O'Connor wins Cooperstown Invite title

Loeffler finishes third, Koffer sixth as Hawkeyes place 11th overall

(O’Connor won four matches Friday, Dec. 30, to win a title at 145 pounds in the Cooperstown Invitational. Contributed photo.)

Milford junior T.J. O’Connor made sure the top of the podium at the 2022 Cooperstown Wrestling Invitational was not free of local wrestlers.

O’Connor won four matches to take the 145 pound title at the day-long tournament in Red Bursey Gymnasium on Friday, Dec. 30. He beat Sandy Creek’s Riley Monica, 3-2, in the championship match.

O’Connor, whose record this season is 17-0, according to cnywrestling.com, was the only Cooperstown/Milford wrestler in the finals. He also pinned Liverpool’s Tyler Vivacqua in 2:53, pinned Middletown’s Zion Joesph in 3:44 and beat Beekmantown’s Jack Brown by technical fall 18-2.

O’Connor won the Outstanding Wrestling of the Meet Award for his efforts.

Cooperstown senior Henry Loeffler placed third at 172 pounds, going 4-1 during the tournament and beating South Lewis’s Aiden Highers by injury forfeit in the consolation final.

Cooperstown freshman Max Koffer placed sixth at 110 pounds, going 2-3 in the tournament.

Other Cooperstown wrestlers with wins in the tournament were: Brent Chase (2-3 at 160 pounds); Lucas Clement (1-4 at 285 pounds); Matthew Perrino (2-3 at 215 pounds); David Pitt (1-3 at 118 pounds) and Max Sharf (1-3 at 189 pounds).

Cooperstownn placed 11th in the 13-team field with 56.5 points. Middletown won the tournament with 175 points and Liverpool finished second with 147.5 points.