HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING: STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

By P.J. Harmer

Staff Writer

UNIONDALE 

Star photo by P.J. Harmer Senior Eric Decker of Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton gets a lift from Section Two’s Nate Graham during the second period of a 160-pound Division II state semifinal Saturday at Nassau Coliseum. Decker won by pin in 3 minutes, 9 seconds.

1; Eric Decker saved his best for last Saturday at Nassau Coliseum.

As a result, he ended up with another first.

Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton’s Decker won a state wrestling championship for the third straight season, using a late takedown to upend Warsaw’s Paul Paddock, 3-1, in the Division II 160-pound final.

"I had it figured out," said senior Decker, who won the last two D-II 152-pound state titles. "I was tired and I [an error occurred while processing this directive]knew for the last 30 seconds I was going to go; I was going to get the takedown and hang on.

"That’s what I do," he continued. "The last 30 seconds I’m going — and I go full force."

In front of 9,340 fans, Decker broke a 1-all tie with a single-leg takedown that started with 24 seconds left. Eight seconds later, a referee awarded Decker two points for completing the move.

"For a while, (the referee) wasn’t calling it and I was like ’Man, come on, where’s my two?’ " Decker said. "He called it and I was just trying to keep (Paddock) in bounds so he wouldn’t have an opportunity to get out and get a fresh start."

Decker rode out Paddock to win the area’s only state title Saturday. One of seven local wrestlers to qualify for states, Decker earned the area’s only semifinal berth in Friday’s opening matches. Decker, who will wrestle for Virginia Tech next season, finished 41-2 this season for a 231-16 overall varsity record.

"It’s a good way to end my high school career," Decker said. "I can’t look back on anything and be too ashamed. I’m not the best to ever walk through wrestling, but I tried my best, and I feel I’m amongst a high set of athletic people."

Decker’s title helped Section Four to a second-place finish in D-II. Section Four earned 241 points, 28 behind team champion Section Three.

The 160-pound D-II match featured two 2005 state champions as Section Five’s Paddock earned the 145-pound D-II state title as a sophomore.

"I came out and I wasn’t really expecting what he had," Decker said of Paddock, who finished his junior season 44-2. "He came after me like a ball of fire.

"I kind of figured if he was up two weight classes, he’d be able to stick with me," he continued. "I’m not that powerful of a person. I feel that he really outpowered me strength-wise and he was shoving me around a bit."

Still, Decker scored first with an escape from the down position in the second period. Paddock did the same in the third period to tie the score.

"It was closer than I hoped for, but you are wrestling a returning state champ," B-G/A coach Brandon MacNaught said. "You have to give credit — (Paddock) wrestled to win."

Decker won despite a cut on the bridge of his nose that forced three stoppages in the final. Decker suffered the cut during practice last week and busted it open during a semifinal against Section Two’s Nate Graham.

Decker, who pinned Graham in 3 minutes, 9 seconds, went to the sidelines three times during the championship as B-G/A coaches MacNaught and Tony Ferrara worked to stop the bleeding. The last of his three intermissions came with 1:24 left.

The two spent the majority of the next minute with their upper bodies locked before Decker shot in for the decisive points.

Decker’s teammate, senior Greg Conover, contributed a fifth-place D-II finish at 135 pounds. Conover (40-4) beat Hornell’s Andy Drake, 3-1, to place in his first state tournament.

Unadilla Valley senior Scott Fuller (160 pounds) helped Section Four to a sixth-place team finish in D-I. Fuller (31-7) beat Roundout Valley’s Lucas Brooks, 10-9, to guarantee himself a top-six finish. Fuller lost his next two matches, though, including the fifth-place match, 13-6, to New Hartford’s Greg Hurd.

UV junior Shayne Wilcox (31-7) went 1-2 at states. He closed with an 8-4 loss to Chaminade’s Dan Audy in a D-I 130-pound quarterfinal.

Section Five earned the D-I title with 246 points.

P.J. Harmer can be reached at mailto:pharmer@thedailystar.com">pharmer@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.

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STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Team scores: Section Three 269, Section Four 241, Section Five 218½, Section Six 188, Section Two 180½, Section One 101, Section 10 95, Section 11 92, Section Seven 85, Section Eight 45, Section Nine 22, PSAL 8.

96 — Chris Conti (Fredonia-6) dec. Brian Stevens (Holland Patent-3), 4-0.

103 — Nick Wilcox (Greene-4) dec. Ken Kampnich (Immaculate Heart-3), 6-4.

112 — Alex Ekstrom (Palmyra Macedon-5) dec. Jared Lemke (Alden-6), 4-2.

119 — Mike McInally (Byron Bergen-5) dec. Justin Seifried (Mohawk-3), 6-1.

125 — Dave Marble (Harpursville-4) dec. Jared Rueda (Mt. Sinai-11), 9-6.

130 — David Perrigo (Gouverneur-10) dec. Rich Berkowitz (Nanuet-1), 8-6.

135 — Shane Roggie (Beaver River-3) dec. Carl Breitenstein (Duanesburg-2), 8-4.

140 — Josh Denesha (Gouverneur-10) dec. Derek Brenon (Immaculate Heart-3), 5-3.

145 — Mike Kampnich (Immaculate Heart-3) dec. Corey Barber (Hudson Falls-2), 10-9.

152 — Colin McDonald (Waverly-4) dec. Nate Slate (Gouverneur-10), 12-3.

160 — Eric Decker (Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton-4) dec. Paul Paddock (Warsaw-5), 3-1.

171 — Brandon Lapp (Maple Hill-2) dec. Casey McDonald (Waverly-4), 4-2, overtime.

189 — Nick Clark (Canisteo-Greenwood-5) pinned Shawn Logue (Pearl River-1), 5:35.

215 — Jason Brown (Cato Meridian-3) dec. Dan Randall (Salem-2), 5-4.

275 — Jim Almy (Duanesburg-2) dec. Skylar Tuttle (Lowville-3), 13-4.

140- Geoff Rosa (Delhi) dec. Vince Iris (Barker-6), 5-3.

135- Greg Conover (Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton) dec. Andy Drake (Hornell-3), 3-1.

160- Eric Decker (Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton) pinned Nate Graham (Ravena-Coemans-Selkirk-2), 3:09.

Team scores: Section Five 246, Section 11 229, Section Eight 192½, Section Nine 160, Section Two 143½, Section Four 133½, Section One 88½, Section Three 88½, Section Six 84, CHSAA 40, PSAL 21, Section Ten 10.

96 — Paul Liguori (Wantagh-8) dec. Casey Lanave (Chenango Forks-4), 9-5.

103 — Jeremy Cuomo (Schalmont-2) dec. Zack Ellis (Brighton-5), 9-2.

112 — Tyler Mashkow (Islip-11) dec. Jamie Franco (Monroe Woodbury-9), 6-1.

119 — Lou Ruggirello (Valley Central-9) pinned Greg Einfrank (Greeley-1), 1:29.

125 — Corey Jantzen (Shoreham-Wading River-11) dec. Dave Colagiovanni (Mahopac-1), 16-5.

130 — Kyle Borshoff (Pittsford-5) dec. Christopher Iorio (Sachem North-11), 8-1.

135 — Dave Ingram (East Islip-11) dec. Steve Delorenzo (MacArthur-8), 8-7.

140 — Eduardo Delgado (Long Beach-8) dec. Kareem Naguib (Shenendehowa-2), 4-3.

145 — J.P. O’Connor (Oxford-4) dec. Phil Lombardo (Greece Olympia-5), 11-4.

152 — Michael Chaires (Syracuse CBA-3) dec. Lance Wade (Islip-11), 3-1, overtime.

160 — Ryan Patrovich (Islip-11) pinned Manny Hickson (LaSalle-2), 2:54.

171 — Josh Patterson (Wayne-5) dec. Jake Koshinski (Niagara Wheatfield-6), 10-2.

189 — Ryan Lamagra (Wayne-5) dec. Maciej Jochym (Herricks-8), 8-4.

215 — Matt Ferber (Sachem East-11) dec. Eric Burnett (Uniondale-8), 7-1.

275 — Bryant Deinhardt (Deposit-Hancock-4) dec. Joe Goetz (Sewanhaka-8), 8-0.

160- Greg Hurd (New Hartford-3) dec. Scott Fuller (Unadilla Valley), 13-6.