With one solid performance, the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill wrestling team took a gigantic step toward securing the Tri-Valley League regular-season championship.
Going up against New Hartford last Wednesday night in a first-place battle on its home mat, the Red Devils claimed six of the last seven matches, coming from behind to beat the Spartans by a score of 37-22.
To start the meet, Dan Walts, at 119 pounds, pinned Chris Broccoli with 12 seconds to go, and Jon Owens (125 pounds) rolled past Zack Champoux 14-6.
New Hartford responded by taking the next four matches, including a great match at 135 pounds where Tim Ross put up lots of points yet still loss to Mike Vedette 15-14.
For VVS, down 18-10, it began to turn at 152 pounds, where Steve Wandell claimed a forfeit. Lucas Wonderley then went to the mat at 160 pounds to beat Kurt Whittemore 5-1 and Pat Bennett (171 pounds) topped Mike Montana 10-6.
And after New Hartford’s Marc Giordano beat Nick Mieczkowski 15-3 at 189 pounds to put the Spartans back in front 22-21, the Red Devils won everything.
Ryan Wendt (215 pounds) gave VVS the lead for good, pinning Dylan Hoffman in 1:54, after which Dylan Kavanaugh (103 pounds) held off Brendon Delmonte 7-6 to clinch the meet. Steven Weaver (112 pound) earned his pin over Jack Mulvihill in 1:56.
