In a wild and exciting adventure, Vernon Verona Sherrill wrestler Dylan Kavanaugh prevailed in two of the four matches he competed in during last weekend’s state Division II (small school) championship meet at Albany’s Times Union Center.
Kavanaugh started out at 96 pounds on Friday afternoon and proved successful in the first round, holding off Lydonville’s Sam Recco in a 6-5 decision.
Later that day, Kavanaugh met Lansing’s Corey Dake in a riveting quarterfinal. The two wrestlers exchanged points until the very end of regulation, when a takedown allowed Dake to prevail 6-4, ending Kavanaugh’s dreams of a state title.
Forced into the consolation bracket, Kavanaugh did shut out Drew Longo (Ardsley) 11-0, but his tournament ended one win short of the awards podium with second-period pin against Brendan Goldup (Schuylerville), the eventual third-place finisher.
As for Oneida’s Matt Harp, a wild-card entry at 145 pounds in Division I, he fell out in Friday’s opening round, pinned in the third period by Beacon’s Ryan Tompkins.
Harp would win his first consolation match over Francisco Decristo (Springfield Gardens) 7-3, but fall to Fox Lane’s Luke Speno in a second-period fall.
