On the surface, Cortland wrestling’s 4-5 team record may seem disappointing, as they were ranked 17th in the NWCA preseason poll. That record, however, has not told the full story of their season so far.
Head Coach Tommy Prairie believes that early exposure to top competition is crucial when preparing for the end of the season.
“I think we’ve seen 20 of the top 30 teams in the country,” said Prairie. “I think it makes the rest of the year a lot easier.”
Cortland spent the first half of the season competing in several open and invitational tournaments. And they have faced off against some of the top programs in the country, regardless of division.
In November, they competed at the Luther Open in Iowa. Cortland wrestlers faced opponents from Division III powerhouses Wartburg and Augsburg and even shared the mat with wrestlers from the University of Iowa.
“The Midwest teams just wrestle completely different, so we don’t want our younger guys to see that for the first time at the national tournament,” said Prairie.
Wartburg and Augsburg have been responsible for every single Division III team national title since 1995, and Iowa, a perennial powerhouse, is the seventh-ranked Division I team in the country.
“Just feeling that level of wrestling makes everything back here easier,” said Prairie.
The Red Dragons began dual competition a month ago at the Budd Whitehill National Duals in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
They opened the competition with consecutive losses to nationally ranked opponents, Williams and Messiah, before closing out day one with a 26-23 victory over host Lycoming.
Against Messiah, senior Angelo Centrone was dealt his first loss of the season and just the second since his sophomore year. The 147-pounder went 30-1 last season with his lone loss coming in the National Championship.
“For him, going out and seeing those matches, and I think taking that undefeated off your resume just helps a little with pressure,” said Prairie. “He’s the type of guy who knows it’s all about March.”
Entering day two with a 1-2 record, Cortland responded with one of its most impressive performances of the season, upsetting fourth-ranked The College of New Jersey with five victories. Three by pin and two by major decision.
They then dropped their last dual of the competition in a 30-16 loss to Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
“Two-day weigh-ins are hard on the road,” Prairie said. “For us, our regional tournament is two days, our national tournament is two days. So being able to compete when you’re sore and beat up is really important, and that’s why we do events like that,” Prairie added.
One thing that stood out from the tournament was the performance of junior Ethan Gallo.
Gallo, who has spent the last three years as a member of Cortland’s football and baseball teams, decided to join the wrestling team following the conclusion of this year’s football season. Gallo hadn’t wrestled since his time at Minisink Valley High School, where he was a two-time state champion.
Gallo said that it was his love for the sport that brought him back to the mat.
“It’s a grueling sport physically and mentally, but I missed that grind,” said Gallo.
Despite the time away, Gallo showed no signs of rust, winning all five of his matches at 197 pounds, including a major decision over Messiah’s Tucker Seidel, the 12th-ranked 197 in the country.
Gallo admitted that he had doubts about returning to the sport he once dominated, but said that after the weekend, those doubts disappeared.
“Leaving my first collegiate tournament 5-0, I felt a sense of relief and all my anxiety, and the ‘can I really do this?’ faded away,” said Gallo.
The next stop for the team was the SUNYAC Championship in Brockport. Cortland entered the tournament looking to win the conference for the third consecutive year.
Centrone stole the show for Cortland, bouncing back from his loss at Bud White Hill with a dominant showing, defeating all five of his opponents and repeating as conference champion.
Each of his victories earned the Red Dragons bonus points as he picked up a pin, three technical falls, and a major decision in the final.
Centrone acknowledges that he has turned his early-season loss into momentum.
“Seeing how people reacted to me losing just gave me even more confidence, and since that loss, I’ve just been focused on getting back to my old self,” Centrone said.
Two Red Dragons placed second, as Christian Lievano and Colton Havens each fell in the final after winning their first four matches. Lievano at 125 and Havens at 157.
Gallo, Robby Cunningham, and Culley Bellino each came in third place. Bellino, a 141-pound junior, broke school records for both the most career combined falls (56) and most career pins (52) during the tournament.
In their four meets since, the Red Dragons picked up two lopsided victories over Delaware Valley and Oswego but dropped a rematch with The College of New Jersey and suffered a loss to rival Ithaca on Wednesday night.
Havens, Bellino, and Centrone continue to dominate. Havens, a freshman, has had a stellar first year to this point and looks to continue his momentum heading into the postseason. Veterans Bellino and Centrone have had excellent seasons, and their experience is a key reason why.
Centrone said that confidence will help propel him as he looks to make another run.
“I gained a lot of experience last year, and I know what it takes to get the job done,” Centrone said. “It’s not easy to go that far, but confidence will take you a long way.”
With just two meets left, Cortland looks to handle Brockport and St. John Fisher before heading to regionals. Seven Red Dragons are in the top seven of their respective weight classes in the final regional rankings, and they have their eyes set on qualifying for the national tournament.
“For our sport, those two days in March are the only thing that matters,” Prairie said. “So, it’s really just getting our guys healthy and performing at the regional tournament, getting our young guys to nationals for the first time, and getting our older guys on the podium,” Prairie added.
Cortland returns to action next Tuesday when they head to Brockport for a dual with the Golden Eagles.