South records first team win in three years

The Williamsville South varsity wrestling team is finally off its losing skid.

The Billies, led by seniors Elliot Frank and Mike Walter, defeated Gow with a 42-33 victory as part of the Tonawanda Duals Tournament last Saturday at Tonawanda High School.

Its South's first team win in three years.

"What a relief," said South coach Sean Leaderstorf. "Hopefully, it's the beginning of a new trend for these guys."

"These guys work way too hard to come so close time after time," added assistant coach John Szymendara.

With the match with Gow on the line, Walter, wrestling at 171 pounds, got a well-earned reversal on the Gow's Mike Mitschi in the third period and put him on his back to seal the South win. Leaderstorf said Walter led by points and dictated the first two periods with outstanding work on top, keeping control of Mitschi for the majority of the period.

South came back to beat the Gow. Leaderstorf said his team was giving up 18 points by forfeiting three weight classes.

Freshman Spencer Biondo started the match off with an exciting pin in the second period at 189 to put South ahead, 6-0. The Billies really took off with three consecutive first period pins by Frank (25 seconds) at 215, eighth-grader Luke Falzone (18 seconds, fastest pin for South all day) at 103 and junior Justin St. George (31 seconds) at 112.

To keep the trend going, seventh grader Anthony Libatore recorded his first win as a Billie with a pin in the second period at 119.

Senior Ron Green put South back on top with another pin in the first period to put South ahead, 36-33. Then came Walter's victory.

The Billies went 1-4 on the day, losing close matches to Tonawanda and Lackawanna. Against a tough Section V team, Holley, wins by Ron Green, Walter and Falzone kept South from being blanked.

Sophomore Mike Lang as well as Walter, Biondo, and Falzone recorded victories against Hamburg.

Against Lackawanna Walter, Biondo and Frank all won by forfeit. Falzone won by finally escaping in the third period to win 1-0 in a close battle. St. George won by pinfall in the first period.

Junior John Willet got South off to an exciting start with their first match of the day against Tonawanda.

Taking control on his feet, Willet took the lead in the second period. His opponent, Spencer Steinbrenor, chose down in the third and Willet made him pay by pinning him with his dangerous cradle, said Leaderstorf.

Winning by another forfeit, Walter went 5-0 on the day along with Falzone, who beat a tough Jordan McGregor, 5-3. Biondo and Frank won by forfeits, which counts towards their overall record.

"The rest of the team is feeding off the good buzz by their success and the first win in a long time," said Leaderstorf. "Their intensity needs to grow as individuals as well as a team. I'm still waiting to see that 'wrestler instinct' in some of my younger guys."

South hosts Williamsville North at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.