Wrestling

Rodriguez reels in MOW honor

NUNDA — When you have unlimited energy like Geneseo’s Devon Rodriguez has, the best strategy is working hard for six minutes.

And even more minutes if needed.

Rodriguez, a senior, raised his record to 35-3 on the season as he captured his second straight LCAA title, winning the 120-pound crown with the 2-1 overtime victory over Bath senior and former state rep Brian Hojnoski during the title bout last Saturday night at Keshequa Central School in Nunda.

After battling six minutes through a 1-1 regulation, and a scoreless minute of sudden-death with nobody getting the takedown, Rodriguez would finally get the victory when he escaped in the third period of 30-second OT with just 3.4 seconds remaining to get the 2-1 win.

“We talked a lot about this match during the week,” said Geneseo coach Danny Carman. “We thought if we could keep it real close and get him to overtime that we could take advantage of Devon’s great conditioning and his will to win. That’s exactly the way the match went. It was a real big win for Devon and to have (Section V Hall of Fame coach) Don DeBadts sitting mat side along with (Al) Buzzo (Bruno) who really enjoyed the finals.”

Rodriguez earned the tournament’s coveted Most Outstanding Wrestler award.

Warsaw won the team title with 235 1/2 points, well ahead of runner-up Letchworth (123); third place Geneseo (110); fourth place York (110) and fifth place Bath (97).

It was the second straight LCAA tournament crown for Warsaw.

The Tigers had five individual champions including Colin Royce (106); Austin Keough (113); Josh Griffith (132); Burke Paddock (170) and Tim Schafer (182).

Royce, Keough and Paddock were all defending LCAA champions.

In their championship matches, Royce improved his overall record to 23-7 as he captured a 6-4 decision over Corey Hollister of Perry.

Royce avenged an earlier season loss to Bath’s R.J. Metz in the semis with the 6-2 victory.

“Colin is in the zone — he’s improving every day,” said Warsaw head coach Rob Hirsch. “He has been working hard for a long time and it is really paying off.”

Keough, who placed second at the NYS Championships a year ago, improved his record to 24-1 as he won a 17-2 technical fall over Gunnar Maggio of Dansville.

“Austin not only won his fifth LCAA title but he also won his 200th victory in the finals against a wrestler with amazing heart — Gunnar Maggio,” said coach Hirsch.

Griffith, who also won the LCAA title two years ago, improved his record to 22-7 on the season as he won a 7-3 decision over Jordan Rizzieri of Wayland-Cohocton in his title match.

“Josh is getting stronger and stronger and has amazing work ethic,” said coach Hirsch.

The sophomore Paddock made quick work during his title match as he decked Jesse Conrad of Bath in just 59 seconds. Paddock, who has 175 career wins with still two years to go, improved to 30-3 on the season.

‘The Burke’ is still the greatest show on the mat,” said coach Hirsch, of his super-soph. “If you can believe it, the three losses Burke has this year has made him work even harder and even more vicious. Next year we will have to bring him into the LCAA tournament in a cage.”

Schafer, a three-time Section 6 champion and transfer from Lancaster, had a real battle during his 3-1 decision over Way-Co’s Levi Wormuth in the 182-pound finals. Schafer is 25-3 on the season.

“Tim is tenacious and he never tires,” said coach Hirsch. “He is always working, and by not being ranked makes him even more dangerous.”

Letchworth had two individual champions — both returning champs as Austin Hedges claimed the 145-pound title while Chris Nevinger captured the 160-pound crown.

The senior Hedges ran his overall record to 24-3 with the 7-1 victory over Bath’s Mitchell Buckley in the finals.

Nevinger improved his record to 35-0 with the 15-0 tech fall win in 2:47 over defending LCAA champ Zac Todd, of Keshequa.

Not only did the senior Nevinger win his third straight LCAA crown, but he extended his consecutive win streak to 127 straight wins.

Four-time NYS champion Jesse Jantzen holds the state record for consecutive wins with 157. Nevinger, who will wrestle next fall at UB on a full ride, sits alone at No. 2.

York also had two individual champions as seniors John VanSlyke (138) and Corey Easton (152) each won their respective titles.

VanSlyke, who also won the LCAA crown as a sophomore, pinned Warsaw’s Ty Flint in 5:36 in his final bout to raise his overall record to 29-0 on the season.

“I am not only proud of John’s wrestling accomplishments this year but the thing that impresses me the most is John’s overall attitude as a leader to the younger members of our squad,” said York coach Jeff Schirmer. “John continues to set an outstanding example and provide that needed mentoring to his teammates. As I watch John compete through his senior year, I see a focused individual with a strong determination that I know will help him meet his ultimate goal.”

Easton won his first LCAA title with the 10-8 victory over Hornell’s Damon Flurschutz.

The victory was sweet redemption for Easton, who was pinned a week prior by Flurschutz at the State Farm Tournament.

Easton is 24-3 on the year.

“This was Corey’s first varsity title of any kind, and I am very proud of his constant effort to improve,” said coach Schirmer. “To turn around and defeat (Flurschutz) in the LCAA finals is quite an accomplishment. I’m very proud of Corey’s LCAA title and confident his success will carry over into a good run in this year’s sectionals.”

Hornell junior Zack Bacon was also a repeat champion as he captured the 220-pound title with the impressive 15-0 tech fall over York sophomore Riley Andrews.

Bacon, who improved to 20-1 on the season, finished off Andrews just under the five minute mark.

Four other wrestlers captured their first LCAA crowns including Way-Co’s Tyler Hamsher (99); Keshequa’s Aaron Bennett (126); Avon’s Bryce Mazurowski (195) and Cal-Mum’s Louie Restivo (285).

In their title matches, Hamsher defeated Perry’s Andrew Hollister 11-6; Bennett blanked Warsaw’s Anthony Passamonte 6-0; Mazurowski shut out Warsaw’s Tyler Boise 13-0; and Restivo pinned Dansville’s Anthony Cruz in 2:16.

For Mazurowski, the junior raised his record to 31-1 on the season, with his only loss coming to a nationally-ranked wrestler from outside the section.

It took Mazurowski less than two minutes of wrestling to make his fourth LCAA title match as he pinned Hornell’s Chris Giglio in 57 seconds in the quarterfinals and then pinned Geneseo’s Joey Frost in 57 seconds in the semis. His 13-0 victory over Boise gave him his first LCAA title.

“I’ve had a lot of competition in my weight class that last few years and that’s what makes you want to do better and better every year,” said Mazurowski.

With his number one goal getting to the top of the state podium in Albany in a month, Mazurowski will not take anything for granted in the weeks leading up to states.

“I’m sure there will be some tough kids at both sectionals at Supers so I’m not going to look past any match and go with it,” said Mazurowski. “(Winning a state title) is definitely something that I really want to do.”

Wrestlers that placed third included Cal-Mum’s Clay Fisher (99); Metz (106); Geneseo’s Billy Dunn (113); Dansville’s Cody Schuster (120); Hornell’s Marcus Vanduser (126); Letchworth’s Dakota Woolley (132); Geneseo’s Justin Bono (138); Warsaw’s Nate French (145); Geneseo’s James Lukaszonas (152); Warsaw’s Zach Reynolds (160); Avon’s Danny Welch (170); Letchworth’s Jeff Day (182); Pavilion’s Tony Hulme (195); Letchworth’s Robert Hosmer (220); and Avon’s Jared Matusak (285).

 

LCAA Wrestling Championships

 Team Results

Warsaw 235.5, Letchworth 123, Geneseo 110, York 105, Bath Haverling 97, Wayland-Cohocton 86, Dansville 81.5, Hornell 71.5, Avon 69, Keshequa 69, Le Roy 56, Perry 51.5, Cal-Mum 50, Pavilion 33, Livonia 32.

Championship Final

99 – Tyler Hamsher (WC) dec. Andrew Hollister (Perry) 11-6

106 – Colin Royce (Warsaw) dec. Corey Hollister (Perry) 6-4

113 – Austin Keough (Warsaw) tech fall Gunnar Maggio (Dansville) 17-2, 4:40

120 – Devon Rodriguez (Geneseo) dec. Brian Hojnoski (Bath) 2-1 (3OT)

126 – Aaron Bennett (Keshequa) dec. Anthony Passamonte (Warsaw) 6-0

132 – Josh Griffith (Warsaw) dec. Jordan Rizzieri (Way-Co) 7-3

138 – John Van Slyke (York) pinned Ty Flint (Warsaw) 5:36

145 – Austin Hedges (Letchworth) dec. Mitchell Buckley (Bath) 7-1

152 – Corey Easton (York) dec. Damon Flurschutz (Hornell) 10-8

160 – Chris Nevinger (Letchworth) tech fall Zac Todd (Keshequa) 15-0, 2:47

170 – Burke Paddock (Warsaw) pinned Jesse Conrad (Bath) 0:59

182 – Tim Schafer (Warsaw) dec. Levi Wormuth (Way-Co) 3-1

195 – Bryce Mazurowski (Avon) maj. dec. Tyler Boise (Warsaw) 13-0

220 – Zack Bacon (Hornell) tech fall Riley Andrews (York) 15-0, 4:46

285 – Louie Restivo (CM) pinned Anthony Cruz (Dansville) 2:16

Consolation Final

99 – Clay Fisher (CM) dec. Jon Lauricella (LeR) 3-1

106 – R.J. Metz (BH) pinned Austin Galton (Keshequa) 0:19

113 – Billy Dunn (Geneseo) tech fall Robert Lukaszonas (Geneseo) 16-1

120 – Cody Schuster (Dansville) pinned Mason Hamilton (Way-Co) 2:16

126 – Marcus Vanduser (Hornell) dec. Derek Draper (York) 7-1

132 – Dakota Woolley (Letchworth) dec. Dan Matthews (LeR) 7-0

138 – Justin Bono (Geneseo) dec. Ryan Hurlburt (Dansville) 7-6

145 – Nate French (Warsaw) pinned Brett Sawdey (Way-Co) 2:05

152 – James Lukaszonas (Geneseo) won by forfeit John Gombos (LeR)

160 – Zach Reynolds (Warsaw) pinned Matt Hierlwimmer (Livonia) 0:51

170 – Dan Welch (Avon) dec. Hubie Jansch (Dansville)11-8

182 – Jeff Day (Letchworth) pinned Ed Garland (York) 0:59

195 – Tony Hulme (Pavilion) pinned Jesse Gleason (York) 2:02

220 – Robert Hosmer (Letchworth) pinned Jared Resch (LeR) 2:51

285 – Jared Matusak (Avon) pinned Wyatt Hall (Bath) 2:24