Carter Ray of the Gowanda Wrestling Club won the D5 75-pound title at the NYWAY State Championships in Syracuse earlier this month. Submitted photo

SYRACUSE — The WRCL Youth Wrestling Club had another strong showing at the 2024 NYWAY State Championships earlier this month, placing 12th out of more than 150 teams.

Leading the way were four wrestlers atop the podium between the boys and girls divisions.

Noli Paddock took first place in the G4 125-pound division, pinning her way to the title. She pinned Jackie Mace of Odessa-Montour/Watkins Glen Wrestling Club in 1:05; Emma Gallaway of Mongoose Elite Wrestling at 0:42 in the semifinals and Jeannie Burnham of Gorilla Grapplers at 3:25 in the championship.

Aurora Maring took first in G2 100-101-pound division, breezing her way through the competition. She pinned Charlotte Stoeckel in 1:24; earned a technical fall over Irene Rose of Brockport Jr. Blue Devils Wrestling Club 15-0; and pinned Vivian Barber of Journeymen Wrestling Club in 0:51.

Tatum Bensink captured the third first-place finish among the girls, winning the G3 173-179-pound division. She earned a narrow decision over Abigail Licthenberger of North Tonawanda Wrestling Club 6-4; pinned Ashlyn Spriggs of Revolution Elite Wrestling at 1:06; and edged Emelia Merhige of Columbia Youth Wrestling Club 4-2 in the final.

Mason Maring claimed the D10 215-pound division with a pin over Mason Earley at 0:32 and a technical fall over Noah Long of Whitesboro Wrestling Club 15-0. Then it got a little tougher in the semifinals with a 4-3 decision against Matthew Marks of South Lewis Wrestling Club and then ultimately beating Bryce Dadey 5-2 for the title.

Kassidy Benedetto finished second in G3 72-76 pounds, earning two first-minute pins over Kelly Manning and Peyton Dean before falling in the final to Phoebe Bishop by 5-1 decision.

Mia Smith took second in G4 135 pounds, starting with a pair of pins just after a minute against Jadah Otto and Gracie Newman. Smith suffered a 7-0 defeat at the hands of Valerie Iglesias in the finals.

WRCL had five athletes achieve third place in the boys divisions, Jordin Eddy, Chester Machemer, Bruna Muscarella, Walter Lukasiak and Aurora Maring.

At D9 128 pounds, Eddy worked his way to third with a pin over Troy Moriarty, then was sent to wrestlebacks by a 4-0 decision at the hands of Cole Clifford. In the consolation bracket, he pinned Carter Donovan, earned a decision over teammate Noli Paddock, pinned Liam Harrington and grinded out a 2-0 decision over Zack Gibson for third.

At D7 75 pounds, Machemer pinned Colton English and Jonathan Aufiero before being relegated to the consolation bracket by Nikolaus Schaller in sudden victory. He then earned a major decision over Marco Minelli, a pin over Dillon Trevor, a forfeit over Mason Martin and a 9-4 decision against Zekial Soltau for third.

At D4 63 pounds, Muscarella pinned Colton Haines, earned a major decision over Triston Sena, won a decision over Owen Swiernik and then lost his semifinal to Zayne Woodworth. He then earned a technical fall over Matthew Jacobs and claimed third with a 9-3 decision against Nelson Stevens.

At D10 285 pounds, Lukasiak earned a decision over Jake LeSage, pinned Tyler Marasco before being pinned by Rocky Files. Lukasiak responded with two pins over Trey Parker and Branden Francis, won a tiebreaker decision against Chris Howatt and then pinned Charles Rosenthal at 3:12 for third place.

At D6 102 pounds, Aurora Maring wrestled the boys and reached third on the podium. She first earned a decision over Taeton Magara, a forfeit over Kierra Rosa, then a decision against John Ruffo before falling to Wyatt Wandell in the semifinals. She then recorded a decision over Elliott Mukkamala to book a spot in the third-place final and pinned Tucker Minnoe at 2:56 for her spot on the podium.

Finn Rowe claimed fifth in D4 71 pounds, earning four decisions before being relegated to the consolation bracket by technical fall. Rowe pinned Jack Dewey in 1:48 for fifth place.

Back in the girls division, Tori Lombardo was fourth in G3 91-93 pounds.

GOWANDA SEES 4 FINISH ATOP PODIUM

SYRACUSE — The Gowanda Wrestling Club had four wrestlers finish in first place at the NYWAY State Championships in Maverick Olszewski, Carter Ray, Isabella Bailey and Mila Clarke.

Ray claimed another championship, this time wrestling in D5 75 pounds, pinning Finnegan Hayhurst of Quaker Wrestling Club at 1:56, then consecutive 2-0 decisions over Frankie Murray and Devin Eggleston and then a narrow 1-0 decision over Jackson Fitzgerald of Hilton Jr. Cadets Wrestling Club.

Olszewski made his run to first look a little bit easier at D2 58 pounds, pinning both Lincoln Predmore and Lamarkus Stedge at 0:20 and 0:36, respectively, a technical fall over Crizus Bennion of Olean Wrestling Club, then another pin against Keegan Carpenter of South Lewis Wrestling Club at 0:56 and finally a 7-0 decision over Case Whitehill of Anarchy Wrestling.

Bailey pinned her way to first place in G3 144-154 pounds, taking down Abby Chamberlin of Glen Grapplers Wrestling Club at 0:55, then Hailey Lichtenstein of Bear Cave Wrestling at 4:19 and Arianna Balsamo of Long Beach Gladiators Wrestling at 0:55.

Clarke earned two quick pins before a close final in G1 49-52 pounds. She first pinned Kaia Purdy at 0:28 and then Sophia Sorce of Glen Grapplers Wrestling Club at 0:37. In the finals she narrowly held of Scarley Smoke of Akron Wrestling Club in a 7-6 decision.

Raelyn Diebel took second in G3 91-93 pounds, falling to Sonya Dordoni of Horseheads Youth Wrestling Club 3-0 before bouncing back with two pins against Tori Lombardo of WRCL Wrestling Club and Julia Reid of Lew-Port Wrestling.

Dane McNaughton took second in D6 78 pounds, pinning his first three opponents Brantley Davis of Black Belt Wrestling Academy 2:29, then Nicholas Roser of Whitesboro Wrestling Club 0:58 and Trevor Meyers of Whitney Point Youth Wrestling Club at 1:24. In the finals, Nico Bresadola of Brawlers Elite got the best of McNaughton with a pin at 2:30.

Winter Weber lost in the G1 64-66-pound final to Teagan Worden of Celtic Wrestling Club by 8-5 decision.

Six members claimed third place, with Jayce Hubbard at D4 67 pounds, Mickey Mescall at D6 155 pounds, Isabella Bailey at D8 155 pounds, Daphne Twoguns at G2 59-60 pounds, Raelynn Taber at G2 86-90 pounds and Mackenzie Carkeek at G3 90-91 pounds.

Carkeek claimed third with a pin over Mya Rumble at 1:01, Taber took her spot with a 0:15 pin over Joi White and Twoguns earned a 16-1 technical fall over Gracie Glezen-Matthews.

Another four athletes earned fourth place with Elliott Graham at D8 136 pounds, Molly Robertson at G2 73-74 pounds, Oliva Hontz at G2 79-81 pounds and Kinley McMahon at G2 89-90 pounds.

Graham posted victories by pinfall, decision and technical fall to reach the podium.

A pair of wrestlers in Karsyn Robertson at D3 50 pounds and Cayden Redford at D9 120 pounds earned fifth place at the tournament.

Robertson earned a decision and technical fall before heading to the consolation bracket and grinded out a 5-4 decision to take fifth over Pierre Harris of Pal-Mac Wrestling Club.

Redford earned two wins by decision and a pair of pinfall victories to grab fifth.