Playing host to Southwestern on Wednesday night, the Eagles once again had the opportunity to clinch at least a share of the league championship in front of their home crowd.

Battling a depleted Southwestern roster, Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer had no problem cruising to a 49-19 victory.

“As far as the battles go, it’s been in the wrestling room and keeping everybody’s heads on straight,” Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer head coach Ken Rowe said about beating Southwestern to claim a share of the division.

“Obviously, they’ve got some hammers on Southwestern, so we really tried to scheme and figure out what we were going to do. We go match for match, who they send, who we send,” Rowe added. “Fortunately, we have such an awesome group of coaches that just put that stuff together and really can give us the best shot under any circumstances they throw at us. I understand a couple of their big guys are beat up, which is why they didn’t wrestle. Either way, with what this match meant, I’m just happy it ended up the way it did.”

Southwestern’s Neves Hoose battles Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer’s Jayden Malecki at 190 pounds. P-J photo by Christian Storms

The Eagles (5-0) picked up five forfeit wins, but when they had to wrestle success was found on the mats. Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer picked up pins from two of its best in Jordan Joslyn and John Watson.

While Joslyn made quick work of his opponent at 152 pounds, Watson controlled his entire match against Peter Conley at 170 pounds before finishing with a pin in the third round.

“I’ve been doing this a little while and Johnny has been a rare kid where he sees the match as it goes on,” Rowe said about Watson. “He doesn’t just bulldog through it, he thinks things out. He’s had several pins this year that were later in the match, he bides his time, he sets things up, he lets things play out and then gets the stick and he did it again tonight. Bumping up a weight class tonight to do that just shows what he’s capable of, he’s a special kid.”

The Eagles were close to another pin at 116 pounds as Chris Bowen controlled the entirety of his bout against Xayvion Troutman. Bowen did everything right, building up a commanding 16-4 lead, but Troutman would not give into the pin.

While the Eagles had their big wins, Southwestern’s Kenji Walters and Carmine Calimeri posted strong wins at 124 and 131 pounds, respectively. Walters was pitted against Thandon Bensink and a strong 5-0 first-period start set the table for a 11-2 major decision. Then, Calimeri picked up the Trojans’ (3-2) only pin of the night as he finished off Noli Paddock in the first period.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer’s Jordan Joslyn pins Southwestern’s Bohdan Wendel at 145 pounds during Wednesday’s CCAA Division 1 wrestling match in Mayville. P-J photo by Christian Storms

Aside from the pins and major decisions, the Eagles and Trojans split the two closest matches of the evening.

Gavin Burchanowski started the dual off at 108 pounds, securing the 3-0 victory. Burchanowski picked up a first-period takedown and managed a third-period escape for the decision.

“Even if our guy has beat them seven out of 10 times, you don’t know how that’s going to pan out,” Rowe said about the close matches. “In fact, last weekend Gavin pinned him and it was 3-0 today. So obviously it was a much different match and that can change at any given time. But I think in those early matches, getting the atmosphere in the gym fired up it’s helpful to the kids.”

Then, in the final match wrestled, Neves Hoose managed a 6-3 decision over Jayden Malecki at 190 pounds. The pair were tied at 3-3 heading into the final period with Hoose in control for most of the tilt. He ended up finishing on top by starting the third with an escape followed by a takedown to make it 6-3.

“I remember a bloody match that they wrestled in the Falconer Tournament when I think they were both in seventh grade,” Rowe said about Hoose and Malecki. “Those two have been back and forth, one wins and the other wins, that’s how it’s been with those two. I’m hoping toward the end here, if we can get Jayden’s head on straight, I legitimately believe he’s one of the best in the state when he wrestles to the best of his abilities.”

In the waning seconds, Malecki knew he needed to secure points, but Hoose was able to stand his ground for the decision.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer will have the chance to clinch the division outright next Wednesday when it visits the Falconer/Cassadaga Valley Golden Cougars in Falconer.

101: Adrian Torres (S) won via forfeit

108: Gavin Burchanowski (CL/W/P/C) d. Miles Torres, 3-0

116: Chris Bowen (CL/W/P/C) md. Xayvion Troutman, 16-4

124: Kenji Walters (S) md. Thandon Bensink, 11-2

131: Carmine Calimeri (S) p. Noli Paddock

138: Mason Munoz (CL/W/P/C) won via forfeit

145: Toby Watson (CL/W/P/C) won via forfeit

152: Jordan Joslyn (CL/W/P/C) p. Bohdan Wendel

160: Colton Hamilton (CL/W/P/C) won via forfeit

170: John Watson (CL/W/P/C) p. Peter Conley

190: Neves Hoose (S) d. Jayden Malecki, 6-3

215: Mason Maring (CL/W/P/C) won via forfeit

285: Ison Shirley (CL/W/P/C) won via forfeit