Frank Speziale Photo

OXFORD – A weekend filled with wrestling, another successful year at the annual kick-off tournament for the 2016-2017 season – Clyde Cole in Oxford gave fans, coaches and wrestlers alike a show this past weekend when 17 teams sent the best they had to compete for the 15 champion titles up for grabs.

Back in his hometown of Oxford was four time state champion J.P O'Connor. O'Connor was recognized and given a plaque stating his many accomplishments in the sport of wrestling including being a five time Section IV champion, four time state champion, and a one time NCAA champion in 2010. Not only was O'Connor given a plaque to commemorate the first time he had been back to the Clyde Cole tournament since his days as a Blackhawk, but O'Connor was further recognized with a life-size mural which was being painted throughout the weekend by local artist and Oxford grad, Ryan Warner. Stay tuned for a further writeup in The Evening Sun on the mural, J.P O'Connor and Ryan Warner.

O'Connor was witness to a 17 team tournament, present this past weekend in the Blackhawk gymnasium. However, it was not a local team that took the team title instead it was Queensbury who stole the crown – despite only crowning two champions on the weekend, at 138 and 145 pounds– for a team score of 243.5.

Local teams Bainbridge-Guilford-Afton-Harpursville and Norwich were locked in a match for the second place finish, with BGAH emerging with 238.5 points scored; while Norwich who impressively stole the show in the finals – crowning five champions – would finish just a half point out of second place with 238 team points.

Of the 15 weight classes, nine first place finishes in the finals would go to local Chenango County athletes. Despite the team placing second over Norwich, BGAH would bring five wrestlers into the finals only to see three crowned.

Madison Hoover at 160 pounds would earn the first champion spot for the Bears with win by fall over Greene's Noah Kennedy. Hoover, the first seed at the weight, would pin his way through the tournament – with no match lasting longer than 1:10 – earning him the Pin Award (Wrestler with most pins in least time), and the Director's Plaque (Champion with least points scored against them).

The very next weight class at 170 pounds, Austin Carr of BGAH claimed the first place spot at the weight when he defeated Maine-Endwell's Micah Miller by injury default. This blood-filled thriller of a match unfortunately ended with Miller's head injury and a Carr victory in just the second period of wrestling – after Carr led Miller 3-1 following an escape which led to the head collision.

At 195 pounds Mitchell Weist of BGAH won their third title of the night when he won by pin at 5:35 over Oxford's Dakota Friedel. Weist, the number one seed, and Friedel, the two seed, both would pin their way through the tournament, setting up a showdown of the two local wrestlers that would end in no other way than a pin – despite a close 6-4 match in favor of Weist before the pin occurred.

BGAH would enjoy place finishes by eight other wrestlers: Dylan Decker second place at 99 pounds, Teague Rezucha sixth place at 99 pounds, Brody Oleksak second place at 106 pounds, Austin Eggelston third place at 138 pounds, Ben Bivar fourth place at 145 pounds, Hayden Lewis fifth place at 145 pounds, Shane Hoover third place at a 152 pounds, and Nick Decker sixth place at 285 pounds.

Norwich, who was pushing for the second place team spot, would spoil BGAH's trip to the finals right out of the gates when the 99 pound and 106 pounders stepped onto the mat for the finals. At 99 pounds it was Dante Geislinger of Norwich who defeated BGAH's Dylan Decker by a quick pin at just :27 seconds. Geislinger shredded through his competition, from the number one seed spot, claiming pins in each of his three matches.

At 106 pounds, Mike Squires of Norwich faced off against BGAH's Brody Oleksak to which the match was ultimately decided by an early Squires takedown in the second period. Oleksak would earn the escape in the second to draw the match to 2-1, however, a reversal from Squires in the third period would seal the deal for Norwich's second of five champions on the night. Squires enjoyed a pin at 3:32 to lift him to the semifinals where he would win by technical fall at 18-2.

Norwich's third champion was crowned at 120 pounds when Eli Rodriguez made his mark on Clyde Cole history taking home his third consecutive title at the tournament. Rodriguez handily defeated Nick Hotaling of Shenendehowa by a score of 10-4. Rodriguez enjoyed a technical fall win in the first round of the tournament to lift him to the semifinals where he pinned his opponent from Waverly at 3:17, taking him to the finals.

Norwich would have to then wait until the 152 final to see their next champion in Cole Rifanburg. The Tornado senior took home the championing win in a tough match with Marathon's Shvunte Searcy. With a 0-0 score entering the second period, it was Searcy who earned the first match point with an escape. The deadlocked match continued to a 2-1 score in the third period where Rifanburg ensured a win with an escape at 1:33 taking the score to 3-1 for the win. Rifanburg was named Most Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament – an award voted on by the coaches.

Norwich's final champion of the night was crowned at the 182 pound weight class, when Brennan Slater emerged the winner of his bracket with a late pin at 5:45 over Nico Mattia of Queensbury. Mattia would be first to score in the second period with a takedown over Slater. With two minutes and two points between Slater and the first place podium, he would earn the reversal to draw the match to 2-2 just :20 into the final period.The reversal would not be where the action stopped as a three count near-fall earned Slater the 5-2 lead before the pin occurred. Slater, the second seed, enjoyed a technical fall to begin the tournament, before pinning his way, all the way through the finals for the win.

Norwich would enjoy place finishes by four other wrestlers: Nick Glanville third place at 113 pounds, Ty Rifanburg third place at 145 pounds, Jake Franklin third place at 170 pounds, and eighth grader Tyler Rice second place at 220 pounds.

Oxford would round out the ninth Chenango County champion when Brendan Gager claimed the Blackhawks lone title on the night at the 126 pound weight class. Gager defeated Daniel Koll of Lansing in the finals by a score of 5-3, showing complete control the entire match over his opponent. Gager glided to an early takedown over his Lansing opponent, taking the early 2-0 lead before a third period escape and takedown landed the Blackhawk in a commanding 5-0 lead. A late escape is all that Koll could muster over Gager, as he would claim the 5-1 win after previously pinning his way through the tournament from the second seeded spot.

Oxford would enjoy four other place finishers: Brady Smith fourth place at 106 pounds, Cooper Rice fifth place at 106 pounds, Daren Law fourth place at 138 pounds, and Dakota Friedel second place at 195 pounds.

On the tournament, Sherburne-Earlville, Greene and Unadilla Valley were unable to secure a champion however, would enjoy place finishers as well.

Sherburne-Earlville would manage three wrestlers into the placing rounds: Ethan Eldred fifth place at 160 pounds, Baily Walzer sixth place at 170 pounds, and Tanner Campbell fourth place at 195 pounds. For Greene they would manage just one place finisher in Noah Kennedy took home second place at 160 pounds. Kennedy battled through the tournament to the finals earning three pins on his way – ultimately being pinned by Hoover of BGAH for the second place finish. Unadilla Valley would see their lone wrestler finish in fourth place at the 132 pound weight class. Morgan Lakin, UV, battled his way to the semifinal round for the Storm before losing by pin to Reese Lockwood of Groton.

Team place finishes: Queensbury 243.5, BGAH 238.5, Norwich 238, Shenendehowa 198.5, Spencer VanEtten-Candor 163, Averill Park 120.5, Carthage 114, Oxford 92.5, Maine-Endwell 83, Groton 77.5, Marathon 73.5, Sherburne-Earlville 55, Sidney 54.5, Lansing 38, Greene 26, Waverly 24, Unadilla Valley 18.

This years program dedication at the 54th annual Clyde Cole was given to Thad and Michelle Rice, both of Oxford for their dedication to the sport through coaching and scorekeeping. This award was announced prior the beginning of the finals on Saturday, Dec. 3., and presented by Terry Stark the Oxford Mayor and President of the Rotary Club.