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It All Comes Down to This Weekend

2/25/2016

Section 3's best wrestlers will be in Albany this weekend for the 2015-16 season finale: the state championships.

The 30 champions and 18 wild card entries gathered at Cicero-North Syracuse earlier this week for Media Day, followed by a practice in the Northstars' wrestling room. I asked a few of them about how they prepared for this weekend.

Hunter Richard, Holland Patent, 2015 Division II state champ at 138 pounds, going for the title at 145: "Last year doesn't matter, it won't help at all. It puts a target on your back. You have to treat this like any tournament."

Alex Herringshaw, Holland Patent, two-time Division II state champ, 170 pounds: "You wrestle four matches your style. I've been through so many tournaments, I just try to handle the pressure." (Alex is on the left in the photo on the left above.)

Noah Handy, Dolgeville (photo on the right), Division II wild card at 138: "I'm approaching it like any other tournament. I've been running and working out at the YMCA (in Johnstown). I've gone with my coach to Adirondack, to work out with those guys. It's about an hour each way."

Brett Finch, Camden (photo on the left, pictured at right), Division II wild card at 182: "It's a big opportunity and I'm seeded 8th. I feel confident but it doesn't mean much because you have to take matches one at a time."

One good thing about the guys working out at C-NS was the reminders of past state contenders on the wall above: Cicero's Pat Greene (twice third in the state at 126, 1972 and 1973) and North Syracuse's Kurt Honis (third at 167, 1979), Mike Catania (third twice, 119 and 126), Jim Markert (fourth at 215, 1973) and John Janiak (second at 138, 1973). And others, stretching down the room, both before and after the two high schools combined in the 1980s. Ron Roch (North Syracuse) and Jack Williams Sr. (Cicero) had some good teams.

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The Quest for History

2/17/2016

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One aspect of the Section 3 and state tournaments is watching defending champions battle their way back to the championship bout, then try to repeat their title. Same with the 2016 version on Feb. 13.

In Albany, three Section 3 champs will be chasing another state title: Holland Patent's Hunter Richard (145 pounds) and Alex Herringshaw (170), and Mexico's Theo Powers (120). Adirondack's Derek Spann, a state champ as a freshman and runner-up the past two years, will try for a fourth return to the title bout and a second title (and I'm summing that up kind of casually, when I can't imagine the joy and frustration of those three finals).

Then we have several other guys in Division I and Division II who earned another sectional title and are after that first state title.

In Jack Buell's case, there is history attached if he can succeed. He would be the first from Sherburne-Earlville to win a state title since 1968.

The senior was third at 195 pounds in last year's state tournament. He was not satisfied.

Buell won his second sectional title at 195 with a pin over Sandy Creek sophomore Joe Benedict. Then he bounced with joy around the mat, grinning, celebrating with his coaches and teammates. One of his coaches said they were relieved because Benedict is impressive and they were not sure what to expect.

Seeded first, Buell pinned his way to the finals. In the other semifinal, Benedict faced Cazenovia senior Kevin Frega.

Frega and Benedict are two powerful athletes. Both had spectacular football seasons last fall, Benedict rushing for almost 2,000 yards and leading his team in tackles en route to a Class D title, Frega a two-way force for undefeated Cazenovia's state champion team. They both were first-team All-CNY at linebacker.

They went at each other. Benedict was leading when he finally turned Frega and pinned him in the third period, setting off a celebration. Frega came back to place third.

In the final, Buell and Benedict were 0-0 after one period, then Buell led by 1-0 from an escape. He almost tried a throw, decided against it, but then caught Benedict for the pin.

Buell leaped up in joy. He shook Benedict's hand. He said later he celebrated because he guessed it would be a tough match and he was focused on a state title. Then he and several teammates and former S-E wrestlers gathered around him said their town is hoping for another state champion, the first one since 1969.

Jerry Siefert was the 1969 state champ at 145 pounds. Another S-E wrestler, Rick Koenig, was champ at 138 in 1965.

Buell was named Most Outstanding Wrestler for Division II.

Photographs above: Benedict rides Frega, then pins Frega; Buell goes for the pin against Hannibal's Logan Scott in the quarterfinals; Buell pins Benedict in the final, the two shake hands, and they all receive their medals.

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Third Through Sixth, Victories Big and Little: Section 3 Notebook

2/16/2016

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Seniors try to go out with some kind of victory, whether in the championship bout or a match to place.

Underclassmen absorb where they placed and thinking about next winter. Defending state and sectional champions shoot for another title both locally and then on the state level. Guys who hoped to place, or were seeded to do so, but did not, retreat to the embrace of their families in the crowd.

Screams of joy erupt by the dozens from fan sections of the arena -- notably Fulton's.

These were some of the images I took away on Saturday, Feb. 13, when I joined the hundreds who made the trek through sub-zero weather to Onondaga Community College's ARC Arena for the Section 3 Division I and II tournaments. This was my third year in a row at the tournament, after an absence of 13 years. It was my 20th overall since 1978,

I'll have stories from that day in the next couple of weeks before the state tournament, which I will not be attending due to a conflict with a conference where I am a facilitator. I'll start with some images.

THE CALM VETERAN
I felt deja vu sometimes, looking across the mat when Skaneateles was in action, because there was Dick Campbell as head coach, and he had a Brillo on his team, as if this were 1979 or 1981.

Back then, it was Joe Brillo for the Lakers at 98, 105 or 112, where he won a sectional title in 1981. Now, it's Brillo's sons. Eric graduated, Joey was a sophomore 126-pounder this season.

Campbell is so calm as he sits in his corner, like a teacher watching his student. He said he does not yell at guys, he tries to encourage more than critique and he always used that approach.

Campbell. who also coached golf and was a top wrestling referee years ago, said he coaches Skaneateles wrestling from 1964 until 1984, then stepped down. He returned in 2000 at the behest of the elder Brillo and Tim Green, the lawyer and writer who was 1982 state champion at 215 pounds for Liverpool, whose son Thane wrestled.

Campbell was an assistant to coach T.J. Frare for four years, then took over again. The Lakers program grew from peewee to varsity status in 2004-05. The team has improved and this year went 21-0 and won the OHSL Liberty League, the first league title since the OHSL Central championship of 1981.

Skaneateles placed three wrestlers in the Section 3 tournament: junior 99-pounder JW Simmons, who was second and was the school's first finalist since Brillo in 1981; Joey Brillo, fifth at 126; and Patrick Greenfield, fifth at 182.

BEYOND THE FINALS
For every weight class -- 30 in all between the two tournaments -- six young men stood tall on the medals stand. Some beamed, some looked glum. Some had avenged losses from earlier in the season.

Facing them, for each medals presentation, were dozens of people with cameras, cell phones and iPads: parents, siblings, girlfriends, coaches. (Check out the image above.) See, 30 years ago there would have been about five of us from newspapers, plus Steve Parker, the longtime photographer. The digital age has allowed so many people the chance to try their hand at capturing an image. I marvel at it. I'm glad I spent years learning photography, and working in darkrooms, but I'm glad for those who can collect memories themselves now.

I never stop marveling at what a tough tournament this is. I watch guys dominate all season, with pins and technical falls -- then get dominated at ARC Arena. It's humbling that so many wrestlers strive for months to do their best, pit their skills against opponents week after week, and have to look for what rewards they can.

Example: One senior with a solid record hoped to place but did not. His takeaway was this: he rode out the top seed and eventual champion in the third period of their quarterfinal match. He lost but he rode through that period without getting reversed. He lost again in the wrestle-backs. This senior started wrestling in eighth grade, and he always had a way of finding some little positive, at least when I talked to him.

Some of the placewinners were champs the previous weekend, in class tournament. Some had won by pin in the finals.

Cortland senior Isaiah Brookman, fifth at 138, grinned as he accepted his medal and got a hug from his mother, who never saw one of his matches this winter because she works at night. Brookman earlier had joined the people congratulating senior Dylan Hotchkiss of rival Homer, for the pin that earned Hotchkiss third at 220.

Cortland junior Dakoatah Miller and Phoenix senior Tim Gandino had another battle at 182 pounds, this time for Division II third place. Gandino won their dual meet bout, 3-1, back in December. This time Gandino prevailed by 7-4. The two showed respect to each other afterward.

In fact, these days I am impressed by the sportsmanship of wrestlers in general. Most of them shake the opponent coaches' hands, and on the way back to their corner they give their opponent another handshake or shoulder pat or fist bump.

Miller is shown above battling Camden's Brett Finch in a quarterfinal at 182. Finch won, 6-2, went on to place second.

The bottom right picture above shows the Division II final at 152, South Jefferson's Caleb Beach riding South Lewis' Morgan Seller. Beach prevailed, 8-0.

The middle bottom picture shows Sherburne-Earlville wrestlers congratulating 285-pounder Cole Mikalunas for winning his semifinal.

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Female Wrestlers Aim for College Opportunities

2/12/2016

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Katherine Sumner is a tested warrior, after five years on Port Byron's varsity wrestling team, as a woman in a man's sport.

An especially grueling, potentially humiliating, potentially glorious sport at that.

When she placed fourth at 106 pounds in last weekend's Section 3 Class D tournament in her home gym, the senior realized one goal: She qualified for the Section 3 overall meet Saturday at OCC's SRC Arena, for the first time. She achieved her 100th career win along the way.

Sumner also strengthened her potential as a college wrestler. She has been accepted at three colleges with women's teams, with a probable major in occupational therapy.

"Five or six years ago, there were 13 college women's teams," said her mother, Nancy. "Now there are more than 20."

The women's college teams are not sanctioned by the NCAA or NAIA, but women's freestyle wrestling is an Olympic sport. Girls wrestling on boys' teams, a facet of the high school season for 20 years, could now become more plentiful. Some large high schools in Florida and California have girls' teams.

College teams mean financial aid and growing acceptance.

UP THROUGH THE RANKS
Sumner rose from peewees to the varsity at 99 and 106 pounds, supported all the way by Panthers coach Tom Green.

"Wrestling is so much harder mentally than physically," she said. "You can push your body harder than you can imagine but the mental side is even tougher."

"She had to earn the guys' respect," said her mother.

"At first it was difficult, very foreign, lots of people didn't like having a girl on the team," said fellow senior Xander Morgenthaler, the Class D champ at 160 pounds:. "But Katherine is tougher than a lot of guys. Now everybody respects what she's done."

Sumner was not the only girl in the Class D tournament. Riley Dalrymple of Copenhagen/Beaver River placed sixth at 106.

Over the years, girls have wrestled at the varsity level, the most noted being Fulton's Danielle Bennett in the early 2000s. People question why girls would want to take on boys in such a physical way. The answer is competition.

"Everybody respects her passion," Morgenthaler said.

LIFE AS A PANTHER
Sumner said being a wrestler was tougher in middle school, where some girls who competed at the peewee level quit the sport because boys don't see it as appealing or their friends criticize them.

She said some of her female friends still do not understand. But along with her friends at Port Byron, she has the support of other wrestlers she has met through travels with the Mohawk Valley Wrestling Club in the summer. Social media helps her chat with any number of people.

Sumner said she dates wrestlers but not guys on her own team, "which would be too weird."

Her overall record is around .500 and her record this season is 18-17, Green said.

After Sumner's 100th win, a 10-5 decision of South Lewis's Branton Carpenter in a wrestle-back, she was hugged by coaches, her mother and her father, Greg. Port Byron fans cheered. Teammates shook her hand.

Just like any wrestler.

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Among the Small Schools

2/8/2016

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As much as I loved the idea of the fierce match-ups at the Section 3 Class B tournament in Ilion, I decided to head for Port Byron on Saturday and watch Class D. Guess I always had a soft spot for the Cato-Meridian or Beaver River types of schools.

My photos above show the Copenhagen/Beaver River team after its championship, Sandy Creek sophomore Joe Benedict in the final at 195 pounds, and CBR's Greg Virkler battling Dolgeville's Jonathan Handy in the 145 title bout.

I tend to think of these small schools as loaded with guys from the country -- the small villages, hamlets and just plain back roads -- where the sport always attracted tough kids who worked hard and came from not much wealth.

Ask Jesse Fendryk, coach for Otselic Valley, if he has farm boys. He'll answer not really, just blue-collar guys from that region where Chenango and Madison counties come together. This is the fourth year for OV's team. The program has the support of Dan Henner, superintendent of schools, who helped coach wrestling at Port Byron.

Otselic Valley ended up with a champion, Nathan Purtell at 99 pounds.

I spoke briefly with Benedict, who overpowered his two opponents with pins. He said he learned a lot from older brother Jake, Section 3 Division II champ at 220 in 2014, now at Springfield College.

Cato-Meridian alumnus Scott Terpening, who I knew back in about 1981, said filling lineups at small schools is tough but they keep plugging away.

The team title went to Copenhagen/Beaver River over South Lewis by 11 points. CBR had only one champion, Virkler at 145 (there's a Beaver River name) but had enough other place winners to edge the Falcons, who had four champs: Kyle Greene (120), Morgan Seller (152), Jacob Olmstead (170) and Kyle Fitzgerald (285). South Lewis had two runners-up.

The tournament was graced by the presence of Section 3 wrestling coordinator Brad Hamer and officials coordinator Fred Brown, who once again visited all five class tournament sites.

I spent much of the afternoon speaking with Port Byron senior 106-pounder, Katherine Sumner, about her passion for wrestling and her college aspirations as the number of women's teams has grown. She placed fourth to qualify for the state qualifier. I'll have a story in a couple of days.

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Wrestling, Art, Academics: Cortland Senior's 'Trinity'

2/3/2016

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Russell Gerhard stood smiling last week as he was introduced with Cortland's other two seniors before a home match against arch-rival Homer.

Match announcer Tom Herting told the crowd that Gerhard, the Purple Tigers' 152-pounder, is on track to be valedictorian in June. He was greeted by his coach, George Burkinshaw, and later by his parents, Tim and Katy (pictured with him). He pinned his opponent, something he has done more the past two seasons.

One other fact that nobody mentioned: Gerhard recently earned a gold key for painting in the Scholastic Art Awards. He is awaiting word from the likes of Columbia, Williams and Haverford on acceptance and aid. He wants to major in business.

Other Section 3 wrestlers excel away from the mat. Phoenix senior Brad Dietz also received a gold key in the Scholastic Art Awards. Fulton senior Victor Runeare was the subject of a TV profile for his academic excellence.

Cortland's Gerhard, who began wrestling in eighth grade, said each side of him provides satisfaction.

"Art is a creative outlet that keeps me sane with all the rules and restrictions of academics," he said. "Wrestling is my physical outlet that keeps me sane with all the sitting I have to do. Academics is my intellectual outlet. It's sort of like a little trinity I have."

Gerhard said his first match was "scary, being out there alone, with nobody to blame it on if I lost." But he said he has learned more from defeats and just keeps trying to improve.

Asked if people are surprised a wrestler can be a top student, he said yes.

"People don't really expect it," he said. "But it's more that teachers are surprised I'm a wrestler. People don't associate skill with our sport. They think it's all muscle and aggression."

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The Art of Combining Teams

2/1/2016

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Bob Bush watched his team battle Fulton in the Section 3 Duals at C-NS (above), so accustomed to seeing guys from two schools that he hardly thought about it.

Make that three schools, in a sense. Bush coaches Central Valley Academy, formed two years ago when the Ilion and Mohawk school districts merged. He said nobody sees each other as being from either school, now. This season he added four wrestlers from Herkimer, which dropped the sport.

Earlier, a match had pitted Copenhagen-Beaver River -- a combined team -- against a team formed from four schools, Jamesville-DeWitt, Christian Brothers Academy, Solvay and Westhill.

As schools struggle to field full lineups, combining teams has become a stronger option, assuming coaches can get past rivalries that stretch back decades.

"You'll see more of it, especially with small schools," said Brad Hamer, sectional wrestling chair.

The CVA wrestlers said their school administration worked to ease any tensions, when Ilion and Mohawk combined. Classes were half and half, said junior Josh Klosner, a 160-170-pounder. Class officers and other leaders were usually three from one school, two from another.

"Everyone thought there would be fights but there weren't," said sophomore Trent Ingraham, who competes at 170 and 182. He said CVA and Herkimer had practiced together, so welcoming the four new guys was easy -- even with a rivalry between Ilion and Herkimer in many sports.

Bush said nobody thinks about who came from where.

Kurt Honis, an assistant coach for J-D/CBA whose sons have wrestled for the team, said he and several other fathers helped to form the team several years ago because all four schools had dropped wrestling.

J-D and CBA were already combined in hockey and swimming, so it was an easy sell. The bus coordination with Solvay and Westhill was worked out. The parents raised money to purchase uniforms and mats. The logo combines all four schools.

"We've had a state qualifier every year," said Honis, a sectional champion at North Syracuse who wrestled at Syracuse University. "We have a lot of support from parents."

Combining teams can be a problem if it lifts a team into a higher division. If the Oswego and Hannibal teams combined, for example, Hannibal athletes would compete in Division I because Oswego is Class A or AA in sports.

Pulaski and Altmar-Parish-Williamstown have been combined for a few years, another example of rivals joining forces.

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It All Comes Down to This Weekend

The Quest for History

Third Through Sixth, Victories Big and Little: Section 3 Notebook

Female Wrestlers Aim for College Opportunities

Among the Small Schools

Wrestling, Art, Academics: Cortland Senior's 'Trinity'

The Art of Combining Teams

Scott Conroe

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