On Wednesday night that was on full display with a 61-15 victory over rival Falconer/Cassadaga Valley.

“It’s never ever ever comfortable wrestling Falconer no matter what you hear and what you think,” Rowe said after Wednesday’s match. “Drew (Wilcox) always has them ready to roll, we just had a good day today. … It is nice to win a match in this gym where it hasn’t happened very much over my career and I’m proud of my guys.”

The victory put the Eagles in the driver’s seat to clinch the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 title outright next week at Fredonia/Forestville/Silver Creek, but before they hope to accomplish that, the Eagles will wrestle to become the top team in New York at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Division 1 Dual Meet Championships this Saturday at the SRC Arena and Events Center in Syracuse.

“This group, even the last couple of years you don’t have to pump them up,” Rowe said about his team’s motivation. “There are some important things that happen, some wins that fire them up, but when it comes down to it they truly seem to be ready to go the majority of the time. I don’t know how much this will help this weekend, but if they do what they’re capable of we will be in the mix down there and it should be a fun weekend.”

Chester Machemer

After reaching states as the Section VI Division 2 champion the last three seasons, the Eagles were moved up to Division 1 this year and did not miss a beat claiming their fourth straight sectional title.

“Ideally we would be where our BEDS numbers put us and we’d be in D2,” Rowe said about states. “But it’s where they put us and I wasn’t sure if it would be a hostile environment or not. But the boys stayed locked in and like I said before they just truly seem to not get too high or too low and kind of do their job every day. I usually don’t have to say a lot to get them fired up and I think it will be par for the course. If we have a good day I think it will be a fun weekend.”

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer dominated the Section VI Division 1 duals with a 65-17 win over Grand Island, rolled Lancaster 66-12 and defeated Niagara Falls 55-21 for the title.

In past trips to the state dual meets, Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer has run into champions such as Tioga and John Glenn last year.

Moving up to Division 1 the Eagles will be matched up against some unfamiliar teams, but after reviewing their opponents Rowe believes his squad matches up well with the competition.

Thandon Bensink

“From film, records and statistics, I truly think we match up well,” Rowe said about pool play this weekend. “We’re going to have to have things go our way, that’s just the way that tournament goes. If the boys are confident and do their jobs, we will open some eyes up down there I’m sure.”

The tournament format remains pool play into semifinals and the Eagles are up against Section VIII Massapequa and Section XI Sachem North in the Mat 2 group. Massapequa last won the Division 1 state title in 2019, while Sachem North has yet to win a title and also failed to reach the semifinals in Division 1.

Outside of Mat 2, returning champion Minisink Valley of Section IX is the favorite on Mat 1 with Section V Fairport and Section III Carthage. Mat 3 includes Section II Shenendehowa, Section IX Middletown and Section I Yorktown. Mat 4 has Section V Webster-Schroeder, Section IV Maine-Endwell and Section VIII Long Beach.

If the Eagles hope to become the first Section VI state champion in Division 1 since Starpoint in 2023 they will need to be strong across all weight classes. According to Rowe, this is the roster that has that kind of depth with several standout wrestlers.

“Probably for the first time in my career — even three to four years ago when we were right in the mix with Tioga and they won it — we had some holes and we are pretty solid top to bottom right now,” Rowe said about his team. “There really isn’t a specific kid quite honestly. Walter (Lukasiak) is wrestling well, Colton (Hamilton) had a bad night (Wednesday), but he’s been solid. My mid-weight guys, those mid-range guys that are coming up and still young, they’re at that point where we need those wins, we can’t just have them scrapping and taking losses. Truly, top to bottom, I am beyond pleased. Strength-wise this is one of the best teams I’ve been a part of.”

Jordin Eddy

Most of the Eagles have had their spots on the podium this season with several wrestlers compiling formidable records. Coming in at the heavyweights, Walter Lukasiak, a junior is 20-3 at 285 pounds, Hamilton, another junior, is 24-5 at 215 pounds, Toby Watson, still another junior, is 29-6 at 175 pounds and sophomore Tristen Gibbs is 19-4 at 190 pounds. Then in the middle, sophomore Jordin Eddy is 21-11 at 165 pounds and sophomore Alex Bourgeois is 23-7 at 157 pounds, while junior Mason Munoz is 17-14 at 150 pounds and junior Gavin Burchanowski is 19-6 at 144 pounds. Heading toward lightweight, Burchanowski has wrestled at 138 pounds, while juniors Thandon Bensink and Logan Fuller are 26-5 and 21-11, respectively, at 132 pounds.

Fuller wrestled at 126 against the Golden Cougars on Wednesday, while sophomore Zander Lombardo dropped down to 118 pounds and has a 19-8 record. Eighth-grader Chase Shirley, who is listed at 126 pounds, is capable of wrestling at 110 pounds and boasts a 20-9 record and fellow eighth-grader Chester Machemer is 26-8 at the 103-pound class.

Gavin Burchanowski

Walter Lukasiak

Toby Watson

Logan Fuller

Chase Shirley

Gavin Burchanowski

Alex Bourgeois