TIOGA, N.Y. (WETM) – The state’s top-ranked team in high school wrestling is ready to compete at the state tournament.

Tioga High School will send eight total wrestlers to the 2023 New York State Wrestling Championships in Albany this Friday and Saturday at MVP Arena. Action starts at 10 am Friday and will finish up Saturday night at 6:05 pm with the championship finals. The Tigers are primed to not just compete but to bring home plenty of gold.

Tioga is looking for another strong performance on the highest stage after earning division, Section IV and New York State Dual Meet Championships this year. Their lineup is perhaps the most talented and hungry heading into states.

Back is two-time New York State D-II Champion Gianni Silvestri at 126 pounds. Silvestri is (38-1) on the year and is wrestling at his best coming into the weekend. Gianni previously won state titles in 2020 and 2022 for The Tigers. Silvestri earned the top seed for the tournament and will face the winner of Trey Bucholz (45-1) of Bolivar-Richburg or Cyler Baer (30-12) of Gouverneur in the second round.

Also back is fellow junior Ousamane Duncanson at 160 pounds. Duncanson has racked up a perfect (33-0) record and also received a first-round bye after earning the top seed in the bracket. Duncanson, a 2022 New York State Champion, will square off against Christian Houck of Saugerties or Callum Jones (28-3) from Center Moriches.

Tioga will send six other top-notch grapplers to the tourney looking for high podium finishes:
Logan Bellis – 102 pounds, freshman, (35-9) record
Jayden Duncanson – 118 pounds, freshman, (36-4) record
Deakon Bailey – 118 pounds, junior, (24-13) record
Tyler Roe – 132 pounds, junior, (37-6) record
Caden Bellis – 138 pounds, junior, (29-2) record
Drew Macumber – 145 pounds, junior (33-5) record

For a complete look at the full brackets in both D-II and D-I, you can find them here at the New York State Championships website: https://nysphsaa.org/documents/2023/2/19//NYS_Final_2.pdf