East Aurora Advertiser

Six JV Wrestlers Go Undefeated in Winning Clarence Duals




<p dir=”ltr”>The Iroquois High School wrestling programs are running on all cycles. With the varsity team finishing second at the Erie County Interscholastic Conference Championships a few weeks back, the junior varsity team made some news of their own by winning their second tournament championship of the season by going 5-0 at the Clarence Duals on Dec. 30.

<p dir=”ltr”><span>Six junior varsity wrestlers went undefeated in a field of eight teams at Clarence that included Dan Eckert (138 pounds), Michael Schiffhauer (113 pounds), Jacob Jozwiak (126 pounds), Chris Wilkins (220 pounds), Gage Schoewe (160 pounds), and Donovan Bukaczeski (106 pounds).</span>

<p dir=”ltr”><span>“The whole team did an amazing job. Jake Jozwiak did an awesome job in the tournament pinning all five opponents and Gage Schoewe faced some of the toughest competition in the tournament, but pulled off some great wins to also go undefeated,” head coach Troy Almeter said of some of the more memorable performances in the Clarence win.</span>

<p dir=”ltr”><span>Almeter, who shares coaching responsibilities with Jimmy Kloc, noted other impressive performances at Clarence were displayed by Jacob Thomas (120 pounds), Ryan Current (132 pounds),  Owen Wagner (145 pounds),  Jacob Scott (152 pounds),  Jaden Ford (170 pounds), and Nate Marion (182 pounds).</span>

<p dir=”ltr”><span>The junior varsity wrestling Chiefs also took first in the tournament they hosted with a field of 10 teams Nov. 25 – the Fred Marcheson Hall of Fame Duals. Ten junior varsity wrestlers also placed in Eden’s tournament Dec. 28 that foreshadowed the team’s dominance just two days later at Clarence.</span>

<p dir=”ltr”><span>With many varsity wrestlers under the weather, the varsity wrestling team took only seven members to the prestigious Spencerport Tournament and finished third among Western New York teams and ninth overall in a field of 20 that included the top teams from the Rochester and Binghamton areas.</span>

<p dir=”ltr”><span>Of those seven, three finished in the top-four. Cory Day beat Dillon Callaghan of Greece 5-1 to earn first place at 145 pounds. Jacob Vergien scored a 9-1 major decision over Clarence’s Andy Burden for third place at 132 pounds, and Tyler Barry forfeited his consolation final to Greece’s Andy Burden to finish fourth overall at 120 pounds.</span>

<p dir=”ltr”><span>Western New York ratings for varsity wrestlers were released Dec. 31 with four Iroquois grapplers making the cut. Leading the way is Day with a No. 2 ranking at 145 pounds; while Vergien (132), Barry (120) and Brandon Swaciak (126) all received honorable mentions in their respective weight classes.</span>

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