CENTRAL NEW YORK – The Cicero-North Syracuse wrestling team closed out 2021 with an appearance Tuesday at the Kenneth Haines Memorial Tournament, moved to Fulton this year after a long tenure at SUNY-Oswego.
By then, the Northstars had gained plenty of confidence from its Dec. 22 meet against West Genesee, where it dominated the higher weight classes on the way to a 54-20 victory over the Wildcats.
Opening at 172 pounds gave C-NS a great chance to take charge, which it immediately did as Ayden Sprague pinned WG’s Preston Elia early in the second period.
Dylan Firenze won at 189 pounds when Jacob Severson claimed an injury default, while Kamdin Bembry (215 pounds) needed just 57 seconds to pin Omar Almlaiti. At 285 pounds, Joe Kozubowski pinned Derek Dishaw in 2:22.
A forfeit to Kevin Mossow at 110 pounds was followed, at 126 pounds, by Kennedy Thomas taking just 53 seconds to pin Mason Doran.
Dominick Racht (138 pounds) got his fall over Elliott Petrie in 67 seconds after Drew Baker (132 [pounds) took 2:34 to pin Charles Sorbello. John Sherbourne closed out the match at 160 pounds with a third-period pin of Colin McAvan.
Then it was on to the Haines Tournament, where C-NS, led by wins from Firenze and Anthony Ciciarelli, picked up 180 points to finish third behind Fulton and Canastota as Liverpool, returning to action, was sixth with 100 points.
Moving down to 172, Firenze beat Liverpool’s Connor Kral 4-0 in the semifinals before holding off APW-Pulaski’s Conner Shaw 5-1 in the championship round.
Meanwhlie, Ciciarelli prevailed at 118 pounds, pinning Fulton’s Jack Phillips late in the first period of the semifinal and, in the title bout, beating Phillips’ teammate, Kallen Roberts, with a third-period fall.
Sherbourne reached the finals at 160 before a 7-2 defeat to Canastota’s Evan Austerman, while pins in their respective consolation bouts gave Bembry (215), Racht (132 pounds) and Thomas (126) third-place finishes. Zion Mukasa finished fourth at 138.
Liverpool, for its part, had Cade Leombrone reach the finals at 285 before Fulton’s Logan Murphy pinned him. Owen Atchie, at 160 pounds, edged Lyle Walker (Camden) for third place.
Kral took fourth at 172, with Nick Ault (138) and Josiah Russell (145) each recording fifth-place finishes. Carson Rice (110 pounds), Lucas Smith (126) and Tyler Vivacqua (132) each had sixth-place efforts.
