Jacob Nolan claims state championship

ALBANY | Jacob Nolan's 221st career win was the one he has been waiting his whole life for. The Saranac senior jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second period on his way to a 6-4 win over Warsaw's Sam Wolf in the 170 lbs. title match at the NYSPHSAA wrestling championships in Albany Feb. 23, earning the state championship he has been looking for since seventh grade. "Since I have stepped into wrestling my goal has been to be a state champion — that's been the goal since I was little — I've worked my whole life to do this and it finally came true." Nolan opened the championship match with a scoreless first period against Wolf before starting the second in the down position and recording an escape early for a 1-0 lead. Nolan then recorded a takedown and two back points for a 5-0 lead heading into the third. "I knew he was not going to hold me down," Nolan said. "I was able to get in on him and get him into a bad position." "Jake was able to get Sam extended and when he gets you into a bad position he is able to capitalize," said Saranac assistant coach and Jacob's father, Sean Nolan. Wolf fought back in the third period, earning a pair of takedowns, once letting Nolan up as the score was 6-4 entering the final 20 seconds, when Nolan scored a reversal for two points and was able to ride out the last 15 seconds for the championship win. During the final seconds of the match, Nolan looked up and watched the time tick off the match clock as the smile on his face continued to grow. "I knew he was not getting back up and I just could not wait to just celebrate with my family and all those who have helped me along the way because the state tournament has been filled with more disappointment until now, so I could not wait for the moment," Nolan said. "The coaches have always supported me — my dad, my family — I have had a lot of great people in my corner and I am just thankful for that." "The last 15 years just flashed through my head over those final 10 seconds," said Sean Nolan. "The hard work he has put in and the sacrifices that he and our family have made — it has finally paid off and it was worth every bit of it." For Nolan, who will continue his wrestling career at Binghamton University next year, the win capped a career which saw him set the Section VII record with his 221 wins, having captured a sectional title in each of his six years as a varsity wrestler. In seventh grade, Nolan placed sixth at states, losing twice to Zach Lawrence, who also won a state title this year. Nolan then made his first state championship match in his eighth grade year, falling to Jon Gomez in the final. His freshman year was the only time he did not place at the state meet, going 2-2 and exiting one win shy of a top six finish. He followed that up with a fourth place finish in his sophomore year before returning to the state finals as a junior, placing second. FILION FALLS IN FINALS For Northern Adirondack's Jace Filion, the state tournament started off strong for the sixth ranked wrestler at 195, as he scored a win over third ranked Nolan McNeill of Warrensburg-Bolton in the quarterfinal round and then knocked off second ranked Nate DeGroff, 8-3, in the semifinals. The road would end in the finals, though, as state champion Robbie Panhollow scored an 8-1 win as Filion finished in second place. "It's is just crazy considering I was the sixth seed and to get into the finals and see how crazy it is and to know everyone is looking at you is just surreal," said Filion. "My coaches and my dad have been teaching me throughout all this time and helping me improve all along the way." "It was beyond what we ever expected," said father Michael Filion, who serves as an assistant coach for NAC. "We just wanted him to have a good showing and possibly place. We just had to have everything fall our way and that is what happened right up until the end." In the semifinal round against DeGroff, it came down to the last handful of seconds in each period for Filion. Trailing 2-0 after the first minute, Filion was able to score an escape in the second minute, then scoring a takedown in the final seconds of the opening period for a 3-2 lead. "It was unbelievable," Filion said. "It put me back in the match and gave me the hope that I could win." Filion then withstood an exchange where either wrestler could have scored a takedown, leading him into the third tied at 3-3. Jace then scored an escape point in the third period for a 4-3 lead until the final seconds, where Filion was able to get the edge on a takedown attempt and score five points on the near fall. "When he tried to throw me and I caught him on his back, that is when it set it," Filion said. "It just didn't feel real." "He did a great job Friday and Saturday and he deserves to be there," said coach Adam Trombley. "His experienced showed today." Filion finished his career with 170 wins, stating he was able to equal his older brother on the all-time wins list. DUBUQUE PLACES FIFTH Peru's Logan Dubuque finished the state tournament with a win for the second straight year, earning a fifth place finish. "It just showed there is always things I can improve on and work on as this is not going to end my career in any way, it's actually a beginning as I go to college," Dubuque said. The Indian senior placed third in last year's tournament, the only Section VII wrestler to finish with a win in 2018. He opened the 2019 tournament with a pair of wins at 126, scoring a 9-3 decision in his opening match and going to overtime before winning 6-2. In the semifinals, he met Bradley Cheek for the second time this season. After leading early, Cheek responded and finished with a 7-4 decision win over Dubuque, who then suffered a 3-1 loss to Dean Shambo. Dubuque then scored a 7-0 win over Vincent Merchand in the fifth place match to finish his high school career with hand raised. "It has not sunk in, but my main goal in ninth grade was to get on the board in the wrestling board, and now may name is on it twice, so I accomplished my goal," Dubuque said about his time in high school. PERYEA SURGES TO SEMIS, PLACES SIXTH Beekmantown's Kaeden Peryea started his state tournament at 138 with a pin and 5-3 win, heading into the semifinal round with a 43-0 record. Day two did not have the same results, however, as Peryea suffered a 5-2 loss in the semifinal round before losses of 8-7 and 6-0 in the consolation bracket, finishing with a sixth place finish. "Friday was a good day and I really tried to wrestle my heart out," said Peryea. "I just really didn't come back with the same momentum. It was a great season and the best I have had by far. I wrestled my heart out and that is all I can do." The Eagles senior finished his career with 198 wins, finishing his career fourth on the all-time victories list behind Nolan (221), Troy Seymour of Peru (208) and Austin Trombley of Northern Adirondack (204). "It's been crazy," Peryea said. "I feel I have put in the work and at the end of the day, it all comes down to that." SECTION VII WRESTLERS COMPETE In all, 15 Section VII wrestlers went to the state tournament. Those not placing in the top six included Saranac's Collin Clancy (0-2 at 99), Ryan Devins (0-2 at 106), Landen Smith (1-2 at 113) and Alex Christman (0-2 at 132); Peru's Alijah Seymour (1-2 at 145), Zach Swyers (2-2 at 160), Mason Maulding (1-2 at 220) and Dalton Criss (1-2 at 285); Northern Adirondack's Troy LaBarge (0-2 at 120) and AuSable Valley's Jason Fletcher (0-2 at 182).

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Jacob Nolan claims state championship

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