by Dick Sterling
Wrestling is back!
The high school sport that the Gouverneur Wildcats are most dominate in finally made its return after a long break due to the COVID 19 pandemic. The last New York State championships for high school sports that was completed before the COVID cancellations began was wrestling. On February 29,2020, Gouverneur’s Carter Baer won a New York State title at 138 pounds. Baer, now a junior, finished the season with an impressive record of 45-3. Other Wildcat wrestlers took part in the state tournament and offered some impressive matches.
After the 2020-21 season was postponed, wrestlers were finally able to return to the mats last Wednesday as the Wildcats hosted the first of three round robin tournaments. Modified and varsity wrestlers are divided into weight class and each will get two or three matches.
Baer, who has tried to remain sharp, has competed in a few select tournaments in recent weeks, but this was his first opportunity to compete in the familiar surroundings of the Gouverneur High School gyms. The talented junior was impressive as he pinned two different wrestlers from Malone wrestling at 170 pounds.
The Wildcats most impressive female wrestler, Zoe Griffith, was also very successful at the round robin tournament as she faced off against wrestlers from Canton, Massena and Ogdensburg and earned a pin in all three matches at 120 pounds.
Joseph Cummings (170) earned pinfall victories over two opponents from Malone and Trayton Tupper (145) also earned a pin in both of his matches.
Young modified wrestlers Mason Dusharm, Tanner King, Ryan Mashaw and JD Minckler each earned victories at the tournament.
Wildcat wrestling fans are hopeful that high school sports will return to normal by the time the next regular season kicks off in November. The Wildcats are chomping at the bit to get back to competition in the sport that they have proven to dominate for many years.