It could not have proven more difficult for the West Genesee wrestling team as, for its 2018-19 season opener, it had to face the reigning Section III Class AA champions from Jamesville-DeWitt/CBA.
There was a brief moment early where the Wildcats led – but that was just after three bouts. Eleven of the remaining 12 bouts went in J-D/CBA’s favor as WG took a 64-16 defeat.
They opened at 138 pounds, where Eugene Belov was pinned in the waning seconds by Braeden Barcza. Then Brady Ryan put the Wildcats on the board at 145 pounds, taking just 72 seconds to pin Enver Bulatov.
But after Colin McAvan (152 pounds) pulled away from Carlos Martinez 11-1, WG had to wait nine bouts before scoring again as J-D/CBA earned seven falls during that decisive streak.
Mike Sarakos, at 170 pounds, was close in a 6-4 defeat to Shoh Alibekov, with Jackson Taetsch quite competitive at 113 pounds during his 11-7 loss to David BeSeth.
Only at 120 pounds did the Wildcats earn any victory after the early stages, and it came from Nate Wade, who pinned Corey Bauer late in the first period.
As this went on, Jordan-Elbridge opened its season against another Class AA foe, Baldwinsville, and while the Eagles program’s growth was on display in the match, it still lost to the Bees 48-27.
Derek Quigley offered a big highlight for J-E when, at 132 pounds, he pinned B’ville’s Brendan Hoff in 20 seconds. Marion Quigley earned the Eagles’ other fall at 160 pounds, taking 94 seconds to pin Connor Kral.
At 99 pounds, Bryan Tanner claimed an exciting 8-6 decision over Jarred McMonagle, with Nolan Jackson going through a similar bout at 113, but beating Max Naples 10-8.
Yet another close bout at 182 pounds had J-E’s Landry LaFleur holding off Dom Sposato 9-7 as Cameron Newhook (170) claimed a forfeit. Christian Matthews, at 120, lost 4-3 to Zack Richardson.
Marcellus did not open its season until a weekend trip to Webster Schroeder, near Rochester, for the Matthew Marino Duals. J-E took part in Saturday’s Rebel Duals, hosted by APW/Pulaski, while West Genesee was at Cato-Meridian for the Blue Devil Duals
The Mustangs finished 11th out of 19 teams at the Marino meet, with Cahal Donovan victorious at 145 as he tore through the bracket and, in the finals, roared to a 13-4 victory over Greece’s Dillon Callaghan.
No other Marcellus wrestler got to the championship round, but Riley LaFrance did have a fourth-place finish at 152 as Riley Moses, at 120, edged Copenhagen’s Riley Dalrymple 5-4 for fifth place.
In the Blue Devil Duals at Cato-Meridian, West Genesee finished second with a 4-1 mark. The Wildcats routed Mynderse (83-6), Red Creek (60-27) and host Cato (65-21), and held off Central Square 48-39, but lost 49-33 to Penfield.
J-E took part in the Rebel Duals and went 4-1 there, only topped by Camden 68-15. But the Eagles did beat host APW/Pulaski along with wins over Moravia (60-29) and Oswego (58-21), along with a 44-42 thriller over Canton where Roberts got the clinching points in the final bout by pinning Cohl McIntosh late in the third period.
