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Four Receive At-Large Bids To Albany

By The Post-Journal 2 min read

Four local wrestlers learned Wednesday that their state championship dreams are still alive.

At-large seeds to fill brackets at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Wrestling Championships were announced with Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama's Austin Bourgeois and Ben Szymanowski, Fredonia's Dalton Gardner and Falconer/Cassadaga Valley's Nick Saeger making the cut.

Bourgeois and his 31-5 record will arrive in Albany fresh off an 8-0 loss to Fredonia's Giovani Russo in the 132-pound final at last weekend's Section VI state qualifier at Lake Shore High School.

Gardner will take his 39-5 record to Albany after last weekend's 2-1 loss to Tonawanda's Zach Braddell in the 138-pound final.

Saeger and his 44-10 record will arrive in Albany looking to avenge last weekend's 10-3 loss to Cory Day of Iroquois in the 160-pound sectional final.

Szymanowski will take a 30-10 record to the state tournament after being pinned by Newfane's Jaden Heers in 3:58 in the 285-pound final at last weekend's Section VI state qualifier.

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley's Brayden Newman has also been announced as an alternate at 99 pounds while Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama's Brendon Ramsey is an alternate at 132 pounds.

Other Section VI wrestlers to receive at-large bids in Division II are Iroquois' Donavan Bukaczeski (106 pounds), Lackawanna's Mohamed Alshawi (126 pounds), Medina's Colby Petrie (126 pounds), Newfane's Ryan Nugent (145 pounds), Eden's Giovanni Schifano (152 pounds), Akron's Millard Young (195 pounds).

Division I Section VI wrestlers to receive at-large bids are Niagara Falls' Michael Snowden (120 pounds), Clarence's Aiden Rabideau (126 pounds), Hamburg's Ryan Forrest (132 pounds), Lancaster's Ryan Stencel (152 pounds), Olean's Icar Simon (160 pounds), Olean's Devan Moore (170 pounds), Olean's Patrick Walsh (182 pounds) and Amherst's Ryan Bitka (285 pounds).

The state tournament will be Friday, Feb. 22 and Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Times Union Center in Albany.

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