OXFORD – Queensbury returned to the top spot in the closely-contested 46th annual Clyde Cole Tournament.
The Section II school polled 185.5 points to edge Monsignor Farrell by one to claim the overall championship. Greene led Chenango County schools with 166.5 points and B-G/Afton was next with 155.5.
“The top four or five teams were really close,” said B-G/Afton coach Brandon MacNaught. “It’s a beginning-of-the-year tournament, and when you have a random draw, if you mix that up three times, you could have three different team champions.”
The Bears finished with two title winners. Danny Gormley (119) shook off a tight 8-7 semifinals win to rout Adam Hill of Pembroke, 15-0. Victor Coronado (145), a two-time sectional champion, won an 11-4 decision for the Bears. “Gormley was a little sluggish in the semifinals, but he is learning how to win when everything isn’t going right,” MacNaught said. “We have a young team, and Coronado is one of the few seniors we have. He is a steadying influence in the wrestling room, especially since there are a lot of young guys near his weight class.”
Unadilla Valley’s Tyler Peet showed no ill-effects of a move up to 135 pounds. Peet overcame an early deficit to Monsignor Farrell’s Kevin Hartnett to win 8-2. Hartnett scored the early takedown, but Peet executed a reversal into a cradle to take a 5-2 lead into the second period. He added an escape and takedown in the third. “He wrestled very well, and he knew (moving up in weight) that he had to be bigger and stronger this year,” said UV coach Jim DuVall of Peet. “Half of our lineup is really young and we’re not there yet, but I expect them to be there by the end of the season.”
Host team Oxford had a lone champion in senior Travis Frank. Frank moved up to 215 pounds, and outlasted Ryan Todd of Lansing, 5-2, for his first Clyde Cole championship. Patrick Hubman (152) added his best-ever Clyde Cole finish taking second-place.
Sectional champions Nick Wilcox (130) and Tyler Beckwith (171) retained Clyde Cole titles, and Kurt Shear (160), a runner-up a year ago, gave the Trojans their third title.
