IAC WRESTLING: NEWARK VALLEY CRUISES PAST MARATHON ON SENIOR NIGHT (December 18, 2025)

By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
NEWARK VALLEY — The Newark Valley boys wrestling team ran its string of IAC dual meet victories to nine here Thursday evening, smoking Marathon, 78-5, on Senior Night.

“I think we wrestled well,” coach Larry Kasmarcik said. “We got some good matches in where we wanted them, wrestled really well.”

Despite the one-sided score, the match wasn’t without its drama when it was discovered that the Olympians were sending the wrong wrestlers out on the mat. Marathon was forced to forfeit six bouts from 144 through 190 pounds, although it made little difference in the score, which would have been 72-8 if the error had gone unnoticed.

Marcos Escalante (144), Logan Rhodes (150), Logan Woodin (157), Cadin Creeley (165), Elijah Williams (175) and Titus Callahan (190) received the freebies.

Spectators in the packed gym did get to see some strong performances by the NV grapplers as Creely, Williams and Callahan recorded first-period falls, while Woodin had a second-period pin.

NV’s top wrestlers looked sharp and ready to make some noise in the postseason.

““We've been practicing pretty hard,” Kasmarcik said. “I give the credit to them. They come in, they work hard. As a coach, you can make a practice plan all you want, but if they don't want to do it, they're not going to get in shape — and they all come in, they come in and work hard.”

Callahan (13-0) and Creeley (12-0) remained unbeaten on the season.

Rhodes dropped his bout to Marathon’s top wrestler, Brendan Gumaer, 9-2, but put up a valiant fight. Gumaer scored his first five points in the final seconds of the first and second periods. The loss does not go on Rhodes’ record, however, it also cost Gumaer his 99th career win.

The match started at 110 where Sheldon Houston received a forfeit. Andrew Lelik (118) pinned Zanden Potts with an arm bar at the 5-minute mark after trailing, 8-1, at one point.

Kenny Slater (126) rode a trio of takedowns to a 9-2 lead in the first period, then built a 17-3 cushion before dispatching Christopher Brickner in 3:30.

The younger wrestlers have been progressing well also.

“We have a couple of 8th-graders who came into the room,” said Kasmarcik. “They're having fun. They're learning a lot. They're excited. They work hard. Everybody in our room works hard.”

The Olympians would avoid a shutout when Gabriel Spizzirri (132) won by a 17-2 tech fall over Jacob Shipman in three minutes.

The quickest pin of the night came at 138 when Leland Houston decked Ryan Infante in 36, giving the Cardinals a 24-5 advantage.

The half-dozen forfeits gave NV a 60-5 cushion and the final three bouts ended in falls. Wyatt Dillow (215) pinned Ethan Crumb in 1:30, Jack Blomberg (285) took care of Ayden O’Donnell in 1:27 and Adam Kunze (103) ended the match with a pin of Henry Donah in 3:27.

Newark Valley (3-0) heads to the Take Down Cancer dual meet tournament at Waverly Friday, then makes the trek to Corning Saturday for the Greg Partridge Memorial Duals.

JV
NV split two tilts with Marathon. Michael Wandell (150) pinned Sabastian Bevins in one minute flat while Shane Davey (175), dropped a 17-1 tech fall to Kaream Truitt in 5:57.

NV 78, MARATHON 5
110: Sheldon Houston (NV) by forfeit
118: Andrew Lelik (NV) pinned Zanden Potts (M), 5:00
126: Kenny Slater (NV) pinned Christopher Brickner (M), 3:30
132: Gabriel Spizzirri (M) by tech fall over Jacob Shipman (NV), 17-2 (3:00)
138: Leland Houston (NV) pinned Ryan Infante (M), :36
144: Marcos Escalante (NV) by forfeit
150: Logan Rhodes (NV) by forfeit
157: Logan Woodin (NV) by forfeit
165: Cadin Creeley (NV) by forfeit
175: Elijah Williams (NV) by forfeit
190: Titus Callahan (NV) by forfeit
215: Wyatt Dillow (NV) pinned Ethan Crumb (M), 1:30
285: Jack Blomberg (NV) pinned Ayden O’Donnell (M), 1:27
103: Adam Kunze (NV) pinned Henry Donah (M), 3:27

JV
150: Michael Wandell (NV) pinned Sabastian Bevins (M), 1:00
175 Kaream Truitt (M) by tech fall over Shane Davey (NV), 17-1 (5:57)

——————

IN PHOTO 1: Kenny Slater. IN TOP PHOTO: Andrew Lelik. … PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.

Print Friendly Version