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Last Saturday, the Niagara-Wheatfield Falcons wrestling team had five wrestlers crowned as Section VI champions during the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s 69th annual Section VI Wrestling Championships and 56th annual state qualifier at Starpoint High School. In addition to the five champs, one wrestler finished second, two finished third and four finished sixth.
Coming in as Section VI champions, Collin Coughenour won the 120-pound class; Justin McDougald won the 132-pound class; Jake DeWolf won the 145-pound class; Warren McDougald won the 152-pound class; and Josh Thibeault won the 170-pound class.
The win is Warren McDougald’s fourth Section VI title, while the victory for Justin is his third. Additionally, Coughenour and Thibeault won their second Section VI crowns, while DeWolf notched his first on Saturday.
Other Falcons who placed well were Kevin Halford, who finished second in the 285-pound class; Te’Shaun Matthews, fourth, 99 pounds; Mark Kuhn, third, 106 pounds; Elijah Greenough, sixth, 99 pounds; Anthony Kuhn, 113 pounds, sixth; Kyle Jungier, 126 pounds, sixth; and Ali Assaf, 145 pounds, sixth.
The team sent 15 wrestlers to the qualifier, meaning 12 wrestlers out of the 15 placed in the top-six.
The strong showing comes a week after the Falcons won the NYSPHSAA Section VI Class A Wrestling Championships as a team.
For the McDougald’s, Thibeault, DeWolf and Coughenour, they will make a return to the states after being there a year ago.
Last year, Justin McDougald finished second at states, while Warren finished third.
The NYSPHSAA Intersectional Wrestling Championships take place Feb. 22-23 at the Times Union Center in Albany.
Kevin Halford squares off against Olean's Tanner Hulse in the 285-pound class championship. Halford went on to finish second.
Josh Thibeault stands on top of the podium after winning the 170-pound class. The win was Thibeault's second Section VI championship.