Nelson leads Oxford to third-place finish at 50th Clyde Cole tourney
OXFORD – Joe Nelson was not where he wanted to be – down a point with with less than a minute left in the third period.
Seeking a third straight Clyde Cole Tournament title, the Oxford native came through in the clutch.
Before a vocal partisan crowd, Nelson secured a takedown of Carthage’s Andrew McFarland with 30 seconds left. McFarland worked for the switch and then the escape to no avail as Nelson held on for the 113-pound title, 6-5, Saturday night.
Nelson led the host Blackhawks to a third-place team finish, the best among five Chenango County teams entered in the 50th annual tourney.
Norwich led all local teams with three champions, Dalen Geislinger, Tristan Rifanburg, and Frank Garcia. B-G/Afton’s Jesse Griswold and Mark Viviano won their first Clyde Cole championships, while Sherburne-Earlville sophomore, Garrett DuVall, had his club’s lone title win.
Nelson pressed for the pin in the first period with the hope of moving his team up the standings and perhaps earn a team championship. He locked up McFarland in an early cradle, and appeared on his way to said pin. However, McFarland, fifth in Section III’s division one tournament a season ago, had other ideas. He secured a reversal and two back points, and either led or was tied with Nelson until the final 30 seconds. “He came out and wrestled like he had nothing to lose,” said Carthage head coach Don Dorchester of his young charge. “It’s a tough loss, but it’s something that will make him a better wrestler.”
The same might be said of Nelson, who didn’t have nearly the same difficulty in winning titles in 2010-2011. “He was a real tough kid, and I have to give him credit,” said Oxford coach Craig Tefft of McFarland. “True to Joe’s mettle, champions find a way to pull through in the end.”
Oxford registered six third-place finishers to shoot up the standings finishing 10 points behind champion Averill Park, and three points out of second place behind Unatego. “We had some guys lose on Friday and we needed to regroup,” Tefft said. “We told the guys to not let what happened on Friday affect them on Saturday. To their credit, they were able to wrestle back well.”
Geislinger (99), giving up substantial weight to Marcelino Aponte of Averill Park, used a first-period ankle-pick takedown to snare the lead, and that 2-0 margin stood up giving him his first championship in his first varsity wrestling tournament.
Rifanburg (138) won his first Clyde Cole title since his seventh-grade year blanking B-G/Afton’s Justin Cirigliano, 5-0. Rifanburg built the five-point lead in the first, and from there, Cirigliano went into a defensive mode to prevent any further scoring by Rifanburg.
Garcia, the number two seed, stunned top-seeded Codie Nichols, 14-3, in the 145-pound championship. Garcia had a series of back points in the second period turning a 2-1 match into a 12-2 lead. For his convincing win, Garcia earned the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler award.
“It was just amazing what Franky did,” said Norwich coach Joe Downey. “Nichols is one of the best kids in the section, and was the sectional runner-up at 145 last year. Franky just dominated.”
As for Geislinger, Downey could not be happier. “He’s a real go-getter, and almost like another Franky,” Downey said. ‘He’s constantly going forward, taking shots, and he never quits. We’re really enthused with what we’ve seen so far.”
Rifanburg, a three-time Section IV champion, was not tested in his three wins Friday and Saturday. “Tristan has really matured a lot, and he knows what the game plan will be for other people: To try and keep it close, and open up at the end,” Downey said. “He’s not getting frustrated. He keeps going after the guy, and waits for the openings.”
Griswold (132), in at least his fifth Clyde Cole event, finally broke through with a championship routing Cody Meissner of Averill Park, 8-0. Following a scoreless first period, Griswold was punishing from the top position earning most of his points off a patented armbar. Meanwhile, Viviano (195) won his first Oxford title pinned Harpursville’s Brendan Van Etten late in the third period. Viviano led 12-1 before finishing off the Harpursville grappler.
“We were tough on top in the finals, and generally, that was our best position all weekend,” said B-G/Afton Brandon MacNaught, who was quick to point out the improvements that still need to be made. “We still have to score in the first period and do a better job of getting off the bottom.”
S-E had three finalists with DuVall (220) securing the lone title, a 6-2 decision win over Will Batey of Carthage. Kevin Dunshee (120) and Tom Cleveland (285) also had runner-up finishes for the Marauders, who finished just ahead of Norwich in team standings.
Team scoring: Averill Park, 200.5; Unatego, 193; Oxford, 190.5; Queensbury, 183; Carthage, 164.5; B-G/Afton, 153; Sherburne-Earlville, 113; Norwich, 111; Harpursville, 84; Unadilla Valley, 73; Cooperstown, 52; Edmeston, 22.
Finals
99: Dalen Geislinger (N) dec. Marcelino Aponte (Car), 2-0. 106: Nick Robbins (Q) dec. Max Tempel (AP), 2-0. 113: Joe Nelson (O) d. Andrew McFarland (Car), 1:27. 120: Allan McNeil (AP tech fall over Kevin Dunshee (SE), 16-0, 5:53. 126: Austin Ryan (U) dec. Mikey Boyle (Coop), 13-6. 132: Jesse Griswold (BGA) dec. Cody Meissner (AP), 8-0. 138: Tristan Rifanburg (N) dec. Justin Cirigliano (BGA), 5-0. 145: Frank Garcia (N) dec. Codie Nichols (U), 14-3. 152: Kevin Thayer (U) dec. Tyler Moses (AP), 5-2 160: Leland Slawson (U) dec. Franky Nassivera (Q), 9-7. 170: Ryan Marzal (U) dec. Bryce Breault (Q), 6-1. 182: Shayne Brady (Car) pinned Riley Hanrahan (U), :53. 195: Mark Viviano (BGA) pinne dBrendon VanEtten (Har), :559. 220: Garrett DuVall (SE) dec. Will Batey (Car), 6-2. 285: Trevor Gibbons (Car) pinned Tom Cleveland (SE), 2:48.
Consolation finals
99: Jared Bruno (Q) dec. Ty Rifanburg (N), 9-3. 106: Hunter Owen (SE) dec. Nate Hansen (Ox), 7-4. 113 Brandon Winchip (Q) pinned Carter Hubbard (N), :42. 120: Jeremiah Winter (O) pinned Joe Toth (AP), 4:13. 126: Jacob Andrews (Har) dec. Keith Davidson (AP), 4-2. 132: Kody Bruno (Q) dec. Collin Izard (UV), 8-1. 138: Lucas DeJoy (U) pinned Brian Stevens (Q), 2:07. 145: Jody Smith (O) dec. Mike Irvine (Q), 11-2. 152: Nik Hansen (O pinned Evan Myers (Q), 2:51. 160: Bryan Simpson (O) dec. Bryce Reed (Car), 8-4. 170: Joe Jackson (O) pinned Nate Wilsey (U), 1:58. 182: Grey Bennis (E) dec. Chris Goudy (Q), 6-4. 195: Kevin Segit (Coop) dec. Alex Avolio (UV), 4-3 (OT). 220: Garyn Huntley (O) dec. Tim Ross (HarP, 6-4. 285: Richie Conklin (UV) pinned Shane Curtin (BGA), 3:59.
Individual Awards
Most Outstanding Wrestler: Frank Garcia, Norwich
Director’s plaque (fewest points allowed): Nik Hansen, Oxford
Pin award (Most pins in least amount of time): Shayne Brady, Carthage.
Sportsmanship Award: Dewitt Alcorn, Carthage.
Seeking a third straight Clyde Cole Tournament title, the Oxford native came through in the clutch.
Before a vocal partisan crowd, Nelson secured a takedown of Carthage’s Andrew McFarland with 30 seconds left. McFarland worked for the switch and then the escape to no avail as Nelson held on for the 113-pound title, 6-5, Saturday night.
Nelson led the host Blackhawks to a third-place team finish, the best among five Chenango County teams entered in the 50th annual tourney.
Norwich led all local teams with three champions, Dalen Geislinger, Tristan Rifanburg, and Frank Garcia. B-G/Afton’s Jesse Griswold and Mark Viviano won their first Clyde Cole championships, while Sherburne-Earlville sophomore, Garrett DuVall, had his club’s lone title win.
Nelson pressed for the pin in the first period with the hope of moving his team up the standings and perhaps earn a team championship. He locked up McFarland in an early cradle, and appeared on his way to said pin. However, McFarland, fifth in Section III’s division one tournament a season ago, had other ideas. He secured a reversal and two back points, and either led or was tied with Nelson until the final 30 seconds. “He came out and wrestled like he had nothing to lose,” said Carthage head coach Don Dorchester of his young charge. “It’s a tough loss, but it’s something that will make him a better wrestler.”
The same might be said of Nelson, who didn’t have nearly the same difficulty in winning titles in 2010-2011. “He was a real tough kid, and I have to give him credit,” said Oxford coach Craig Tefft of McFarland. “True to Joe’s mettle, champions find a way to pull through in the end.”
Oxford registered six third-place finishers to shoot up the standings finishing 10 points behind champion Averill Park, and three points out of second place behind Unatego. “We had some guys lose on Friday and we needed to regroup,” Tefft said. “We told the guys to not let what happened on Friday affect them on Saturday. To their credit, they were able to wrestle back well.”
Geislinger (99), giving up substantial weight to Marcelino Aponte of Averill Park, used a first-period ankle-pick takedown to snare the lead, and that 2-0 margin stood up giving him his first championship in his first varsity wrestling tournament.
Rifanburg (138) won his first Clyde Cole title since his seventh-grade year blanking B-G/Afton’s Justin Cirigliano, 5-0. Rifanburg built the five-point lead in the first, and from there, Cirigliano went into a defensive mode to prevent any further scoring by Rifanburg.
Garcia, the number two seed, stunned top-seeded Codie Nichols, 14-3, in the 145-pound championship. Garcia had a series of back points in the second period turning a 2-1 match into a 12-2 lead. For his convincing win, Garcia earned the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler award.
“It was just amazing what Franky did,” said Norwich coach Joe Downey. “Nichols is one of the best kids in the section, and was the sectional runner-up at 145 last year. Franky just dominated.”
As for Geislinger, Downey could not be happier. “He’s a real go-getter, and almost like another Franky,” Downey said. ‘He’s constantly going forward, taking shots, and he never quits. We’re really enthused with what we’ve seen so far.”
Rifanburg, a three-time Section IV champion, was not tested in his three wins Friday and Saturday. “Tristan has really matured a lot, and he knows what the game plan will be for other people: To try and keep it close, and open up at the end,” Downey said. “He’s not getting frustrated. He keeps going after the guy, and waits for the openings.”
Griswold (132), in at least his fifth Clyde Cole event, finally broke through with a championship routing Cody Meissner of Averill Park, 8-0. Following a scoreless first period, Griswold was punishing from the top position earning most of his points off a patented armbar. Meanwhile, Viviano (195) won his first Oxford title pinned Harpursville’s Brendan Van Etten late in the third period. Viviano led 12-1 before finishing off the Harpursville grappler.
“We were tough on top in the finals, and generally, that was our best position all weekend,” said B-G/Afton Brandon MacNaught, who was quick to point out the improvements that still need to be made. “We still have to score in the first period and do a better job of getting off the bottom.”
S-E had three finalists with DuVall (220) securing the lone title, a 6-2 decision win over Will Batey of Carthage. Kevin Dunshee (120) and Tom Cleveland (285) also had runner-up finishes for the Marauders, who finished just ahead of Norwich in team standings.
Team scoring: Averill Park, 200.5; Unatego, 193; Oxford, 190.5; Queensbury, 183; Carthage, 164.5; B-G/Afton, 153; Sherburne-Earlville, 113; Norwich, 111; Harpursville, 84; Unadilla Valley, 73; Cooperstown, 52; Edmeston, 22.
Finals
99: Dalen Geislinger (N) dec. Marcelino Aponte (Car), 2-0. 106: Nick Robbins (Q) dec. Max Tempel (AP), 2-0. 113: Joe Nelson (O) d. Andrew McFarland (Car), 1:27. 120: Allan McNeil (AP tech fall over Kevin Dunshee (SE), 16-0, 5:53. 126: Austin Ryan (U) dec. Mikey Boyle (Coop), 13-6. 132: Jesse Griswold (BGA) dec. Cody Meissner (AP), 8-0. 138: Tristan Rifanburg (N) dec. Justin Cirigliano (BGA), 5-0. 145: Frank Garcia (N) dec. Codie Nichols (U), 14-3. 152: Kevin Thayer (U) dec. Tyler Moses (AP), 5-2 160: Leland Slawson (U) dec. Franky Nassivera (Q), 9-7. 170: Ryan Marzal (U) dec. Bryce Breault (Q), 6-1. 182: Shayne Brady (Car) pinned Riley Hanrahan (U), :53. 195: Mark Viviano (BGA) pinne dBrendon VanEtten (Har), :559. 220: Garrett DuVall (SE) dec. Will Batey (Car), 6-2. 285: Trevor Gibbons (Car) pinned Tom Cleveland (SE), 2:48.
Consolation finals
99: Jared Bruno (Q) dec. Ty Rifanburg (N), 9-3. 106: Hunter Owen (SE) dec. Nate Hansen (Ox), 7-4. 113 Brandon Winchip (Q) pinned Carter Hubbard (N), :42. 120: Jeremiah Winter (O) pinned Joe Toth (AP), 4:13. 126: Jacob Andrews (Har) dec. Keith Davidson (AP), 4-2. 132: Kody Bruno (Q) dec. Collin Izard (UV), 8-1. 138: Lucas DeJoy (U) pinned Brian Stevens (Q), 2:07. 145: Jody Smith (O) dec. Mike Irvine (Q), 11-2. 152: Nik Hansen (O pinned Evan Myers (Q), 2:51. 160: Bryan Simpson (O) dec. Bryce Reed (Car), 8-4. 170: Joe Jackson (O) pinned Nate Wilsey (U), 1:58. 182: Grey Bennis (E) dec. Chris Goudy (Q), 6-4. 195: Kevin Segit (Coop) dec. Alex Avolio (UV), 4-3 (OT). 220: Garyn Huntley (O) dec. Tim Ross (HarP, 6-4. 285: Richie Conklin (UV) pinned Shane Curtin (BGA), 3:59.
Individual Awards
Most Outstanding Wrestler: Frank Garcia, Norwich
Director’s plaque (fewest points allowed): Nik Hansen, Oxford
Pin award (Most pins in least amount of time): Shayne Brady, Carthage.
Sportsmanship Award: Dewitt Alcorn, Carthage.
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