Dutchmen wrestlers claim victory without full roster
By Jordan J. Michael
GUILDERLAND Second place in the Suburban Council is a lucky place to be when a team’s roster isn’t full.
The Dutchmen wrestling team has won three straight matches against Niskayuna, Columbia, and Ballston Spa to move its record to 6-2. “We may be down a few men, but we’re doing well with what we have,” said Coach Korey Rogotzke.
Guilderland is competing without athletes in the 96 and 152-pound weight classes. The team forfeits 12 points at every league meet.
“Filling all 15 weight classes is pretty tough,” Rogotzke said on Tuesday. “I don’t have anyone small enough to fill the 96 and we’re hoping to get David Talyor back at 152.”
The varsity team beat Niskayuna on Jan. 6 by a score of 44 to 34. Kevin Bates, Zach Wacksman, Matt Cubillos, Travis Wolanski, Devan VanAuken, Brendan Ruddy, and Eugene Sellie all had great showings on the mat.
The Dutchmen had a 37-to-31 victory over Columbia on Jan. 14 in what Rogotzke said was “the closest meet of the year” so far. Bates, Wolanski, Cubillos, Greg Reinhart, Ruddy, and Van Auken had key wins.
“There were some real exceptional matches against Columbia,” said Rogotzke. “If one more decision went to them, they would have won.”
Guilderland finished Ballston Spa by the score of 37 to 30 on Tuesday night at home. Sellie won the first match of the night at 160 pounds. But the Dutch trailed, 15 to 4, after dropping the next three bouts.
The Dutch would get the lead back after Wacksman, Bates, Wolanski, Ben Moon, Cubillos, and Matt Hart claimed six straight wins. Reinhart brought the team win home with a 6-to-4 decision.
Cubillos’s season record stands at 21-1 and he’s on a quest for a state championship. “Cubillos is pretty much destroying every wrestler in his path,” said Rogotzke. “He has pinned all 11 of his last opponents in under a minute. He has wrestling in his blood.”
Other notable individual records are Van Auken at 21-3 and Matt Hart at 22-3. “The team is getting stronger and healthier as we move toward sectionals,” Rogotzke said.
The team is going to an out-of-state tournament in Burlington, Vt. this weekend and then faces defending state champion Shenendehowa next week.
“We’ll give it our best shot against Shen,” said Rogotzke. “You just got to believe.”