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No. 3 Ends Up No. 1

Rowe Picked Off Top Seeds En Route To 160-Pound State Title

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama’s Bryce Rowe reacts after winning the 160-pound title at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Division II Wrestling Championships in Albany. Photo courtesy of Michelle Gilbert - Charming Artistry

Bryce Rowe entered the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Division II Wrestling Championships without having the benefit of a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

For that matter, Rowe did not even have the advantage entering as the No. 2-ranked wrestler at 160 pounds after suffering a defeat in the Section VI Championships two weeks prior at Lake Shore High School.

But when everything was said and done, the No. 3 that showed next to Rowe’s name at the beginning of the weekend at the Times Union Center in Albany had no bearing on what the Chautauqua Lake senior was able to do.

Not only did Rowe avenge a pair of losses to Falconer/Cassadaga Valley standout Dan Torres to punch his ticket to the NYSPHSAA finals, but he also was even able to dig his way out of a last-minute hole against No. 1 Jacob Nolan out of Section VII Saranac before celebrating the first individual state title in Thunderbirds history.

During a weekend of bouts where, more often than not, the grappler with his hand held high was the one with the higher seeding, Rowe never took to the mat thinking he was anything other than the man to beat.

Bryce Rowe won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Division II 160-pound championship 22 years after his coach and uncle, Brad, won at 119 pounds for Ripley Central School. Photo courtesy of Joey Conti Photography

“It’s one of those things that you always knew he was capable of,” head coach Brad Rowe said, “and I’m just glad that he finally put it together and showed what he can do.”

In addition to shaking off any of the stigma attached to his lower seed, Bryce was also able to complete a family journey decades in the making when he finally notched a reversal on Nolan to complete a hectic 2-1 decision victory.

Rowe did so wearing the exact same singlet that his coach and uncle, Brad, had worn in 1996 on his way to the 119-pound New York state title as a junior at Ripley High School.

“It’s another generation now. It started with my dad (Darwin) and my uncle Marty there (at Ripley),” Brad said. “Marty was the varsity coach for a number of years and my dad was the youth coach. There were a number of us who went through and had a lot of success, and now there are some of us who are giving back to the next generation. Maybe when (this generation) is done we’ll see them coaching.”

For years Rowe’s singlet had been waiting for someone to step up and earn the right to wear it, but it was not until 2018 that anyone put together the right resume.

Photo courtesy of Joey Conti Photography

That list of Bryce’s accolades includes — in addition to a state title–41 wins with just three losses, with the final victory over Sarow the 184th of Rowe’s career; first place at the Byron-Bergen Invitational; first place at the 32nd annual Southern Tier Wrestling Officials Association tournament as well as an academic scholarship; first place and Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at the Ripley Invitational; and a Section VI Class D individual championship.

When looking at the strength of schedule that Rowe was forced to endure in his run-up to a state title, there is some evidence to suggest that iron sharpens iron.

After taking home the 160-pound STWOA title following a tight match with Torres, Rowe suffered a defeat in another defensive battle at the Patrick J. Morales Memorial tournament to even the season series at 1-1.

“I think all the matches were very similar, I guess. It was just waiting to take advantage of the other guy’s mistake,” Brad said of Bryce’s rivalry with Torres. “That fourth match it came down to one point. Bryce had a couple of false starts at the sectional tournament so that hurt. In the state tournament it just came down to another overtime match there and we were able to take advantage that time. Dan placed (at states) last year. Coming back and showing he was able to compete with Dan all year long, he definitely built some confidence there. Just our Western New York wrestling as a whole, it seems to keep getting better.”

Some wrestlers might have a hard time convincing themselves that they are the best in the state after splitting a pair of matches during the season, but for Rowe it was all just another step toward improvement.

“I think you spend the whole year kind of preparing yourself for that situation (in Albany),” Brad said. “There was a confidence to him. He was just feeling it.”

For claiming the lone state title in the area, Bryce Rowe is the 2017-18 Post-Journal Wrestler of the Year.

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