Both individual and collective narratives were found for the Chittenango wrestling team in last Wednesday night’s 57-24 defeat to Canastota.

From a team standpoint, it wasn’t close, as the Raiders dominated the higher weight classes, winning all six matches from 160 pounds on up.

However, the night’s top individual battle went the Bears’ way, as Wes Blanding won a 145-pound showdown with Canastota’s Anthony Finocchiaro.

Going in, Finocchiaro had already enjoyed a good stretch. He had earned his 200th career victory when the Raiders swept to the top spot in the Dec. 3 Sandy Creek Duals, and Finocchiaro had also announced that he was going to wrestle at Brown University next fall.

Blanding absorbed all this and, on Wednesday, went out and kept Finocchiaro from ever getting comfortable on the mat. They were 0-0 until Blanding executed an escape and reversal at the end of the second period, accounting for three points. Another two points followed in the final period, and Blanding held on to beat Finocchiaro 5-3.

They started at 99 pounds, and the Bears got on the board one match later at 106 when Cody Carbery pinned Ryan Sanford in 1:22. Two matches later, Rob Tyson (120 pounds) got a dramatic win with an overtime takedown to beat Zach Hannan 5-3.

Just before Blanding hit the mat, Brad Phelps (138 pounds) took 1:35 to pin Rob Montefusco. Right after the Blanding battle with Finocchiaro, John Regan, at 152 pounds, executed a 65-second pin over Jacob Lightall.

From there, though, it was all Raiders. Anthony Micaroni’s narrow 6-4 decision over Alex Carter at 160 began a Canastota streak that included four pins and a forfeit to account for the lopsided margin.

Having absorbed its first loss of the season after a 5-0 sweep through its own dual meet Dec. 3, the Bears looked to bounce back at Saturday’s Herkimer Invitational.