Category Archives: College Commitments

All-American David Almaviva of Shenendehowa Discusses His Commitment to Binghamton

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After dominating his way through the Section 2 championships, Shenendehowa’s David Almaviva came to the state tournament in February with hopes of a 138-pound title.  When he dropped his first bout against Fox Lane’s Tom Grippi, 4-1, he quickly turned his disappointment into motivation.

“At first, I was pretty upset,” Almaviva said. “But then I realized I couldn’t be upset because it wouldn’t help.  I knew I needed to wrestle back tough and take third.”

Photo courtesy of Anthony Almaviva

He took care of business, winning five straight matches to earn the bronze.  His path wasn’t easy, as he faced the bracket’s top two seeds.  However, he was in control most of the way, outscoring his opponents 21-3.

“I thought the way I handled it could be the deciding factor on whether colleges would look at me,” Almaviva said.

That might have been the case.  Several Division I programs were excited about Almaviva, including Binghamton.

This past weekend, while Almaviva was on his official visit to the CAA institution, he became the third top 10 senior in New York State to commit to the Bearcats.  While he enjoyed playing paintball and participating in other team bonding activities on the trip, he listed many other reasons for his decision.

“I really like the campus and it’s not too far from home,” he said. “I know I’ll get a good education there.  I also feel like I have a pretty close relationship with the coaches and the team feels like a family.  I know the team is working hard to be national champs and that’s what I’m looking to do.”

Helping Almaviva reach for those goals in Division I wrestling will be his longtime teammate Nick Kelley, who committed to Binghamton a few weeks ago.

“We’ve been workout partners since fourth grade.  [Kelley’s commitment] was definitely part of my decision to choose Binghamton,” Almaviva said, adding that he also strongly considered North Carolina State. “We’ve always been around the same weight and we’ve always pushed each other to get better.”

That was true this summer when both wrestlers became Freestyle All-Americans at Junior Nationals at Fargo.  Almaviva took eighth at 145 pounds in North Dakota after defeating eventual national runner up Quinton Murphy at the New York State Freestyle championships.

With those victories behind him, Almaviva is now focused on ending his senior season on a high note.

“I’m looking to be a state champ this year,” Almaviva said. “My high school coaches [Rob] Weeks and [Frank] Popolizio work with me every day to make sure I’m the best I can be.  That’s true for my teammates too – we push each other.  I think if we keep working hard and stay focused our team can win states this year.  And I won’t stop working so that I can finally finish first individually.”

Update: Nick Kelley Discusses His Commitment to Binghamton (Over Iowa, Among Others) and Working Towards a State Title

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Photo by BV

 

Shenendehowa’s Nick Kelley has achieved quite a bit in his athletic career.  He was a taekwondo national champion when he was 10 and was also successful in judo.  And he has piled up numerous medals in wrestling, ranging from his trips to the podium at the New York state tournament (fourth at 130 in 2011 and third at 132 in 2012) to his All-America performances (third at NHSCA Freshman Nationals at 125, fifth at FloNationals as a sophomore and fourth at Fargo this past summer in freestyle at 132 pounds).  But when asked what he considered to be his best accomplishment to date, he didn’t hesitate.

And he didn’t choose any of the previously mentioned accolades.

“I think it’s committing to great college like Binghamton and getting ready to take the next step,” he said.

The Section 2 star’s verbal to the Bearcats gave Coach Matt Dernlan and his staff the pledges of two of the Empire State’s top seniors, as Canastota’s Zack Zupan committed a few weeks ago.  The competition for Kelley, Intermat’s #93 ranked recruit nationally, was fierce, as he gave consideration to Iowa, Virginia Tech, Rutgers and North Carolina State before informing the Binghamton coaches on Friday that he would be staying in his home state after graduation.

“It’s a really good fit for me,” Kelley said of the CAA institution. “The coaches have the same philosophy as me – working hard and working smart.  I like the campus, the program and the coaches.  Really, I like everything about it. I feel like the staff really cares about the wrestlers.  I know there will be some tough New York kids there and we think we can make some real noise across the country.”

The future Business major is first concerned with making noise for one more season as a member of the Plainsmen.  He emerged on the Empire State wrestling scene as a seventh grader when he qualified for the state tournament.  Over the years, he has won over 200 matches and several Section 2 titles.  In his mind, there’s only one thing missing.

“The main focus is definitely to win states this year,” Kelley said, adding that he will likely compete at 138 pounds. “I am completely focused on winning a state title.”

As a junior, Kelley compiled an impressive 45-1 record, with 40 bonus point wins.  His sole setback was a one-point semifinal defeat in Albany against eventual state champion and Most Outstanding Wrestler Jamel Hudson, now a freshman at Hofstra.

“I think I was good at states, but not my best,” Kelley said.  “I put all my athleticism out there and I wrestled hard, but I could’ve wrestled smarter, especially in the semifinals.  I kept going after him and made some mistakes doing it.”

Going after opponents throughout the match is characteristic of Kelley’s style, one that has been fostered in the Shenendehowa room and at the Journeymen Wrestling Club.

“Our room is so tough and competitive,” Kelley said.  “It has been since seventh grade and it’s helped me so much.  I kept getting better and stronger by wrestling the bigger guys and the older guys and with workout partners like [2012 New York third place finisher and Fargo All-American David] Almaviva. Now, after all these years, I feel like I’m one of the stronger guys.”

He certainly is, but he believes it will take more to reach his ultimate high school goal.

“I’ve been wrestling a ton since the season ended,” Kelley said. “I got a lot of matches at the Disney Duals in Florida and at Fargo and training camps.  I’ve been working with Journeymen and coaches Rob Weeks and Frank Popolizio.  I’ve been running and getting stronger.  I’ve also spent a lot of time focusing on my match strategy.”

Kelley has still found time to paint houses over the summer with Weeks.  And he often finds good spots to engage in another of his favorite activities – fishing.  In fact, he was on the water while answering questions for this story.  But while he said that he loves fishing, few things compare to wrestling.

“My dad got me into combat sports early – I think I started when I was three,” he said. “Taekwondo and judo helped me with balance and core strength and they made me tougher.  But I stopped those other sports by eighth grade to focus on wrestling.  To me, wrestling is the best. It’s harder and requires so much commitment.  You can’t stop working.  I’m doing everything I can to get ready for the season and I can’t wait to do some damage in college.”

Zack Zupan of Canastota Discusses His Commitment to Binghamton and His Drive For Another State (and National) Title

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Photos by Boris Veysman

Zack Zupan celebrated his commitment to Binghamton this weekend by getting some much needed, and rare, time off.

“One of my buddies has a camp up North with a big fishing area,” he said. “We went up there and hung out a little bit.  It’s nice to go away and do some relaxing activities because my schedule has been pretty jam-packed.”

It would be fair to say that Zupan has been busy. Five days a week this summer, he’s been doing speed sessions and weight training for five hours, beginning at 8 o’clock in the morning, under the guidance of Todd Cutrie.  When he’s finished, he heads to work on a nearby farm for several hours before either teaching pee wee wrestling or participating in football practice in the evening.

The work he’s put in has been obvious on the mat throughout his high school career, as he has made his presence felt both in New York and on the national scene.  His accolades include a national title at the NHSCA Freshman tournament in 2010 at 160 pounds and two other All-America finishes at national events.  He also placed at the New York states on three occasions, including a championship at 170 pounds in 2012, which he believes had a lot to do with the training he put in with Cutrie.

While Zupan was happy to get his first New York crown in February, his performance in the title bout against Nick Mitchell of Frewsburg [a 3-2 decision] left him less than totally satisfied.

“I was a little disappointed with my finals match,” Zupan said. “I didn’t wrestle the entire six minutes like I could have. I definitely hesitated on some opportunities and could have scored more points than I did.  I’m looking to put on a better show next year.”

Before he takes the mat for Canastota, however, he has some business to take care of on the gridiron.  He is excited to begin double sessions with the football squad shortly, as he hopes to reach some milestones this fall.  He said if things go as planned, he believes he can break the state record for tackles and go over 5,000 yards rushing in his last days wearing his helmet and shoulder pads.

“I’ve played football for a long time and it’s not easy knowing I won’t be able to play anymore,” he said. “I know it’s hard to get recruited in New York as a 5-10, 200 pounder.  But you have to realize what you were given and commit to the amazing opportunities you have and make the most of them.”

That’s what Zupan plans to do.  He expects to compete at 182 pounds on the mat as a senior, wrestling for his father Nick (also a Section 3 champion), his coach who has taught him so much in the sport.

“My father went about it the right way,” he said. “He didn’t force me to wrestle.  He was busy coaching high school and getting back late on Saturdays from tournaments.  He told me if I really wanted to wrestle, I should set an alarm and wake him up on Sundays.  That way, it was my choice.  I always set the alarm.  We traveled all over the country and he coached me all the way through.”

So, do father and son still go toe-to-toe in the room?

“I wrestled with him a lot when I was younger, but he knows what’s good for him now,” Zack Zupan said. “He knew when the day would come and he retired when he was undefeated against me.”

When he goes off to college, Zupan feels he will be surrounded by familiar instruction.  In fact, similarities between his father’s Canastota staff and the Bearcat coaches contributed heavily to Zupan’s commitment.

“I think the coaching staff at Binghamton has the same philosophy,” Zupan said. “They believe in training smarter, not harder.  I think I’ll have a nice adjustment to college with the staff they have in place.”

Head coach Matt Dernlan took the reins of the program a few months ago and Zupan takes pride in being the first recruit of the Dernlan era.

“It’s absolutely significant to me,” he said. “I feel like I’m going to help start a great thing.  I get to be one of the first stepping stones in where this program wants to go.  The coaches believe there is so much talent in New York and they want to keep the best in state and win national titles that way.  I’m excited to be part of that.”

Zupan added that he chose the Bearcats over schools like Cornell, Virginia, North Carolina State and Lehigh for other reasons as well.

“I took an unofficial visit and liked that it’s not huge,” he said. “I mean, 16,000 people is a lot to me — it’s more people than are in my town.  But it’s on the smaller side for college and I feel like I’ll be taken care of there and I’ll be one of their main guys and I really appreciate that.  I don’t think I’ll be just another piece of meat which sometimes happens in Division I wrestling.”

He also is excited to follow the path of Section 3 alum Justin Lister, an All-American for Binghamton.

“I watched [Lister] a lot growing up,” he said. “He was coming out of high school when I was coming in.  I just liked the way he wrestled.  What I always remembered about him was that he was a really mean kid on the mat.  Off the mat, he was polite and nice.  But when it came to wrestling, he wasn’t shy.  He was a Section 3 All-American and I think it will be cool wrestling at the same school as him.”

But first things first.  Before he tackles the college scene, Zupan has a few more wrestling honors in mind.

“I want to be a dominant state champion and then win FloNationals,” he said. “Then, I can’t wait to go to college.  I’m really looking forward to working toward a national title at Binghamton.”

Former State Champions Announce Transfer Plans: Dutton to Michigan, Malvestuto to Buffalo

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Stephen Dutton, Photo by Boris Veysman

Two former New York State champions recently made their transfer destinations official.

On Tuesday, the Dutton family confirmed that Stephen Dutton will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall.  The Rocky Point graduate was a two-time NCAA qualifier at Lehigh and a two-time placer at the EIWA tournament (4th in 2011, 3rd in 2012) at 141 pounds.

During his Mountain Hawk career, Dutton compiled a 42-21 record and made the Round of 12 at the NCAAs as a freshman.

After getting his release from Lehigh, Dutton also considered staying home on Long Island and wrestling for Hofstra before choosing the Wolverines.  He has two years of eligibility as well as a redshirt year remaining.  Dutton plans to stay at 141 pounds.

Dutton won his second state title in 2010, the same year that Niagara-Wheatfield’s Angelo Malvestuto captured his state crown at 189 pounds.  After a pair of seasons at Virginia Tech, Malvestuto recently announced his plans to change schools. He will now join the hometown Buffalo Bulls.

The all-time wins leader at Niagara-Wheatfield redshirted in his first season in Blacksburg and competed at both 184 and 197 pounds during his freshman campaign in 2011-12.  He amassed a 21-13 mark, which included placements at tournaments such as the Harris Open, Nittany Lion Open and Shorty Hitchcock Classic.  At the end of the year, Malvestuto represented Virginia Tech at 184 pounds at the ACC Championships.

The Bulls staff is pleased to welcome the three-time high school All-American back to New York to compete for a starting role in the upperweights.

“Angelo was a proven winner in high school,” said head assistant coach Matt Lackey in a Buffalo press release. “Coming to Buffalo after spending two years at Virginia Tech allows him to make an immediate impact at a weight class where we need him.  One more stepping stone has been added in our climb to the top of the MAC with the addition of Angelo.”

The Newest Member of the Wolfpack: All-American Nick Gwiazdowski Discusses His Transfer

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When Pat Popolizio took the head coaching job at North Carolina State in April, freshman Nick Gwiazdowski, who reached All-American status in his first season with the Bearcats, started mulling his future options.  In early May, the Delanson, NY native got his full release from Binghamton. 

On Saturday night, while on a visit to the Raleigh campus, Gwiazdowski announced that he was transferring to the ACC school.  He answered a few questions for New York Wrestling News from the airport on his way back to the Empire State.

New York Wrestling News: What has happened over the past few weeks since Binghamton gave you your release?

Nick Gwiazdowski: I received some calls from other schools – some were coming after me pretty hard. I wasn’t that interested – you can’t jump on the ship after it sails. It came down to a small chance of staying at Binghamton or going to NC State.

As far as NC State goes, I needed to come down and look at the school, meet with the academic advisors and straighten out some financial things.  On my visit this weekend, everything fell into place and I knew NC State was where I wanted to be.

What were some of the things you really liked on your trip to Raleigh this weekend?

This place is awesome.  It felt like a vacation with the warm weather.  I had fun with all the people I met.

The coaching staff was the biggest factor for me.  I know [Popolizio] and Frank Beasley really well and they know me.  They were so important in helping me be an All-American this year. I just met Jamill Kelly this weekend and he seemed like a great guy.

The facilities were great.  Everyone I talked to said that [Athletic Director] Debbie Yow is all about winning and she’ll do whatever it takes.  People told some stories.  Like about her letting go a strength coach that had been around for a while but who wasn’t getting the job done; wasn’t putting winners out there. The coaches said that she’s basically put every coach on campus on notice. She’s serious about winning and that type of commitment to winning is exciting.

I also thought academically it would be a good fit for me. (Editor’s Note: Gwiazdowski made the NWCA All-Academic team this season).

What are you interested in studying?

I didn’t declare a major yet at Binghamton. My meetings with the academic advisor here were good. NC State has some programs I’m interested in like sports management and a parks, recreation and tourism major.  I spoke with some people who were in those areas.  One wrestling alum talked about his experiences after college with minor league baseball teams, USA Baseball and now as a young athletic director.  There are a lot of good opportunities for graduates.

Did you meet a lot of the team?

I met a few of the guys who were on campus. I hung out with [Long Island native] Ryan Fox who committed to Binghamton but switched to NC State a little while ago.  I plan to go back to NC State in July and I’ll probably meet more guys then as everyone adjusts to how [Popolizio] runs things.

What’s next for you this summer?

Honestly, I’m a little out of shape.  I won’t be going to the University Nationals.  I’ll be working out and getting back into shape.  My next thing is the Adam Frey Classic where I’m supposed to wrestle Ryan Tomei.  I was excited that Josh Liebman asked me to participate.  It will be great to wrestle for a cause like that in front of a lot of people. Then, I’ll head back down to Raleigh.  Right now, the plan is for me to redshirt next year.

Congratulations on your decision.  Is there anything else you want to add?

Thank you.  I will miss my family and friends in New York. It’s a little hard to leave and it will be an adjustment, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.  I felt good about NC State for the last few weeks but after visiting this weekend, everything came together. I knew I liked the coaching staff but everything else is there too – the academics, athletic department, the campus, financials.  I’m sure that it’s the place I want to be.

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Gwiazdowski went 30-9 as a true freshman at heavyweight for Binghamton.  He was the CAA Rookie of the Year after capturing a conference championship and earned All-America honors after taking eighth place in St. Louis.

SUNY Cortland Signs Acclaimed Recruiting Class, Including Beckwith and Dierna Brothers

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By Betsy Veysman

What do the recruiting classes at Cornell, University at Buffalo and Division III SUNY-Cortland all have in common?  It may surprise some, but all boast multiple Empire State wrestlers ranked by Intermat as Top 100 recruits nationally.

Tyler Beckwith, one of the most highly regarded grapplers in the Class of 2010 and Bobby Dierna, a top 100 recruit in 2011, headline a remarkable group of 13 joining Brad Bruhn’s squad in the fall.  The group collectively owns five national crowns, four state championships and a bevy of other state placements and accolades.

“We’re really happy with this class,” Bruhn said.  “We were thin in the lightweights for one of the first times ever and I think we’ve added depth with some very good kids there as well as throughout the weights.  We return nine of our starters from last year and I think the quality returners will be pushed and challenged by this group of guys coming in.”

One wrestler expected to push for a key role early at either 174 or 184 pounds is Beckwith.  The four-time champion at the NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach attended Binghamton following his graduation from Greene High.  According to Bruhn, he redshirted his first campaign and then continued to attend the institution last year, although he was not a member of the team.

“From my conversations with Tyler, he didn’t feel like wrestling at Binghamton was the right fit for him,” the coach said. “He knew some kids on our team and one day, one of my guys told me a friend of his was interested in wrestling at Cortland.  When he told me who it was, I was pretty excited.  Apparently, one of Tyler’s high school coaches also suggested Cortland to him as a place to look. It’s really exciting for me to know that our program is highly thought of by coaches around the state.”

Those kinds of connections within the high school wrestling world helped Bruhn land the Dierna brothers, Bobby (141/149 pounds) and Alec (125/133).  The Dierna pair has combined for eight medals at the New York state tournament, including a championship for each.

“One alum of our program is an assistant at Webster Schroeder,” he said. “He mentioned that Al Dierna was a good, hard working kid.  He was considering some D-I programs, but started talking to us as did his teammate Josh Reed (174) and his brother, who redshirted at Mercyhurst last year.  They were all excited to be able to wrestle at the next level together.  That doesn’t happen for us without having an alum at the right place at the right time.  That’s one of the great parts of being part of an education school and having so many graduates out there in the communities and schools.  I feel like I have eyes everywhere now and it has helped a lot.”

Al Dierna is one of nine incoming grapplers projected to compete in the lightweights from 125 to 141 pounds.  Another accomplished wrestler in that group is Chittenango’s Wes Blanding, a two-time state placer who took third at 132 pounds in Division 2 in February.

“I really liked Wes the first time I saw him,” he said. “He wrestled up at 138 in the beginning of the year and I saw him beat [Canastota’s state runner up Anthony] Finocchiaro, who was one of the better guys in the state.  He has very sound fundamentals, solid hand fighting and is good in all three phases.  His coaches talk about what a quality kid he is.”

Also taking third this season was Port Byron’s Mitch Janes, who projects at 149 pounds.

“The sleeper in that group might be Mitch Janes,” the coach said.  “Very talented, strong, super smart and very driven.”

He used some similar adjectives to describe Joe Cataldo (165/174), an impressive student and wrestler from MacArthur High, who came into the Times Union Center as the number three seed, but suffered an injury early in the state tournament and had to injury default out.

“I find that sometimes the kids who don’t finish with state titles or the places they want come in hungrier or with more of a chip on their shoulders,” Bruhn said.  “Of my 20 All-Americans, around half never even qualified for the state tournament.  My thought is to keep bringing in quality kids and some will find that next level in college.”

He has without a doubt brought in a lot of quality kids this time, but he isn’t penciling them into the lineup yet.  Cortland has plenty of familiar firepower to work with.  The Red Dragons finished 10th at the Division III nationals in 2012 with three All-Americans and six other starters returning.  Only one regular, 184-pounder Carl Korpi, will not be back. But Korpi’s departure didn’t quite leave a hole in the lineup, as his backup Will Parks sported a 17-2 mark a year ago.

“We have nine guys back and a bunch of seniors next season,” Bruhn said. “The guys coming in have great credentials and talent, but they could still have a hard time getting on the mat.  It’s actually a great spot for them to be in.  There isn’t too much pressure to win the job right away.  They’ll go into the room, train hard and we’ll see who rises to the top.  If they’re the best guy, they’ll wrestle.  If not, they’ll benefit from the great competitiveness in the room.”

Adding to that competitiveness are additional newcomers Tyler Hall (125), Tony Battista (133), David Occhipinti (133), Anthony Padulo (141), Nick Falco (149) and Mike Bosco (174).

Leading the charge for the Red Dragons in 2012-13 will be Jared Myhrberg, who went 33-1 at 197 pounds last season, taking third at nationals. Rising junior Brian Bistis joined Myhrberg as an All-American, grabbing eighth place at 141 after a 26-9 campaign.  Bruhn expects he could do more damage in the future.

“Bistis worked harder this spring than I’ve ever seen him work before,” the coach said. “Getting on the podium gave him a taste of success and he told me he knows he’s better than the eighth best guy in the country.  He’s determined to do better this year.”

The third Cortland All-American, Joey Giaramita, was the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference’s Rookie of the Year after placing eighth at nationals.  However, he will be in a battle with Corey James for the heavyweight role, according to the coach.

“Corey had some family issues that slowed him down last year,” Bruhn said. “His head was sometimes someplace else.  Joey won the spot, but before conferences, Corey started doing really well in the room, even dominating at times.  I wasn’t always sure who my best heavyweight was. It will be an interesting situation to see who represents us.  We have two great options.”

The coach also looks forward to the return of talented lightweight Nigel McNeil (125 pounds, 22-4 last season).  McNeil burst on the scene as a freshman, winning two Most Outstanding Wrestler awards in his first three college tournaments, according to his coach.

“Nigel started out really well,” Bruhn said. “He placed in a Division I tournament and then didn’t lose a match until he tried to come back from a shoulder injury.  He was ranked in the top three in the country and was dominant.  In one stretch he was 18-0 with 16 wins by bonus points. He came in as a complete wrestler with a high level of intensity.  He’s having surgery soon and we’re hoping to see him back to form.”

With the return of McNeil and 133-pound starter Sean Kempf, the influx of freshmen and the “addition” of Max Miller, who attended every practice last season despite not being able to wrestle due to injury, Bruhn said he is very excited about the lightweight depth.

However, the coach’s excitement isn’t restricted to the lower weights.  He’s enthusiastic about the squad from top to bottom.

“I think we have potential qualifiers or even All-Americans at just about every weight,” he said. “At some weights, I don’t know who the guy will be, but I know we have great guys to choose from.  If we can stay healthy, we think we have the talent to make a run at a team trophy at nationals.  It’s been a long time coming to really put the amount of depth in the room that I wanted.  With this class, I think we’re just about there.”

Cortland’s Postseason Lineup* in 2011-12

125 Nigel McNeil (22-4 overall)

133 Sean Kempf (20-10)

141 Brian Bistis (26-9)

149 Andre Berry (17-10)

157 Troy Sterling (17-7)

165 Jonathan Conroy (32-11)

174 Lou Puca (21-10)

184 Carl Korpi (28-9)

197 Jared Myhrberg (33-1)

285 Joey Giaramita (24-11)

* All records according to team’s website

 

Cortland’s 2012 Recruiting Class*

Tony Battista (133) Cicero-North Syracuse HS

Tyler Beckwith (174/184) Binghamton/Greene HS

Wes Blanding (133) Chittenango HS

Mike Bosco (174) Nassau CC/John Glenn HS

Joe Cataldo (165/174) MacArthur HS

Alec Dierna (125/133) Webster Schroeder HS

Bob Dierna (141/149) Monroe CC/Mercyhurst/Wayne HS

Nick Falco (149) Nassau CC/East Meadow HS

Tyler Hall (125) Marathon HS

Mitchell Janes (149) Port Byron HS

David Occhipinti (133) Croton-Harmon HS

Anthony Padulo (141) Baruch College HS

Josh Reed (174) Webster-Schroeder HS

* Provided by Cortland

Big Red Bound: State Champion Dylan Palacio Chooses Cornell

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By Betsy Veysman

Before participating in the NY/NJ Charity Challenge in late March, Dylan Palacio was discussing his college decision-making process.  He said he was undecided but volunteered that “the Cornell coaches feel like family.”

With the importance Palacio places on family, it’s no surprise that he announced after a trip to Ithaca this weekend that he has chosen the Big Red for his academic and wrestling future.

“I felt like I belonged there,” he said. “There’s definitely a feeling that I won’t be just another wrestler.  I’m a family member.  All the coaches  – they care about me and want me to thrive. Besides, what’s not to love about Cornell?  It’s a beautiful campus with great academics and people.  It felt like home to me.”

The Long Beach senior comes from a long line of successful wrestlers.  His father Leo was a county title winner.  His uncle Al (a teammate of Rob Koll at North Carolina) was a three-time state champion and a two-time NCAA All-American for the Tar Heels, while his uncle Luis also earned All-State honors and was a multi-time league champion.

“I wrestle with them all the time and sometimes we don’t talk for weeks it’s so competitive,” he said.  “When I was in the state finals, I looked at my family.  That’s who prepared me; that’s who made me a champion.  I had to win for them.”

Palacio did a lot of winning in 2011-12.  In fact, he was an undefeated state champion, topping fellow Big Red recruit Brian Realbuto to win the Eastern States title in January at 152 pounds.

He steadily climbed the national rankings with a dominant campaign, going 41-0 with 37 bonus victories.  If his 11-4 triumph over Tyler Grimaldi in the 160 pound title bout in Albany wasn’t enough, Palacio followed it up with a pin over unbeaten New Jersey champion Raamiah Bethea in the Charity Challenge and then a National Title at the NHSCA tournament in Virginia Beach.

Now, Intermat’s #64 recruit in the nation will turn his focus to a new challenge – the Junior Nationals in Freestyle and Greco in Fargo, North Dakota in July.

While he has made the podium there in the past, he is looking to do more than that this time around.

“I’m humble about Fargo, but very hungry,” he said.  “I’m not going out there to place.  I want to be under the spotlight with New York on my back, adding championships in Greco and Freestyle to the one I won in Virginia Beach.”

According to a recent article in WIN Magazine, Cornell has the #2 recruiting class in the country this year (before Palacio’s commitment).  The Big Red will bring in highly regarded talents such as Blair Academy’s Mark Grey, four-time California state finalist Alex Cisneros, three-time Empire State victor Realbuto, and state champions from Illinois (Steve Congenie and Angelo Silvestro) and Michigan (Gabe Dean and Taylor Simaz).

Palacio is excited to be joining such a distinguished group.

“I think we’ll be like murderers row,” he said. “I think we’re the best class in the country and I’m not afraid to say it.”

The All-State soccer player will enroll at Cornell in the fall of 2013, spending the next year training with the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club in Ithaca under the tutelage of coaches such as All-Americans Clint Wattenberg, Cam Simaz and Frank Perrelli and competing in open tournaments.

He came into his final high school campaign with goals of winning at both the state and national levels.  He accomplished those things and said he’s sure of what he hopes to achieve wearing a Big Red singlet.

“My next dream is to be a national champ in college,” he said.  “I know it’s a totally different world in college.  I know I’m at the bottom and I’ll need to climb back to the top.  I know I’ll have to earn every win I get.  But I’ve told myself, ‘don’t get bitter, just get better’ and I’ve lived by that. I believe I’ll outwork everyone.  I’m willing to put in the blood, sweat and tears to get to my goals like I did this year.”

It’s unclear at what weight class he will attempt to make his mark.

“I never lifted weights in my life.  I could wake up next year and be wrestling at heavyweight,” he said with a laugh. “Who knows where I’ll end up?”

Whatever weight it turns out to be, Dylan Palacio feels confident that he will be spending his next several years among family.

 

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Palacio was the second 2012 New York State champion to commit to a Division I program in the last week, with Phoenix’s Tyler Button making a pledge to Edinboro a few days ago.

Here are the college destinations of the graduating 2012 New York State titlewinners:

Buffalo: James Kloc (DI-145), Chris Nevinger (DII-160), Tony Lock (DII-182)

Cornell: Dylan Palacio (DI-160), Brian Realbuto (DI-152)

Drexel: Kyle Stanton (DII-220)

Hofstra: Jamel Hudson (DI-132), Dan Spurgeon (DI-170)

Indiana: Quinton Murphy (DII-138)

Edinboro: Tyler Button (DII-145), Sam Recco (DII-120)

Lehigh: Zack Diekel (DII-195), Ben Haas (DII-152)

Rutgers: Sean McCabe (DI-120), Maverick Passaro (DI-126)

Football: Tony Fusco (DI-195, Albany), Evan Kappatos (DI-285, Princeton)

Lacrosse: Nick Bellanza (DI-182, Jacksonville)

After Overcoming Injuries to Win Two State Titles, Jimmy Kloc Chooses Buffalo

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By Betsy Veysman

When Jimmy Kloc takes the mat in the future for the University at Buffalo, he knows it will be different than most of his high school bouts.

“Every match in college is tougher than a state finals match,” he said.

After what Kloc has gone through to win his New York State championships the past two seasons, that’s saying something.

As a junior, the Iroquois wrestler defeated Matt Ross 4-3 to win his first crown at 145 pounds despite tearing tendons in his finger during the bout.

“That was tough but I didn’t even notice how bad it was until after the match,” Kloc said. “To tell you the truth, I was in a lot more pain this year.”

Four days before defending his crown at the 2012 tournament, Kloc hyperextended his left elbow.

“I couldn’t straighten my arm to save my life,” he said.

Despite the injury, the all-time leader in victories for Iroquois was able to begin the event with a quick pin over Matt Matouzzi of Kellenberg before things got worse in his 14-11 quarterfinal victory over JT Romagnoli of Jamesville-Dewitt.

Kloc said he suffered a tear in his left shoulder during the bout.  Still, he battled to a 3-2 victory over Evan Wallace of Columbia in the semis before ending his career with a 7-4 decision over Corey Rasheed of Longwood in Saturday night’s finale.

“The injuries were on the same side, so basically my left arm was useless,” he said.  “I had to wrestle three matches like that but I was able to pull off the state title.   This year I was expected to win everything and I really didn’t want to mess that up.   I don’t think I’ll forget that last match.”

Another thing Kloc didn’t forget was his connection with Buffalo, especially as he went through his college decision-making process.

“I felt like I belonged at Buffalo because I spent so much time there when I was younger,” he said, adding that he plans to compete at 141 or 149 pounds. “I wrestled in the Super Six youth program, starting in seventh or eighth grade and that’s when I really started to get pretty good at wrestling.  I know a lot of guys on the team now and feel comfortable there.”

He also knows some of the other incoming Buffalo recruits, including undefeated state champions Tony Lock of Pioneer High and Chris Nevinger of Letchworth Central.

Both Lock and Nevinger went undefeated in the 2011-12 campaign and between them own four state titles and three NHSCA national championships.

Besides all standing on top of the podium in Albany in 2012, Kloc, Nevinger and Lock have something else in common other than their college destination – all were standouts on the gridiron as well.

Kloc, a running back who rushed for 1100 yards as a senior and made the Class A South team, will miss putting on the shoulder pads.

“I am going to miss every second of it,” Kloc said.  “I love football, but I’m just not the tallest man in the world.”

Not the tallest, but plenty tough, as his last two trips to the Times Union Center have proven.

 

Joining Kloc at Buffalo:

133/141        Erik Galloway (University of Pittsburgh transfer)

141/149        John Northrup (Rush Henrietta)

184                 Tony Lock (Pioneer)

157/165        Chris Nevinger (Letchworth Central)

184/197        Jarred Lux (North Allegheny)

John Keck Commits to Navy After Offseason Success

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Some of the top Empire State wrestlers from the Class of 2012 committed to colleges during or before the early signing period in November of 2011, including Brian Realbuto (Cornell), Quinton Murphy (Indiana), Chris Nevinger (Buffalo) and Tony Lock (Buffalo).  However, in the past month, several more standouts have chosen where they will continue both their education and wrestling career next fall.   New York Wrestling News spoke to some of these grapplers and will post the articles throughout the week.  Earlier in the week, we shared the stories of Ryan Fox and Tom Page.  Today, we discuss Shoreham Wading River’s John Keck.

By Betsy Veysman

John Keck’s December commitment to Navy was a long time in the making.

The Shoreham Wading River senior began the arduous process of applying to the Annapolis, Maryland school at the end of last summer.  After letters of recommendation, physical tests, medical clearance exams, essays, forms, interviews and a nomination from Congressman Tim Bishop, Keck was finally able to give his verbal commitment.

“It was a long and involved process,” Keck said. “But it was worth it because I think Navy offers a good balance of everything.  I really like the structure of the school, the great academics and the wrestling.”

In fact, the 152-pounder had Navy at the top of his list even before the wrestling coaches at the school were recruiting him.

Keck’s third place finish at the Super 32 tournament in North Carolina in the fall of 2011 changed everything.  In a field with highly regarded grapplers from all over the country, Keck went 6-1 and defeated Ohio state champion Kyle Burns, Pennsylvania state runner up Garett Hammond and nationally ranked Garrett Peppelman.

“Super 32 was big for me,” he said.  “I had never won my section or been to the state tournament so I didn’t have the credentials to get noticed by colleges.  My main goal for the tournament was to put myself on the map and it worked.”

When he returned from the tournament, Keck sent Coach Bruce Burnett the Flowrestling link to his match against Peppelman.  He said the coach responded quickly and the relationship began.

Other schools contacted Keck as well.  The strong student said he had some interactions with the Coast Guard Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy, American, Cornell, Duke and Virginia.

But Super 32 did more than just put the future Engineering major on the Division I radar.  It also gave him a jumpstart into his final year on the mats for the Wildcats.

“It was a good boost to my confidence,” he said. “Wrestling the best competition in the offseason helps so much during the season.  After I beat state champs and other tough wrestlers, I felt like I should do really well in my senior year back in New York.”

To this point, he has.  Keck has a 37-1 record, with 23 of those wins coming by pin or technical fall.   His one setback was to eventual champion Dylan Palacio of Long Beach during his run to third place at the Eastern States Classic.

“I was really frustrated by that loss, especially since it wasn’t close,” he said. “I didn’t reach my goal of winning the tournament. But otherwise the season has been going well.  Our team clinched the league title and winning as a team, not just as an individual, makes things so much more fun. I’m focusing on getting bonus points for the team and keeping up my technique, even against less competitive kids.”

Keck, who expects to wrestle at 157 pounds in college, has been learning that technique for years.  Although he said he really started focusing on wrestling in seventh grade, he has been around the sport for most of his life as his father and two older brothers wrestled.

He credited his family and several coaches for his development.

“My dad has spent so much time working with me,” he said.  “We have a 10 x 10 mat in the basement and we go down there, watch tape from matches, critique it and then drill for a while.  I wouldn’t be able to do it without him, I’m lucky to have him working with me.”

He also mentioned the contributions of Mike Patrovich at Razor Wrestling Club, Shoreham Wading River coach Joe Condon and Nick Garone, Steve Hromada and Darren Goldstein at X-Cel Wrestling Club.

All of that training will be put to the test in the coming month.

“Last year, I won the league and I was the runner up in the county to Kyle Wade, who wound up winning states. I didn’t have the criteria points for a wildcard, so I was disappointed that I didn’t get to go to the state tournament.  This year, I want to change that.  I want to win the county and then my goal is to win states.”

Three-Time State Placer Tom Page Chooses American University

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Some of the top Empire State wrestlers from the Class of 2012 committed to colleges during or before the early signing period in November of 2011, including Brian Realbuto (Cornell), Quinton Murphy (Indiana), Chris Nevinger (Buffalo) and Tony Lock (Buffalo).  However, in the past month, several more standouts have chosen where they will continue both their education and wrestling career next fall.   New York Wrestling News spoke to some of these grapplers and will post the articles throughout the week.  Yesterday, we shared the story of Ryan Fox.  Today, we discuss Eden High School’s Tom Page.

By Betsy Veysman

Tom Page considered staying in New York after graduation, looking at both Columbia and Buffalo.  But in the end, the Eden High School wrestler, who has moved up to 132 pounds this season, chose American after taking a trip to the Washington, DC based school.

“When I went on the visit down there, I felt like it was a great campus and I liked all the people I met,” he said. “I was really welcomed by the coaches and all the wrestlers on the team.”

The three-time state placewinner plans to focus in Pre-Medicine studies and expects to wrestle at either 133 or 141 pounds for head coach Teague Moore.

This season, the future Eagle has compiled a 41-1 record with 33 victories by bonus points.   He has made the podium on all of his previous trips to Albany, taking fifth as a freshman at 96 and third as a sophomore and junior at 112 and 119 pounds, respectively.  In each of the past two years, he lost to the eventual champion, then fought his way back in the consolation bracket.

Page doesn’t plan to be in the wrestlebacks this year.

“I feel like my season is going very well,” he said.  “I think I’ll be peaking at the right time.  I’ve been putting in all the extra workouts and I’m mentally focused.  I have what it takes to win the state title.”

Standing on the top of the podium on February 25 is most important to Page.  But when the campaign began, he had another goal in mind as well – reaching 200 career victories.  He currently stands less than 10 wins away.

Page’s road to 200 triumphs started back in first grade when he first tried wrestling.  For years, Page wrestled in the winter and played soccer in the fall and summer.   But when he reached seventh grade, he realized he wanted to focus on one sport.

“I feel like I grew into wrestling and started to realize that I loved it,” he said.  “I started to wrestle year round in seventh grade, including freestyle and Greco in the summer.”

He lists his freestyle victory at the Northeast Regional tournament the summer of tenth grade year as one of his most memorable results.  He also mentions his two bronze medal matches at the state tournament, but acknowledges that he wants to be on the biggest stage this year and has the opportunity because of several people who have aided him along the way.

“My dad [Thomas Senior, Eden High School’s head coach] has helped me so much with my wrestling for a long time.  I really want to thank my family for all of their support over the years.”