It has been decades since Ogdensburg Free Academy and has hosted Gouverneur in a Northern Conference Wrestling showdown.

That long-awaited showdown will take place on Friday on the Blue Devils’ mat and Coach Bill Mitchell’s team gathered momentum on Wednesday securing a rare shutout in a 66-0 victory over Clifton-Fine for a 4-0 start.

Gouverneur remained unbeaten with a 56-21 win at home against Canton.

The Devils recorded eight falls on night headed by a 21-second fall by Nate Sarkin over Anthony Dowling at 285, a technically precise pinning sequence by Brody Sheppard against Dawson Kerr with 19 seconds remaining in the 113-pound match and a quick reversal by Nate Murdock to catch and stop Nate Aldrich with 10 seconds remaining in the 152-pound match.

“I really wish he didn’t have to use it but Nate Murdock has developed the ability to bridge his way off his back and get pins. We wrestled well tonight, I didn’t think we would get a shutout but the guys did it,” said OFA Coach Bill Mitchell.

“Brody Sheppard moved up weight class again tonight and scored a very nice pin.”

The other OFA falls saw Josh Wangler (132) stop Matt Peabody at 1:48, Glynn Breen (138) stop Seth Robert at 1:37, Bailey Phelps (145) open the evening with a 1:04 fall over Andrew Hartman, Cody Allen David (160) stop Carl Twyman at 1:22 and Justin Pratt (170) stop Vincent Dowling at 3:49.

Receiving forfeits were: Austin Lalonde (120), Adam Rickett (126) and Alex Cole (170).

In exhibition action OFA’s Allen Smithers gained a third period fall over Lindsay Johnson and C-F’s Austin Malone pinned Tyler Eaton. In one modified match J.T. Lalonde of OFA pinned Curtis Hitchman.

Gouverneur 56, Canton 21: Justin Garrison (182), Hunter Ayen (195), Mike Mandigo (285), Joey Bush (113), Dillon Stowell (126), Zach Ayen (138), Joey Love (145), Rob Bell (152) all recorded pins for Gouverneur while Dan Mullin (120) earned a 17-0 tech fall and Aaron Bush (132) won a decision.

The Bears received pins from Thomas Lumbard (220), Jared Caskinette (160) and Nate Moose (170) and Ryan Brown won a decision at 106.

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