As it turned out, the Skaneateles wrestling team got the toughest possible opening assignment within the Onondaga High School League Liberty division.
Skaneateles had to face Cazenovia, the defending league champions, Tuesday night at Buckley Gym, and it was those other Lakers, with a full roster, that prevailed by a score of 51-29.
Four different times, Skaneateles was forced to forfeit matches, amounting to 24 free points for the hosts. Thus, the visiting Lakers earned more points in contested matches.
That included the 106-pound opener, where Joey Brillo prevailed because Will Shephard had to default due to injury. The 113-pound match, though, went all the way, and Max Collier nearly got a technical fall as he dominated Carter Biviano 15-2.
The trio of forfeits that followed put Cazenovia in front before Andrew Newton, at 138 pounds, did get a technical fall, 17-1, over Joe Zambito. In short order, Adam Notarpole (145 pounds) rolled past Sam Langan 12-1 and Francis Lombardi (152 pounds) rolled to a 13-5 decision over Mike Marshall.
Of the seven remaining matches, though, Cazenovia won six of them, including four pins and a forfeit. Only Cooper Ptiman (220 pounds) broke that spell, pinning Logan Staiger midway through the second period. Connor Gray (170 pounds) fought hard in a 6-2 defeat to John Nannery.
This followed the Lakers’ season-opening effort at the Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Duals on Dec. 1.
Skaneateles went 3-2 for a third-place finish, beating APW/Pulaski (53-28), Red Creek (55-24) and Marathon (54-25), but falling to Port Byron (59-23) and Mohawk (54-36). Russ Burkhardt, at 160 pounds, was the Lakers’ Most Outstanding Wrestler.
