SYRACUSE –– Homer’s Lilly Sorenson and Marathon’s Melodie Sutton reached the podium at their respective weight classes in the second Girls State Wrestling Invitational Friday at Onondaga Community College. Lilly Sorenson placed fourth at 165 pounds and Sutton was sixth at 114 pounds.
Lilly Sorenson finished the day 3-2 after entering the competition as the No. 2 seed. The senior opened her day with a 2-0 win over Red Creek’s River Freer, then earned a thrilling, 5-4 win over Tallulah Powers, of Berlin/New Lebanon. Lilly Sorenson was down 4-0 with a minute left in the third period and began to look for an underhook to get some offense going. She got it, rolled Powers into a pin hold with a hip toss and earned three points for a near fall with seven seconds left to earn a late 5-4 win.
Lilly Sorenson lost her next match to runner-up Michaela Thomas, of Iroquois, 4-3 in the first tiebreaker period. She beat Araya Guilmette, of Shenendehowa, 2-0 in the first sudden victory period to reach the third-place match, then lost 7-1 to Lockport’s Ava Bragg after going for some late, desperation throws.
The senior’s fourth-place finish was lower than her second-place finish in 2023, but Homer head coach Anna Cummings was still
“This year we relied a lot on our defense and weren’t as offensive,” Cummings said. “These girls were catching on to that and it was difficult for her to capitalize on the chances.”
“I think she did a great job,” Cummings added. “It’s not like it was last year; it’s a lot tougher. Last year it was like a youth tournament and this year it’s looking a little more like varsity. It’s not just a tournament we’re walking into.”
Lilly Sorenson ended her career with two state tournament appearances in the first two years of its existence. She placed twice, but also helped grow wrestling in Homer and was a great role model for the younger wrestlers like Molly Sorenson, Lilly’s sister, and Gracie Newman, two other Homer girls at states.
“She’s been a great leader,” Cummings said. “She’s not been afraid to put herself out there. A lot of these girls are scared to do some things and Lilly just goes out there very nonchalant. She kind of makes it look easy, but you don’t see her get worked up like these other girls. These other girls will have big anxiety and she goes out there like it’s just another match. To me, that is nice because I think it takes pressure off the girls.”
Sutton opened her day by beating Holland Patent’s Claire Favata in 1:06, then lost 7-0 to eventual state champion Cailan Drake, of Shaker, in the quarterfinals. She followed that up by beating Putnam Valley’s Taylor Rogers 10-0 and staving off Saugerties’ Savannah Tittelback for a 6-5 win. Sutton then lost by pin to Minisink Valley’s Sara Pauls in 3:20.
The Marathon senior lost her fifth-place match after leading 4-0 through two periods. She fell down 5-4 after being taken down and allowing three points for a near fall, but went up 6-5 with a late reversal. Sutton was looking to ride out the match on top, but Calhoun’s Reese Adams secured a Hail Mary reversal with one second left to win 7-6.
“I applaud her because last year she lost in the match to place here and she lost because she was tired because she hadn’t been tested all year,” Marathon head coach Tyler Beckwith said. “We told her after last year, ‘We’ll make sure you’re not figuring out if you can go six minutes at the state tournament. We’ll make sure to get you tested before.’”
“We lost a heartbreaker there at the end,” Beckwith added. “It wasn’t because she was gassed, it was a mental error. We had the three seed in the match to place. I couldn’t be more proud of her and the way she battled because she grinded this year, and that was the difference from last year and this year and getting on the podium.”
Sutton never gave up on herself and battled out of numerous tough positions, even in her losses. That’s something Beckwith was hoping to see from all his athletes, but Sutton was the best at.
“It’s something we try to preach to our kids but Melodie has taken to heart, ‘No matter what the score is, as long as you get off your back you have a chance to win,’” Beckwith said. “She’s dangerous on top. As long as you give yourself a chance to win and keep the match going, you’re never out of it no matter the score, and she took that to heart this year.”
Like Lilly Sorenson, Sutton had become a role model for all future Marathon girls wrestlers. Beckwith is very happy she is the one to put Marathon girls wrestling on the map.
“Mel has just been the epitome of a captain and a leader building women’s wrestling in Marathon,” Beckwith said. “She won the first ever Section IV title last year and now she’s the first person ever to place at states for Marathon. I’ve got little girls, six, seven, eight years old coming up to me at our banquet telling me they want to be like Melodie. She’s been a complete leader in this and she’s going to be the reason that the sport can grow in a small school like Marathon. I couldn’t be more proud of the way she’s handled the spotlight of being who she is.”
Homer’s Molly Sorenson went 1-2 at 145 pounds, losing to runner-up Madison Westerberg, of Waterloo, in 19 seconds, beating Fredonia’s Lyn Cuthbert by pin in 3:05 and losing to Oneonta’s Maia Woertendyke in 3:36. The freshman was happy to get her first chance at a state title in her second year wrestling.
“It was really exciting,” Molly Sorenson said. “I’m just glad I got to experience going to states this year. I was really nervous but I’m glad I got to go.”
Homer’s Gracie Newman was 0-2 at 132 pounds in her first year of wrestling. Newman lost to Lake Shore’s Alexia Thuman in 1:06 and Tappan Zee’s Daniela Parisi in 3:00. Newman was amazed by the level of competition at the state tournament and now knows how much she needs to improve to place in her senior year.
“I was so much more nervous and these girls are just insane,” Newman said. “They’re insanely strong. It’s like 10 times more than an average girl.”
BOYS BASKETBALL
GROTON 52, SOUTHERN CAYUGA 49
Groton won the third quarter 18-4 to move its 2024 record to 5-1 and the overall record to 5-9. Dom Mackey and Matt Hayes scored 12 points each to lead the Red Hawks.
Nick Karandeyev and Conor Eldred both had six points, Jaiden Mitchell recorded five points, Trenton Walker notched four points, Mike Lane had three points and Jordan Roberson and Sean O’Brien each contributed two points for Groton.
TULLY 75, ONONDAGA 36
Garrett Thompson led Tully’s four double digit scorers with 19 points and the Black Knights opened up a 64-24 lead through three quarters.
Zeke Mohat knocked down three triples in an 11-point effort, Connor Bastedo scored 11 points and Sean Mize had 10 points. Lorenzo Garafolo notched nine points, Jacob Verbanic scored four points, Darrell Gables and Nate Melton each scored three points, Matt Bauer and Alex Shaffer had two points each and Dominic Veil scored one point.
MORAVIA 80, SPENCER-VAN ETTEN 36
Jackson Hares-Ryan led Moravia with 15 points to help the Blue Devils move their record to 12-3.
Aiden Kelly followed him up with 11 points, Kyler Proper notched 10 points, Riley Jones and Westin Walker netted eight points apiece, Drew Nye had seven points, Abram Wasileski scored six points, Will Hess had four points, Logan Bell, Nate Shaw and Thomas Palmer scored three points each and Kaiden Sharpsteen had two points.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
UNION SPRINGS 56, MARATHON 44
Marathon got down 20-5 after the first quarter but couldn’t fully climb back into the game. Abby Ensign led the way with 16 points and Addie Oram scored 13 points.
Audrey Ensign notched seven points, Anna Hoyt had five points and Catherine Newkirk scored three point for the Olympians.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
CINCINNATUS 3, SHERBURNE-EARLVILLE 0
Allyson St. Germain paced Cincinnatus with 13 kills, one ace, 11 digs and six service points and Kaedance Latta contributed 20 assists, 11 digs, four kills, an ace and a service point in the Lions’ 25-20, 25-21, 25-18 win. Cincinnatus is now 12-2 with five wins in a row.
Cassia Schuyler had 17 digs and six service points, Madison Stover notched four digs, an assist, three aces and 17 service points and Maddie Pittsley pitched in four kills, an ace and five service points. Payton Gerrard (three digs, one kill, one service point), Lucy Finch (three kills) and Kaylee Brenchley (one kill) also aided the Lions’ effort.
HOCKEY
WHITESBORO 5, CORTLAND/HOMER 3
Gabe O’Connor scored twice for Cortland/Homer Thursday night, but it wasn’t enough to help the Golden Eagles overcome a 4-2 deficit heading into the third. Liam O’Connor scored the other goal and Ethan Aumick picked up an assist. Jack Medeiros made 13 saves in 26 minutes in goal and Cole Mead stopped nine shots in 24 minutes.
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
HOMER
Molly McMasters broke the school record in the girls weight throw with a 36-foot, 6.25-inch toss at the Friday Night Throws Homer Invitational. She was fifth in the weight throw and third in the shot put. Hannah Bouwens broke the junior class record in the weight throw and placed fifth in the shot put. Her weight throw of 34 feet, 7.5 inches also qualified her for the Section III State Qualifier. Olivia Congdon also qualified for sectionals in the shot put with her performance.
Tasker Dennis and Anderson Lowell each had personal best throws in both the weight throw and shot put for the Homer boys.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
BOYS BASKETBALL
Morris at DeRuyter, 3 p.m. today
Oxford at Marathon, 7 p.m. Monday
Groton at Moravia, 7 p.m. Monday
Cincinnatus at DeRuyter, 7:30 p.m. Monday
Spencer-Van Etten at Dryden, 7:15 p.m. Monday
Cortland at Chittenango, 7 p.m. Tuesday
Homer at Westhill, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday
Odessa-Montour at Marathon, 7 p.m. Tuesday
GIRLS BASKETBALL
New Hartford at Cortland, 1 p.m. today
Homer at Tully, 12:30 p.m. today
Watkins Glen at Dryden, 2:30 p.m. today
Chittenango at Cortland, 6:45 p.m. Tuesday
Westhill at Homer, 6:45 p.m. Tuesday
Marathon at Odessa-Montour, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Dryden at Trumansburg, 6 p.m. Tuesday
HOCKEY
Oswego at Cortland/Homer, 7 p.m. Monday
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
McGraw, DeRuyter at Cincinnatus, 8:30 a.m. today
McGraw at Weedsport, 7 p.m. Monday
Faith Heritage at Cincinnatus, 7 p.m. Monday
Cincinnatus at Brookfield, 7 p.m. Tuesday
Pulaski at Tully, 7 p.m. Tuesday
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Chittenango at Cincinnatus, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday
WRESTLING
Cortland, Southern Hills at Jordan-Elbridge 9 a.m. today
Groton, Dryden, Moravia at SUNY Cortland, 6 p.m. today
BOWLING
Homer at Bishop Grimes, 3:30 p.m. Monday at Strike N Spare Lanes
Homer at Weedsport, 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Rainbow Lanes
Tioga at Groton, 4 p.m. Tuesday at Memory Lanes
