Now the Baldwinsville wrestling team can turn most of its attention to the Section III Class AA championships that take place this Saturday at West Genesee.
Before that, though, the Bees went to last Saturday’s Akley Duals at Oswego High School, where by a few points it missed claiming the top spot.
In the first match of the day, B’ville faced Whitesboro and took a 42-39 defeat to the Warriors, unable to win any bout from 120 to 152 pounds. In a close, pivotal battle at 145 pounds, Nate Hahn lost, 7-3, to Connor Rowlands.
But the Bees did win three times on the mat as Max Naples, at 113 pounds, topped James Scarchilli 8-3 after Mason Clark (106 pounds) pinned Ethan Kahl midway through the second period.
Luke Eberl, at 195 pounds, needed 88 seconds to pin Jaron Noga as forfeits went to Aiden Cali (99 pounds), Dom Sposato (182 pounds), Mike Letizia (220 pounds) and Naseim Perez (285 pounds).
B’ville bounced back by beating host Oswego 49-26, with Brendan Hoff, later named his team’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, pinning his 120-pound opponent, Darwin Warner, late in the second period.
Hahn handled Jacob Garcia 11-0 as Letizia wrestled, too, and beat Alfonso Alonso 6-2. Perez pinned Brayden Hardter in 1:47 as Naples, Sposato, Eberl, Cali and Jarred McMonagle (106 pounds) claimed forfeits.
Another close contest followed beween B’ville and East Syracuse Minoa, but the Bees held off the Spartans 40-39 as Will DuBois, taking his turn at 285, clinched the win when he pinned Conor Todd in 89 seconds.
Hoff held off Kaylee Defalco 4-3 before Liam Fitzgerald (126 pounds) pinned Ryan Lillo in 3:04. Hahn had a third-period fall over Casey O’Donnell as Eberl pinned Matt Lewis in 79 seconds.
A close bout at 195 had Sposato holding off Andrew Crone 11-7, with forfeits earned by Cali and Clark. Connor Kral, at 152 pounds, fell 4-0 to Nick Modlewski.
The day ended with B’ville handling Auburn 43-27, and while there were forfeits to Hahn, Eberl, Clark and Naples, B’ville still had to win four straight on the mat in the late going to overcome a 27-15 Maroons lead.
Letizia got the surge going when he beat Tom Pilbeam 14-5. Perez pinned Aiden Tardif late in the first period, while Cali held off Christian Hogan 5-2 and, in the finale at 120, Hoff won a 9-8 classic over Anthony Dawley.
Two other bouts were decided by two points, with Kral able to get an overtime takedown to beat Alex Ansteth 7-5 and Sposato falling 9-7 to Keyshin Cooper.
