As far as opening matches go for area high school wrestling, few could prove as enticing as Marcellus taking on West Genesee last Wednesday night.
Even as the defending Section III Class AA champions, the Wildcats would find itself dominated by the Mustangs in the lighter weight classes, which proved the difference as Marcellus prevailed 51-29.
The decisive run began at 99 pounds with the Mustangs’ Colin Scherer pinning Jack Wade late in the first period before Eric Radionov took a forfeit at 106 pounds.
Carl Santiarello won at 113 pounds when he pinned Jadin Lyle in 3:14 and Ethan Ciota, at 120 pounds, got his pin over Dylan Healy 13 seconds into the second period.
Another Marcellus string started at 145 pounds thanks to Tim Okhman’s third-period pin over Jacob Gonzalez, followed by Dylan Price (152 pounds) pinning Cole Saxon in the second period and Trevor Widrick’s 55-second pin over 160-pound opponent Anthony Bottari.
In the closest bout of the night, Zach Grolling (195 pounds) got three points for the Mustangs by edging Peter Dwinell 5-4, while Wilvon McKee, at 285 pounds, pinned Derek Dishaw in 16 seconds.
WG only earned two pins, from Jackson Taetsch at 132 pounds in a fall over Jacob Kermes in 2:41 and from Joe Comny at 182 pounds, who finished off Paul Okham in 2:30.
Gavin O’Neil claimed a forfeit at 126 pounds as Nate Wade, at 138 pounds, pulled away from Ryan Moses 17-5 and Colin McAvan (170 pounds) handled Adam Stasik 12-3.
It was an impressive start for Marcellus after seeing a solid senior class depart, including Cahal Donovan , who twice finished third in the state Division II tournament at 132 pounds (in 2018) and 145 pounds (in 2019).
Now the Mustangs ventured to Saturday’s Andersen Tournament at Cicero-North Syracuse, where it would have the best finish of any Section III team, getting third place with 107.5 points behind Peru (162) and Windsor (137).
Scherer won at 99 when he shut out Port Byron’s Henry Smith 8-0 in the finals, and Santiarello went to 106 where, in the semifinals, he topped Aiden Cali (Baldwinsville) 12-6 and then claimed the title bout 8-3 over Peru’s Austin Seymour.
Price got all the way to the finals at 145 before Peru’s Alijah Seymour (who was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Wrestler) pinned him. Grolling was third at 195, claiming the consolation bracket final when Homer’s Tavyn Malchak had to default due to injury.
As this went on, WG went to Cato-Meridian’s Duals where it went 3-2, defeating Hannibal 42-41, Red Creek 69-12 and Mynderse 75-6, but falling to Fulton 70-16 and losing 48-33 to Central Square.
Jordan-Elbridge opened its season last Thursday with a 57-21 defeat to its neighbors from Auburn, with the Eagles claiming just two victories on the mat against the Maroons.
Anthony Baron, wrestling at 195, beat Zach Grimes 11-6, with Cole Mullen prevailing at 152 when he pinned Mitchell White in 77 seconds.
Forfeits went to Madyn LaFleur (106) and Bryan Tanner (120), while Christian Mathews had a close bout at 126, taking an 8-5 defeat to Bradley Boyhan.
In Saturday’s APW/Pulaski Duals, J-E could not catch Mexico and Moravia atop the standings. The Eagles lost 48-36 to Morvaia despite pins from Tanner, Mullen and Cameron Newhook (220).
