Advertisement

Section V wrestling: These teams will try to dethrone Hilton at dual meet championships

James Johnson, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
·7 min read

The time has come to see which wrestling teams have the best lineups in Section V.

Teams from large and small schools face-off in head-to-head matchups this week during the Section V Dual Meet Wrestling Championships.

The Division I or large schools champions and the Division II winner advance to the dual meet state championships on Jan. 27 in Syracuse at Onondaga Community College. One additional Division II team and two Division I squads in Section V can also advance to the state tournament, if selected over other teams in the state as wild cards.

"Our Division I teams have had a lot," Section V boys wrestling coordinator Bill Hadsell said. "Section VII does not have a large school."

Attica High School was the site of the Division 2 semifinals and finals on Jan. 16. Palmyra-Macedon, the No. 1 seed, faced No. 4 Dansville/Wayland-Cohocton, while No. 3 Honeoye Falls-Lima took on No. 2 Attica/Batavia during the semifinals.

Section V wrestling: Results for the 2023-24 season

Here is how the Division I tournament is scheduled to unfold Jan. 20 at Oliver Middle School in Brockport:

Division I lineup

There are six teams who will go after the Division I crown, won last year by Hilton. Seeds are finalized after a Monroe County Division I dual meet Jan. 17 between Hilton and Pittsford.

Wrestling for the sectional championship on Saturday begins with the first round matches at 9 a.m.: No. 4 versus No. 5 and No. 3 vs. No. 6. Brockport is the No. 1 seed and has a bye into the semifinals. The No. 2 seed also has a spot in the semifinals, which are scheduled for about 10:30 a.m. The plan is for the championship match to start around noon.

Brockport's Richard Wood, top, wrestles Avon/Geneseo's James Chase in the final of the 124-pound weight class during the Teike-Bernabi Wrestling Tournament, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023.
Brockport's Richard Wood, top, wrestles Avon/Geneseo's James Chase in the final of the 124-pound weight class during the Teike-Bernabi Wrestling Tournament, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023.

Brockport Blue Devils (11-0): Runaway winners of Monroe County Division III, after comfortable victories in league matches over Attica/Batavia, Honeoye Falls-Lima, Canandaigua, Spencerport and Eastridge . . . 5-0 at Cheektowaga Duals against teams in Section VI or Buffalo region and Webster Schroeder . . . Defeated Buffalo Saint Joseph Collegiate Institute, 53-15 . . . Brockport wrestlers accumulated the most points to also win the Matthew Marino Invitational at Webster Schroeder, Spencerport's Teike/Bernabi Tournament and the Monroe County Championships. Standouts: Richard Wood (30 wins-1 loss), William Wood (24-3), Dino Battisti (26-3).

Samson McKissick-Staley of Pittsford holds down Tyler Simons of Hilton in the 126 lb. weight class match.
Samson McKissick-Staley of Pittsford holds down Tyler Simons of Hilton in the 126 lb. weight class match.

Pittsford Panthers (18-1): Alone at the top of Monroe County Division I with an undefeated league record prior to a dual against Hilton at Pittsford Sutherland on January 17 . . . Defeated Fairport 30-27 on December 21 . . . Finished 3-1 at Pal-Mac after wins over Canandaigua, Hilton and Webster Thomas . . . Palmyra-Macedon, the No. 1 seed in Division II, is the only team to stop the Panthers head-to-head . . . Champions of the Greg Partridge Memorial Duals in Corning and the Grand Island Duals during December . . . Standouts: Samson McKissick-Staley (26-0, 2024 Eastern State Classic champion), Zach Gerby (25-5), Rudy Antonucci (20-6).

Fairport Red Raiders (10-4): Sat in second-place in Monroe County Division I through Tuesday . . . Defeated Hilton and lost to Pittsford in league duals . . . Season record includes dual meet win over Fulton of Section III or Syracuse region and first-place finish at Bill Anderson Memorial Tournament in Section III . . . Top three finishes at Victor's Ahonen Takedown Cancer Duals and the dual meet-style Demeco-Trainor Memorial Tournament . . . Standouts: Trey LeChase (29-8), Philly Provenzano (28-8), Teague Wolcott (27-6).

Hilton's Phil Testa, right, wrestles Brockport's Austin Boff in the final of the 152-pound weight class during the Teike-Bernabi Wrestling Tournament, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023.
Hilton's Phil Testa, right, wrestles Brockport's Austin Boff in the final of the 152-pound weight class during the Teike-Bernabi Wrestling Tournament, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023.

Hilton Cadets (13-3): Faces Pittsford on Jan. 27 . . . Cadets defeated Canandaigua and Webster Thomas, edged past Palmyra-Macedon 33-32 and lost to Pittsford at Pal-Mac Duals . . . Won all three matches at Pioneer Duals in Section VI or Buffalo region and champions of the Ahonen Takedown Cancer Duals in Victor . . . Lineup could grow stronger with return from injuries by Landon Lazarek (4-1) and Jon Testa (Robert Bradshaw Memorial champion, January 13). Standouts: Elijah Diakomihalis (29-0), Philip Testa (2023-24 Teike/Bernabi champion), Tyler Simons (2024 Bradshaw Memorial champion).

Webster Thomas lightweight Connor Guffey (L) and Webster Schroeder's Juan Eckebrecht wrestle in the 108 pound match during a dual earlier this month. Guffey won the match 11-6.
Webster Thomas lightweight Connor Guffey (L) and Webster Schroeder's Juan Eckebrecht wrestle in the 108 pound match during a dual earlier this month. Guffey won the match 11-6.

Webster Thomas Titans (7-7): "Their record doesn't show how good they are," Victor coach Craig Kaper said. "They've won some big tournaments this year." . . . The Titans, with coach Neil Cook, emerged as champions of the Robert Bradshaw Memorial in Canandaigua on Jan. 13 and the Penfield Hunter Holiday during early December . . . Also co-champions of the Army Specialist Kenneth W. Haines Memorial at SUNY Oswego in Section III during late December . . . Placed fourth in the Monroe County Championships, behind Brockport, Churchville-Chili and Pittsford . . . 1-3 at Pal-Mac Duals, where they wrestled Palmyra-Macedon, Hilton, Pittsford and Canandaigua . . . Defeated the five other teams in Monroe County Division II, including Webster Schroeder 37-24. Standouts: Connor Guffey (2023-24 Monroe County champion, Cameron Guffey (2023-24 Hunter Holiday champion), Dominic Blekot (Bradshaw Memorial Tournament runner-up).

Churchville-Chili’s Coy Raines, top, wrestles Canandaigua’s Mason Depew in the final of the 215-pound weight class during the Monroe County Wrestling Championships, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023.
Churchville-Chili’s Coy Raines, top, wrestles Canandaigua’s Mason Depew in the final of the 215-pound weight class during the Monroe County Wrestling Championships, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023.

Canandaigua Gray Wolves (1-9): Edged Spencerport 36-33 in late November . . . Placed sixth at team's Bradshaw Memorial, won by Webster Thomas . . . Standouts: Mason Depew (2024 Bradshaw Memorial champion and 2023-24 Penfield Hunter Holiday champion), Carson Frarey (2023-24 Red Jacket Invitational champion).

Division II lineup

The small-schools dual sectional tournament already is at the semifinal round, after Dansville/Wayland-Cohocton defeated Caledonia-Mumford 36-33 in the opening match January 10.

A weather-related postponement led to the move to Attica this week:

Palmyra-Macedon Red Raiders (18-1): No. 2 in the New York Wrestling News Division II state team rankings . . . Only dual meet loss came against Division I Hilton 33-32 during Pal-Mac Duals. Red Raiders also defeated three other Division I teams at their tournament: Pittsford, Webster Thomas and Canandaigua . . . Ten one-sided wins during an 11-0 performance during Dick Vincent Duals at Letchworth . . . Red Raiders also were points champions of the Phoenix Scramble in Section III or Syracuse region . . . Also a close second at the Linda C. Knuutila Memorial in Niagara County Community College in a Section VI-heavy field . . . Team to beat at Wayne-Finger Lakes Championships at Waterloo, Jan. 19-20 . . . Standouts: Braidon Woodward (2024 Eastern States Classic champion), Luke Van Gorden (Red Jacket Invitational champion), Luke Herendeen (Knuutila Memorial champion).

Attica Batavia's Casper Stewart wrestles in the second round matches of the NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships at MVP Arena in Albany, on Friday, February 24, 2023.
Attica Batavia's Casper Stewart wrestles in the second round matches of the NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships at MVP Arena in Albany, on Friday, February 24, 2023.

Attica/Batavia Blue Devils (12-1): Dominated dual meet event at Buffalo Saint Francis and their Batavia Christmas Tournament , a points event . . . Runaway winners of Monroe County Division III dual at Spencerport . . . No. 10 in the New York Wrestling News Division II state team rankings . . . Division I Brockport defeated Blue Devils 41-24 on January 3 . . . Wrestle at Honeoye Falls-Lima on January 18 . . . Standouts: Casper Stewart (2023-24 outstanding wrestler at Battle at the Bridge in Woodbridge, Va., 2023 third-place at state championships), Tymothey Murrell (Runner-up at Southern Tier Memorial Tournament, Jan 12-13 in Elmira), Wyatt Bryman (2023-24 Batavia Christmas champion).

Honeoye Falls-Lima's Chris Noto wrestles BGAH's Darren Florence in a 110-pound semifinal match at the NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships at MVP Arena in Albany, on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
Honeoye Falls-Lima's Chris Noto wrestles BGAH's Darren Florence in a 110-pound semifinal match at the NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships at MVP Arena in Albany, on Saturday, February 25, 2023.

Honeoye Falls-Lima Cougars (6-2): Fourth-highest team point total at Bill Andersen Memorial in North Syracuse and fifth-most at Southern Tier Wrestling Officials Association . . . Edged Canandaigua head-to-head 39-36 . . . Dual meet losses are to Brockport and Hilton, both Division I teams . . . Ranked No. 11 in the state among Division II teams by New York Wrestling News . . . Standouts: Christopher Noto (Three tournament most outstanding awards), Jacob McVige (Lawlor/Zagorski Invitational and Andersen Memorial champion), Owen Englert (Lawlor/Zagorski Invitational champion), Waylan Winseman (Monroe County runner-up).

Dansville/Wayland-Cohocton (12-9): Bounced back from a loss to Caledonia-Mumford earlier this season, with a 36-33 victory in the first round of the sectional duals . . . Fifth-place in points at David Stewart Memorial at Hornell, behind Canisteo-Greenwood, Churchville-Chili, Bolivar-Richburg and Bath Haverling . . . Next is Livingston County Championships on January 20 . . . Standouts: Wyatt Sartori (Stewart Memorial and Southern Tier Wrestling Officials Association champion), Eljah Bender (runner-up at Byron-Bergen Invitational), Peter Thompson (runner-up at Byron-Bergen Invitational), Isaac Kurtz (David Stewart memorial runner-up).

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V wrestling dual meet championships 2024 preview