Keith Lanfear Photo

3 other county wrestlers place

ALBANY – Over 30,00 New York State high school wrestlers started the 2018-219 season back in November. 496 were left at the two-day New York State Championship event held at Times Union Center in Albany Friday morning. Only 30 stood on the podium at the conclusion of the weekend.

Norwich’s 106 pound junior Dante Geislinger was one of those who held a sign that read “2019 Champion” and had two medals dangling around his neck, the second time in two years.

Geislinger, the No. 1 seed of his bracket, pinned his way into the semifinals. The Purple Tornado returned to Saturday night’s center stage with another pinfall win, this one coming with just 18 seconds remaining in the match.

Geislinger, who took on a defensive minded Maple Hill’s Caleb Svingala, scored the first point of the finals bout on an escape in the first period.

The now two-time champ set up a move that was finished with a double ankle control takedown in the second period, taking the 3-0 lead.

Starting on top in the third, Geislinger needed to keep Svingala down with heavy forward pressure.

Svingala attempted to build his way to his feet but the strength of the Tornado 106 pounder made it very tough. Geislinger looked up with 15 seconds left and knew if the hadn’t made a move by now, the wrestler from Section II wasn’t going to be able to make one at all.