Post-season action for the Cazenovia wrestling team began last Saturday when it went up north, to Hannibal, to take part in the Onondaga High School League Liberty/Patriot League tournament.
John Frega nearly won for the Lakers at 195 pounds, surrendering just a single escape in the final, but that proved enough to take a 1-0 defeat to Homer’s Sam Sorenson.
Meanwhile, at 99 pounds, Shaun Zampetti made it to the title bout, and had his own close call, battling Port Byron’s Henry Smith, but having to settle for a 3-2 defeat.
Elsewhere for the Lakers, who finished sixth in the 11-team field with 109 points, Casey Cunningham beat teammate Jake Tobin for third place at 170 pounds, with Kevin Valentine beating Homer’s Lane Quaile to finish third at 160 pounds.
Lucca Ferrara made it to fourth place at 120 pounds and Luke Rodriguez was fourth at 106 pounds, while Jerry Vielhauer was fifth at 126 pounds. Matt Knutsen was sixth at 113 pounds and Doug Buckley was sixth at 145 pounds.
Just before that, though, the Lakers first hosted the combined APW/Pulaski side last Tuesday night at Buckley Gym and emerged with a 54-33 victory over the Rebels.
In all, Cazenovia recorded five pins, four of them in less than a minute. It only took 16 seconds for Frega to pin Mike Kinney, while Valentine finished off Jaiden Harrington in 19 seconds.
Viehauer got his fall over Vinny Bresha in 38 seconds, and at 285 pounds Carter Polhamus earned his pin over Zach Zagyva in 54 seconds. Cunningham had to wait until the second period, but still pinned Earl Wallis in 2:53. Zampetti Rodriguez, Knutsen and Tobin claimed forfeits.
Chittenango competed Thursday night against Oneida and, claiming four of the six contested bouts, defeated the Indians 46-30.
Joe Mariani got the Bears going at 132 when he pinned Milo Van Dyke in 67 seconds. At 160, Devin Myers blanked Ray Wright 12-0 as John Spencer (220 pounds) pinned Mayson Earl in 4:44 and Blayde DeBleiux, at 99, pinned Nick Crafton in 35 seconds.
Otherwise, all of Chittenango’s points came from forfeits, starting early with Peyton Denney at 120 pounds and Mark Young at 126 pounds, continuing with Damian Fratello (138 pounds) and Andrew Bailey (113).
On Saturday, Chittenango went 2-3 in the Red Devil Duals at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, defeating Syracuse 42-27 and topping Oneida 54-12, but taking losses to host VVS, West Genesee and Canajoharie-Fort Plain.
Now the Bears, after a Wednesday trip to Homer, join the Lakers in getting set for Saturday’s Section III Class B tournament at Camden, where top finishers advance to the sectional Division II championships Feb. 9 at Onondaga Community College’s SRC Arena
