For a long time, the Cazenovia wrestling team looked up the road and saw how much success its neighbors from Chittenango would accumulate without too much head-to-head action.
All of that changed, though, when the Bears moved into the Lakers’ realm in the OHSL Liberty division. And it changed further when Cazenovia prevailed 47-24 in the clash between the Madison County rivals Thursday night at Buckley Gym.
It only took 10 matches for the Lakers to accumulate its sixth consecutive win, for it won eight of those matches, whether with dispatch or with patience.
Dan Phillips, at 182 pounds, offered the first fast pin, taking just 40 seconds to finish off Nick Harrington after John Nannery (170 pounds) beat Correy Wilmer 9-2 in the opener.
In one of the best battles, Hayden Polhamus held off 195-pound opponent Justin Cox 10-7, while Brad Lucas (285 pounds) recorded a 35-second fall over Abram Miles after the Bears’ Casey Placito (220 pounds) pinned Logan Staiger in 38 seconds.
Starting at 99 pounds, Cazenovia won five in a row as Zack Maxwell beat Cooper Young 9-2 to start the decisive streak. Will Shephard (106 pounds) took 5:21 to earn a technical fall over Kanisteo Tarbell before Carter Biviano, at 113 pounds, blanked Connor Fredericks 8-0.
Needing all six minutes, Dylan Evans, at 120 pounds, beat Wyatt Blanding in a technical fall before a tense 126-pound match where Nick Petroff, with a single escape, did enough to beat Matt Bixby 1-0.
Three of the last five matches would go to Chittenango, including Will Young (132 pounds) and Jacob Willmer (138 pounds) getting pins over, respectively, Joe Zambito and Sam Langan, with Antonio Cutrie (160 pounds) adding a 55-second pin over Anthony Rinaldo.
But the Lakers still got two more wins, including a third pin that took less than a minute – Delvin White, at 145 pounds, getting his fall over Ron Kingsley in 35 seconds. Mike Nourse (152 pounds) followed with a 6-1 decision over Tyler Lewis.
As Chittenango rested during the holiday break, Cazenovia wrestled, going to Central Square’s Brett Dixon Memorial Duals on Dec. 28-29 and emerging with a 5-4 record, putting them in fifth place of a 10-team field.
The host Red Hawks tied with Vestal with top marks of 8-1 and beat the Lakers 45-28 in the opener, overcoming pins from Biviano, Phillips, Staiger and Lucas.
It was closer against Indian River, but Cazenovia lost again, 44-35, with Phillips getting the lone pin. Then Vestal beat the Lakers 49-27, and when Holland Patent prevailed 55-24, the Lakers were 0-4 and looking for some kind of rescue.
Somehow, Cazenovia got it, edging Fayetteville-Manlius 39-38 by earning seven straight wins in the middle of the meet, including Evans pinning Jack Kinsella at 120.
Two more close matches followed, as the Lakers slid past North Rose-Wolcott 45-36 with pins from Phillips, Staiger, Evans and Maxwell (99) and then got a 36-30 victory over Port Byron, not clinching it until Zambito beat Trevor O’Connor 5-2 in the last contested match.
Now with three wins in a row, the Lakers closed the Dixon meet by handling West Genesee 54-21 and shutting out Wayne 72-0. For his efforts, Zambito was named his team’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.
