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FALCONER -- Falconer/Cassadaga Valley's wrestling team (12-3) may be riding back-to-back dual meet losses after visiting Brookville (Pa.) picked up a 48-25 win on Friday, but coach Drew Wilcox planned this week knowing that his team would be tested.
On Wednesday evening the Golden Cougars traveled to face Harbor Creek, another of Pennsylvania's top teams on the mat, as the Huskies earned a 42-16 win.
"Both Brookville and Harbor Creek are two of the top teams in Pennsylvania, so it was a tough week for us," Wilcox said. "It's not always about winning a dual, sometimes its about getting kids matches against other kids at their level."
One match that Wilcox knew would offer some excitement was between Falconer/Cassadaga Valley's Corey Keefe and Xavier Molnar at 195 pounds.
Keefe and Robbie Penhollow have shifted around between 182 and 220 pounds for the Golden Cougars, but on Friday evening it was Keefe to took to the mat against Molnar, with the later earning a narrow 7-5 decision.
" … Corey Keefe lost at 195, but I thought he wrestled a good match," Wilcox said. "(Molnar) was ranked sixth in (Pennsylvania) last year and Corey was sixth in New York."
Six days after setting the Falconer school record for victories with his 192nd, Dylan Ingrao faced one of the stiffest tests of his season at 152 pounds. The Golden Cougars' standout took to the mat against NCAA Division II prospect Caleb Hetrick, who picked up a major-decision win, 12-2.
A bright spot for Falconer on the night came from Penhollow, as the 182-pounder was able to earn a major decision of his own against Braden MacBeth, 9-1.
"I thought Robbie Penhollow wrestled really well, if he keeps this pace the sky is the limit for him," Wilcox said.
In the end, six pins and a technical fall from Brookville proved too much to overcome for the host Golden Cougars, but Friday night's match had some extra-special meaning beyond a stiff test.
During the early going it looked as though Brayden Newman would be able to leave the mat with a win for the hosts after the 106-pounder was able to hustle his way to an early lead against Cayden Walter.
"Brayden Newman was wrestling a really good match, he was up five or six points," Wilcox mentioned.
Unfortunately Walter was able to take advantage of an opening in the second period, earning a pin at 3:36.
"He was a little small going against a bigger kid. He has a mistake here or there but when he cleans that up he's going to be a good one," Wilcox said of Newman.
Earning a pin for Falconer/Cassadaga was Dan Torres at 160 pounds, as he was able to take care of Jacob Cable in 3:12.
Nick Saeger was also able to earn a win at 138, via a 6-2 decision over Wyatt Kulik.
Adding to the atmosphere Friday night were the dozens of wrestling alumni that funneled in to watch the matches, as the Golden Cougars celebrated Alumni Night with honorary coaching from Steve Penhollow and Bill Davenport.
"Convincing a team like Brookville to come and travel two hours to come wrestle here, I think says a lot about what people think of our program," Wilcox said. "A lot of state place winners were there. There were guys there that wrestled in the '70s, '80s and '90s all the way up to kids that I have coached."
While Wilcox has been pleased with his team's start to the season, the Golden Cougars coach has expressed concern about his team's mean streak, or lack there of.
"Some of the kids are getting there. They're mixing it up in the practice room and working hard," Wilcox said when asked if Friday's performance showed an improvement in his team's tenacity. "I think that's where you develop toughness in the practice room, and I think if we keep doing that it should carry over onto the mat in matches."
126: Cabe Park (B) p. Jacob Payne, 4:26
132: Steven Sorbin (B) p. Mack Mikula, 3:16
138: Nick Saeger (F/CV) d. Wyatt Kulik, 6-2
145: Dontae Constable (B) p. Hudson Johnson, 5:16
152: Caleb Hetrick (B) md. Dylan Ingrao, 12-2
160: Dan Torres (F/CV) p. Jacob Cable, 3:12
170: Bryce Baglia (F/CV) p. Brian Himes, 3:31
182: Robbie Penhollow (F/CV) md. Braden MacBeth, 9-1
195: Xavier Molnar (B) d. Corey Keefe, 7-5
220: Tyler Cook (B) p. Grant Cheney, 1:13
285: Colby Whitehill (B) p. Collin Mower, :41
99: Double forfeit
106: Cayden Walter (B) p. Brayden Newman, 3:36
113: Parker Fleming (B) tf. Trenton Colburn, 17-2
120: Kyle Keefe (F/CV) won via forfeit
MEEDER'S PIN SEALS IT
MAYVILLE -- Wyatt Meeder's 43-second pin of Kynan Egan at 113 pounds locked up a 40-31 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association wrestling win for Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama over Maple Grove on Friday evening.
The Red Dragons led 27-16 after pins from Jake Tomlinson (170 pounds) and Zak Trim (182 pounds) along with a forfeit win at 195 pounds, but Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama rallied late with pins from Ben Szymanowski (220 pounds) and Trent Burchanowski (99 pounds) in front of Meeder's decisive win.
126: Double forfeit
132: Shane Hetrick (MG) d. Austin Bourgeois, 10-6
138: Taige Jones (MG) p. Alex Johnson, :25
145: Noah Dorman (CL/W/P) p. Riley Danielson, :32
152: Derek Ecklund (CL/W/P) p. Caleb Roller, 1:05
160: Bryce Rowe (CL/W/P) md. Carter Russo, 10-2
170: Jake Tomlinson (MG) p. Bradley Babcock, :36
182: Zak Trim (MG) p. Quinton Fredrick, 1:52
195: Michael Krempa (MG) won via forfeit
220: Ben Szymanowski (CL/W/P) p. Zechariah Padd, :37
285: Double forfeit
99: Trent Burchanowski (CL/W/P) p. Brendan Russo, 2:36
106: Luke Tomlinson (MG) md. Hunter Harris, 8-0
113: Wyatt Meeder (CL/W/P) p. Kynan Egan, :43
120: Brendon Rowe (CL/W/P) won via forfeit