WRESTLING

ALBANY - B-G/Afton/Harpursville wrestler, Darren Florance, had a perfect run through the 2021-2022 season, and that season culminated with a state title Saturday night at Albany's Times Union Center.

Florance, the first Bears wrestler to reach a state wrestling final in 11 years, was unblemished with his final record, and his matches also went unblemished through the Section IV and state tournaments.

Following his first sectional championship two weeks ago when he did not allow a point, Florance won four matches Friday and Saturday taking the 102-pound Division II title without surrendering a single point.

Florance was second in Section IV's 99-pound division two seasons ago, but earned a wild-card bid and wound up placing sixth as an eighth-grader.

Last season was wiped away as Florance had no on-the-record matches documented on his career record.

Returning this season as a sophomore, Florance was rarely tested.

His closest match was an early-season 5-3 win over Honeoye Falls-Lima's Christopher Noto in the Windsor Christmas Tournament 102-pound finals.

Florance would see Noto one more time, this clash coming in the semifinals Saturday morning. 

This time around, Florance cruised to a 5-0 decision victory.

That victory set up another Florance gem as he blanked Gabe English of Berne-Knox, 5-0, for the title.

Three other Chenango County wrestlers brought up place finishes.

The state tournament expanded its field this year, and as a consequence, awarded medals to top-eight place-winners.

B-G/A/H's Brady Buttice finished sixth place at 160 pounds; Norwich's Brady Smith took seventh at 145 pounds, and Greene-Oxford's Hunter Page was eighth at 172 pounds.

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BOYS' SWIMMING

Norwich places eighth at Class B swimming meet

ENDWELL - Norwich had multiple place-winners, and several personal-best performances as it placed eighth at the Section IV, Class B meet last week.

The prelims garnered five personal-best swims with Kris Deuel picking up two of those in the 200- and 500-yard freestyles. Grayson Boyer lowered his previous-best time in the 50-yard freestyle, as did Colin  Nolan in the same event.

Deuel, Boyer, Ethan Guzewich, and Josiah Tyler combined on a team-low time in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

The personal-best swims continued in the finals as Norwich doubled its championship meet with five more.

"Most of the time, the boys were swimming back-to-back," said Norwich coach Kevin Diefenbacher. "They stepped it up in the finals so well as a team, and scored more points."

The top overall finish for Norwich was the 200-yard medley relay quartet of Deuel, Stephen Kman, Tim Guzewich, and Gabe Sutton that placed fifth in 2:04.94.

Below are Norwich's place finishers by event:

200 Medley Relay: (5th), Kris Deuel, Stephen Kman, Tim Guzewich, Gabe Sutton 2:04.94.

200 Free: (11th) Ethan Guzewich 2:06.17 (PB), 16th Kris Deuel 2:18.75.

200 IM: (15th) Tim Guzewich 2:40.84.

50 free: (14th) Gabe Sutton 25.38.

500 free: (10th) Kris Deuel 5:56.39 (PB).

200 Free Relay: (6th) Stephen Kman, Gabe Sutton, Ethan Guzewich, Grayson Boyer 1:43.74 (PB).

100 Back: (12th) Tim Guzewich 1:10.12 (PB).

100 Breast: (11th) Stephen Kman 1:15.56.

400 Free Relay: 7th Grayson Boyer, Kris Deuel, Ethan Guzewich, Tim Guzewich 4:06.06 (PB).

Note:  PB equals personal-best or season-best time.