CVA wrestlers advance, meet Camden in all-TVL final at Section III dual meet championship

ILION – Central Valley Academy’s wrestlers earned a chance to extend the Section III dual meet tournament championship streak that has seen the Thunder win each Division II title since the tournament was split into two divisions.

The Thunder defeated Mt. Markham and Homer at Central Valley Academy Tuesday, earning a trip to Thursday’s finals at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. Central Valley Academy, the No. 1 seed, will square off against No. 6 Camden, the finalist that emerged from Tuesday’s other five-team pool in Canastota.

Camden was the No. 1 seed in 2018 when Central Valley Academy defeated the Blue Devils in the final for the second of its four Division II sectional titles.

Central Valley Academy's Cole Wheet (left), pictured grappling with Anthony Amidon of Holland Patent at the Dominick DeSiato Duals in December, won both of his matches Tuesday and helped the Thunder advance to Section III's Division II dual meet tournament championship.
Central Valley Academy's Cole Wheet (left), pictured grappling with Anthony Amidon of Holland Patent at the Dominick DeSiato Duals in December, won both of his matches Tuesday and helped the Thunder advance to Section III's Division II dual meet tournament championship.

“I would say that since CVA formed, Camden has probably been our biggest rivalry every year,” Central Valley Academy coach Bob Bush said.

Mohawk and Ilion merged into the Central Valley Central School District for the 2013-14 academic year. The larger school moved its athletics from the Center State Conference to the Tri-Valley League shortly thereafter.

“I’m just happy to see the TVL has the top two teams in the section moving on,” Bush added.

The tournament was a single bracket through 2016. Section III split to two divisions in 2017 in anticipation of the state tournament that started the following year.

Upsets preceded each of Central Valley Academy’s matches in quarterfinal and semifinal competition. Then Mt. Markham Mustangs, seeded ninth in the 10-team field, advanced with a win in the preliminary round, and Homer defeated General Brown as the lower seed in the 4-5 quarterfinal.

The Homer victory on criteria was unexpected by the Central Valley Academy coaches.

“I thought we’d be wrestling General Brown,” Bush said. “On paper, we didn’t match up great with Homer.”

The coaches adjusted their lineup for the semifinals and the Thunder advanced again with a 46-21 victory.

“We were hoping to stay off our back in the first two matches,” Bush said, “but we were down 12-0 right out of the gate. Then we reeled off nine straight wins. Our kids wrestled tough.”

Talan Hubbard and Hunter Lines got the Trojans off to a strong start with back-to-back pins at 110 and 118 pounds. Homer would not win again until the 215-pound bout with Central Valley Academy leading 40-12 and having clinched the team victory.

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Cooper Reed earned the first Central Valley Academy points with a 12-4 major decision at 126 pounds. Aden Mead followed with a pin at 132 and the Thunder took a 13-12 lead when Santino Curley decisioned Lukas Quinn 7-1 at 138.

Curley and Hayden Dooley, who pinned Christopher Slade at 145, allowed the Central Valley Academy coaches to bump Kace and Sixx Cook up to 152 and 160 where each brother pinned his opponent.

Cole Wheet added a decision and Ethan Randall pinned his opponent at 189 to end the run of Thunder victories. Gene Edwards drew a forfeit at 102 to end the dual following the last two Homer pins.

Looking ahead to Thursday, Central Valley Academy was a 36-23 winner in a Jan. 12 dual at Camden.

“Thirteen points sounds like a lot,” Bush said, “but that’s two matches and we had two that could flip.”

The Thunder also won the Blue Devil Invitational at Camden Saturday. Kace Cook earned a victory in the only head-to-head meeting in the championship round and Central Valley Academy won two of three meetings in the semifinals.

More: Photos: Leo J. Sammon Memorial Wrestling Tournament

Earlier Matches

Mt. Markham won the first dual Tuesday in Ilion. The ninth seed defeated No. 8 Mexico Academy 48-24 with Mustangs Brad Burke, Cael Wellenstein, Eric DeKing, Kaden Dennis and Dominic and CJ Jones all pinning their opponents. Each team forfeited twice and Mexico Academy won only two contested matches.

That win set Mt. Markham up against Central Valley Academy, a team that had previously beaten the Mustangs 54-17 at Poland’s Dominick DeSiato Duals. The Thunder won again in the rematch, advancing with a 66-12 victory and wins in seven of nine contested bouts, each of which ended with a pin. Gene Edwards, Braiden Hight, Cooper Reed, Santino Curley, Kace Cook, Cole Wheet and Ethan Randall won their matches for the Thunder while Mt. Markham forfeited four times.

The other quarterfinal was more dramatic. Homer, the fifth seed, wrestled No. 4 General Brown to a 36-all draw on the scoreboard and advanced with a 37-36 victory on criteria. Homer’s Trojans were awarded the victory with seven match wins against the Lions’ six. Match wins is the fourth of 17 criteria listed for wrestling tie-breakers.

Division I

Fulton and Indian River advanced to the Division I final. Fulton is the No. 1 seed and four-time defending champion.

Competition begins at 6 p.m. Thursday with divisions I and II wrestling on separate mats. Tickets cost $5 and can be purchased online at section3.org/sports/2021/4/29/hometown-ticketing.aspx. Children 12 and under will be admitted free of charge if accompanied by a parent.

Section III Division II Dual Meet Championship Tournament (first round)

MT. MARKHAM 48, MEXICO ACADEMY 24

Mt. Markham winners: Dominic Jones (285), CJ Jones (132), Kaden Dennis (138), Cael Wellenstein (145), Eric DeKing (152), Brad Burke (172) by pin; Elijah Assisi (102), Jarred Kelly (189) by forfeit.

Mexico Academy winners: Kyren Stock (118), Joey Reed (160) by pin; Thomas McCord (110), Ryan Gates (126) by forfeit.

Section III Division II Dual Meet Championship Tournament quarterfinal

CENTRAL VALLEY ACVADEMY 66, MT. MARKHAM 12

Mt. Markham winners: Brad Burke (172), Dominic Jones (215) by pin.

Central Valley Academy winners: Gene Edwards (102), Braiden Hight (118), Cooper Reed (126), Santino Curley (138), Kace Cook (145), Cole Wheet (160), Ethan Randall (189) by pin; Maddox Walz (110), Aden Mead (132), Sixx Cook (152), Jeremy McRedmond (285) by forfeit.

Section III Division II Dual Meet Championship Tournament quarterfinal

HOMER 37, GENERAL BROWN 36 (Homer advanced on criteria – more matches won)

Homer winners: Talan Hubbard (110), Hunter Lines (118), David Morse (160), Blair Wakula (215) by pin; Jeffrey Stauber (126), Sam Sorensen (285) by decision; Zander Johnson (189) by forfeit.

General Brown winners: Riley Goodwin (132), David O’Neil (138), John Chamberlain (145), Nathan Snow (152), Sheamus Devine (172) by pin; Zoey Jewett (102) by forfeit.

Section III Division II Dual Meet Championship Tournament semifinal

CENTRAL VALLEY ACADEMY 46, HOMER 21

Homer winners: Talan Hubbard (110), Hunter Lines (118), Sam Sorenson (285) by pin; Blaire Wakula (215) by decision.

Central Valley Academy winners: Adan Mead (132), Hayden Dololey (145), Kace Cook (152), Sixx Cook (160), Ethan Randall (189) by pin; Cooper Reid (126) by major decision; Santino Curley (138), Cole Wheet (172) by decision; Gene Edwards (102) by forfeit.

Notes: Central Valley Academy’s only losses in duals this season were against Section II Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake and Section IV at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake’s Lee Van Slyke Memorial Duals.

Next up: Tournament’s championship match will take place Thursday at Cicero-North Syracuse High School; Central Valley Academy’s opponent will be Camden, a 36-30 winner in the other semifinal at Canastota.

Jon Rathbun is a sportswriter for the Times Telegram. Email Jon at sports@timestelegram.com.

This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: CVA, Camden to meet at Section III dual meet wrestling championship