move to a large- and small-school state tournament.

Here's a look at how area teams stack up this weekend:

Class A
At Canandaigua

Geneva, one of five Finger Lakes schools in the 13-team draw, doesn't have the numbers to contend for a team championship, but the Panthers boast top-flight grapplers in lightweight Joe Smaldone (96) and heavyweights Nick Fratto (152), James Lyons (160) and Josh Bloom (171).

Fratto earned a team-leading four tournament championships to go with one runner-up showing during the regular season. Like Lyons and Smaldone, he posted a 4-0 league record. Lyons, last year's 189-pound champion, is aiming for his third straight appearance in the finals. Bloom's path to a title is likely to be blocked by Wayne Central standout Josh Patterson, who bested Bloom in last year's 160-pound championship.

Patterson, undefeated and nationally ranked, seeks his fourth sectional patch. Of the 42 individual champions in Wayne history, only 1986 graduate Ron Gross won four sectional titles. Ryan Lamagra (189) is on a two-year championship streak.

Wayne is going after its fourth straight team crown.

Former champs Dan Mandara, Matt King and Rob Mack headline host Canandaigua's roster. Lightweight Cory Mahoney and heavyweight Ryan Macomber are contenders, also.

Last year, for the first time since 1998, Newark did not have a sectional champion. The other Finger Lakes school in the tourney, Victor, hasn't had a titlist since '99. Newark's Mike Frey (160) and Victor's Marcus Epling (130) may have the best chances to break through for their respective schools.

Class BBBB
At Attica

Hoven ''he and Patterson are the only Finger Lakes league wrestlers yet to lose this season ' fell 9-8 to Hornell's Aaron Parks in last year's 135-pound final. While Parks is likely to grapple at 140 this postseason, Hoven is likely to remain at 135.

Teed dropped a 7-5 decision to since-graduated Kyle Heitmann of Penn Yan in last year's 275-pound final.

They'll try to end a Midlakes title drought that dates to 2003.

Pal-Mac is the top area contender in the 13-team draw. The four-time champions go after their first crown since 1997, though defending champ Hornell, Attica and Haverling are strong as well.

Two-time champion Dan Rudy (160), Mike Ciaburri (171) and Sean Walton (112) are back to defend titles. Alex Ekstrom (119) is a two-time runner-up.

Like Rudy, Waterloo's Josh Mateo (152) and North Rose-Wolcott's Mike Tellier (125) aim for third consecutive championships. Mateo is trying to become the third Waterloo wrestler with at least three sectional patches.

Marcus Whitman has moved up a class. Jason Cota, last year's BBB runner-up at 160 pounds, may have to tussle with Rudy at some point if he is to win a title.

Class BBB
At Sodus

Finger Lakes Central co-champion Mynderse and Finger Lakes West champion Marion headline the five area schools competing in this 13-team draw. Red Creek, Williamson and the host Spartans are the other locals.

Marion, which moved up from Class BB, is aiming for its first team title, though powerful Holley stands in the way. Josh Mayville (119) has won consecutive sectional patches, while 112-pounder Matt Hasbrouck and 125-pounder Nick Hasbrouck own one each. Those three, along with one-time runner-up Nic Mayville, were 5-0 in West duals this year.

After two years of competing against bigger BBBB schools, Mynderse drops a classification. It should help the Blue Devils improve their team and individual performances.

Adam Sawall, expected to toil at 119 pounds, posted a 6-0 mark in Central duals. Matt Quinn was 5-1, his only setback coming when he wrestled at 215; Quinn competed at 189 most of the year. Quinn and 171-pounder Tim Bush are the only Blue Devils to capture tournament titles this year.

Class BB
At Caledonia-Mumford

South Seneca and Lyons are the only Finger Lakes schools in this 14-team bracket. Letchworth, Addison, Bolivar-Richburg and defending champion Warsaw figure to duke it out for team honors.

South Seneca enters the postseason on a roll. The Falcons nearly ended Marion's two-year run as Finger Lakes West champion, then followed with a strong showing at the Finger Lakes Invitational. Still, South Seneca has only one wrestler, Finger Lakes Invitational 130-pound champion Stephen Erickson, who has reached the finals before. That was in 2003, when Erickson was the 96-pound runner-up.

Last year marked the first time since 1996 the Falcons didn't have at least one individual champion.

Lyons has a bona fide contender in 103-pounder Owen Scott. Scott, undefeated in Finger Lakes West duals this season, won five titles and was second once in six regular-season tournaments.

Class B
At Alfred-Almond

Red Jacket is the lone Finger Lakes league representative in the 13-school field.

Zach Anderson is seeking his third straight appearance in the championship round. The 130-pounder, owner of a 5-0 record in Finger Lakes West duals this season and possessor of three tournament championships, was 96-pound titlist two years ago.

Teammate Paul Furdock, the 140-pound champion a year ago, is likely to wrestle 145. Furdock was 4-0 in West duals during the season in addition to winning one tournament and finishing runner-up in two others.