Right before the holiday break, the Cazenovia wrestling team fashioned a victory against a long-established program with a history of producing champions.
The Lakers took on Canastota Dec. 21, and a combination of close-fought decisions and timely pins allowed Cazenovia to squeeze out a 39-38 victory over the Raiders.
Dominating in the upper weight classes, the Lakers won every bout from 160 to 220 pounds, including forfeits at 195 to John Frega and 220 to Max Fisher.
Sam DeLeon, wrestling at 160, shut out Ethan Sanderson 6-0, with Casey Cunningham (171 pounds) getting a pin over Joe Brown and Jake Tobin (182 pounds) pinning Kaleb Blowers with 25 seconds left in their bout.
Other than a forfeit to Luke Rodriguez at 106 pounds, the Lakers’ other victories came in close contests. At 99 pounds, Shaun Zampetti worked past Alden Mascereno 5-2, with Gerald Viehauer (132 pounds) getting a 4-1 win over Evan Austerman.
This made up for lopsided Canastota wins on its side, from a15-7 decision by Colbey Bixby (145 pounds) over Doug Buckley to Mike Leibl’s 58-second pin over Reilly Hanson at 285 pounds.
That same night, Chittenango took on APW/Pulaski and broke through with first OHSL Liberty division win this winter, prevailing by a 39-30 margin.
Things were still in doubt when, at 220, the Bears’ John Spencer pinned Mike Kinney in 34 seconds. Ethan Ferguson (285 pounds) followed with a 96-second fall over Zach Zagyva.
That clinched it, since Chittenango was getting forfeits at 99 for Blayde DeBlieux and 113 pounds for Oliver Denney at the end of the match.
Peyton Denney had opened at 120 pounds with a 7-2 victory over Alex Cutrie as Mark Young (126 pounds) pinned Mason Guindon in 1:40. Devin Myers (160 pounds) claimed a forfeit.
