New York State Wrestling Champion

By Alexandra David

On Saturday, February 28th, at 9:58 PM, a Massena Red Raider wrestler did something no Massena wrestler has ever done before, something no Section X Division 1 wrestler has ever done before. In an historic match, Nolan Terrance became the first ever New York State Wrestling Champion representing Massena Central School, Section X Athletics and his home, Akwesasne. 

Terrance started the tournament on Friday with an 8-3 win over Dave Carnie of Liverpool, Section 3, and a win by fall at 3:41 into the second over Isaac Serrano of Newburg, Section 9.  In Saturday's semi-finals, he advanced with a 1-0 win over Cameron Rohr of Starpoint from Section 6. 

Nolan was the number one seed and got a 2-1 double overtime decision over competitor Edwin Rubio of John Glenn of Section 11 to claim the win.  Ending regulation with a 1-1 tie, Nolan got an escape point in overtime, which got him a 2-1 lead.  Nolan held onto the lead and rode out Rubio to hold the lead and earn the title. Rubio is the competitor who handed the last two losses to Nolan, the first coming at last year's State tournament and the second at this year's Eastern States Classic in January.  

These are the stats, now here's his story. In 2014, after a series of tough tournaments, our family sat at the dinner table and Nolan made a bucket list.  Number 8 on his list was, "I want to become a champion." As his parents, all we ever want for our children is for them to have a dream and to be able to support their dreams. Even if we don't know if it is ever going to come true, or if we will even come close to seeing that day, that championship, we know we tried. It became our dream for Nolan and our family made the commitment to get him to every tournament and training opportunity we could get him to, regardless of the sacrifices it was going to take. Our son dreamed, our family put 50,000 miles a year on our mini-van and our community supported. Over the years, we have become TEAM NOLAN.  Saturday was an amazing day for our team, a culmination of all of the hours of training, running, lifting, wrestling, traveling; it all came down to one final match; Nolan's last match as a Massena Red Raider.  This was the one win that mattered the most and had the highest stakes, a New York State Championship.

Saturday was a win for all of us, for everyone who has helped and supported him along the way.  His coaches, who taught him not only to wrestle but to love the sport, our wrestling family who travels with us and cheers for him just as much as we do, the moms who sing to him to get him "ready," the fellow wrestlers we have been so lucky to have wrestled with and against who have also cheered for us, we've all become great friends. Our entire wrestling community has been a part of our journey and we will miss you tremendously. 

Our TEAM NOLAN journey is not over. Nolan has committed to the University of Buffalo and will wrestle Division 1 with the UB Bulls.  We look forward to being part of a new team and a new wrestling family.  

For Nolan, there is no day off. Training begins today for Canadian Nationals. In a few weeks, he will travel to Virginia Beach Nationals, Fargo States in Fargo, North Dakota, and transition from high school to his collegiate career as a D1 student athlete. 

Our Team Nolan extends the world's biggest thank you to our wrestling family and our community for all of your support, your kind words, your texts, and your videos!  We saw each and every message, watched each video, shed tears together, and in turn share this honor with every one of you. The team, the Massena Red Raiders, Akwesasne volunteers and first responders who gave Nolan the most heartfelt homecoming escort, thank you for an unforgettable celebration of victory. Thank you, Alex, Jason, Nolan, Mitchell and Hadley.