With patience and lots of hard work, the Baldwinsville wrestling program is dead-set on restoring its place as one of Central New York’s elite programs.

And that work goes well beyond the varsity level. Former B’ville wrestler Dan Allen has brought in more than 80 kids to his Pee Wee program, showing that there’s still plenty of interest in the sport among local kids.

As a way to showcase that interest, B’ville is hosting, on Dec. 21, its inaugural Pee Wee Wrestling Invitational, a five-team event that also features Fulton, Cicero-North Syracuse, Homer and Morrisville-Eaton, and includes several local sponsorships, with Parsons-McKenna Construction the primary sponsor.

To open the 2018-19 season, B’ville’s varsity team went to Jordan-Elbridge, where it had three consecutive pins in the highest weight classes that lay the foundation for a 48-27 victory over the Eagles.

Mike Litizia got that going at 195 pounds when he pinned J-E’s Anthony Baron in 97 seconds. Luke Eberl, at 220 pounds, had a third-period fall over Jared Lawrence as Billy Loadwick (285 pounds) pinned Josh Roberts in 4:52, five fewer seconds than Eberl.

Cole Accordino (145 pounds) and Nate Hahn (152 pounds) also earned pins, Accordino taking just 71 seconds to finish off Richard Raus and Hahn pinning Cole Mullen in 2:37.

Aiden Cali won at 106 pounds when he pinned Joey Wells with four seconds left in their bout. Zack Richardson, at 120 pounds, pulled out a 4-3 decision over Christian Matthews as Janen Prince (126 pounds) beat Cameron Prior 10-5.

Three other bouts were close, too, as Max Naples, at 113 pounds, lost 10-8 to Nolan Jackson, Jared McMonagle (99 pounds) fell to Bryan Tanner 8-6 and Dom Sposato, at 182 pounds, had a 9-7 defeat to Landry LaFleur.

B’ville has a road meet this Wednesday at Phoenix, and then goes north to Dexter to take part in Saturday’s General Brown Duals.