Florida wrestling team dominates inaugural Southern Tier Memorial at First Arena

Andrew Legare, Elmira Star-Gazette
·8 min read

High school wrestling returned to Elmira's First Arena in resounding fashion this weekend, with 30 teams competing in the inaugural Southern Tier Memorial.

A Florida team stole the show during the two-day tournament, with Lake Highland Prep winning 10 of the 13 boys weight classes and piling up 335 points to take the team title. Lake Highland wrestlers beat two defending state champions from Section 4 and a two-time Pennsylvania state champ in Saturday's finals. Two members of the Lake Highland girls team also won titles.

Defending New York state Division II team champion Tioga Central placed second with a score of 198.5 points. Rounding out the top five were Bellefonte (Pennsylvania) with 125, Longwood with 122 and Horseheads with 120.

Boys champions from Section 4 were Tioga's Ousmane Duncanson at 160 pounds and Waverly's Kam Hills at 285.

Top-ranked Sindoni among girls winners

Tioga Central's Emily Sindoni, top, won the girls 126-pound title with a pin of Athens' Hannah Rathbun as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.
Tioga Central's Emily Sindoni, top, won the girls 126-pound title with a pin of Athens' Hannah Rathbun as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.

Tioga's Emily Sindoni (126) and Kylah Nelson (152) joined Waverly's Lilly Parker (165) and Mackenzie LaForest (235) as girls champions from Section 4. There were 12 weight classes for the girls.

Sindoni won the title at 120 pounds at last year's National High School Coaches Association Nationals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She is ranked first nationally this season at 132 pounds by USA Wrestling. Sindoni won each of her three tournament matches by pin in the first period.

Girls team honors went to Athens (Pennsylvania) with 143 points. Waverly finished second with 122.5, Horseheads third with 119, Tottenville fourth with 115 and Tioga fifth with 64.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association will host its first Girls Wrestling Individual Tournament at Onondaga Community College on Jan. 27.

Most Outstanding Wrestlers

Lake Highland Prep's Eligh Rivera, left, was a 3-1 winner over Wyoming Area's Jaden Pepe in the 138-pound final to earn Most Outstanding Wrestler for boys competitors as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.
Lake Highland Prep's Eligh Rivera, left, was a 3-1 winner over Wyoming Area's Jaden Pepe in the 138-pound final to earn Most Outstanding Wrestler for boys competitors as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.

The final boys match of the night pitted Lake Highland's Eligh Rivera, ranked 11th nationally this season, against two-time PIAA champion Jaden Pepe of Wyoming Area. Rivera won 3-1 and was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler for the boys.

Tottenville's Alessandra Elliot was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler for the girls after pinning Horseheads' Hailey Berry for the 132-pound title.

Duncanson impresses in title march

Tioga Central's Ousmane Duncanson beat Lake Highland Prep's Marrion Nelson, 7-4, to win the 160-pound title as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.
Tioga Central's Ousmane Duncanson beat Lake Highland Prep's Marrion Nelson, 7-4, to win the 160-pound title as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.

The lone Lake Highland wrestler of 11 to make it to a boys final and not have his hand raised was Marrion Nelson, who stayed close against Duncanson in the first period before falling by a 7-4 score. Nelson scored two of those points in the closing seconds.

Duncanson won the 152-pound Division II state title in New York last season and improved to 14-0 with this weekend's results after earning first-team Class D all-state honors while helping Tioga's football team repeat as Class D state champion.

"I feel like we were feeling each other out in the first period," Duncanson said of Saturday's final. "Second period it opened up a little bit for me. And then the third period I thought I could put it away. I felt him running out of gas and that was my chance to counter.

"Right now it’s all about getting better for the state tournament, getting my conditioning up and figuring out my weaknesses before February."

Tioga dominated in winning the Division II Dual Meet state title in wrestling last season and was first in team scoring at the individual state wrestling tournament. Tioga hosts the Section 4 Division II Dual Meet Championships on Jan. 18. Horseheads hosts the Division I sectional Jan. 17.

"I feel like as a group we’re getting much better," Duncanson said. "We’re definitely picking it up in the practice room and I feel like as a team we’re all just starting to feel things out and get ready for February because at the end of the day the goal is to win a state title. That’s what everyone wants."

Waverly's Hills dominates at 285

Hills finished with four first-period pins among his five tournament matches, capped with a fall in 1 minute, 9 seconds against Union-Endicott's Qymani Viera-Powell in the final.

Elmira's Alex Mckerrow gave Hills his toughest test, falling 3-1 in a quarterfinal.

2 state champs lose late

Charlie Desena of Lake Highland Prep, left, was a 7-5 overtime winner over Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton/Harpursville's Darren Florance in the 110-pound championship match as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.
Charlie Desena of Lake Highland Prep, left, was a 7-5 overtime winner over Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton/Harpursville's Darren Florance in the 110-pound championship match as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.

Two returning state champions from Section 4 lost in finals after seemingly having things in control.

Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton/Harpursville's Darren Florance, last year's Division II state champ at 102, was up 5-1 in Saturday's 110-pound final against Lake Highland's Charlie Desena before falling by a 7-5 score in overtime. Desena had a reversal in the final minute to tie the score, then won it with another in overtime.

Tioga's Gianni Silvestri, a two-time state champion in Division II, held a 3-0 lead in the 126-pound final against Lake Highland's Colin Kacena before getting pinned near the edge of wrestling circle with 25 seconds left in the third period.

More on prep wrestling's return to First Arena

Elmira's Donavan Smith, top, won by pin over Thomas Mancini of St. Anthony's in the 152-pound third place match as First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.
Elmira's Donavan Smith, top, won by pin over Thomas Mancini of St. Anthony's in the 152-pound third place match as First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.

First Arena hosted the Jeff Reese Memorial Wrestling Tournament from 2001 to 2004, named for the Elmira Southside state champion who died in 1997 while a member of the University of Michigan wrestling team. The tournament named for him grew to one of the largest in the Northeast, but it ended because of scheduling issues related to the Southern Tier Athletic Conference tournament.

Boys Results

Horseheads' Coleton Owen, top, was an 11-4 winner over Corning's Riley Walker in the 132-pound third place match as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.
Horseheads' Coleton Owen, top, was an 11-4 winner over Corning's Riley Walker in the 132-pound third place match as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.

Team scores: Lake Highland Prep 335, Tioga 198.5, Bellefonte 125, Longwood 122, Horseheads 120, St. Anthony's 117.5, Milton Area 112, Waverly 104, Wyoming Area 90, North Penn-Liberty 88.5, Elmira 77, Tottenville 64, BGAH 60, Union-Endicott 58.5, Corning 57, Williamson 57, Copenhagen 52, Sidney 51, South Seneca 44, Spencer-Van Etten/Candor 43.5, Addison 31, Vestal 27.5, Dryden 27, Auburn 24.5, Thomas A. Edison 19, Johnson City 7, Sayre 4.

Championship Finals

102: Liam Davis (LH) dec. Anthony Lagala-Ryan (Long) 10-3; 110: Charlie Desena (LH) dec. Darren Florance (BGAH) 7-5 (OT); 118: Ethan Rivera (LH) major dec. Chase Nevills (Cope) 10-2; 126: Colin Kacena (LH) pinned Gianni Silvestri (Tio) 5:35; 132: Zeno Moore (LH) dec. Tyler Roe (Tio) 11-5; 138: Eligh Rivera (LH) dec. Jaden Pepe (Wyom) 3-1; 145: Ethan Mojena (LH) dec. Caleb Sweet (S. Seneca) 8-1; 152: Claudio Torres (LH) dec. Anthony Evanitsky (Wyo) 3-1 (OT); 160: Ousmane Duncanson (Tio) dec. Marrion Nelson (LH) 7-4; 172: Omer Barak (LH) pinned Nick Matos (SA) 1:07; 189: Daniel Williams (LH) tech. fall Matthias Welles (Wav) 16-1; 215: William Francois (Long) pinned George Valentine (NPL) 3:58; 285: Kam Hills (Wav) pinned Qymani Viera-Powell (U-E) 1:09.

Section 4 third-place results

102: Tristan Levin (Tott) dec. Logan Bellis (Tio) 6-3; 118: Joey Florance (BGAH) dec. Cade Sands (Add) 4-1; 126: Levi Bellis (Tio) dec. Cody Dale (Hors) 6-0; 132: Coleton Owen (Hors) dec. Riley Walker (Corn) 11-4; 138: Luis Bazan (LH) medical forfeit over Caden Bellis (Tio); 152: Donavan Smith (Elm) pinned Thomas Mancini (SA) 3:51; 172: Ronin Gault (LH) dec. Trevor Harrington (Sid) 2-0; 189: Griffin Goldstein (SA) major dec. Hunter Lavigne, 13-2; 215: Ty Beeman (Wav) dec. Jaylon Yearwood (U-E) 3-1; 285: Paul Rohland (Milt) pinned Ean Conti (Ves) 1:48.

Other Section 4 place-winners

102: 6-Kaydin Cole (Tioga); 110: 8-Hunter Harrington (Sid); 118: 5-Jayden Duncanson (Tio), 7-Dylan Mollo (U-E); 126: 5-Deakon Bailey (Tio), 8-Jose Bivar (BGAH); 132: 5-Max Collins (Elm), 8-Kaden Jameson (SVEC); 138: 6-Ryan Massengale (Hors), 7-Lucas DeMott (Sid); 145: 5-Drew Macumber (Tio), 6-Cael Owen (Hors), 8-Connor Stotler (Wav); 152: 7-William Lotocky (Hors), 8-Cody Lucero (TAE); 160: 7-Liam Levantovich (Hors); 172: 7-John Johnston (SVEC); 189: 6-Gage Tedesco (Wav); 215: 6-Ethan Hernandez (Elm), 7-Tate McCauley (Tio), 8-Anthony Spear (SVEC); 285: 6-Alex Mckerrow (Elm), 7-Kaydin Hinckley (Dry).

Girls Results

Tioga Central's Emily Sindoni won the girls 126-pound title with a pin of Athens' Hannah Rathbun as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.
Tioga Central's Emily Sindoni won the girls 126-pound title with a pin of Athens' Hannah Rathbun as Elmira's First Arena hosted the Southern Tier Classic wrestling tournament Jan. 14, 2022.

Team scores: Athens 143, Waverly 122.5, Horseheads 119, Tottenville 115, Tioga 64, Lake Highland Prep 53.5, Union-Endicott 47, Milton 45, Homer 37, Vestal 26, Auburn 20, North Penn-Liberty 20, Williamson 20, Thomas A. Edison 16, Addison 15, Sidney 14, Johnson City 10, Dryden 4.

Championship Finals

100: Maya Alvarado (LH) tech. fall Analia Benitez (Tott) 19-4; 107: Mary Manis (LH) pinned Abby Moser (Mil) 2:37; 114: Layla Bennett (Ath) pinned Nanyeli Encinas (Tott) 5:20; 120: JC Allis (Ath) major dec. Katlin Wheeler (Hors) 19-5; 126: Emily Sindoni (Tio) pinned Hannah Rathbun (Ath) 2:00; 132: Alessandra Elliot (Tott) pinned Hailey Berry (Hors) 0:54; 138: Araya Guilmette (Wyo) pinned Kimber Wheeler (Will) 1:40; 145: Habiba Moursy (Tott) pinned Karen-Marie Rivera (Corn) 3:59; 152: Kylah Nelson (Tio) pinned Jade Cook (Corn) 2:57; 165: Lilly Parker (Wav) dec. Abigail Wagner (Ath) 2-0; 185: Lilly Sorrenson (Hom) pinned Keira Devantief (Ves) 1:34; 235: Mackenzie LaForest (Wav) pinned Miranda Garcia (Mil) 3:29.

Third-place results

100: Sabrina Strauss (U-E) pinned Abby Sickler (Wav) 1:00; 107: Bella Phelps (Sid) pinned Serenity Pearson (U-E) 1:31; 114: Riley Butler (Auburn) and Jaden Clune (U-E) double forfeit; 120: Trinity Robinson (NP-L) pinned Jasmine Karkis (Tott) 1:40; 126: Tayah Beach (SVEC) major dec. Narayani Wiehe (Hors) 11-3; 132: Lilly Sickler (Wav) pinned Lilly Galasso (Ath) 4:11; 138: Memphis Paul (Ath) pinned Kiara Davidson (JC) 3:10; 145: Taylor Pierce (Corn) pinned Gia Larson (Wyom) 1:10; 152: Elons Holmes (Wav) by forfeit over MayAnna Sindlinger (Hors); 165: Victoria Cortright (Hors) pinned Amelia Reed (Hors) 1:44; 185: Abigail Johnson (TAE) pinned Skylar Robbinson (Add) 2:30.

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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Florida's Lake Highland Prep boys champ at 1st Southern Tier Memorial