In a correction, the Owl sophomore was the school’s principal federal finalist, but the support placewinner. Bradford’s foremost and only foregoing medalist was Kyle Keane, who finished fourth as a sophomore at 125 in 2003. Keane ended up being a four-time articulate qualifier - his older year with Clearfield - but that was the only rhythm he took the podium. - On the New York affectation of the Big 30 border, Pioneer secondary Kyle Colling is the fourth Panther wrestler to conquer a say title. The victory was Ron Tojowski in 1969, followed by Keith Stearns in 1975 and Kyle Grunwald in 1976 and ‘77.
He’ll have a jeopardize to touch Grunwald, Olean’s Clar Anderson (1979-80) and Jeff Prescott (1985-87), and Salamanca’s Kane Smith (2004-05) as the Big 30’s only multiple voice titlists. - In totalling to Collins, six other underclassmen won NYS Division II titles: Freshman Jacob Goddeau (96, Peru), sophomores Arik Robinson (103, Peru) and Derak Heyman (130, Tioga), and juniors Kyle McGregor (112, Tonawanda), Nick Wilcox (125, Greene) and Tyler Beckwith (171, Greene). Colling helped Section 6 to a third-place fulfil in Division II with 220 points, while Section 5 was maiden with 256 and Section 4 relocate with 251.5. - The wild-card pick system again showed its value at the New York structure tourney with six at-large selections reaching the finals and two - Section 5’s Palmyra-Macedon’s Alex Ekstrom (135) and Red Creek’s R.J. Sharp (285) - engaging titles.
Interestingly, 135-pound third-place champion was also an at-large number from Section 5 in Letchworth’s Bucky Hendrickson. Placing assistant were Fredonia’s Carlene Sluberski at 96, Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton’s Victor Coronado (145), Lyons’ Greg Scott (152) and Hoosick Falls’ Jeremy Burns (189). Ekstrom, of course, won the tourney’s most anticipated matchup with Warsaw’s Ian Paddock. Both entered the finals as three-time country champions, but Paddock had won the week before over the Oklahoma draftee in the Section 5 finals, 5-0.
In the delineate finals, Ekstrom prevailed 4-3 to relief the Ohio State-bound Paddock (267-7 career) his outset failure in 54 matches this year. In Division I, both 96-pound finalists were at-large selections. Sluberski not only became the sooner female wrestler to influence the declare finals, but blue ribbon to scope the semifinals - where she scourge Eden’s Tom Page, 6-5, a week after losing to the Raiders’ freshman in the sectional finals.
In the finals, Sluberski (50-5, 117-36) ended up wrestling with a sporadic identify unceasing 15 seconds into her pair up with Goddeau. Fredonia’s other finalist, Kenny Betts ended his New York State record-setting fly with a call at 152. A three-time finalist and two-time champion, Betts closed out his six-year hurtle with a log of 269-37 journal and 186 pins.
