Coaches and wrestlers from the HF-L Varsity Wrestling team posed with the Section V trophy after winning the Class B championship on February 8. Photo provided by HF-L Athletics
The Honeoye Falls-Lima Varsity Wrestling team stood at the top of the Section V Class B1 Championships like King Kong towering over the Empire State Building on February 8, dominating the 13 other schools in the field.
HF-L amassed 271.5 points to win the B1 title, outdistancing second-place Wayne by 82 points, and saw 12 of its 15 wrestlers place in the top six finishers in their respective weight classes with 11 of those wrestlers placing in the top three. The Cougars boasted four champions as well.
John Winseman earned the 108-pound title with two wins by pin and taking the championship bout with a 15-0 technical fall. Chris Noto won at 131 pounds with a win by pin, a win by injury default over teammate Carsen Montone in the semifinals and defeating his opponent in the championship match by a 17-1 technical fall. Jacob McVige was the 145-pound champion with two wins by pin and winning the title match by medical forfeit. Waylan Winseman was the fourth Cougar champion, winning at 152 pounds with two wins by pin and the title match by a 5-1 decision.
Ben Feinberg placed second at 170 pounds with a win by 23-3 tech fall and a win by pin before losing the championship match by pin. Cameron Mosher came in second at 285 pounds with a win by pin and a win by 19-2 tech fall before bowing in the championship match by 11-4 decision. Patrick Winseman was third at 101 pounds with a win by a 20-1 tech fall, lost a 4-1 decision, won a 21-6 tech fall and won by pin in the third/fourth place match. Montone ended up third at 131 pounds as he won by pin, won a 17-6 major decision, lost by injury default to Noto, won by pin and won a 14-3 major decision in the third/fourth place bout. Andrew Spaulding earned third at 138 pounds with two wins by pin, a loss by pin, a win by 15-0 tech fall and a win by pin in the third/fourth place contest. Owen Englert took third in the 190 weight class with a win by pin, a loss by pin, a win by 20-1 tech fall and a win by pin in the third/fourth place match. Chris Settles ended up third at 215 pounds with a win by 23-7 tech fall, a loss by pin, a win by pin and a win by 15-2 major decision in the third/fourth place bout. Jace Neilans claimed sixth in the 124 pound weight bracket with a loss by pin, two wins by pin, a win by 12-6 decision, a loss by pin and a loss by a 14-3 major decision in the fifth/sixth place match. Liam O’Connell had a 2-2 record at 160 pounds with two wins by pin and two losses by pin. Gabe Wastowicz went 1-2 in the 160 pound division with a win by medical forfeit and a loss by a 15-0 tech fall and a loss by 18-10 major decision. Aryan Farmer was 0-2 in the 116 pound class with both losses by pin.
“To have 12 wrestlers place, 11 of them in the top three and four champions in that group was incredible,” coach Scott Winseman said. “The wrestlers were amazing. The kids have worked so hard. We’ve had a great run so far, winning the Monroe County Tournament for the first time and winning the Windsor Tournament, the most historic tournament in the state.”
The final tournament for eight of the varsity wrestlers came at the Livonia JV/Varsity Tournament on January 25. The Cougars collected 87.5 points for fourth in the varsity tournament. Patrick Winseman placed second in the 101-pound bracket, winning by technical fall 20-2 in the quarterfinal match and by pin in the semifinal before losing a 14-5 major decision in the championship bout. Montone earned third in the 131 weight class with a bye in the first round, a win by pin in the quarterfinal, a loss by pin in the semifinal, a win by tech fall 15-0 and a win by pin in the third/fourth place match. Ben Sackett lost both matches by forfeit at 160 pounds. Wastowicz came in fourth at 160 pounds with a win by pin, a win by pin, a loss by pin, a win by pin and a loss by 26-10 tech fall. Feinberg earned fourth in the 170 weight class with a win by pin, a loss by 4-1 decision, a win by 15-0 tech fall and a loss by 14-12 decision. Brady Wachob lost two matches by pin at 190 pounds. Settles won by 16-5 major decision, lost by pin, won by pin and lost by pin at 215 pounds. Mosher (215 pounds) secured second with a win by pin, a win by pin and a loss by pin.
HF-L will send 11 wrestlers to the SuperSectionals, Section V’s qualifier for the state tournament, on February 14-15.
