By TIM TAYLORValley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER — Third-seeded Chenango Valley recorded six pins and did not yield any in upsetting No. 2 Waverly, 41-36, in the semifinals of the Section IV Division II Dual Meet Wrestling Championships here Wednesday.
Waverly coach Devan Witman was disappointed after the loss.
"We have some guys not doing what they're supposed to be doing.
"Again, weight management killed us, it killed us tonight," noted Witman."You know, going into the postseason and we can't figure out where we're supposed to be at and we're trying to do it all last minute."
With a 5-0 lead in hand after Andrew Valls’ 16-1 tech. fall against Triton Floyd in 2:40 at 103 pounds, the Warriors reeled off consecutive pins. Alexander Vallswon over Mason Phillips in 3:02 at 110, Lewis Wolcott dispatched Joey Sandfort in 17 seconds at 118 and Anthony Valls dropped Avery Bowman in 3:09 at 126, giving CV a 23-0 cushion.
Rhylee Stotler (132) and Daltton Davis (138) scored back-to-back major decisions to narrow the margin to 23-8 with Stotler handling Armando Difulvio, 11-2, and Davis thumping Travis White, 18-5.
Chenango Valley wrapped a pair of pins around a Wolverine tech. fall to push the lead to 35-13. Grayson Cortright (144) stopped Hudson Sink in 3:22 and Nicholas Aftuck (157) decked Nico Rae in 2:57. In between, Parker Larson (150) posted a 20-2 tech. fall in 3:46 over Jestin Bennett,.
Up, 35-13, the Warriors forfeited to Cooper Robinson at 165 and Joey Mack recorded an 18-0 tech. fall over Vincenz Difulvio in 1:42 at 175, slicing the lead to 35-24.
CV would clinch the win when Brennen Riquier, who came into the tournament with 22 victories this season, pinned first-year wrestler Liam Arnold in 1:07 at 190.
Witman said his team's 53-24 win over Chenango Valley during the regular-season may have caused some overconfidence as well.
"Some guys just weren't prepared," he said."Some of it is just taking pride in putting on that red-and-white singlet and not getting pinned," said Witman."I didn't see a whole lot of that tonight.
"We rolled Chenango Valley by 30 points last time, and I think the guys took that for granted," he noted."They were looking past Chenango Valley, looking right to the championship.
"And, it was a huge mistake, right?" said Witman."Chenango Valley came ready to beat us, they wanted it more than we did."
The Warriors forfeited to Matthias Welles (215) and Troy Beeman (285) to end the match. That duo, along with Stotler, Davis and Robinson, have won 25 or more matches apiece this season and are legitimate state tournament contenders.
With the dual season over, Witman is hoping to get his team back on track for the individual postseason.
"This definitely doesn't feel good going into the individual postseason," said Witman."I always say that wrestling, if you say wrestling is just an individual sport, you've probably never wrestled before, and we showed that tonight, the team didn't show up.
"And so we have to find a way to get pride back into this team because you know, we didn't show a whole heck of a lot of that tonight."
CHENANGO VALLEY 41, WAVERLY 36
103: Andrew Valls (CV) tech. fall Triton Floyd (W), 16-1 (2:40)
110: Alexander Valls (CV) pinned Mason Phillips (W), 3:02
118: Lewis Wolcott (CV) pinned Joey Sandfort (W), :17
126: Anthony Valls (CV) pinned Avery Bowman (W), 3:09
132: Rhylee Stotler (W) maj. dec. Armando Difulvio (CV), 11-2
138: Daltton Davis (W) maj. dec. Travis White (CV), 18-5
144: Grayson Cortright (CV) pinned Hudson Sink (W), 3:22
150: Parker Larson (W) tech. fall Jestin Bennett (CV), 20-2 (3:46)
157: Nicholas Aftuck (CV) pinned Nico Rae (W), 2:57
165: Cooper Robinson (W) by forfeit
175: Joey Mack (W) tech. fall Vincenz Difulvio (CV), 18-0 (1:42)
190: Brennen Riquier (CV) pinned Liam Arnold (W), 1:07
215: Matthias Welles (W) by forfeit
285: Troy Beeman (W) by forfeit
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PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
