By TIM TAYLORValley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER — Top-ranked Tioga moved to the top of IAC Division I with impressive victories over Dryden and Newark Valley in a wrestling triangular here Wednesday evening.
The Tigers dropped just two bouts — with a pair of first-year grapplers falling to the Purple Lions' and NV's top juniors — as they defeated Dryden, 71-6, and the Cardinals, 66-6.
Both teams carry youthful rosters. Thirteen of Dryden's 21 wrestlers are underclassmen or junior high-aged while Newark Valley has 22 underclassmen or junior high-aged members on its 28-man roster. Tioga has some youth as well (17 of its 29 grapplers are underclassmen or junior high-aged), but is much deeper experience-wise.
Tioga coach Kris Harrington credited both opposing coaches for the progress they're making.
"They're emerging programs right now," Harrington said. "They both had pretty full line-ups and we're a tough out right now
"I think that coach (Mike) Daly and coach (Bobby) Brotherton are doing a good job developing their programs. Right now, we're just a little bit better than those guys."
The Tigers have seven state-ranked wrestlers on their roster, four being underclassmen, and as a team are ranked No. 1 in Division II by both the New York State Sportswriters Association and the New York Wrestling News.
Tioga started the opening match against Dryden in rapid fashion — three wins in 63 seconds as top-ranked Gianni Silvestri posted a 41-second fall and No. 4 followed with a 22-second pin, both competing up a weight. Caden Bellis, ranked third at 132, received a forfeit.
Donavan Smith, No. 3 at 145, registered a 19-4 technical fall in 4:58, then the Tigers tacked on three more quick pins. Ousmane Duncanson, ranked fourth at 160, and Emmett Wood, No. 3 at 152, have swapped weight classes and chalked up 50- and 36-second pins, respectively, then Trent Browne (172) added a 38-second fall.
Thomas Hurd (189) added a forfeit and Josh Snell (215) followed with a 30-second pin.
After the Lions picked up their lone victory at 285, Logan Bellis accepted a forfeit at 102, 8th-ranked Deakon Bailey (110) picked up a second-period fall and Jayden Duncanson (118) closed out the match with a 29-second fall.
Tioga opened the Newark Valley match with first-period pins by Caden Bellis, Smith, Ousmane Duncanson, Wood and Browne. Wood's fall took just 14 seconds, while Smith and Browne recorded theirs in 34 and 56 seconds, respectively.
Peter Basti gave NV its only win of the match with a first-period fall.
Josh Snell (215) scored a 6-4 decision and Tate McCauley (285) added a 4-0 win, Logan Bellis won by first-period fall, and Bailey and Jayden Duncanson took forfeits. Silvestri added a fall in the first period and Welch ended the match with an exciting third-period pin against NV's Mark Vosburgh.
Harrington was pleased with the Tigers' overall performance and with the efforts of his inexperienced big guys, Snell and McCauley.
"I'm happy," he said. "I thought that Snelly had a good day and Tate's coming along nicely, a tough weight class to be a freshman in, but starting to have some growth and we're seeing some good things there, so overall I'm fairly happy."
With the wins, the Tigers improved to 3-0 in the division and 9-0 overall. Tioga visits Waverly Thursday.
——————
TIOGA 71, DRYDEN 6
126: Gianni Silvestri (Tioga) pinned Sam LaMorte, :41
132: Mason Welch (Tioga) pinned Dean Belden, :22
138: Caden Bellis (Tioga) by forfeit
145: Donavan Smith (Tioga) by tech. fall over Joshua Rowland, 19-4, 4:58
152: Ousmane Duncanson (Tioga) pinned Paul Best Jr., :50
160: Emmett Wood (Tioga) pinned Christopher Combs, :36
172: Trent Browne (Tioga) pinned Hunter Covington, :38
189: Thomas Hurd (Tioga) by forfeit
215: Josh Snell (Tioga) pinned Aaron Thompson, :30
285: Kaydin Hinckley (Dryden) pinned Tate McCauley, :17
102: Logan Bellis (Tioga) by forfeit
110: Deakon Bailey (Tioga) pinned Oscar Brotherton, 3:28
118: Jayden Duncanson (Tioga) pinned Travis Chamberlain, :29
Extra matches
126: Emily Sindoni (Tioga) pinned Sam LaMorte, 1:33
TIOGA 66, NEWARK VALLEY 6
138: Caden Bellis (Tioga) pinned Noah Waterman, 1:27
145: Donavan Smith (Tioga) pinned Connor VanZile, :34
152: Ousmane Duncanson (Tioga) pinned John Turnbull, 1:03
160: Emmett Wood (Tioga) pinned Gabe Merrill, :14
172: Trent Browne (Tioga) pinned Bryce Dunn, :56
189: Peter Basti (NV) pinned Thomas Hurd, 1:11
215: Josh Snell (Tioga) dec. Nate Demmer, 6-4
285: Tate McCauley (Tioga) dec. Seth Northrup, 4-0
102: Logan Bellis (Tioga) pinned Logan Woodin, 1:29
110: Deakon Bailey (Tioga) by forfeit
118: Jayden Duncanson (Tioga) by forfeit
126: Gianni Silvestri (Tioga) pinned Cadin Creeley, 1:08
132: Mason Welch (Tioga) pinned Mark Vosburgh, 5:34
Extra matches
102: Kaydin Cole (Tioga) dec. Trevor Middendorf, 11-5
——————
IN PHOTO 1: Tioga's Ousmane Duncanson. ... PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
