The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Seven local competitors ready for state tourney
Wrestlers from Camden, Canastota, Chittenango and Morrisville-Eaton are all preparing for the NYSPHSAA championships, with all seven making their first trip to the state tournament.
Three Dispatch- area wrestlers left the Section III Division II championships assured of spots in this weekend’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association tournaments, while several others were left wondering if they would also advance or if the season was over.
Ultimately, four more got the call.
Camden’s Daniel Alberico and Riley Gerber, Canastota’s Doug Simmons and Ben Marshall, Chittenango’s Connor Fredericks and Antonio Cutrie and Morrisville-Eaton’s Beau Burke will all compete at the Times Union Center in Albany with the chance to prove themselves against the best in the state.
“It’s been pretty awesome,” said Gerber, the runner-up at 132 in the sectional tournament. “It would have been nice to have the guaranteed win and the section title but coming off an injury last year and going to the state tournament this year, it’s pretty huge, especially for the program.”
The junior, who has a 42-7 record this season, was one of four wrestlers to earn an at-large bid, along with his teammate Alberico (37-11), the Raiders’ Marshall (37- 4), and the Bears’ Cutrie (36-1), whose only loss came in the Section III Division II final at 220 against General Brown’s Luke Rogers.
“It was a good learning experience,” said the junior. “I’m just excited to go wrestle some good competition at states.
“I’m just overall excited to be there for the first time.”
The other three wrestlers – Simmons at 182, Fredericks at 170 and Burke at 132 – all advance on the strength of their sectional championships.
None of the seven wrestlers has advanced to the state tournament before.
“It’s basically like a dream come true,” said Marshall. “I remember thinking back in seventh and eighth grade, I thought I’d never make it there. It’s incredible, honestly.
“It’s awesome to stand in the room with (Simmons), have my practice partner that I’ve drilled with all season long just be there with me through the whole process of it.”
Gerber and Cutrie were also both happy to have a teammate travelling to Albany to compete alongside them.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Cutrie. “It’s nice to go with somebody you know.”
The wrestlers have ramped up their training since the Feb. 11 sectional tournament as they prepare to face the tough competition the state championships has to offer. The Chittenango and Canastota wrestlers have spent time practicing with each other to prepare for the final event of the season.
One benefit the wrestlers have is the mid-winter break from school, giving them more time to prepare.
“I’ve been practicing two or three times a day, running, getting the conditioning up,” said Gerber. “Just mentally really focusing on that it’s about me at this point. It doesn’t matter who I have to wrestle, I just got to go out there and give it all I’ve got.
“It’s nice to be able to sleep in a little bit, not have to wake up at six.”
Gates at the Times Union Center open at 8:30 a.m. on Friday with the Parade of Champions scheduled for 9:30. Wrestling them begins at 10 with the preliminary round, followed by the championship quarterfinals at 2 p.m.
Admission is $12 per individual session or $33 for a general admission ticket for all three sessions throughout the weekend.