O'Connor wins Cooperstown Invitational

Milford senior gets technical fall in finals; C/M finishes 10th out of 15 teams

(T.J. O’Connor tries to pin Maine-Endwell’s Albert Smith during the 152-pound championship Saturday at the Cooperstown Invitational. Photo by Mia Pelcer.)*

WRESTLING
Cooperstown Invitational

Milford senior T.J. O’Connor dominated the field in the 152 weight class to win a title at the Cooperstown Invitational Wrestling Tournament on Dec. 30, at Red Bursey Gymnasium.

O’Connor won four matches by pinfall and beat Maine-Endwell’s Albert Smith by technical fall, 19-3, to win the title. He got his 150th varsity win Dec. 2, in Adirondack, and is 20-1 this season, according to CNYwrestling.com; his career varsity record in five seasons is 168-27.

O’Connor’s title was the only trip to the finals for Cooperstown/Milford’s squad. The team finished 10th out of 15 schools with 65.5 points, edging 11th-place Dolgeville by a point. Mount Markham was ninth with 77 points. Central Square won the event with 192 points. Maine-Endwell finished second with 170 points.

(Cooperstown heavyweight Max Sharf celebrates a win Saturday at the Cooperstown Invitational. Photo by Mia Pelcer.)*

Other place winners for C/M were: Theo Spinosa went 2-2 with two pinfall wins and placed fourth at 116. Max Sharf went 4-1 with three pins and placed fifth at 285. Brent Chase went 2-3 with two pins and placed sixth at 170. David Pitt went 2-3 and placed seventh at 124. Max Pelcer (101), Tommy Geertgens (138) and Adam Cole (215) all placed eighth in their classes.

Cooperstown/Milford will host Adirondack in a dual meet at Red Bursey on Wednesday, Jan. 3.

(T.J. O’Connor gets his trophy for winning 152-pound championship Saturday at the Cooperstown Invitational. Photo by Mia Pelcer.)*

*Mia Pelcer took the photos for this story. An earlier version gave credit to Lucy Hayes, who helped Pelcer.

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