ALBANY - In just about every postseason tournament of Trey Wardlaw's varsity wrestling career, the same competitor always seems to be standing in his way.

The East Ramapo senior has met Yonkers senior Justin Lopez in the Section 1 Championships for three consecutive seasons. As sophomores, Lopez beat Wardlaw to earn a fifth-place finish. As juniors, Wardlaw reversed the result in the section final to earn his first title. And two weeks ago at Clarkstown South High, Lopez flipped the script again to claim his own section championship.

As fate would have it, the ongoing rivalry would have one more chapter — this time on an even bigger stage at the New York state championship tournament at the Times Union Center on Friday.