This story has been updated with new information.
The readers have spoken again and senior Colton Wheet finished atop a strong showing from Little Falls wrestlers in online voting for an Observer-Dispatch and Times Telegram Athlete of the Week for January 26-February 1.
Wheet received 38.1% of the 20,095 votes cast on a slate of 22 candidates with teammates Nick Sylstra (19.6%) and Clark Rodger (4.8%) finishing second and fifth. Two more wrestlers, Canastota Raider Mason Morris and Mt. Markham Mustang Kadyn Derby, completed the top five.
Each of the wrestlers at the top of the polling had won individual titles at the Center States League tournament at Sherburne-Earlville. Wheet, a senior who had notched his 100th varsity victory the previous week, won at 165 pounds and carries a 28-5 record and No. 2 seed into Section III’s Division II tournament this weekend.
Wheet follows Rome Free Academy hockey player Mark Varano as the ninth winner of polling for the winter sports season, and he joins wrestlers John DiBrango of Whitesboro, Vinny Henrickson of Central Valley Academy and Victor Petronella of New Hartford, basketball players Kiley Beam of Central Valley Academy, Haylee Bostwick of Rome Free Academy and Lejla Kendic of Sauquoit Valley, and Rome Free Academy bowler Mylie Weyant on the list of winners.
A new poll for the week of February 2-8 will be posted Monday.
The full results appear below.
The Observer-Dispatch and Times Telegram have a fresh slate of nominees for online readers to consider for Mohawk Valley Athlete of the Week voting for the week of January 26-February 1, the ninth week of winter competition.
Rome Free Academy Black Knight Mark Varano, the most recent winner, gave ice hockey its first win of the season. Varano joins a list of winter season winners that includes basketball players Kiley Beam of Central Valley Academy, Haylee Bostwick of Rome Free Academy and Lejla Kendic of Sauquoit Valley, wrestlers John DiBrango of Whitesboro, Vinny Henrickson of Central Valley Academy and Victor Petronella of New Hartford, and Rome Free Academy bowler Mylie Weyant.
The new ballot includes athletes from area basketball, hockey, volleyball and wrestling teams, and the polls will be open until Friday, February 13, at noon.
Twenty-two scholastic athletes from across the Mohawk Valley are nominated on a ballot for the ninth week of winter scholastic athletic competition.
A weekly list of nominees is compiled by the sports department with information provided to the Times Telegram and the Observer-Dispatch by coaches and athletic directors through emails and other contacts.
If a top performer’s name doesn’t appear on the list, encourage their coach or athletic director to email submissions to sports@timestelegram.com or sports@uticaod.com.
The nominees for the week ending February 1 are:
KYRIE ANDERSON, Notre Dame basketball: Freshman recorded his second varsity triple-double when he scored 23 points with 11 steals, 10 rebounds and eight steals in a 66-58 win over Oneida. Anderson had 25 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and six steals against Lowville Academy the night before, and had his previous triple-double against Whitesboro in December.
TRENTON ANDERSON, Sherburne-Earlville wrestling: Freshman won the 150-pound title by technical fall in an all-Sherburne-Earlville final at the Center States League tournament on the Timberwolves’ home mats.
JACOB BRUNO, Rome Free Academy hockey: Senior netted his third hat trick of the season against Clinton and had three goals and six assists in three games during the week, extending his point-scoring streak to 18 games.
CLARE COLANTUONI, New Hartford volleyball: Sophomore setter matched a career-high with 53 assists against Rome Free Academy in the first of four Spartan victories in five days, and broke the school’s career record later in the week, passing the mark previously held by 2020 graduate Marie Winn in a match at East Syracuse-Minoa.
KADYN DERBY, Mt. Markham wrestling: Junior won Center States League tournament’s 215-pound title after finishing second in the same class last year.
LEXI DOXSTADER, Holland Patent wrestling: Freshman pinned each of her five opponents in the first period and won the 120-pound title at Homer’s Lady legacy Tournament.
BEN DZIUBAN, Mt. Markham wrestling: Junior won his second Center States League tournament individual title while competing in the finals for the third time at 118 pounds.
COLIN LoGALBO, Little Falls wrestling: Sophomore won the 126-pound title at the Center States League tournament by pinning each of his four opponents in the first period. He recorded his 100th varsity victory in the championship round.
KEEGAN MATTHEWS, New Hartford volleyball: Junior had season highs of 25 kills, 10 blocks and 36 assists, and broke the Spartans’ career record for kills – previously held by 2024 graduate Elise Courto, a former teammate – in a 3-1 victory over Rome Free Academy. She recorded 63 kills in four wins during the week for the unbeaten Spartans.
RYAN McGRATH, Adirondack basketball: Junior scored a career-high 39 points in a win over Canastota, passing the 38 he scored at West Canada Valley in December and going over 1,000 for his varsity career. He also had 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. He added 21 points and nine rebounds in another Wildcat win later in the week.
MASON MORRIS, Canastota wrestling: Senior won 175-pound title at Center States League tournament as a second-time finalist.
MILES NELEN, Cooperstown basketball: Section III’s leading scorer poured in 36 points against Hamilton in the 10th 30-point game of his senior season for the unbeaten Hawkeyes.
MAX PELCER, Cooperstown wrestling: Sophomore won an individual title at the Center States League tournament while competing at 132 pounds.
JUSTIN RACE, Sherburne-Earlville wrestling: Senior won his first individual tournament title at 157 pounds and helped the Timberwolves repeat as Center States League tournament champion.
BRAYSEN RICHARD, Herkimer wrestling: Junior won the 190-pound title in his second trip to the Center States Leagues tournament finals.
CLARK RODGER, Little Falls wrestling: Junior pinned each of his three opponents and won the 285-pound title at the Center States League tournament.
VINCENZO RUBINO, Dolgeville wrestling: Sophomore won the 138-pound title at the Center States League tournament.
CLARA SHAW, Clinton volleyball: Junior served nine aces as the Comets closed their regular season with a 3-1 victory over Cooperstown, an opponent that had beaten them 3-0 three days earlier. She also contributed seven kills and 13 digs in the win.
SETH STRAIN, Adirondack wrestling: Junior won his second Center States League individual title in his third finals appearance while competing at 110 pounds.
NICK SYLSTRA, Little Falls wrestling: Sophomore won 144-pound title at Center States League tournament in his second appearance in the event’s finals.
DREW TELESKY, Sherburne-Earlville wrestling: Eighth-grader repeated as a Center States League Tournament individual champion and helped the Timberwolves win a third consecutive team title.
COLTON WHEET, Little Falls wrestling: Fresh off his 100th varsity victory entering the week, senior won 165-pound title at Center States League tournament.
This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: Center States League wrestling champ wins Athlete of the Week voting
Reporting by Jon Rathbun, Herkimer Times Telegram / Times Telegram
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
