Teike/Bernabi wrestling tournament preview
James Johnson . Staff writer . December 27, 2013
www.rochesterdandc.com

ADRIAN KRAUS staff photographer

No one needs to tell Trent Egenlauf that success during the regular season is no absolute indicator of glory at the state high school wrestling tournament.

Egenlauf, who wrestled at 182 pounds as a junior at Spencerport last season, went undefeated through the regular season and Section V's state tournament qualifier. When Egenlauf won his first match in Albany at states, he was 40-0.

"You always want to end with a win, by winning the state tournament," Egenlauf said. "Looking back it was a good year, but I wish it would've ended better.''

The urge for Egenlauf to return to states during his final season is strong after he finished 1-2 in Albany last winter. A 2013 All-Greater Rochester team member, Egenlauf is back on the path for a return trip, this time at 195 pounds.

Egenlauf's record is 15-0 before the start of Spencerport's Teike-Bernabi Wrestling Tournament that takes place Friday and Saturday. Pool-format wrestling at Spencerport begins at 9 a.m., with the finals of bracket competition on Saturday scheduled for 6 p.m.

Egenlauf won the 195-pound weight class at the Monroe County Championships at Webster Schroeder last weekend, after he pinned all four of his opponents.

"It was a good tournament," he said. "This tournament is good. There's going to be a couple of kids who are ranked in the state in my weight class.

"Facing them now, I can see how they wrestle. I'm sure I'll wrestle them later at states and places like that."

The lineup of 15 teams in the Teike-Bernabi include Shenendehowa of Section II or Albany region, Johnson City from the Binghamton area and Lancaster of suburban Buffalo. Those teams are expected to hold places in the New York State Sportswriters Association state rankings.

Egenlauf is seeded behind Shenendehowa's Levi Ashley, a state runner-up in 2013, and Johnson City's Reggie Williams at Spencerport.

"It's one of the smallest brackets in the tournament but we have some of the best 195-pound wrestlers in the state," he said. "I'm sure (the top-four seeds) will all be on the podium at the state tournament."

Gates Chili, Rush-Henrietta and Pittsford also are in the tournament, along with Section VI's Clarence, which is coached by Rush-Henrietta graduate Jason Chase.

"It's probably the most difficult tournament in Section V," Egenlauf said. "It's good to wrestle competition during the season, it only helps you at the end of the year.

"It definitely prepares you for better wrestling."

JAMESJ@DemocratandChronicle.com