Eisenhower’s Cole Kellogg celebrates after securing a second period pin over St. Vincent-St. Mary (Ohio)’s Duke Clayton at the Patrick J. Morales Memorial Tournament on Saturday morning in Falconer, N.Y. Times Observer Photo by Christian Storms

FALCONER, N.Y. — Jordan Joslyn has a target on his back in every wrestling tournament he enters.

That’s what comes with the territory of being the defending New York State Public High School Athletic Association champion and Joslyn thrives under the pressure.

“Yeah there is extra pressure, but I kind of like it,” Joslyn said after the Patrick J. Morales Memorial Tournament. “It makes me have to work a little harder. ”

Joslyn came in as the top seed of the 138-pound bracket of the 23rd Annual Patrick J. Memorial Wrestling Tournament, an event he had won two straight years coming into this weekend at Falconer Central School. Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer (N.Y.)’s Joslyn handled the pressure about as good as anyone could, pinning his way to a first-place matchup against Corry (Pa.)’s Will Allen.

Joslyn was dealt his toughest match of the tournament, but there was very little doubt who would come out on top and it was Joslyn securing his fourth pin of the tournament, this time at 3:39.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer's Jordan Joslyn dominates his first-place match against Corry's Will Allen at 138 pounds. Joslyn secured a second-round pin to win the Patrick J. Morales Memorial Tournament on Saturday at Falconer Central School. Times Observer photo by Christian Storms

“It all happens in the week before,” Joslyn said about his success. “All of the week leading up to it, all that practice.”

While Joslyn wrapped up his high school career at the Morales Tournament with a third straight win, Southwestern sophomore Adrian Torres won the tournament for the first time in his high school career.

Wrestling at 101 pounds, Torres didn’t come in with the pedigree of Joslyn, but as the top seed he was just as dominant on his way to the final against Mason DellaPenta of Eden. Torres recorded pins in all of his matches, except the final when it came down to the final seconds of the third period.

Torres trailed 1-0 after two periods, he was able to secure a point from an escape and then in the waning moments of the third period he managed to take down DellaPenta for the 3-1 win.

“I’m thinking I need to get a takedown, there’s not a lot of time left,” Torres said about the end of the match. “I tried to get close on my shot, got him up in the air and got my two. It feels pretty good to win, last year I got fourth, so it was pretty nice placing at this tournament.”

Eisenhower’s Tucker Lindell works over Gowanda/Pine Valley (N.Y.)’s Michael Horth in his quarterfinal matchup at 160 pounds on Saturday morning at the Patrick J. Morales Memorial Tournament. Times Observer Photo by Christian Storms

EISENHOWER

The Knights ended with losses on Saturday, but a pair of wrestlers managed fourth place finishes in Tucker Lindell at 160 pounds and Rever Caudil at 101 pounds.

Lindell came up short in his semifinal, but earned his spot in the third place match after grinding out a 17-13 decision over Clarion’s Jake Henry. He got behind early to St. Vincent-St. Mary’s (Ohio)’s Rylan Hurley in the third place bout and never could even the score, despite a strong effort in the third period he lost 5-3.

Caudil was pinned by eventual runner-up Mason DellaPenta of Eden, N.Y. in the quarterfinals, but he responded with three straight victories. In wrestlebacks, he first earned an 8-0 major decision, picked up a pin and then a 5-2 decision to set up a third place bout with Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer (N.Y.)’s Alex Bourgouis, which he was pinned in 41 seconds.

Cole Kellogg and Derek Childs both started Saturday with strong victories.

Southwestern's Adrian Torres takes down Eden's Mason DellaPenta in the waning seconds of the third period to win the 101-pound division at the Patrick J. Morales Memorial Tournament by 3-1 decision on Saturday. Times Observer Photo by Christian Storms

Kellogg’s quarterfinal matchup at 152 pounds was against St. Vincent-St. Mary (Ohio)’s Duke Clayton, and after the first period Kellogg was trailing. However, to start the second period, Kellogg was on top and it did not take long for him to make his move as he cradled Clayton back and secured a pin just nine seconds into the period.

Unfortunately for Kellogg, his run came to an end there as he dropped a shot at third place in a 4-3 decision and then was pinned to a sixth-place finish.

Despite being relegated to the loser bracket on Friday, Childs had shot at third place on Saturday and he made a very good go for the spot. Childs secured pins in his first two matches on Saturday, then earned a hard fought 4-1 decision. Childs saw his run come to an end at the hands of eventual sixth-place finisher at 145 pounds, Corry’s Cooper Hodak in a 4-2 decision.

Eisenhower’s Derek Childs works his opponent over during his first match on Saturday morning at the Patrick J. Morales Memorial Tournament. Times Observer Photo by Christian Storms

Eisenhower’s Cole Kellogg is victorious after securing a second period pin over St. Vincent-St. Mary (Ohio)’s Duke Clayton at the Patrick J. Morales Memorial Tournament on Saturday morning in Falconer, N.Y. Times Observer Photo by Christian Storms