Valley Sports ReportNEWARK VALLEY — The Tioga wrestling team rolled to the Section IV Division II Qualifier B title here Saturday, sending four grapplers to the top of the podium in the process.
Drayke Ulrich (103 pounds), Declan McKee (110), Jayden Duncanson (138) and Mark McCane (285). The quartet collected 11 bonus-point wins as the Tigers scored 234.5 points, more than 60 ahead of runner-up Newark Valley (171).
McKee, a returning state champ and two-time place-winner also recorded his 100th career victory with a fall over Lansing’s Zabriel Davis in 1:24. The junior followed that up with quick pins over Newark Valley’s Andrew Lelik in 33 seconds and teammate Parker Jackson in 22 seconds.
Four-time state pace-winner Duncanson pinned Whitney Points Braydan Singleton in 1:10, then scored a 17-2 tech. Fall over NV’s Logan Rhodes in 4:18. In the finals, he dispatched Oneonta’s Amari Champen in 1:20.
Ulrich posted three falls on the day. He decked Marathon’s Henry Donah in 1:51, then took care of Moravia’s Dodge McPherson in four minutes flat. He pinned Chenango Valley’s Andrew Valls in 3:29 in the finals.
McCane ran upa 14-0 advantage over Sidney’s Nathan Strauss before pinning him in 2:47, and held a 13-2 lead over Oxford/Greene’s Urijah Dibble before decking him in 3:10. In the finals, the sophomore recorded an 8-2 decision against Oxford/Greene’s Donte Wrench.
The Tigers had four runners-up in Jackson (110), Logan Bellis (118), Kadin Cole (126) and Aiden Black (165).
Jackson pinned Whitney Point’s Gabe Smith in one minute, then scored a 14-1 major decision over Walton/Delaware Academy’s Linkin Backus before falling to McKee.
Bellis, who placed at states in 2023 and 2024, pinned Chenango Valley’s Lewis Wolcott in 44 seconds and registered an 11-0 major decision over Walton/Delaware Academy’s Aiden Branigan. He forfeited his finals match to Oneonta’s Clayton Ritter.
Cole, a state place-winner in 2024, pinned Whitney Point’s Colton Miller in 19 seconds and WDA’s Kohl Muller in 1:16. In the finals, he gave up a medical forfeit to CV’s unbeaten Anthon Valls.
Black chalked up a 13-1 major decision over Marathon’s Kareem Truitt, but lost by fall in 1:31 to 2024 state qualifier Cadin Creeley of Newark Valley in the finals.
Placing third were Caden Bradley at 144 and James Howey at 190.
Bradley opened the tourney with a 13-3 major decision of NV’s Marcos Escalante, then dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to top-seeded Justin Somers from WDA. He pulled out a 4-1 sudden victory win against Marathon’s Brendan Gumaer in the third-place bout.
Howey scored a fall in 5:07 against Spencer-Van Etten/Candor’s Kaden Sims, the lost by fall in 1:29 to NV’s Titus Callahan. He came back to defeat Marathon’s Andrew Infante Franks, 6-2, to take the bronze.
There was no 5th-place wrestle-off, so Liamm Comstock (132) and Jamie Woodcock (215) took sixth place.
Comstock dropped a 22-5 tech. fall to Whitney Point’s Kyle Kitson in 2:36, then blanked Sidney’s Broc Higley, 7-0. He shared sixth with Gabe Spizzarri from Marathon.
Woodcock lost by fall to Marathon’s Trenton Vinson in 59 seconds, then decked Oneonta’s Mason Hannon in 1:40. He shared sixth with Oxford/Greene’s David Dunkel.
Cason Labour (175) was 1-2 on the day with a pin over Oxford/Greene’s Alex Kehl in 1:43. Tyler Haskins went 0-2 at 150.
Twelve Tigers advance to next week’s state qualifier.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIOGA TIGERS SPORTS PICS.
