Four Section 4 wrestlers saluted as state champions in Albany
Chenango Forks senior Tyler Ferrara headed Section 4’s four-title showing Saturday to conclude two days of state wrestling championships at Albany’s MVP Arena.
Top-seeded Ferrara rounded out a second successive undefeated season with a 9-4 decision over Liam Carlin of Burnt Hills in the Division I 132-pound final, that following a technical fall in the semifinal round. The final against third-seeded Carlin was the lone match Ferrara was pushed to the distance.
Ferrara was state champion as a junior at 126 pounds. This season’s New York title was preceded in December by a championship in the prestigious Beast of the East tournament in Delaware.
“It feels amazing. I was super-excited to come out here and get it done,” said Cornell University-bound Ferrara, who was state runner-up as a 106-pound freshman.
Section 4 competitors succeeded in four of eight finals, with DII members Darren Florance (BGAH junior, 110 pounds), Caden Bellis (Tioga junior, 138) and Ousmane Duncanson (Tioga junior, 160) matching Ferrara’s platform-topping salute. Florance and Duncanson made it back-to-back winters as state champions.
Tigers’ dominance continues
Tioga Central repeated as Division II team champion with a 157.5-point total, Bolivar-Richburg its nearest pursuer at 76. Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton/Harpursville was eighth with 51 points.
To go with the Albany team titles in Albany, the Tigers have claimed the most recent two state dual-meet championships at Onondaga Community College.
Tioga wrestlers occupied five top-three positions, pinned 14 opponents in an aggregate 40:50 and picked up 207 match points− both best in Division II.
What the champs had to say
** Top-seeded Florance, winner last year at 102 pounds, won by 48-second pin, 13-0 decision and 5-3 decision before his 8-7 squeeze past Gavin Mangano (Shoreham-Wading River) in the final.Pressure? “I mean, they all want me, they want to beat me. He came this close to beating me, but … ”To win a second straight? “Ten times harder. Feels great, This feeling? It’s like nothing before it.”
** Tioga’s Bellis, unbeaten state-champion football quarterback in the fall, was runner-up last year by a one-point decision in the 132-pound title match. This time around, he won a 6-1 decision against Nick Noto (Honeoye Falls-Lima) to close out matters.
“That was 100-percent motivation from last year, knowing that I lost in the last 10 seconds, to come out here and perform like that it was really great for me,” he said.As for his style and its success: “My style is just go out there and score points, that’s what my coaches were telling me. I was kind of mad at myself that I didn’t do that my first couple matches but I went out there in this last match and I got it done.”
** Duncanson, winner last year at 152, made his way through the 160-pound bracket with three pins and a decision −capped by a pin in 4:22.
“It means all the hard work paid off in the wrestling room, the coaching staff knew what they were doing, they were very supportive. So were the wrestlers because they all wanted the same outcome,” he said.
“I definitely felt a target on my back, I just tried to keep a straight mind, don’t let anything get to me and push as hard as I can.”
More:Fifteen Section 4 wrestlers move on to state championship semifinals
Section 4’s runners-up
In Division I, top-seeded Elmira senior Donavan Smith dropped a 10-5 decision to Frankie Volpe of Hauppauge. Smith was attempting to become the first state champion from the Elmira City School District since Jeff Reese (Southside) in 1995.
In Division II, runners-up were Logan Bellis (Tioga, 102), Joey Florance (BGAH, 118) and Gianni Silvestri (Tioga, 126). Silvestri, two-time state champion, was beaten in the final, 6-4, by Jordan Joslyn of Chautauqua Lake-Westfield-Panama.
Feb. 25
Section 4 results
Division I
Finals
132: Tyler Ferrara (Chenango Forks) 33-0 won by decision over Liam Carlin (Burnt Hills) 38-4 (Dec 9-4).
152: Frankie Volpe (Hauppauge) 40-3 won by decision over Donovan Smith (Elmira) 36-2 (Dec 10-5).
Semifinals
110: Evin Gursoy (Midwood) 43-2 won by decision over Ryan Ferrara (Chenango Forks) 24-5 (Dec 3-0).
132: Tyler Ferrara (Chenango Forks) 32-0 won by tech fall over Luke Nieto (Plainedge) 41-6 (TF-1.5 3:23 (20-5).
152: Donavan Smith (Elmira) 36-1 won by decision over Landon Lazarek (Hilton) 39-6 (Dec 3-2).
Fifth Place
110: Austin Zimmerman (St Joseph Collegiate Institute) 48-7 won by fall over Ryan Ferrara (Chenango Forks) 24-6 (Fall 2:01).
Division II
Finals
102: Tommy Aiello (John Glenn) 36-0 won by decision over Logan Bellis (Tioga) 38-10 (Dec 3-0).
110: Darren Florance (BGAH) 36-1 won by decision over Gavin Mangano (Shoreham-Wading River) 49-1 (Dec 8-7).
118: Chase Nevills (Copenhagen) 39-1 won by major decision over Joey Florance (BGAH) 32-5 (MD 9-1).
126: Jordan Joslyn (Chautauqua Lake-Westfield-Panama) 45-2 won by decision over Gianni Silvestri (Tioga) 43-2 (Dec 6-4).
138: Caden Bellis (Tioga) 33-1 won by decision over Nick Noto (Honeoye Falls-Lima) 36-5 (Dec 6-1).
160: Ousmane Duncanson (Tioga) 37-0 won by fall over Tayvn MacDonell (Bolivar-Richburg) 46-5 (Fall 4:22).
Semifinals
102: Tommy Aiello (John Glenn) 35-0 won by decision over Maverick Beckwith (Norwich) 35-6 (Dec 5-4);
Logan Bellis (Tioga) 38-9 won by decision over Jakob Lucinski (Newfane) 44-8 (Dec 6-4).
110: Darren Florance (BGAH) 35-1 won by decision over Chris Noto (Honeoye Falls-Lima) 41-5 (Dec 5-3);
Gavin Mangano (Shoreham-Wading River) 49-0 won by decision over Caleb Cole (Unatego-Unadilla Valley) 37-4 (Dec 7-0).
118: Joey Florance (BGAH) 32-4 won by decision over Cade Sands (Addison) 39-4 (Dec 7-0).
126: Gianni Silvestri (Tioga) 43-1 won by decision over Trevor Bishop (Tamarac) 38-3 (Dec 10-4);
Jordan Joslyn (Chautauqua Lake-Westfield-Panama) 44-2 won by decision over Trevor Cortright (Chenango Valley) 42-4 (Dec 2-0).
138: Caden Bellis (Tioga) 32-1 won by fall over Cole Joseph (Hackley) 42-7 (Fall 5:35).
145: Caleb Sweet (South Seneca) 42-1 won by fall over Drew Macumber (Tioga) 35-7 (Fall 2:40).
160: Ousmane Duncanson (Tioga) 36-0 won by decision over Mason McCombs (Windsor) 30-7 (Dec 8-1).
172: Tavio Hoose (Southwestern) 43-1 won by decision over Mason Edwards (Norwich) 23-3 (Dec 8-4).
Third Place
102: Maverick Beckwith (Norwich) 36-6 won by decision over Jakob Lucinski (Newfane) 44-9 (Dec 2-0). 110: Aidan Shufelt (Groton) 35-6 won by decision over Caleb Cole (Unatego-Unadilla Valley) 37-5 (Dec 5-3). 118: Jayden Duncanson (Tioga) 42-5 won by major decision over Gene Edwards (Central Valley Academy) 49-8 (MD 13-0). 126: Trevor Bishop (Tamarac) 39-3 won by decision over Trevor Cortright (Chenango Valley) 42-5 (Dec 5-3). 160: Luke Dendis (South Seneca) 38-6 won by fall over Mason McCombs (Windsor) 30-8 (Fall 4:39).
Fifth Place
126: Liam English (Cobleskill-Richmondville) 35-8 won by decision over Deakon Bailey (Tioga) 34-16 (Dec 4-0). 138: Wyatt Meade (Unatego-Unadilla Valley) 43-9 won by fall over Cole Joseph (Hackley) 42-8 (Fall 2:44). 145: Kieran Cullen (Greenville) 41-5 won by decision over Drew Macumber (Tioga) 35-8 (Dec 7-3). 172: Jesse Mullis (Hudson Falls) 42-8 won by medical forfeit over Mason Edwards (Norwich) 23-4. 215: Caden Allen (Bolivar-Richburg) 45-5 won by decision over Garrett Bidwell (Windsor) 36-8 (Dec 6-0).
Seventh Place
172: Trevor Harrington (Sidney) 38-8 won by decision over Landen Smith (Saranac) 40-6 (Dec 6-5); 189: Hunter Page (Oxford/Greene) 32-6 won by decision over Matt Trim (Maple Grove) 45-5 (Dec 6-2); 215: Donovan Mitchell (Groton) 27-6 won by major decision over Hunter Worden (Waterloo) 40-8 (MD 11-2); 285: Kam Hills (Waverly) 22-3 won by tech fall over Hamza Merrick (Wilson) 43-6 (TF-1.5 3:35 (15-0).
Feb. 24
Section 4 results
Division I Quarterfinals
110: Ryan Ferrara (Chenango Forks) 24-3 won by decision over Austin Zimmerman (St Joseph Collegiate Institute) 45-6 (Dec 4-2).
132: Tyler Ferrara (Chenango Forks) 31-0 won by tech fall over Ariel Waldman (Hewlett) 44-6 (TF-1.5 5:51 (19-4).
152: Donavan Smith (Elmira) 35-1 won by tech fall over Dylan Gagnon (North Tonawanda) 33-6 (TF-1.5 3:49 (16-1).
Division II Quarterfinals
102: Maverick Beckwith (Norwich) 34-5 won by major decision over Joe Scott (Letchworth) 37-11 (MD 13-0); Logan Bellis (Tioga) 37-9 won by decision over D`vante Ortiz (Tamarac) 35-2 (Dec 7-2).
110: Darren Florance (BGAH) 34-1 won by major decision over Brock Frederick (South Jefferson/Sandy Creek) 30-2 (MD 13-0); Gavin Mangano (Shoreham-Wading River) 48-0 won by decision over Aidan Shufelt (Groton) 31-6 (Dec 5-0); Caleb Cole (Unatego-Unadilla Valley) 36-3 won by major decision over Kenji Walters (Southwestern) 36-6 (MD 8-0).
118: Joey Florance (BGAH) 31-4 won by fall over Avi Berg (Glens Falls) 32-4 (Fall 4:34).
126: Gianni Silvestri (Tioga) 42-1 won by fall over Anthony Mirando (John Glenn) 34-2 (Fall 5:59); Trevor Cortright (Chenango Valley) 41-3 won by fall over Liam English (Cobleskill-Richmondville) 32-7 (Fall 5:28).
132: Culley Bellino (Canastota) 42-1 won by decision over Tyler Roe (Tioga) 39-7 (Dec 13-9).
138: Caden Bellis (Tioga) 31-1 won by decision over Xander Kirsch (Pioneer) 38-5 (Dec 3-2);
Cole Joseph (Hackley) 42-5 won by decision over Wyatt Meade (Unatego-Unadilla Valley) 40-8 (Dec 4-3).
145: Drew Macumber (Tioga) 35-5 won by decision over Kyle Barber (Bayport-Blue Point) 27-6 (Dec 11-8).
160: Ousmane Duncanson (Tioga) 35-0 won by fall over Luke Schirmacher (Mechanicville/Stillwater) 36-1 (Fall 2:53); Mason McCombs (Windsor) 29-6 won by major decision over Chris Shearing (Letchworth) 42-6 (MD 15-2).
172: Tavio Hoose (Southwestern) 42-1 won by decision over Trevor Harrington (Sidney) 36-7 (Dec 6-3); Mason Edwards (Norwich) 23-1 won by fall over Jesse Mullis (Hudson Falls) 39-7 (Fall 3:33).
189: Troy Austin (Whitehall) 41-1 won by tech fall over Hunter Page (Oxford/Greene) 30-5 (TF-1.5 5:34 (18-2); Andrew Bailey (Chittenango) 36-0 won by decision over Mateo Goodhue (Oneonta) 37-2 (Dec 1-0).
215: Matthew Oosterom (Port Jervis) 41-4 won by decision over Garrett Bidwell (Windsor) 34-6 (Dec 8-3).
285: Connor Bushey (Beekmantown) 27-3 won by fall over Kam Hills (Waverly) 20-2 (Fall 4:51).
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Four Section 4 wrestlers saluted as state champions in Albany
