West Genesee High School (colloquially referred to as West Genny or WG) is a 9-12 public high school in Camillus, New York, United States. The school's athletic teams are known as the "Wildcats" and their colors are Blue and gold. Among its many athletic achievements, West Genesee High School's wrestling team has carved out a significant legacy, marked by individual excellence and team success.
A Tradition of Excellence
West Genesee's wrestling program has produced a number of outstanding athletes who have left their mark on the sport. A number of West Genesee's athletic teams have won state championships: wrestling (5).
State Champions
The pinnacle of success for any high school wrestler is winning a state championship. West Genesee has seen several of its athletes achieve this feat, solidifying the program's reputation for excellence.
Dan Hunt: A Three-Time Champion
Dan Hunt, an ex-Wildcats great, stands out as the only Section III three-time state champion in the one-division era, winning at 119 from 1972-74, and he was also state runner-up as a freshman. As a freshman, Hunt lost to Brentwood's Ivan Gonzalez, 5-2, at 112 pounds, and in 1974 became the first three-time champ in the Empire State. Hunt actually started his wrestling career at 0-3 and then compiled an impressive 107-4-1 career mark.
Hunt edged Bob Sloand (Niagara-Wheatfield HS), 9-8, on an illegal clasp in a battle of reigning state kings for the 119-pound crown at Utica in 1973, and capped off a perfect season at 29-0.
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CNY's Greatest Grapplers
Some of the best high school wrestlers in the history of New York State have powered their ways out of Section III. Coming up with such a list is a tough task, but Brad Hamer was up to the challenge. The panel considered both high school accomplishments and success at the college level. Heavy priority was given to New York State champions prior to 2003-04, when state competition consisted of one division instead of the current two.
TOP Best moves of the decade 2010-2020 | WRESTLING
Here is a list of some of the top wrestlers from CNY in the past half-century:
| Rank | Wrestler | School | Resume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dan Hunt | West Genesee | Three-time state champion (1972-74) |
| 2 | Jason Gleasman | Adirondack | Won state title at 215 in 1993 |
| 3 | Greg Stevens | Fulton | Won state championship at 177 in 1973 |
| 4 | Pete Capone | Watertown | Won state championships in 1979 and 1980 |
| 5 | Tom Capone | Watertown | Won state championship at 145 pounds in 1972 and 1973 |
| 6 | Tom Pickard | Baldwinsville | Two-time state champion in 1978 and 1979 |
| 7 | Terry Showalter | Canastota/New Hartford | Two-time state champion in 1993 and 1994 |
| 8 | Randy Gillette | Fulton/LaFargeville | Won state title in 1974 |
| 9 | Jim Matteson | Oswego | Earned state titles in 1981 and 1982 |
| 10 | Dan Perry | New Hartford | Won state titles in 1997 and 1998 |
West Genesee High School
West Genesee High School offers a wide variety of Advanced Placement Program (AP) courses to its students. In addition to AP courses, the school offers a number of courses through the Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA) program. The students receive Syracuse University college credits, but the courses are taught by teachers named adjunct instructors by S.U. The school also offers courses for college credit through Onondaga Community College, a local community college.
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