The Fairport wrestling team brought an exciting end to the regular season by winning two out of three matches as they streak to the Sectionals this weekend. The Red Raiders stretched their winning streak to six matches in a row with a 40-26 win over league rival Brighton and then stunned Palmyra-Macedon with a dominating 38-18 victory. Gates-Chili ended the run in a hard fought 27-19 win at the Monroe County East-West Day Championships. Kyle Tellex (140) and Steve Hassett (160) led the Red Raiders with victories in all three dual meets.

Fairport took the early lead against Brighton with two forfeits but the Barons closed the gap. Matt Cunningham (130) stepped on the mat against Micah Goldin and swung the momentum as the Red Raiders won the next six matches. Cunningham scored the first takedown then rolled Goldin twice in the second period for reversals before sticking a pin at 3:44 to put Fairport ahead 18-11.

Brian Bowen (135) followed suit and scored four takedowns against Dana Hall before putting him away with another pin at 4:28.

Tellex stepped in against Andrew Thomas and built a 7-1 lead but Thomas fought back. Tellex rode Thomas through the third period to hang on in a 7-6 decision.

Ian Ammons (145) dominated John Sireci in the next match. He scored four takedowns before catching Sireci with a half-nelson and ended the bout with a pin at 3:30 to put the Raiders up 33-11.

Brian Baniewicz (152) clinched the match for Fairport against Andy Kwiatkowski. Baniewicz scored the first takedown then caught Kwiatkowski on his back to score a near-fall and build an 8-0 lead. He put the match away in the third period with another near-fall for a 13-3 major decision.

Hassett wrestled up a weight class and took on Ben Miller. He used his quickness to score a takedown in the first and second period before catching Miller on his back in the third period to seal a 10-4 decision.

The 40-26 win gave the Red Raiders a 5-3 league record and clinched third place in the Monroe County East.

The Fairport wrestlers took on Palmyra-Macedon the next night in a non-league match that was rescheduled. The Red Raiders came out fired up and put on their strongest performance of the season against a tough Pal-Mac team.

Mike Fuqua (112) put Fairport on the board against Josh Rudy. Fuqua tied the score with a reversal in the first period then turned Rudy in the third period for a near-fall to earn a close 5-3 decision.

Aaron Rowe (125) came out and dominated Nick Washburn as Coach Craig Kaper’s team won eight of the next nine matches. He scored a takedown then turned Washburn twice in the first two periods to build a 14-0 lead. He ended the match with another takedown at the start of the third period for a technical fall that tied the team score at 9-9.

Cunningham stepped up against Scott Thompson and put on another impressive showing. He built a 5-0 lead in the first period with a takedown and near-fall then scored a reversal and near-fall in the second period on the way to a 10-0 major decision that gave Fairport the lead for good.

Tellex came out strong against Mike Thompson and built a 7-0 lead before catching him in a double-bar arm and stuck his fourth pin of the season with just five seconds left in the second period to put the Red Raiders up 19-12.

Ammons stuck Tom Hardin with a pin at 2:46. He put Hardin on his back three times and built a 9-0 lead before ending the match.

In the most thrilling bout of the night Baniewicz took on Brody Sinack the defending Class B champion. Baniewicz worked for an opening and found his opportunity with thirty seconds to go in the first period to score a single-leg takedown for a 2-0 lead. Both wrestlers battled evenly over the next two periods. Baniewicz broke free in the second period to stretch the lead to 3-0. Sinack was able to escape in the third period but Baniewicz held him off for a big 3-1 upset win.

Hassett clinched the match for Fairport against Andy Batton. He scored a double-leg takedown to take the lead. He turned Batton and built a 5-2 lead in the first period. Both wrestlers battled evenly the next two periods as Hassett earned the 6-3 decision.

Joe Fingler (171) stepped on the mat and kept the fire going against one of Pal-Mac’s top wrestlers Paul Washburn. Fingler scored the first takedown and put Washburn on his back for a 4-0 lead. He stretched the lead to 7-2 in the second period with another takedown and then put the match with a reversal and near-fall in the third period for a 12-2 major decision.

Justin Cunningham (189) came back to the lineup and took on a tough task by wrestling up two weight classes against Mike Dandino. Cunningham surprised the crowd by scoring the first takedown and turned Dandino for a near-fall to take a 4-0 lead. In the second period he repeated the combination and took Dandino down to his back again to build an 8-0 lead. Cunningham had a decided weight disadvantage but he held on in the third period for a big 8-4 decision to help the Red Raiders in a thrilling 38-18 victory for their sixth win in a row.

In the final dual match of the season the matmen took on Gates-Chili who finished third in the Western Division.

Phil Accorso (103) started the Red Raiders off in a thrilling opening match against JP Zengerele. He fell behind 2-1 in the first period but escaped to tie the match in the second. Both wrestlers battled evenly but neither one could land an opportunity in a scoreless third period to send the match to overtime. With a minute to go Zengerele took a second timeout that gave Accorso the opportunity to take his choice of positions. He chose to restart in the down position and quickly worked to escape for a hard fought 1-0 overtime decision.

Fairport fell behind 9-3 but Rowe stepped in and scored three takedowns in an 8-2 decision over Mario Schiano to bring the Red Raiders back.

Bowen dominated Taylor Donlan in his bout. He scored four takedowns and three near-falls before ending the match with a technical fall at 4:52 to tie the match at 12-12.

Tellex put the Red Raiders back in the lead with an 8-0 major decision over Lou Comenale. He scored a takedown and near-fall in the first period to build a 5-0 lead.

Gates battled back but Hassett put Fairport back in the lead with a 9-4 decision over Brandon Rozier. He put Rozier on his back twice in the third period to put the match away.