Keith Lanfear Photo

Earn first conference title since 2015

JOHNSON CITY – For the first time since 2015, Norwich stands at the top of the Southern Tier Athletic Conference (STAC) Podium. Finishing with four individual champions and four others place, the Purple Tornado bought home the STAC tournament championship Friday night.

Normally two days of wrestling, the STAC championships were condensed down to five and half hours.

Three of Norwich’s championships earned the title, like expected, after gaining a No. 1 seed to start. Dante Geislinger (106 pounds), Mikey Squires (152) and Tyler Rice (285) all tore through their bracket to reach the finals.

In the quarter finals and semifinals, all three wrestlers – who are also three of Norwich’s squad from last season that placed in the New York State Championships – pinned their first opponents.

Rice picked up his second STAC title of his young career as the Tornado sophomore pinned Elmira’s Jeremiah Cheatham third period.

Rice had 2-0 lead entering the third, where he scored a reversal. Prior to securing the pin at 5:34, the Norwich 285 pounder scored a near fall count to extend his lead.

Both of his pinfall wins came in the first period of his earlier matches, Geislinger had plenty of energy going into his finals match against Zach Levey of Horseheads.