ALBANY – Greene juniors Tyler Beckwith and Nick Wilcox are best friends who dreamt of winning New York State wrestling titles as youngsters. It was a Wilcox second that preceded a Beckwith first Saturday night at the Times Union Center, and those accomplishments enabled the Trojans to set a new program standard.

Wilcox won his second New York title – and first in three years – taking the Division II 125-pound crown, and Beckwith, who lost in the state finals a year ago, won his first state championship taking the D-II 171-pound championship. It was the first time the Trojans put two wrestlers in the state finals in the same year, and obviously the first time in Greene history that two young men returned to Greene with state championship medals in hand.

“When we went to MAWAs and little kids nationals, we always dreamed of being like Sherwood Fendryk and Jake Hoyt (Greene state champions),” Beckwith said after his title win. “For us to win two titles feels great.”

Wilcox set the tone for Greene’s championship double-dip with a 6-4 win over Section IV’s Sean Walton. Wilcox, who has been in the state finals after each of his three Section IV titles, picked up a four-point move in the first period, and escapes in the second and third periods.

“It feels wicked good, but I’m still upset about last year,” Wilcox said, referring to last year when he was not eligible for postseason tournaments. “I’m thinking this should have been my third (state title), but I’ll take two...two is definitely better than one.”

Beckwith, a one-point loser in the state finals at 171 pounds a year ago, had no difficulties in a 7-0 shutout over Vinny Gallo of Section II. Beckwith pinned his first opponent, and did not allow any points in any of his ensuing bouts. Included in the mix was a 15-0 technical fall of defending state champion Cody Hutcheson of Section V in the semifinals. Hutcheson was the very same wrestler who nipped Beckwith for the state title a year ago.