Ken Rowe, pictured at left, led the Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer Eagles to Section VI Division II and Class B championships this season, while also sending four individual wrestlers to the NYSPHSAA Championships. Photo courtesy of Michelle Gilbert | MaxPreps

A year ago the Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer wrestling team unseated Falconer/Cassadaga Valley as the power in Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1, finishing with a 6-0 record.

This year, the Eagles proved that it was not a fluke, going undefeated in league action again and shining in several tournaments while boasting several great individual performances on the season.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer repeated as champions at the Section VI Dual Meet Championships, first defeating Gowanda 73-0 in the semifinals and then topping Southwestern 42-19 to advance to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championships.

In Syracuse, Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer defeated Northern Adirondack 54-10, but was eliminated by Palmyra Macedon in a 38-26 loss.

The Eagles returned to Section VI action and just like last year they redeemed themselves with a Class B title by accumulating 235 points, while Pioneer finished well below with 168 points in second. Alex Bourgeois (101 pounds), Thandon Bensink (116 pounds), Jordan Joslyn (138 pounds), Jayden Malecki (190 pounds) and Mason Maring (215 pounds) won Class B titles. Gavin Burchanowski (108 pounds) was a runnerup finisher.

The following week, Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer had several standout performances at the Section VI Division II state qualifier at Lake Shore High School. Joslyn won the 138-pound weight class, while Bensink (116 pounds), Malecki (190 pounds) and Maring (215 pounds) finished second to qualify for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championships.

In Albany, the Eagles did not have a finish atop the podium this year, but Maring reached the championship bout at 215 pounds as the No. 6 seed. Joslyn returned as the 2023 126-pound state champion, but an injury agitated in his semifinal loss to Tioga’s Gianni Silvestri relegated him to a sixth-place finish at 136 pounds due to medical forfeits.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer won the Byron-Bergen Invitational Tournament to start the year, scoring 184.5 points while second-place Victor finished with 88.5. Joslyn, John Watson, Maring and Walter Lukasiak won their weight classes, while Gavin Burchanowski (116 pounds) and Malecki (190 pounds) were runnerup finishers.

The Eagles were narrowly edged by St. Francis in the STWOA Kickoff Classic 191-190.5 for first place. Joslyn and Ison Shirley were first-place finishers at the tournament, while Maring took second.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer then finished second again, this time in the Linda C. Knuutila Memorial Tournament, coming behind Niagara Wheatfield’s 352 points with 339. Joslyn was the only top finisher for the Eagles at the tournament.

At the Patrick J. Morales Memorial Tournament, Corry (Pa.) flipped the script from last year by taking first with 271 points, while the Eagles finished second with 246.5. Burchanowski, Joslyn and Malecki won individual titles, while Watson, Maring and Ison Shirley took second place on the podium.

In the CCAA Division 1 competition, Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer beat Portville 53-15, Fredonia/Silver Creek/Forestville 69-18, Olean/Allegany-Limestone 50-10, Dunkirk 75-0, Southwestern 49-19 and Falconer/Cassadaga Valley 47-22.

For all of those reasons, Ken Rowe is the 2024 Post-Journal/OBSERVER Wrestling Coach of the Year.