Sometimes the best workout partner you could possibly find is the guy next to you in your own wrestling room. That is the case for Norwich eighth-graders Tristan Rifanburg and Frank Garcia, who each make the trip to Albany this weekend for the New York State Division II Wrestling Championships.

Rifanburg and Garcia battled each other for years as they climbed the peewee wrestling ranks. Now as teammates, they are inseparable in the wrestling room as they set the tone in practice for the rest of the team, said NHS head coach Joe Downey. “They’re like puppy dogs going hand-in-hand,” Downey said of his two prospects. “They are the best of friends and their is a lot of mutual respect between them. They’re workout partners, and when one is down, the other one picks him up. They push each other, and it’s unbelievable to see their work in the wrestling room.”

The Rifanburg-Garcia connection is just one of many local stories. Can B-G/A senior Danny Gormley, in his fifth trip to the New York State Tournament, finally grab the brass ring and win a state championship?

Greene has a remarkable five entries in the state tournament. From 145 pounds and up, is there a deeper and more talented Division II team in the state?

Sherburne-Earlville senior, Greg DuVall, is another veteran of the state tournament stage. In five years, DuVall has won three sectional championships and earned an at-large bid a season ago.