Breaking News
Local Sports

Fredonia’s Colom Nearly Reaches State Pinnacle

By Cody Crandall 3 min read

Heading into this season, Hector Colom was no stranger to the bright lights and big stage of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Wrestling Championships.

After all, he had already reached the state tourney twice in his successful high school career.

This season the Fredonia junior elevated his game on the mat to an even higher level. The end result was a runner-up finish at 132 pounds to three-time state champion Dane Heberlein of Alexander at the state tourney at the Times Union Center in Albany.

He may have fallen just inches short of his ultimate goal -- he fell to Heberlein, 7-3 -- but he still had a season to remember.

But, that certainly doesn't take away from the remarkable season he put together for the Hillbillies.

"I've actually known Hector since (his family) came to the area," Fredonia head coach Joe Santilli said. "I coached him and his brother in one of the local wrestling clubs. And so I got to know him there and I knew what he was capable of. … I knew what he was capable of and I think this year he totally unleashed that."

When all was said and done, Colom had compiled an overall record of 50-2, with both of his only blemishes on the campaign coming at the hands of Heberlein. He also surpassed the 200-win mark in his career and currently sits at 209 total victories.

"First and foremost, he loves the sport, he loves to compete," Santilli emphasized. "He's fearless on the mat and what I admire is, I've always been a fan of the wrestling style of trying to score. That's the style that I appreciate. And that's what Hector excels at. He's always looking to score and he's always looking for the pin. … He was able to be himself, he was relaxed and it was just about going out and competing and that's exciting. I'm extremely pleased for him."

To go along with his runner-up finish at states, Colom won individual titles at the Section VI Division II State Qualifier, the Section VI Class C Wrestling Championships, the Cattaraugus-Little Valley Invitational Tournament, the Lockport Invitational Wrestling Tournament, the Ripley Invitational Wrestling Tournament and the STWOA Holiday Classic. He also placed second at the Matthew Marino Wrestling Tournament.

And with his senior season on the horizon, it's indeed possible that Colom could continue to prosper on the mat.

"There is always room to grow," Santilli explained. "You're always searching to get better, you should never be satisfied. He actually got better from the beginning of the season to the end of the season because he was incorporating some of what our training involves into what he's already gathered from his other wrestling experiences. I expect him to continue to develop. He loves the sport and if he feels something is going to help him, he's going to work it into his arsenal."

Due, in part, to his nearly perfect record, his seasonlong dominance and his impressive run to the state finals, Colom has been named The Post-Journal's 2016-17 Wrestler of the Year.

Starting at /week.