The Falconer/Cassadaga Valley wrestling team poses for a photo after winning the Section VI Division II Duals at Lancaster High School on Saturday. Submitted photo

LANCASTER — The Falconer/Cassadaga Valley wrestling team is returning to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Dual Meet Championships.

Sparked by huge wins from Joey Pillittieri, Bryce Baglia, Hudson Johnson and Brayden Newman, the top-seeded Golden Falcons rallied to down No. 2 Iroquois, 42-27, to claim the Division II Section VI Duals for the third straight year.

“It’s getting harder every year to keep this going,” Falconer/Cassadaga Valley coach Drew Wilcox said. “It’s just more stressful. We get everybody’s best shot.”

Iroquois was certainly up to the challenge early.

In fact, the Chiefs jumped out to an 18-3 lead, but Wilcox’s troops didn’t panic and rattled off seven straight victories from the 154- to 285-pound classifications to punch their ticket to the SRC Arena on the campus of Onondaga County Community College on Feb. 1.

“I think we can compete with anybody in the state,” Wilcox said. “We have a month to keep working hard, but find some time to rest as well. Hopefully we’ll be healthy and we have a shot.”

Wilcox added: “We have some tough challenges coming up in league and nonleague (matches) that should keep us sharp.”

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley was sharp in its first two matches on Saturday as it downed No. 8 Alden/Depew, 78-6, in the opening round, and then knocked off No. 4 Newfane, 43-31, before taking on Iroquois with a trip to Syracuse on the line.

Starting at the 120-pound weight class, the Chiefs won four of the first five matches — Pillittieri’s 3-2 win at 126 pounds was the Golden Falcons’ only victory to that point — but then the tide turned.

Mack Mikula (152), Bryce Baglia (160), John Kozlowski (170), Hudson Johnson (182), Brock Johnson (195), Collin Beichner (220) and Collin Mower (285) all posted wins to help close out the match. Mikula, Brock Johnson, Beichner, Mower and Newman (106) all recorded pins, with Newman’s fall putting the match out of reach.

“We’re excited,” Wilcox said. “I was very nervous going in. I knew there was a handful of teams that could beat us. … It definitely wasn’t a perfect day for us, but as good teams do somebody else stepped up.”

No. 3 Fredonia also competed in Division II, posting a 1-2 record, narrowly losing to Iroquois, 36-33, in the semifinals.

RIPLEY INVITATIONAL

T’BIRDS CLAIM TOURNEY TITLE

Chautauqua Lake was the champion of the Ripley Invitational on Saturday.

Claiming first-place finishes for the Thunderbirds were Jayden Malecki (106), Trent Burchanowski (113), Brendon Ramsey (138), who was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler, and Zach Wolcott (160), helping the team finish with188.5 points. Erie was second with 164.5 points, followed by St. Joseph’s with 161 in the 15-team field.

Other area individual first-place finishes belonged to Trevor Ellis of Salamanca (126), Luke Tomlinson of Maple Grove (132) and Kyle Trim of Maple Grove (182). Zach Padd, also of Maple Grove, won at 220, which was decided via round-robin format.

Team Scores

Chautauqua Lake 188.50, Erie 164.50, St. Joseph’s 161, Williamsville South 132.50, Maple Grove 108.50, Canisius 104.50, Brighton 92, Frewsburg 80, Randolph 79, Dunkirk 63, Salamanca 52, Springville 37, North East 34, Lew-Port 30, Ashtabula 30.

Individual Scores

99: Barrientos (LP) won round-robin.

106: Jayden Malecki (CL) d. Jack Bourgeois (CL), 2-0.

113: Trent Burchanowski (CL) p. Norman Green (Sal), :57.

120: Jaden Friel (WS) d. Hunter Harris (CL), 6-2.

126: Trevor Ellis (Sal) d. Lucas Mark (Brighton), 9-2.

132: Luke Tomlinson (MG) p. Lugman Ahmad (WS), 3:24.

138: Brendon Ramsey (CL) tf. Jeremiah Russell (Erie), 15-0.

145: Barry Colby (Canisius) d. Jaiden Slagle (Frews), 6-2.

152: Ben Parrish (St. Joseph’s) tf. Nick Brown (Springville), 15-0.

160: Zach Wolcott (CL) p. Luke Landman (Frews), :42.

170: Ronnie Jones (St. Joseph’s) d. Joseph Dixon (Canisius).

182: Kyle Trim (MG) tf. Ethan Tona (WS), 15-0.

195: Braydon Vandenberg (Canisius) d. Jake Tomlinson (MG), 8-6.

220: Zach Padd (MG) won round robin.

285: Dom Sigler (Erie) d. Caleb Lesswing (St. Joseph’s).

MADDIE WADSWORTH SHINES

NEWARK — Maple Grove freshman Maddie Wadsworth captured a first place at the Newark High School all-girls sanctioned tournament.

Wadsworth secured two pins and a 12-2 major decision on her way to the top of the podium in the 106-pound weight class.