ALBANY, N.Y. (WETM) – Several area grapplers are making their mark at states.

Action kicked off Friday at the annual New York State Wrestling Championships in Albany. Some of the top wrestlers in the region have made it to the semis. Tioga has the most in the final four of their respective weights with five overall semifinalists in D-II. Elmira’s Donavan Smith, the top seed at 152 pounds in D-I, has made the semis for The Express.

Addison’s Cade Sands continues his stellar season by earning two pins on his way to the semifinals for The Knights. Below, a look at the remaining wrestlers left in the championship round looking to bring home state championships.

Action resumes at 9:30 am Saturday with the championship finals scheduled for 6:05 pm at MVP Arena.

Local Wrestlers Remaining in Championship Round – (D1 and DII)
Donavan Smith (37-1) – Elmira Express senior and top seed at 152 pounds, won by major decision over Matt Rodriguez 13-3 of East Meadow in opening match, then beat North Tonawanda’s Dylan Gagnon by technical fall 16-1. Next faces Landon Lazerek (41-5) of Hilton in semis. Smith was a state runner-up last season while competing at Tioga High School.

Logan Bellis – (39-9) Tioga Tigers freshman and second seed at 102 pounds, pinned Krish Gandhi in 37 seconds from Horace Mann, then won by 7-2 decision over D`vante Ortiz of Tamarac. Next will face Jake Lucinski (45-7) of Newfane in the semis. Bellis is competing in his first state tournament.

Cade Sands – (41-2) Addison Knights junior and third seed at 118 pounds, pinned Chenango Valley’s Connor Mike in 1:23 in first period, then pinned Carmine Calimeri of Southwestern at 1:47 of first period for his 29th total win via pinfall on the season. Next squares off with Joey Florance (33-4) of BGAH. Sands is also competing in his first state championship tournament.

Gianni Silvestri – (44-1) Tioga Tigers junior and top seed at 126 pounds, pinned Trey Bucholz of Bolivar-Richburg at 3:27 of the second period, then pinned Anthony Mirando of John Glenn at 5:59 in third period. Next faces Trevor Bishop of Tamarac (39-2) in the semis. Silvestri has won two New York State Championships for Tioga (2020 and 2022).

Caden Bellis – (33-1) Tioga Tigers junior and top seed at 138 pounds, pinned Trevor Bishop of Locust Valley at 1:38 mark of first period, then beat Pioneer’s Xander Kirsch 3-2 by decision. Will next face Hackley’s Cole Joseph (44-5) in the semis. Bellis is a state runner-up last year and has a fourth place nod in 2020.

Drew Macumber – (37-5) Tioga Tigers junior and fifth seed at 145 pounds, won by tech fall over Trent Burchanowski of Chautauqua Lake-Westfield, then won by decision 11-8 over Kyle Barber of Bayport-Blue Point. Next faces top seed Caleb Sweet (43-1) of South Seneca in the semis.

Colton Havens – (54-7) Canisteo-Greenwood sophomore and second seed at 145 pounds, won by first period pin over Perry’s Noah Leitten in 45 seconds, then beat Tavian of Copenhagen 11-8 by decision. Next faces Owen Hicks (44-3) of Fonda-Fultonville/Johnstown in the semis.

Ousmane Duncanson – (37-0) Tioga Tigers junior and top seed at 160 pounds, pinned Christian Hockx of Saugerties in 36 seconds in first period, then pinned Luke Schrimacher of Mechanicville/Stillwater at 2:53 in the second period. Faces Windsor’s Mason McCombs (31-6) in the semis. Duncanson is a defending New York State Champion for Tioga.