After having a rough stretch of matches this season which put them at 2-8 overall, Bradford got a home win over Oswayo Valley 51-15. 36 of those Owl points were from forfeits though, the action on the mat was much more competitive.
At 145 pounds, Keenan Miller (Bradford) faced off against Elliot Colton (Oswayo Valley) to begin the match. Colton earned a takedown to go up 3-0, but Miller had a reversal to make it 3-2 after the first period. Colton had an escape in the second period to make it 4-2.
“He needs to learn how to get to his offense on his feet,” Bradford coach Stefan Chaussard said. “He let that kid kind of dictate the pace of the match too much. He put himself in a good position on bottom to get out in the second period, but he was one or two moves behind.”
In the third period, Miller escaped and later earned a takedown as time was about to expire to get an exciting 6-4 win. “He did a nice job getting the desired result,” Chaussard said. “For a freshman, there are a lot of lessons to come out of that.” After there was a forfeit at 152 pounds, the team score was 9-0 Bradford.
At 160 pounds, Jordy Thompson (Bradford) made quick work of Cooper Pearce (Oswayo Valley) with a first period pin. Next at 172 pounds, there was an exciting bout between Brayden Wells (Bradford) and Micheal Eaton (Oswayo Valley).
Eaton had a takedown while Wells got a reversal in the first period. Wells was strong in the second period, after getting an escape he then got a takedown putting him ahead 6-4 going into the third.
Eaton performed when it mattered most though. He got a takedown to put him ahead, and then had four near-fall points to close out the match to give him an 11-6 victory.
“Wells is a first year kid,” Chaussard said. “Right now he doesn’t have the feel and instinct. Late in that match, if he just stuffs the kid’s head and turns a certain way, he is getting two or three points at the end of that match.”
Next at 189 pounds, Lucas Fleischman (Oswayo Valley) faced Damiano DalPos (Bradford). Fleischman had a reversal and four near fall points to build a 6-3 first period lead. He then got the pin in the second period to make the team score 15-9.
Oswayo Valley forfeited five straight bouts after Fleischman’s win. With two bouts left, Cooper McGee (Bradford) and Silas Knapp (Oswayo Valley) wrestled at 133 pounds with Mcgee getting the first period pin.
Then to finish the match, Kolton Miller (Bradford) was pinned in the first period by Travis Coriaty (Oswayo Valley). The final team score was 51-15 Bradford.
The Ultimate Warrior Tournament at West Branch High School on Friday and Saturday will be the next action for both schools.
“We are starting to kinda prepare for the postseason,” Chaussard said. “We will see a lot of top caliber opponents at Ultimate Warrior this weekend. Our mindset and preparation is shifted to what each guy needs to do individually to be successful.”
BRADFORD 51, OSWAYO VALLEY 15
145- Keenan Miller (B) dec. Elliott Colton (O)
152- Payton McCool (B) won by forfeit
160- Jordy Thompson (B) pinned Cooper Pearce (O)
172- Micheal Eaton (O) dec. Brayden Wells (B)
189- Lucas Fleischman (O) pinned Damiano DalPos (B)
215- Luke Ericksen (B) won by forfeit
107- Carson Hallock (B) won by forfeit
127- Ryan Galloway (B) won by forfeit
121- Josh Everetts (B) won by forfeit
114- Dominic Lupold (B) won by forfeit
133- Cooper McGee (B) pinned Silas Knapp (O)
139- Travis Coriaty (O) pinned Kolton Miller (B)