Wrestling teams from Cazenovia and Chittenango would find themselves together at Central Square last Saturday, taking part in the Brett Dixon Memorial Duals.
The Lakers opened with a 54-24 victory over Rome Free Academy, where Kevin Valentine, at 170 pounds, earned a 52-second pin against the Black Knights’ Bennett Benoit.
Carter Polhamus, at 285 pounds, pinned Brian East at the end of the first period. Forfeits went to Shaun Zampetti (106 pounds), Matt Knutsen (132 pounds), Jedrek Olkowski (145 pounds), Sam Wilcox (152 pounds), Alex Rodriguez (160 pounds), Blaze Dannon (195 pounds) and John Frega (220 pounds).
Later that day, Cazenovia fell 62-21 to eventual tournament champion Liverpool, though Valentine pinned Bradley Hart, Frega pinned Jake Ronan and Polhamus pinned Izayiah Haynes. Zampetti won an 8-5 decision over Lucas Smith.
Chittenango’s matches included a narrow 36-35 defeat to Rome Free Academy. The Bears’ lone mat victory came at 113 pounds, with Peyton Denney beating Zach Franco in a 16-1 technical fall.
Chittenango also took a 72-15 defeat to host Central Square and fell 60-24 to Jordan-Elbridge, a team it had faced ealier in the week. Against the Eagles, the Bears’ Mark Young (138 pounds) pinned Gauge Parker in 77 seconds and Joe Mariani (145) pinned Caspian Phillips in 90 seconds.
Prior to this, Cazenovia saw its meet with APW/Pulaski at Buckley Gym, set for last Wednesday night, moved to Jan. 6. But Chittenango did wrestle that night, and lost 61-17 to J-E.
Of the first nine bouts, the Bears claimed just one of them, at 145, where Andrew Bailey took just 76 seconds to pin Phillips.
Then Chittenango was shut out until 285, with John Spencer’s 75-second pin over Ryan Rivenburgh. Later in the meet, Denney got a 17-2 technical fall over Mike Rio.
In two other bouts, Joe Mariani (152) lost 8-4 to Cole Mullen, with Oliver Denney involved in a wild 120-pound bout that he lost 20-11 to Christian Mathews.
After the Dixon meet, Chittenango would go to APW/Pulaski and Marcellus early this week, Cazenovia traveling on Wednesday night to Port Byron.
