IAC WRESTLING: NEWARK VALLEY CROWNS TWO CHAMPS; SENDS 16 TO PODIUM IN SECOND-PLACE FINISH AT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS (24 PHOTOS) (January 24, 2026)

Tioga County Sports Report
WATKINS GLEN — Newark Valley had 16 wrestlers reach the podium, including a pair of champions — seniors Cadin Creeley and Titus Callahan — and two runners-up, in a second-place team finish here Saturday at the IAC Championships at the Watkins Glen Fieldhouse.

Juniors Wyatt Dillow and Jack Blomberg were runners-up for the Cardinals, while seniors Logan Rhodes, Marcos Escalante, and Elijah Williams each placed third in their weight classes, junior Andrew Lelik, and sophomores Logan Davis and Leland Houston were fourth-place finishers, and 8th-grader Sheldon Houston and Travis Middendorf each placed fifth.

Eighth-grader Avery Davis was 3-3 to place sixth in his weight class, while sophomore Kenny Slater, and freshmen Adam Kunze and Shane Davey were each 1-3 in sixth-place finishes.

Tioga, which had 15 wrestlers reach the podium — including five champs and five runners-up, ran away with the team title with 319.5 points, while Newark Valley tallied 250.5 points, and Schuyler was third with 181 points. SVEC finished eighth in the 12-team field with 94.5 points.
 
Creeley was 3-0 to win the 165-pound title.

Creeley scored a pair of first-period pins to advance to the finals, where he forged a 9-0 major decision over Schuyler's Jared Watson.

Callahan was 3-0 to win the 190-pound bracket.

Callahan, who earned his 100th win, recorded a pair of first-period falls to reach the finals, where he scored a 10-1 major decision over Tioga's James Howey.

Blomberg was 2-1 to place second in the 285-pound weight class.

Blomberg scored a 68-second fall, and an 18-2 technical fall on his way to the finals, where he lost via first-period fall to Tioga's Mark McCane.

Dillow was 2-1 on his way to a second-place finish at 215 pounds.

Dillow scored a second-period fall in the quarterfinals, then topped Tioga's Jamie Woodcock, 10-5, in the semifinals, before losing via fall to Schuyler's Patrick Croft in the finals.

Williams was 3-1 to place third at 175 pounds.

Williams opened with a 28-second fall in the quarterfinals, but lost via technical fall to Edison standout Greg Golden in the semifinals.

Williams bounced back with a pin of Tioga's Carson LaBour in the consolation semifinals, then forced a 10-0 major decision over Lansing Hudson Reichard in the third-place match.

Escalante was 3-1 to place third with his loss a 2-1 sudden-victory setback against Tioga's Caden Bradley in the semifinals.

Escalante scored a 19-3 technical fall in the quarterfinals, then a 27-9 technical fall in the consolation semifinals.

In the third-place match, Escalante dominated in an 18-6 major decision over Schuyler's Daniel Coston.

Rhodes was 3-1 to finish third in the 138-pound bracket.

Rhodes scored a 60-second fall in the quarterfinals, then dropped a 12-4 major decision to SVEC's Kamren Westbrook in the semifinals.

Rhodes bounced back with a 16-3 major decision in the consolation semifinals, then secured a 15-0 technical fall over teammate Leland Huston in the third-place match.

Leland Huston was 2-2 to place fourth in the 138-pound bracket.

Leland Houston opened with a 7-3 decision over Marathon's Gabriel Spizzirri in the quarterfinals, then lost via fall to Tioga's Jayden Dunacnson in the semifinals.

In the consolation semifinals, he scored an 11-0 major decision over Schuyler's Dylan Senecal to advance to third-place match against Rhodes.

Lelik was 2-2 to place fourth in the 110-pound bracket, with both his losses coming against Tioga grapplers.

After a 15-0 technical fall win over Whitney Point's Gabriel Smith in the quarterfinals, Lelik lost via fall to reigning state champ Declan McKee of Tioga.

He bounced back with a pin of teammate Avery Davis in the consolation semifinals, then lost via fall to Tioga's Parker Jackson in the third-place match.

Logan Davis was 2-2 to finish fourth in the 132-pound weight class.

Davis won his first two wrestleback matches by fall before dropping a 5-0 decision to Edison's Rocco Franchi in the third-place match.

Sheldon Houston was 2-2 to place fifth at 103 pounds, both of wins coming via fall.

In the fifth-place match, he pinned teammate Adam Kune in 2:15.

Middendorf was 3-2 to place fifth at 150 pounds.

Middendorf scored a 59-second fall in the quarterfinals, then pulled out a 12-9 win over SVEC's Gabe Benjamin in the quarterfinals.

After a pair of losses, Middendorf scored a pin of Benjamin in 3:00 in the fifth-place match.

Davis was 3-3 to place sixth at 110 pounds.

Davis opened the day with a 56-second fall in the opening round, but lost via fall to Edison's Mason Vanderhoof in the quarterfinals.

After a pin of Moravia's Trenton LaFleur in 1:39, and a 7-3 win over Trumansburg's Colt Doolittle, Davis lost his next two match, including a 14-2 setback to Whitney Point's Gabriel Smith in the fifth-place match.

Slater was 1-3 to place sixth at 118 pounds, with his lone win a 9-2 decision over Groton's John-Michael Fanning in the wrestlebacks.

Kunze was 1-3 to place sixth at 103 pounds, with his lone win a pin of Whitney Point's Trenton Meyers in 3:31.

Davey was 1-3 to place sixth at 165 pounds, with his lone win a pin of Trumansburg's Hunter Marshall in 1:50.

Anthony Kunze was 2-2 at 150 pounds, with both of his wins by fall. He pinned Lansing's Brennan Williams in 3:21, and Edison's Colton Erickson in 54 seconds.

Michael Wandell was 1-2 at 144 pounds, with his lone win a 58-second pin of Trumansburg's Anthony Merkley in the opening round.

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PHOTOS BY MIRANDA SZYMANSKI.

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