For seven consecutive years, the only guarantee about a head-to-head wrestling match between Skaneateles and Marcellus was that it would be close and competitive, as none of them was decided by more than 10 points.
So it was again last Wednesday night, when the host Lakers fought back to tie the Mustangs with one bout remaining, only to get tripped up at the end and take a 39-36 defeat, hurt in no small part by having to forfeit three bouts.
With every point important, the opening 160-pound bout had long-term ramifications. James Leubner stayed close, but lost, 3-2, to Sean Madden, which allowed Marcellus to weather three consecutive Skaneateles victories in the ensuing bouts.
Pat Greenfield got it going, at 170 pounds, needing just 78 seconds to pin Robbie Seeley. At 182 pounds, Ian Frackelton waited until late in the third period to pin Tom Kinsella, while Joey McIntyre took 5:06 to accumulate a 17-2 technical fall and beat Cory Garvey.
A lull in the action followed. Skaneateles had to forfeit at 220, 285 and 120 pounds, while Hannah Drake (99 pounds) and J.W. Simmons (113 pounds) accepted forfeits, allowing the Lakers to stay in touch though Chris Choay (106 pounds) lost to Noah Carbone.
They were close again at 126 pounds, but Christian Daley lost, 2-0, to Riley Donovan. This, allowed with Boaz Arold (132 pounds) getting pinned by Sam Rice, left it at 36-28, but again the Lakers rallied, Joey Brillo (138 pounds) getting a 16-1 technical fall over Jack Santariello and Matt Goetzmann (145 pounds) blanking Josh Widrick 3-0.
With one bout left, it was tied, 36-36, so any victory by either the Lakers’ Josh O’Hara or the Mustangs’ Nick Distefano in the 152-pound finale would do. It went all six minutes, but O’Hara lost, 8-3, to Distefano.
The Lakers are home again next Wednesday night to take on Jordan-Elbridge before the holiday break.
