Meagan Schulz Photo

TIOGA – The Purple Tornado wrestlers are the 2017-2018 Section IV Division-II Dual champions after taking two wins in Tioga Thursday, one in which was over the host team in an exciting final that went down to the second to last match of night.
Norwich started the tournament by facing a Spencer-Van Etten/Candor (SVEC) team that handed a loss to the purple earlier season. However this time, Norwich got the best of SVEC with 58-19 victory to advance to the final against Tioga.
In the semi-final match, SVEC took a 10-0 lead after the first two weight classes due to a major decision win over Norwich’s 160 and 170 pound wrestlers. Tornado Ty Rifanburg moved up a weight class to 182 to get points for his team. He grabbed six with a 1:15 pin over Kevin Dobell. Teammate Brennan Slater added another six to the Purple’s point total with a first period pin as well. He took Mandell Davis down to the mat and set him up for the 1:33 fall.
Norwich then scored 22 straight points with a major decision by Tornado Keegan Wright, a forfeit for Dante Geislinger, and two back-to-back pins by Andrew Brown and Nick Glanville.
Izaiah Caballero took a thrilling 3-2 decision match down the final seconds, securing another three points towards the Tornado total.
At this point Norwich held a commanding lead, already landing a spot in the finals. But the match of the dual between the Purple and SVEC was in the 132 pound weight class. Norwich head coach Bob Hagenbuch decided to let Mike Squires wrestle defending Section IV champ Bryant Sexton.
Squires said he started the match the mindset of he “had nothing to lose.” It clearly showed as he jumped out to an early lead and controlled the tempo and the match until the buzzer sounded, signaling his big win.
Dakota Powers gained another six for the Purple by pinning his opponent. Igor Leal in the first period. Norwich finished scoring their 58 points by Dakota Hall getting a forfeit at the 152 pound match.
“They beat us at the beginning of the season but we knew our team was better than that day. Our guys went out tonight and avenged that loss to put us in the finals,” said Hagenbuch.
Moving to the finals, Norwich knew it wasn’t going to be walk in the park. “It really is a chess match sometimes. You try not to look ahead at who you wrestle next but you kind of have to so you the right lineup.”
Gambling against the host team, Norwich had some key guys step, making the statement win possible Thursday night.
The Purple picked up their first lead of the finals after Brennan Slater took an exciting match over Tioga’s Trey Floyd. Floyd went out with some fire early in the match but Slater quick put the flames out, winning with a major decision of 14-6.
Norwich’s Tyler Rice moved up to 285, getting a shot to revenge his loss to Tioga’s Stephen Taylor from a year ago in the same tournament.
Rice gave up nearly 60 pounds in weight by moving up but it paid off as the youngster took a 5-0 decision win in an action packed match.
“Tyler’s win was huge and really set the stage for the rest of the match.”
Squires beat the number one ranked wrestler at 120 Section IV, capturing his second big win over a number one ranked opponent of the night.
The swing match of the finals was at 145 pounds, as Tornado Eli Rodriguez jumped up two weight classes. Tweaking his shoulder two weeks ago sidelined Rodriguez for sometime but was ready to wrestle if called upon.
“He [Eli] was a match time decision. I asked if we needed him, could he go. With no
emotion he said ‘yeah’,” said Hagenbuch of another moved made.
Rodriguez, in a gut-wrenching match, took a 14-5 major decision win for Norwich.
“I’m proud of Eli and his teammates were really happy for him. After the match I just gave him a hug and told him he would remember this moment the rest of his life. I mean, he didn’t have to go out there but he knew what it meant tonight. And because of that, we represent Section IV in the first NY State Dual Meet Championships.”
Dakota Powers secured one of the second biggest matches of the night with 7-2 decision. With Powers’ win, Norwich secured the title with one match remaining.
Norwich wrestles in the STAC tournament this weekend and will gear up to of the inaugural NYS Dual meet, held in Syracuse on January 27. Time is yet to be announced.

Norwich 58, SVEC 19
Section 4 Division II Dual Meet Tournament Semifinal; started at 160
99 pounds: Dante Geislinger (N) won by forfeit. 106: Andrew Brown (N) pinned Kamren Lehman, 1:04. 113: Nicholas Glanville (N) pinned Hunter Cleveland, 0:52. 120: Parker Sexton (SVEC) pinned Gabe Glanville, 2:46. 126: Izaiah Cabalero (N) dec. Morgan Myers, 3-2. 132: Mikey Squires (N) dec. Bryant Sexton, 10-6. 138: Alex Morse (SVEC) dec. Austyn Hatton, 9-6. 145: Dakota Powers (N) pinned Igor Leal, 1:48. 152: Dakota Hall (N) won by forfeit. 160: Mark Mullen (SVEC) maj. dec. Angel Francis, 12-2. 170: Grady Alpert (SVEC) pinned Joe Madore, 0:27. 182: Ty Rifanburg (N) pinned Kevin Dobell, 1:15. 195: Brennan Slater (N) pinned mandell Davis, 1:33. 220: Keegan Wright (N) maj. dec. Jacob Campolito, 13-2. 285: Tyler Rice (N) won by forfeit.

Norwich 38, Tioga 30
Section 4 Division II Dual Meet Tournament Championship; started at 170
99 pounds: Dante Geislinger (N) pinned Emily Sindoni, 2:29. 106: Mason Welch (T) dec. Andrew Brown, 9-7. 113: Nicholas Glanville (N) dec. Jacob Welch, 6-1. 120: David MacWhinnie (T) pinned Gabe Glanville, 3:26. 126: John Worhting (T) Izaiah Cabalero, 1:19. 132: Mikey Squires (N) dec. Brady Worthing, 4-1. 138: Austin Lamb (T) pinned Austyn Hatton, 1:05. 145: Eli Rodriguez (N) maj. dec. Emmett Wood, 14-5. 152: Dakota Powers (N) dec. Vincent Sullivan, 7-2. 160: Owen Wanck (t) dec. Angel Franis, 12-11. 170: Ty Rifanburg (N) pinned Zach Warner, 3:20. 182: Max Johnson (T) pinned Joe Madore, 0:40. 195: Brennan Slater (N) maj. dec. Trey Floyd, 14-6. 220: Keegan Wright (N) won by forfeit. 285: Tyler Rice (N) dec. Stephen Taylor, 5-0.