Category Archives: Division 1

Somers State Champion Dylan Realbuto Selects Cornell

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Dylan Realbuto, Photo by Boris V

The 2012-13 Cornell wrestling roster has three sets of brothers – the Bosaks, the Davids and the Scotts.  In the future, there will be at least one more to add as state champion Dylan Realbuto committed to join his brother Brian with the Big Red.  (Brian is currently taking a greyshirt year with the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club).

“Having Brian there was a big factor for me,” Dylan Realbuto said. “He never pushed me towards Cornell – he let me make my own decision.  But he always made sure to tell me that he would like if I came to Cornell too.  There were a lot of reasons for my decision.   I really like the school and the campus.  The entire feel I get when I’m there is great – it reminds me of home.  I also know that the training set up is really good.  There are so many good wrestlers between 125 and 141 to train with.”

Realbuto, who chose Cornell over Columbia and North Carolina State, said he plans to compete at either 133 or 141 pounds in college.

As for this season, Realbuto is shooting for a third straight appearance in the state finals in Albany.  As a 96-pound sophomore, he was the runner up to two-time champion Kyle Kelly of Chenango Forks.  This past February, he grabbed the gold medal at 113 pounds in what might have been the tournament’s most dramatic ending.   Realbuto earned a takedown as time expired in the third period against previously undefeated Vincent Deprez of Hilton High to capture an 8-7 victory.

“There were four seconds left on the clock and we had a restart.  I remember thinking that I just couldn’t lose,” he said. “When we got on the starting line, I was nervous but I never doubted myself.  I thought I could win that title.”

He attributes part of that belief to Max Askren, who has coached him closely over the past few years.

“Max has helped me tremendously,” he said. “Before he got here, I talked about winning a state championship, but he made me believe it was really possible.  He inspired me to take my wrestling to the next level.”

He’s now striving to make it two titles in a row, either at 126 or 132 pounds.  Then, he looks forward to moving up to Ithaca.

“I’ve gone to visit Brian a couple of times,” he said.  “I was actually there this past weekend and then went up to Buffalo with him [for the Buffalo Invitational, where Brian took third, dominating in his victories and losing only to champion Josh Demas of Ohio State in multiple overtimes].  I think he wrestled well. Brian’s style hasn’t really changed much, but he’s improved so much over the past few months.”

Dylan Realbuto feels that he’s improved as well.  He looks to prove it not only at the Times Union Center in late February but at several events in the spring and summer.

“I want to win states again this year,” he said.  “But I also want to go to NHSCAs in Virginia Beach for the first time and win a title there.  Then I want to go and win Fargo.  I want to end my career ranked and as an All-American before I go to Cornell.”

For more on Dylan Realbuto, see this story, from earlier in the fall.

Watch Cornell Wrestle-Offs LIVE on Friday Night at 6:30 p.m.

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Photos by Boris V

On Friday, November 9, Cornell will hold the Red and White Eliminations at 6:30 p.m.

If you can’t be in Ithaca, you can watch the wrestle-offs streaming live at this link:

http://newyorkwrestlingnews.com/cornell-red-and-white-eliminations/

The lineup will be finalized later in the week, but the tentative matchups provided by the Cornell staff are:

125: Nahshon Garrett vs. Bricker Dixon

133: Nick Arujau vs. Josh Kennedy

141: Mike Nevinger vs. Joe Stanzione

149: Chris Villalonga vs. Ryan Dunphy

157: Craig Eifert vs. Jesse Shanaman

165: Kyle Dake vs. Patrick Sullivan

174: Duke Pickett vs. Marshall Peppelman

184: Craig Scott vs. Peter Mesko

197: Jace Bennett vs. Billy George

285: Stryker Lane vs. Jacob Aiken-Phillips

Results of Preliminary Wrestle-Off Bouts

125: Nahshon Garrett over Logan David, 13-0

141: Joe Stanzione over Connor David, 7-3

149: Ryan Dunphy over Scott Bosak, 6-0

157: Jesse Shanaman over Chris Dowdy, 9-2

165: Patrick Sullivan over Casey O’Malley, 7-4

174: Duke Pickett over Michael Alexander, 5-2

174: Marshall Peppelman over Matt Cunningham, 5-2

197: Jace Bennett over Lukasz Stala, 5-3

Videos from the Buffalo Invitational, Including Paddock, Stieber, Kilgore, Lewandowski and More

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The Buffalo Invitational included a pair of NCAA champions (Logan Stieber and Dustin Kilgore) as well as several other wrestlers who have gone deep into the postseason in their careers.  One of the highly anticipated matches took place in the 141-pound finals between a pair of Ohio State wrestlers – returning All-American Hunter Stieber and New York native Ian Paddock.  The former Warsaw High star defeated Stieber at the Buckeye wrestle-offs last week.

You can see that match and others, including bouts featuring Kilgore against Andrew Campolattano, the 125-pound and 174-pound finals and a number of others below, courtesy of Laura White.

 

141 Pounds: Ian Paddock (Warsaw HS, Ohio State) vs. Hunter Stieber (Ohio State)

 

197 Pounds: NCAA Champion Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) vs. Andrew Campolattano (Ohio State)

 

174-Pound Championship Nick Heflin (Ohio State) vs. Jake Waste (Buffalo) – Buffalo Invitational

 

184 Pounds: Kenny Courts (Ohio State) vs. Tony Lock (Buffalo) – Buffalo Invitational

 

125-Pound Championship Max Soria (Buffalo) vs. Kory Mines (Edinboro) – Parts 1 and 2

 

165 Pounds: Taylor Simaz (Finger Lakes Wrestling Club) vs. Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo)

 

197 Pounds: Angelo Malvestuto (Buffal0) vs. Cody Magrum (Ohio State) – Parts 1 and 2

 

Former MAC Champion Andrew Schutt (Buffalo) vs. Randy Languis (Ohio State) – 141 Pounds

 

125 All-New York Bout Between Soria (Buffalo) vs. Hunter Wood (Army) – Buffalo Invitational

 

Special thanks to Laura White for all her work!

Unstoppable: Vinny Vespa Wrestles Again After Confronting Cancer

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When Vinny Vespa was first diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, doctors told his mother Lisa Vespa that he could need treatment for up to a year.

Instead, five months later, almost to the day, Vinny Vespa returned to live wrestling with his teammates at Monroe Woodbury High School.

“I’m working really hard,” he said. “I definitely missed it. I’m really happy to be back on the mat.”

The truth is, he never really left.  While Vespa wasn’t allowed to go live during the treatment process, partially because of a port he had in his chest, he never stopped training and lifting.

And he certainly never lost connection with the wrestling community.

Vinny and his mother Lisa were amazed by the many contributions and well wishes they received, not only in Section 9 but throughout New York State and even beyond.

While they appreciated everything that was done for them, the Takedown Tournament held at Monroe Woodbury High School on June 30 was the highlight.  Over 350 wrestlers competed in the event, which also featured carnival games and other family entertainment.

“It was really fun to watch everyone come out that day not only to wrestle but also to support me,” Vinny Vespa said. “I even got to see my brother Michael wrestle again, which was really cool to watch.  I was surprised that people came from all over.  I knew there were a lot of people supporting me, but I didn’t expect that many people to be there.  I was really grateful.”

“It was surreal for me,” Lisa Vespa added. “It was so heartfelt and it showed the tremendous commitment that the wrestling family has.  I was taken aback by the level of support and I was so appreciative.  It was amazing.”

It was a high point, followed by a summer filled with treatment regimens and hospital visits.  A few days receiving chemotherapy.  A few days at home.  More chemotherapy.  Then a few weeks off and the process started all over again.

“The whole summer was a blur,” Lisa Vespa said. “It was definitely rough, but Vinny was an amazing patient.  He never complained.  He just did what he needed to do.  He was never looking for pity or praise.”

In September, even when in the midst of radiation treatments (and attending school again), Vinny felt like he had turned a corner.

“I really started to feel better,” he said. “I felt less nervous about things – like I knew I was going to be alright.  I started thinking about wrestling and getting back to it as soon as possible.”

A few weeks later, in October, Vinny had a PET scan and the doctors shared good news.

“I’m grateful to say that he’s in remission now,” Lisa Vespa said.  “We know it’s a long haul.  He’ll have another PET scan in January.  But we don’t have to go back to the doctor until then.  There aren’t any restrictions on him now, he just has to listen to his body to figure out what he can and can’t do.”

It took no time at all for Vinny to join Monroe Woodbury practice.  In fact, he participated the same day he was cleared.

“I started right away,” he said. “It’s been really cool, being around the team and wrestling with my teammates.  I think I’m starting to get fully back into it, but I’m definitely already better than last year because of how I feel.”

How he felt last year during matches was tired and out of breath.  He was unable to do what he wanted to late in matches and he was often unable to escape when he was in the down position.

“We couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t get out on bottom when he wrestled,” Lisa Vespa said. “I actually took him out of practice on a Saturday morning in January and asked his coach’s permission to send him to a clinic focusing on that.  Looking back now, it was insane.  Vinny had been wrestling since he was three or four years old — of course he knew how to do it. We were just grasping at straws, trying to come with any reason why he was having trouble.  I knew something was wrong, I just couldn’t figure out what.”

The Vespa family explored a number of options, including a new mouthpiece, asthma and bronchitis.  In addition, Lisa Vespa said she considered cancer back in November of 2011 when Vinny complained of terrible itching, which was the only symptom a friend of the Vespa family had when diagnosed with cancer.  However, after a doctor’s visit and some blood work, the Vespas came home with cream for the itching and went back to the drawing board.

It was months later, after Vinny struggled while winning the New York State Freestyle championship in May, that a tumor was found in his lungs that indicated that he had Stage 4 Lymphoma.

Having overcome so much, some people would be satisfied with simply putting on a singlet and getting on the mat again.  Not Vinny Vespa.

“My plan is to wrestle every chance my coach gives me to wrestle,” said the 2012 state qualifier. “As long as it benefits the team, I will go out and wrestle, even I have to bump up a weight.  But for Sections and the end of the year, I’m planning to go 99 pounds again.  I’m still light.  I was at the state tournament and I want to be there again.  This time I want to get to the finals and try to win it.”

That would be a fitting ending for a wrestler who has already won significant battles.

“For me, the most important thing is to look at him and know that he feels 100% again,” Lisa Vespa said.  “Because it was obvious last year that he didn’t feel anywhere near 100%.  Getting back on the mat five months after starting treatment says so much about Vinny.  But I also attribute a lot of it to the tremendous support from the wrestling community and to the sport of wrestling itself.  From wrestling, Vinny has learned an inner strength and perseverance.  He learned that you don’t give up and you dig deep when things get tough.  Wrestling gives you a level of confidence that no other sport can give you. I have no doubt that wrestling has helped him get where he is now.”

 

More Season Preview Articles:

Section 1 Preview

Section 3 Preview

Section 4 Preview

Section 7 Preview

Section 8 Preview

Section 9 Preview

CHSAA Preview

Features:

Section 1 Feature:  Aslanian and Realbuto, All-State Wrestlers and Workout Partners, Seek to End Their Careers on Top of the Podium

Section 4 Feature: Looking for “Number Nine”: Reggie Williams Aims to Make History at Johnson City

Section 5 Feature: The “Miracle” Continues: The Return of Aaron Paddock

Section 11 Feature: Nick Piccininni Looks to Continue Winning Streak

Post Hurricane Sandy — Free Workouts Week of Nov 4

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A Message from John Gaglione Following Hurricane Sandy:

First things first. I sincerely hope everyone in the wrestling community is safe and no one was severely harmed during this disaster. During these tough times make sure you let your friends and family know how much you care about them and lend a helping hand whenever possible. Some people get hit worse than others so be considerate and understanding whenever possible and do your part to help others in need especially your loved ones.

I am sure the hurricane has sidelined many of your from being on the mat and getting your training in to get ready for the season.

For those local athletes who have the ability to drive I am also offering free workouts for the next week to help out those athletes in need who do not have access to a gym or training facilities. No questions asked. Just want to lend a helping hand to the wrestling community.

The free workouts will be specifically designed to improve your strength and conditioning on the mat and get you in shape for the upcoming season.

I can only fit so many people at my facility during each time slot while still accommodating my current members so this offer is limited to the first 10 wrestlers who take action and e-mail gaglionestrength@gmail.com to sign up for each session.

Here are the details:

November 4th through November 9th at Gaglione Strength

32 Allen Boulevard Unit D

(Off Route 110 near White Castle, Same lot as TJA Auto Collision)

Farmingdale NY, 11735

Sunday at 12pm

Monday-Friday at 9am and 4pm

E-mail gaglionestrength@gmail.com to sign up

Keep training hard everyone

Stay Safe and Stay Strong

John Gaglione

Results from the First Weekend of the Season: Buffalo and Ithaca Invitationals, NUWAY Southwest Kickoff and More

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Things got off to a good start for New York wrestling on Saturday night when Cornell’s Kyle Dake earned a 2-1 victory over Penn State’s David Taylor at the NWCA All-Star Classic at American University.  In the “Match of the Century”, the wrestlers traded a pair of escapes in regulation to send the contest to overtime.  After a scoreless minute in neutral, Dake rode Taylor for the full 30 seconds of the first rideout period and then escaped when it was his turn on bottom to get the win at 165 pounds.

That was just the start of the weekend, however, for New York wrestling.  The following provides some of the results from action on Saturday and Sunday, including the Buffalo Invitational which saw some strong performances from the host school, Army and the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club.  In addition, several New York natives placed at the Hokie Open on the campus of Virginia Tech as well as at the Ithaca Invitational.  And we didn’t forget about the young wrestlers who went to Vegas to compete at the NUWAY Southwest Kickoff Classic, representing New York and NYWAY.

 

Buffalo Invitational

Championship Results

125 Pounds: Max Soria (Buffalo) over Kory Mines (Edinboro), 8-3

133 Pounds: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) win by forfeit Johnni DiJulius (Ohio State)

141 Pounds: Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) over Ian Paddock (Ohio State), 3-2

 

149 Pounds: Michael DePalma (Edinboro) over David Habat (Edinboro), Fall 4:12

157 Pounds: Josh Demas (Ohio State) over Ian Miller (Kent State), 5-3

165 Pounds: Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo) over John Greisheimer (Edinboro), 6-3

174 Pounds: Nick Heflin (Ohio State) over Jake Waste (Buffalo), 4-1

184 Pounds: Casey Newburg (Kent State) over Victor Avery (Edinboro), 4-2 SV2

197 Pounds: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) win by forfeit Cody Magrum (Ohio State)

285 Pounds: Peter Capone (Ohio State) over Keith Witt (Kent State), 2-0

Other New York Placers

Buffalo

Mike Soria, fourth at 125

Erik Galloway, third at 133

Andrew Schutt, sixth at 141

John Northrup, fourth at 149

Blake Ruolo, fifth at 149

Justin Lozano, third at 165

Jeff Palmeri, fourth at 174

Angelo Malvestuto, fifth at 197

Justin Heiserman, fifth at 285

Army

Hunter Wood, sixth at 125

Jordan Thome, fourth at 133

Daniel Young, sixth at 149

Chris Marchetti, fourth at 157

Paul Hancock, fifth at 157

Collin Wittmeyer, third at 184

Travis Mallo, sixth at 184

Bryce Barnes, fourth at 197

Stephen Snyder, fourth at 285

Finger Lakes Wrestling Club

Brian Realbuto, third at 157

Mark Grey, fifth at 133

Other – Ernest James (Edinboro, Longwood HS), sixth at 285

 

Ohio State won the team race (148 points), with Kent State second (111) and Buffalo third (108).

Full brackets can be found: here

 

Hokie Open (at Virginia Tech)

Quinton Murphy, Photo by Boris V

A number of Hofstra wrestlers as well as wrestlers who competed in the Empire State in high school took the mat at the Hokie Open in Virginia on Sunday.  Those who made the medal stand include Nick Gwiazdowski (Duanesburg) of NC State, who won the championship at 285 pounds with a pin over Indiana’s Adam Chalfant.  Also making the finals was Indiana’s Ryan LeBlanc (Morrisville-Eaton), who took second at 165 pounds behind All-American Peter Yates of Virginia Tech.  LeBlanc’s Hoosier teammate Quinton Murphy (Holley) also made the podium, taking fifth at 133 pounds.

 

Ithaca Invitational – Championship Results

125 Pounds: Ricardo Gomez (Ithaca, Brentwood HS) over Tom Casper (Springfield College)

133 Pounds: Alex Gomez (Ithaca, Brentwood HS) over Derek Adams (Springfield College)

141 Pounds: Michael Gentilcore (Oswego, Greece Olympia HS) over Abubakarr Sow (Oswego, Brooklyn International HS)

149 Pounds: Kevin Collins (Ithaca, Randolph HS) over Dylan Foley (Springfield College)

157 Pounds: Derek Brenon (Ithaca, Immaculate Heart Central HS) over Everet Desilets (Johnson & Wales)

165 Pounds: Frank Marotti (Johnson and Wales) over Blake Fisher (Oswego, Seaford HS)

174 Pounds: Jules Doliscar (Ithaca, Trinity HS) over Jerrold Roosa (Thiel College, Randolph Central HS)

184 Pounds: Jacob Lowry (Thiel College) over Michael Labell (Johnson and Wales)

197 Pounds: Shane Bartrum (Ithaca, Oswego HS) over Blake McNulty (Johnson and Wales)

285 Pounds: Humphrey Swift (Johnson and Wales) over John Garbordi (Springfield College)

 

NUWAY Southwest Kickoff (“The Freak Show”)

A group of elementary school wrestlers took a trip to Vegas for the NUWAY Southwest Kickoff.  Team New York competed well against top talent from the West Coast, boasting three finalists and a number of other strong performances.

Champion: Carter Schubert (7/8 year old) 55 pounds

Second Place: Carson Alberti (7/8 year old) 55 pounds

Second Place: Michael Gonyea (11/12 year old) 70 pounds

Fourth Place: Andy Lucinski (9/10) 61 pounds

Fifth Place: Jason Hoffman (13/15) 145 pounds

Eighth Place: Justin Hoffman (9/10) 100-110 pounds

Also competing:

Jakob Lucinski (5/6) 37-40 pounds

Garrett Skeens (7/8) 52 pounds

Josh Gill (11/12) 70 pounds

Caiden Mondore (11/12) 80 pounds

AJ Burkhart (13/15) 89 pounds

Mitch Seaver (13/15) 89 pounds

(More results may be added as available.  Feel free to send results to newyorkwrestlingnews@gmail.com)

Max Askren Talks About Leaving New York to Train Full Time and His "Send Off" Clinic in Somers

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Courtesy of University of Missouri

On his recent trip to Russia, Max Askren enjoyed taking in the culture and speaking Russian, one of the languages he studied in college at Missouri.  But even more, he enjoyed venturing back into international wrestling, including winning a silver medal at the Dmitry Korkin International at 84 kg in early October.  (He also went 1-1 at the Ramzan Kadyrov Cup).

Another significant part of the experience was the training he did with some of the Russian wrestlers in the week preceding the tournament.

“It’s amazing over there in Russia,” Askren said. “They’re professional wrestlers, getting paid good money to wrestle a couple times a day. That’s the sole obligation.  I realized how different it was from me.  I was running an academy, coaching and doing a little training on top of it, mostly with [former Section 1 wrestler and Penn greyshirt] Harrison Cook and some high schoolers in the area. I knew there would an adjustment period to wrestle with some of the top guys in the world, but I honestly felt pretty good.  It felt natural and I competed pretty well.”

His performance once again raised a question he had thought about after wrestling competitively at the Olympic Trials, where he went 2-2.  Where would he be if he trained full time?

Now, Askren is about to find out.

After spending the past two and a half years in Westchester County, coaching and running the Askren Wrestling Academy, Max Askren will be moving back to Wisconsin to join brother Ben with a strong focus on honing his freestyle skills.

“I’ve always wanted to train as much as possible,” he said.  “And I always wanted to be back with my brother.  Ben told me in May that he and his wife are expecting a baby and we talked about me coming back home.”

When he makes the move back to Wisconsin, he won’t only be working out with Ben, however.  He expects to spend two to three weeks of each month traveling to different locations, including the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as well as training sites at Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan and West Point.

“I think I’m in a pretty good place with my wrestling,” he said. “It’s not like I’m way off base and need years and years of work to be competitive.  There’s no question I need to work hard and correct a lot of things, but I’m in the mix.”

Courtesy of University of Missouri

While the travel and the potential to move up the ladder excite him, deciding to leave Section 1 wasn’t easy.  In fact, Askren told his brother he would he coming back home in the early summer and then changed his mind more than once over the past few months before making the final call.

“It was a really difficult decision,” he said. “I met a lot of great people here and the wrestling community is really close.  The Realbutos [his host family] are like my family.  Dylan [Realbuto] has another year of high school and he’s like a little brother to me.  It will be really hard not to be here for him and a lot of the guys.”

Askren has unquestionably made an impact in the time he spent in the Empire State.  Numerous wrestlers talked about the strides they made at the Askren Wrestling Academy.  And his original mission was no doubt accomplished.  He first came to New York for a summer to teach freestyle.  A year later, his student, Brian Realbuto, went on to win the Junior National Freestyle title in Fargo and then a third state title while Dylan Realbuto won his first New York championship in 2012.

Askren felt like he gained a lot from the experience as well.

“I knew very little about wrestling in New York when I first got here,” he said.  “I know now that it’s a great place with great competition.  I think New York is right on par with some of the better states, maybe not at the level of Pennsylvania or California yet but right underneath that.  One thing that stands out is that kids here know how to wrestle on top.  In some states, like Missouri where I went to college, referees call stalling in a heartbeat on top.  Then kids get to college and they don’t have the riding and turning skills that are really important at that level.  New York kids do have those skills.”

Askren will work on refining those skills and others one more time with a “send off” clinic on November 9-12 in Somers with 2012 NCAA champion Cam Simaz of Cornell.  For more information, see below.

Afterwards, he will continue a busy month with a national team camp in Hoboken, New Jersey in mid November before attending the Henri Deglane International Challenge in France.  Besides being another huge measuring stick for Askren on the mat, it’s another opportunity for him to practice another of the languages he studied in college – French.

“I basically majored in Russian, French and Japanese,” he said. “I speak those languages and Spanish.  I wouldn’t say I’m fluent but I can converse pretty well.  It allows you to travel to a lot of different places and really appreciate things culturally.”

Askren hopes his travels take him to Hungary for the World Championships in 2013 and, a few years down the road, to Brazil.

“I’m looking to make the next World Team and medal there,” he said. “And, the big goal is the 2016 Olympics.”

Those are some of the items on his agenda for the future.  But his experience in New York allowed him to address a goal he had held earlier in this life – to run his own wrestling school.

“I’d always wanted to run an academy and coach,” he said. “And it was what I thought it would be.  I loved it.  It was a great experience and I really couldn’t have asked for more. The only downside was that it wasn’t in Wisconsin where my brother was.  There’s a lot I’ll miss when I leave.”

Askren was heartfelt about the people and relationships he developed. And there was one more thing he couldn’t leave out.

“The Italian food,” he added. “I had homemade Italian food all the time and it’s awesome.  I’ll definitely miss that.”

For more information on the Askren Wrestling Academy Preseason Clinic on November 9 -12, please see the flyer: AWA Send Off Camp

 

 

Section 4 Preview: State Champions Kelly, Lapresi, Koll and Rifanburg Look for More Titles; Williams for His First

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Section 4 has nine 2012 All-State wrestlers returning, including former state champions Kyle Kelly, Connor Lapresi, William Koll and Tristan Rifanburg, as well as runner up Reggie Williams.  For the teams and wrestlers to watch in 2012-13, please read on.

Division I 

Returning State Placewinners (from 2012)

99 Pounds: Kyle Kelly, Chenango Forks, State Champion

106 Pounds: Jimmy Overhiser, Corning, Fourth Place

182 Pounds: James Benjamin, Vestal, Fifth Place

195 Pounds: Reggie Williams, Johnson City, Second Place

 

Additional Returning State Qualifiers (from 2012)

113 Pounds: Jake Green, Chenango Forks

120 Pounds: Richie Burke, Ithaca

126 Pounds: Brock Post, Maine-Endwell

132 Pounds: Curtis Grant, Elmira

138 Pounds: Trevor Hoffmier, Newark Valley

152 Pounds: Greg Kleinsmith, Johnson City

160 Pounds: Zach Colgan, Johnson City

 

Leading the Way:

Kyle Kelly, Photo by Boris V

Let’s start with two-time titlewinner Kyle Kelly of Chenango Forks.  Kelly boasted a perfect 37-0 junior season with 31 wins by bonus points.  His dominance wasn’t limited to the regular season, as he outscored his opponents in Albany 17-3 and also recorded a pin.  The Section 4 standout, who took fourth as a freshman, will try to finish his career as a Blue Devil with three straight times at the top of the podium at the Times Union Center, likely up a weight or two.

Reggie Williams of Johnson City isn’t a state champion … yet.  But he’ll be favored to get his first title this year. Williams has been one of the top upperweights in the state since his freshman season.  In his ninth grade year, he was sixth in Albany and as a sophomore, he took a few more steps forward, notching second in the Empire State after going 40-3 with all three losses coming to New York champion Tony Fusco of Shenendehowa. To learn more about Reggie Williams, see the link here.

James Benjamin rarely needed a full six minutes for his matches last season. The Vestal wrestler went 38-3 a year ago with 32 pins.  In fact, he won four bouts at the state tournament on his way to fifth place and all four victories were by fall (and all in less than three minutes).  As the highest returning placer from the 182-pound bracket in Albany, Benjamin will have a good chance to end his career at or near the top of the podium.

Jimmy Overhiser, Photo by Boris V

Also looking to step up higher on the medal stand is Jimmy Overhiser, who racked up a 31-4 mark on the way to fourth at 106 pounds and who participated in some high profile offseason events, such as the Disney Duals with Team New York Kong in Florida.

 

Also Keep an Eye On . . .

Reggie Williams isn’t the only person to watch on the Johnson City squad.  He is surrounded by quality wrestlers, including returning qualifiers Greg Kleinsmith (26-10 as a freshman 152 pounder) and Zach Colgan (39-8 at 160 pounds with a pin over Fox Lane’s Matt Pasqualini in Albany).  Winning Section 4 titles meant more than just a trip to the state tournament for Colgan and Kleinsmith last year.  According to head coach Jordan Glenn, both made “family history” as their fathers and/or uncles had wrestled for the Wildcats in the past and had come close to capturing Section crowns, but hadn’t quite achieved the feat.  Glenn believes that both will win more matches this year in Albany, and also has high hopes for a number of young wrestlers on the squad, including another Colgan (Isaiah), who won over 20 matches as an eighth grader at 99 pounds.

Jake Green (Chenango Forks) – Kyle Kelly is unlikely to be the only person racking up points for Chenango Forks this year in the postseason. Jake Green went 1-2 at the state championships in 2012, but he did so with a very challenging draw. His three matches were against the top two seeds in the bracket (Mark Raghunandan and Corey Jamison) and the eventual champion, Dylan Realbuto.  Green was in every match, defeating Jamison, while dropping a 6-4 decision to Realbuto and a three-pointer to Raghunandan.  He proved he could hang with some of the best and will look to get over the top in 2013.

“He was good enough to place last year but faced some really tough wrestlers in a strong weight class,” said Union Endicott coach Josh Ruff.  “He put in the time after the season and I would be really surprised if he didn’t place this year.”

Richie Burke (Ithaca) – As a ninth grader, Burke made his second trip to wrestle at the Times Union Center.  He capped off a 29-7 year by going 1-2, losing to the fourth and fifth place finishers. Four of his other setbacks during the season came to qualifier Jake Green (three times) and state champion William Koll, while he registered a victory over Division II qualifier Nate Hayes of Windsor.  Burke will look to build off victories such as that one in his sophomore season.

Trevor Hoffmier and Derek Holcomb (Newark Valley) – As a sophomore, Hoffmier compiled an impressive 28-4 mark with 18 pins.  In Albany, he began with a loss against runner up Alexis Blanco of Section 11 but rebounded with a victory before a one-point setback against Section 1’s Tom Grippi ended the competition for him.  However, he and teammate Derek Holcomb should once again form a formidable duo in the Newark Valley lineup.  Holcomb, who had over 30 wins in 2011-12, recorded several quality victories, including one over All-State wrestler Dan Dickman from Greene.  In addition, Holcomb made the medal stand at the NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach.  He hopes to add to his accolades in February in the state capital.

“They’re both really talented kids,” Ruff said.  “I could see both of them winning matches at the state tournament.  Holcomb got caught up in a tough match at Sectionals and got upset, but he has a great chance of getting to Albany this year.”

Alex Francik (Vestal) – As a 152-pound junior, Francik sported a 34-2 record, with 23 pins and only six regular decisions.  He defeated Greg Kleinsmith 7-5 in late January before the Johnson City wrestler returned the favor with a one-point win in the Section tournament.   In his final high school season, Francik will look to take the next step to the state championships.

 

The Team Race . . .

Union-Endicott ran away with the Division I team title in 2012 by over 40 points with tremendous balance – 13 wrestlers were fourth or higher in their weight class (and two others competed in the fifth place tilt).  Ten of those grapplers are back, including second place finisher Mikey Carr (106) and third place medalist Heze Morgan (120).  In addition, fourth placers Kyle Hughes, Xavian Hughes, Nathan Bomysoad and Lucas Depofi are slated to take the mat again.

Ruff believes that many of those wrestlers are ready for breakout years. Bomysoad, for example, earned 30 wins at 152 pounds, including a victory over Greg Kleinsmith (who won the rematch).  Ruff believes he is ready to take the next step.

“Nate wrestles so hard,” the coach said. “His work ethic is incredible and he showed he could beat high caliber kids last year.”  Two of the many other wrestlers Ruff believes are ready to compete at a higher level are Zack Bendick, who won over 20 matches as a freshman and Xavian Hughes, who took fourth in the Section as a sophomore at 132 pounds.

“I’m confident that Xavian can wrestle with anyone in the section on his feet.  If he improves on the mat, he could qualify for states.  And Bendick is very talented.  He has improved so much since last season and is ready to wrestle the top caliber guys.”

All of those returners will certainly put significant points on the board, but sizable scoring was lost with the departure of Section champions Richie Lupo and Tyler Bayer as well as Jordan Billet (second), Tyler Hubbert (third) and Tyler Allen (third).  In addition, 2012 Section 4 runner up at 160 pounds, Sammy Davis, suffered an injury in football that will keep him out at least until January.  Those losses will open the door for challengers such as last year’s runner up and third place team, Vestal and Johnson City, respectively.

“We were very well balanced last year,” Ruff said. “We didn’t really have superstars, but we had a tough guy in every weight class.  This year is a little different. We bring back Lucas Depofi at 220 but we graduated most of our other upperweights and now with Sammy Davis’s injury, we’re a little thin there.  We do feel, though, that we’re stacked in the lightweights and middleweights and we do bring back a lot of points.  I think if we continue to work really hard, we’ll be challenging for the title at the section tournament.”

Reggie Williams, Photo by Boris V

Also clearly in the mix is Johnson City, which has significant firepower. The squad is led by the trio discussed above: Reggie Williams, Zach Colgan and Greg Kleinsmith.  In addition, four wrestlers who lost only once at the Section tournament a year ago, juniors Anthony Johns, Joseph Hamdan and Conner Halladay as well as freshman Isaiah Colgan, will look to improve upon their showings.  Meanwhile, Corey McCormick, Nick Bidwell, Joshua Dember and Nikola Cejic will bring experience to the table.  Reggie Williams spoke with excitement about his squad’s potential in 2012-13.

“We have a great coaching staff and a great team,” Williams said. “We’re better than people think.  The sky’s the limit for us at Johnson City.”

Union Endicott and Johnson City will be tested by Vestal, which returns six wrestlers who were top four a year ago, including All-Stater James Benjamin. The Golden Bears graduated 220-pound state qualifier Anthony Osman and fourth placer Andre Strano, but will be a threat with Alex Francik, heavyweight Juwin Jumpp and young up and comers Robert Mastronardi (third at 126 as a freshman), Owen Jarrold (third at 132 in ninth grade) and Hunter Beck (fourth at 106 as an eighth grader).  Other experienced wrestlers who competed in the fifth place bouts last year such as Alex Crostley, Tom Flynn, Collin Vangordon and David Gardner will try to push Vestal higher in the race.

Newark Valley has some heavy hitters to account for, including returning champion Trevor Hoffmier and other top three placers Vinnie Darpino, Dan Geisenhof and Derek Holcomb.

While Union Endicott won the section by a significant number of points a year ago, a 40-point margin between first and second seems a lot less likely this year.

 

Division II

Returning State Placewinners (from 2012)

99 Pounds: Joe Nelson, Oxford, Third Place

113 Pounds: William Koll, Lansing, Third Place

126 Pounds: Tristan Rifanburg, Norwich, Sixth Place

132 Pounds: Connor Lapresi, Lansing, State Champion

152 Pounds: Dan Dickman, Greene, Fourth Place

 

Additional Returning State Qualifiers (from 2012)

99 Pounds: Dylan Wood, Walton

106 Pounds: Sean Ballard, Whitney Point

113 Pounds: Nate Hayes, Windsor

120 Pounds: Austin Ryan, Unatego

132 Pounds: Frank Garcia, Norwich

145 Pounds: Kyle Halladay, Chenango Valley

160 Pounds: Mike Beckwith, Greene

170 Pounds: Ryan Wolcott, Waverly

182 Pounds: Mike Beers, Walton

195 Pounds: Mark Viviano, Bainbridge-Guilford-Afton

220 Pounds: Dillon Hurlbert, Marathon

 

Top Wrestlers:

Senior Connor Lapresi of Lansing is looking to end his high school career with a second consecutive state crown before heading off to Bucknell.  After avenging his only regular season loss (to Wesley Blanding) in the semifinals in Albany, Lapresi controlled the finals against Curt Rowley to end his junior campaign with a gold medal.  Lapresi hasn’t limited his wrestling success to the Empire State, as he was an All-American in Virginia Beach at both the NHSCA Freshman and Sophomore Nationals in 2010 and 2011.

William Koll, Photo by Boris V

Lapresi isn’t the only Bobcats grappler with title aspirations.  Teammate William Koll has made the medal stand in both of his appearances at the state tournament.  As a freshman, he captured the 103-pound crown with a fall over multiple-time state placer Trey Aslanian of Edgemont.  This past February, Koll took third at 113 pounds in a bracket that featured at least five past medalists.   He also was the New York State Greco Roman and Freestyle champion in May, winning both brackets in dominant fashion.  Additionally, Koll has demonstrated his national competitiveness on multiple occasions, with strong performances at the Disney Duals and a runner up finish at the NHSCA Freshman Nationals in 2011.

Tristan Rifanburg also knows what it’s like to place second nationally, as he did just that at the NHSCA Freshman tournament this spring.  That showing came after the Norwich wrestler earned his third consecutive medal in Albany, taking sixth in a deep 126-pound class.  Rifanburg will look to get back to a familiar place in 2013 at the Times Union Center – the Saturday night finals.  He was a state champion as a seventh grader at 96 pounds and a runner up a year later.  For all his accomplishments, Intermat has Rifanburg ranked as the #45 sophomore in the country.

Joe Nelson, Photo by Boris V

Section 4 offers a number of other wrestlers who can challenge for top billing this season in Albany.  Joe Nelson of Oxford entered the state tournament as the top seed last year and after absorbing an upset to eventual runner up Nick Casella of Locust Valley, bounced back to earn third place.  Greene’s Dan Dickman also lost his second bout at the Times Union Center last year at 152 pounds, but came back to take fourth.

But other than those who were All-State before, here are some other wrestlers to keep tabs on this year . . .

Lightweights and Middleweights:

Austin Ryan (Unatego) – In his freshman season, Ryan picked up over 30 wins and made an appearance at the state tournament, where he went 1-2.  Scott Stafford, who handed him four of his losses, has graduated and one Section 4 coach mentioned that he believes Ryan is primed for a breakout year.  Unatego teammate Codie Nichols is another wrestler who could have a big campaign after going 37-6 last season.

Frank Garcia (Norwich) – The Norwich wrestler had a strong ninth grade season at 132 pounds, racking up a 36-5 mark with 11 falls and coming within one win of becoming All-State in Albany.  Garcia dropped multiple close decisions to state champion Connor Lapresi, including a 3-2 result in the quarterfinals at the Times Union Center.  The medal stand seems within the sophomore’s reach this season.

Jordan Torbitt (Whitney Point) – Torbitt wasn’t intimidated as an eighth grade middleweight, compiling a 29-6 record with 14 pins at 145 and 152 pounds.  Half of his losses were close decisions against wrestlers who placed in the top five at the state tournament – Dan Dickman of Greene, Wesley Blanding of Chittenango and Isaiah Riccio of Beaver River.  After the tough competition during the season, Torbitt excelled on the national stage, winning the NHSCA Middle School national title at 154 pounds in Virginia.  He will be a freshman to watch.

Kyle Halliday (Chenango Valley) – The senior boasted a 33-3 record in 2012, with 29 victories coming by bonus points.  He injury defaulted out of the state tournament after an opening round defeat, but registered several quality wins during course of the year, including over state qualifiers JT Romagnoli, Tyler Spann (twice), Greg Kleinsmith, and Richie Lupo.

And moving into the higher weights . . .

Mike Beckwith (Greene) – Beckwith faced a number of setbacks in an abbreviated 20-2 season in 2011-12.  However, he was able to get back on the mat for the Section 4 tournament, where he was completely in control of his bouts with two pins and two major decisions.  He has the talent to be on the podium, and although he dropped a pair of two-point matches at the state tournament this past year, he will be looking for more in 2013.

“Mike had a tough year,” Greene coach Tim Jenks said. “First an injury, then a car accident. He only had 11 days of practice between Christmas and the Section finals.  It’s amazing that he won the Section with so little practice.  What hurt him at the states was his conditioning.  In the close matches, he just didn’t have the gas.  We believe he’ll have a great year.”

Christian Dietrich (Greene) – Dietrich has the potential to be one of the Section’s best as he is set to return from a knee injury that kept him out for the 2011-12 campaign.  He accomplished the rare feat of placing in the middleweights as a seventh grader as he took sixth at 152 at the 2011 state tournament.  Now an upperweight who may compete anywhere from 170 to 195 according to Jenks, he is ready to pick up from where he left off two years ago and ascend higher on the podium as a freshman.  Jenks also mentioned that junior Joel Roselle may open some eyes this year after a solid sophomore season where he took third in the Section. “It was the first time he wrestled in a while,” Jenks said.  “He’ll be back and he’ll be tough at 170 or 182.”

While Greene offers some tough wrestlers like Beckwith, Dietrich and Roselle in the upperweights, they’ll have plenty of competition in the Section as three returning top 8 wrestlers will take the mat – Mike Beers, Ryan Wolcott and Dillon Hurlbert, as will qualifier Mark Viviano.

Mike Beers (Walton) – Keegan Cerwinski was a bit of nemesis for Beers last year, handing him three losses. Still, Greene coach Jenks was impressed with what Beers showed in those bouts and pointed to him as a wrestler to watch in 2012-13. The Walton grappler notched 28 victories, including 19 pins and came within one win of earning All-State honors in Albany after he dropped a 2-1 decision in his last bout at the Times Union Center.

Ryan Wolcott (Waverly) – Wolcott didn’t get an easy road in Albany, going 2-2 with both of his losses to top three finishers (Nick Mitchell and Burke Paddock).  Wolcott and Paddock were the only entrants at 170 pounds that weren’t juniors or seniors.  He’ll have a great opportunity to get on the podium this time.

Dillon Hurlbert (Marathon) – Like Beers and Wolcott, Hurlbert split his four matches at the state tournament.  He was third in Section 4, but there was no shame in that, as he stood behind state champion Kyle Stanton and fourth place finisher Nick Talcott.  As a junior, the Marathon wrestler went 40-8 with more than 25 pins.  With only three of the top 8 competitors at 220 pounds returning, he will have a good chance to end his career with a medal.

Not to be forgotten is fellow upperweight Mark Viviano from Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton, who got a wildcard bid to Albany.  He had close to 30 wins, including a victory over state qualifier Kegan Levesque in the Section 4 tournament after losing to him the previous week. With the graduation of Ryan Todd, who defeated Viviano twice, including at the Times Union Center, Viviano will be expected to make a return trip to the state capital.

 

Division II Team Race . . .

Greene, the returning champion, lost All-Staters Keegan Cerwinski and Kyle Stanton to the college ranks.  But the Trojans, who won the Section 4 title by 13.5 points, will enter the campaign as the favorites as they bring back gold medalists Dan Dickman and Mike Beckwith as well as three other placers – Brendan Wheeler (third at 106), Joel Roselle (third at 170) and Trevor Parrish (fifth at 138). The addition of Christian Dietrich will also be significant.

“We have great kids coming back, including some who missed last year with injuries,” Jenks said.  “I think we should be the team to beat, but we do have some questions. I’m not sure whether we’ll have a 99 pounder and we need to figure out some things with our lineup.  We have a lot of great kids in the same weight classes and we’re not sure yet how we’re going to iron it out.  I look forward to a great year.”

Who can challenge Greene for the title?  The list of possibilities is long.

Connor Lapresi, Photo by Boris V

There are teams that are lead by a few top-notch wrestlers, such as Lansing and Norwich, the second and third place teams in 2012, respectively.  The Bobcats feature state champions William Koll and Connor Lapresi as well as freshman Greg Lee, who was fourth at 106 as an eighth grader.  However, they will have to replace the points of standouts Ryan Todd and Corey Dake.

As for Norwich, Rifanburg and Garcia will tally significant points, but they, like Lansing, lost substantial points in the form of four graduated Section placers.

Jenks mentioned a pair of teams that could challenge on the strength of a number of wrestlers that saw success in last year’s postseason – Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton and Unatego.  Bainbridge offers a solid team, with five of its six Section placers returning, including runner up Mark Viviano and a trio of fourth placers – Austin Carr, Justin Cirigliano, and Jesse Griswold.

Unatego had three finalists a year ago and all three are back – Austin Ryan, Kevin Thayer and Codie Nichols.  When you add Ryan Marszal (third at 145), Leland Slawson (fourth at 152) and Lucas DeJoy (sixth at 132) into the mix, it seems likely that the team can improve upon its eighth place showing.

Also looking to make its mark again is Chenango Valley, led by Kyle Halliday and a pair of sophomores – Anthony Colon and Billy Liberati, and Tioga with five 2012 Section medalists, including fourth placers Kaleb Stone and Tyler Spires.

Special thanks to all the coaches and wrestlers who contributed to this story.

 

More Season Previews:

Section 1 Preview

Section 3 Preview

Section 4 Preview

Section 7 Preview

Section 8 Preview

Section 9 Preview

CHSAA Preview

 

Season Preview Features (more to come):

Section 1 Feature:  Aslanian and Realbuto, All-State Wrestlers and Workout Partners, Seek to End Their Careers on Top of the Podium

Section 4 Feature: Looking for “Number Nine”: Reggie Williams Aims to Make History at Johnson City

Section 5 Feature: The “Miracle” Continues: The Return of Aaron Paddock

Section 11 Feature: Nick Piccininni Looks to Continue Winning Streak

 

Young New York Talent Ready to Take On the West Coast Through NYWAY Trips

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“The mystique of getting on a plane and traveling all the way across the country is unbelievable for the kids,” Michael LaPorte said.

A number of young wrestlers from New York will be experiencing that mystique over the next few weeks as part of a pair of NYWAY trips.  On November 1, a group of elementary school grapplers will head to Las Vegas for the NUWAY Southwest Kickoff.  About a week later, a contingent of middle schoolers will make the journey to California to take part in the Final Four Duals and Junior Mid Cals.

Carson Alberti, Courtesy of Cobra Wrestling

Both trips involve plenty of high quality wrestling as well as an opportunity to see the surrounding areas.

The Vegas-bound crew includes 11 students ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade.

“We wanted to give kids a chance to see a new place and showcase them in a different environment,” said Kevin Lucinski, who is leading the trip. “We’ll do a little sightseeing when we get there and then wrestle in the tournament.  I think we’re all looking forward to seeing some different styles of wrestling.  When you go to different parts of the country, different things are emphasized.  Personally, I’m anxious to see the kids from California and Nevada.  Some of the brackets have Reno Worlds placers and champions.  It gives our kids a chance to test themselves and shows everyone that even if you’re the best in your state, you still have to work really hard because there are so many good wrestlers out there.”

The list of wrestlers going to Vegas includes: Carson Alberti, AJ Burkhart, Josh Gill, Michael Gonyea, Jason Hoffman, Justin Hoffman, Andy Lucinski, Jakob Lucinski, Caiden Mondore, Mitchell Seaver, Garrett Skeens and Carter Schubert.

Golden State Adventure

Matthew LaPorte and Orion Anderson, Courtesy of Michael LaPorte

LaPorte, who led the trip to Northern California last year as well, never had any doubt that he wanted to return again in 2012.

“Just hearing the kids talking amongst themselves about how much fun they were having was worth all the hard work that goes into it,” he said. “I knew I wanted to do it again.  It’s really important to helping the sport grow in New York and having the kids advance as much as they possibly can. Having West and East coast meet each other is something special.”

There were some exciting matchups last year for the Empire State squad.  The team placed fourth at the dual meet competition and had two wrestlers win individual titles as well.  Both of those grapplers, Orion Anderson and Dane Heberlein, are coming back.

“It’s always great competition,” LaPorte said.  “Orion (80 pounds) was the only New York wrestler to go undefeated last year on both days.  He had some close matches, but he always came out on top. I think some of those California kids will be looking for him because of his performance last year.  Dane will be at 90 pounds.  He’s super excited about going back.  He was the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler last year and I think some of those West Coast kids will be looking for another chance at him as well.”

Also returning is Matthew Laporte (70 pounds), who registered a number of victories in 2011.   Joining the team will be Isaiah Bailey, Anthony Cirillo, Grant Cuomo, Antonio Cutrie, Connor Fredericks, Michael Gonyea, Jason Hoffman, Stephen Kapuscinski, Zach Kornberg and Dillan Palaszewski.

What excites LaPorte about the squad is that it brings wrestlers from all over the Empire State.

“The really good thing is that we were able to get a nice balance of the state with the addition of a few Long Island kids this year,” LaPorte said.  “Just about every area of New York has some representation, which is a good, healthy sign.”

According to NYWAY President Clint Wattenberg, the organization is working to expand to cover more of the Empire State this coming season.

“In representing New York with wrestlers from all corners of the state, it helps us get the word out about the many things that we are trying to do to increase opportunities for our young wrestlers. This year we hope to have the same broad representation at our NYWAY State Championships, which will serve to coalesce our season.”

As is the case with the Vegas trip, NYWAY will be covering a large portion of the wrestler costs.  According to LaPorte, the cost to each wrestler to go to California, including airfare, hotel, custom singlets, event entry costs is $250.

Like last year, the team will take some time to explore San Francisco in addition to both a dual event and an individual tournament.

“We’ll get there on Friday and have some time to rest,” he said. “Then, we’ll wrestle in the Final Four duals on Saturday and the Mid Cals on Sunday.  On Monday, which is a holiday, our agenda is to take the kids sightseeing – the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf.  It will be a great end to the trip.”

As for accomplishments on the mat, LaPorte said he’d like to improve upon last year’s fourth place showing in the duals.

“We’d like to be top three as a team this time,” he said. “And we want to place as many kids as possible into the finals on the second day.  But the biggest thing for me is making sure that it’s a great experience for the kids.  It’s great for them to know there’s so much more out there in wrestling and outside of it.  It’s really rewarding for me as a coach to be part of it.”

Looking for "Number Nine": Reggie Williams Aims to Make History at Johnson City

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At first, it was about the trophies.

Reggie Williams missed basketball tryouts and he was looking for something to take the place of hoops in his schedule.

“In sixth grade, I didn’t have a sport to play in the winter,” Williams said.  “One of my friends always rubbed in my face that he had all these wrestling trophies.  I got only trophy per season in baseball, basketball and football, but in wrestling there were more.”

So, he decided to give wrestling a shot. And he took to it right away.

When seventh grade rolled around, Williams began on the modified team like most of his classmates, especially those at the higher weights.  But that didn’t last too long.

“I think I was on modified for a week,” Williams said with a laugh. “I pretty much destroyed everyone.”

So the next stop was the junior varsity, where his stay was longer than a week, but still pretty brief.  About halfway into the season, Williams moved up to the varsity squad only about a year after picking up the sport.

He didn’t waste any time finding success, placing fifth at the Section 4 tournament.

“It was pretty cool that I took fifth,” he said. “Coach [Peter] Capone did a great job teaching me some basics – a double leg, a breakdown, a stand up.  But I still didn’t know what I was doing a lot of the time on the mat.”

Photo by Boris V

He asked Capone what he needed to do to get to the next level and then he got to work.  He began lifting, learning more technique and training with a variety of partners.  A wide variety.

There were, of course, partners like the many he works with in the Johnson City room now, such as fellow state qualifiers Greg Kleinsmith, who Johnson City head coach Jordan Glenn said is exceptional on his feet and Zach Colgan, who is excellent in the top position.   But Williams worked with several others as well.

“I honestly believe anyone can wrestle anyone,” he said. “I was beaten up in the room by a guy who weighed 140 pounds.  I mean, brutally destroyed.  Good technique can do anything.  I wrestle with everyone.  I find myself wrestling the little guys more than the big guys.  I love training with the lightweights, so I can change up the pace of my matches.  After my practices, I also love to go wrestle with the pee wees.  They gang up and all attack me at the same time.  It’s fun to see the smiles on their faces and I try to teach them the basic things, because the basics can take you far.”

They took Williams pretty far as an eighth grader.  In the semifinals of the Sectionals, he pinned an opponent who had placed higher than him in a tournament earlier in the year.  He was headed to the Section 4 title bout and he said he was overcome with emotion.

“I looked at my coach and I started crying,” he said.  “My whole family came for the finals and the crowd was packed.  I wrestled my heart out and ended up losing in triple overtime.  I was hoping for a wildcard to states, but didn’t get it.”

Williams said he was disappointed, but not for too long.  His breakthrough was about to come.

“I felt like I really kept getting better and better without taking one step back,” he said of his ninth grade year.

It showed.  He racked up a 32-14 record as a freshman and captured his first Section 4 crown, winning by bonus points in each of his Sectional bouts.

Williams was unseeded in Albany as one of only two ninth graders in the 189-pound bracket, but he was undaunted.  In the second round, he met the number-two seed, Joe Cummings of Nyack, and came out on top 5-4 after hitting a snap down, spin behind in the third period.

In the semifinals, he fought hard against current North Carolina wrestler Frank Abbondanza, but a big move at the end of the second period was the difference in a loss.

“I still don’t remember how it happened,” he said.  “He had my leg and then the next thing I knew, I was trying to scramble and then I was falling backwards and the referee was counting back points.  I was really down after that match and it cost me a lot.  I didn’t bounce back well and I lost to guys I shouldn’t have in the wrestlebacks.  I learned something there about being stronger after losses.”

He put that to good use that summer as he earned All-America status at the NHSCA Freshman Nationals in Virginia Beach (fourth at 189 pounds).  His mettle was tested early as he fought through a close bout in the first round with some recognizable college coaches looking on.

“At Virginia Beach part of the reason that I finished where I did was that I was more of a straightforward wrestler at the time,” he said. “I didn’t really take angled shots.  Learning some Freestyle and Greco really helped me improve with angles.”

He apparently was a quick study as he went to Fargo for the Freestyle and Greco national championships a few months later and got on the podium there as well – while up a weight class (fifth at 215 pounds).

“Going into Fargo, I had an idea of how big the tournament was, but when I got there, I saw it was so much bigger than I expected,” he said. “I didn’t realize how tough it is to wrestle so many matches in such a short time.  You go hard in every single match against good competition and it got to me.  I’ve never been so exhausted.  If I was in better shape, I could have done better but the experience was amazing.”

Amazing could describe his sophomore year back in New York for the Wildcats as well.  In 2011-12, Williams registered a 39-3 mark, with all but six victories coming by bonus points and with all three losses coming against Shenendehowa state champion Tony Fusco.

The final setback was in the state finals, where Williams had quite a crowd pulling for him.

Courtesy of Reggie Williams

He said he remembers looking up at the stands and seeing Doug Stento, his football coach who he speaks fondly of, his mom and dad who don’t often see his matches, and his teammates.  In addition, he caught a glimpse of the t-shirt that was signed by a large number of Johnson City students (pictured).

“I saw all those people and I had that desire,” he said. “I got so fired up and wanted to do well to represent my school and my section.  Honestly, I felt like I was ready to play in the Super Bowl.  I made three mistakes and they cost me dearly.  Tony [Fusco] isn’t offensive or flashy, but he’s tough and strong.  When I made mistakes, he took advantage.  The worst part was that I felt like I let a lot of people down.”

Williams retreated to his hotel room afterwards, where he was soon joined by fellow silver medalist Keegan Cerwinski of Greene and a number of other Section 4 wrestlers.

“It seemed like the whole Section team was there,” he said. “We went out and walked the streets in Albany, talked and had a good time. Sometimes you have to just enjoy the little things in life.”

Right now, that’s enjoying football season where he is a fullback and linebacker and, for a brief time, he eats whatever he pleases.  But his mind doesn’t often stray from wrestling, which he sees far into his future.

Photo by Boris V

He said he has received letters from a number of top schools, including Iowa, Cornell, Columbia, Oklahoma and Lehigh, among others.  Williams isn’t sure what direction he’ll choose, but did stress that he’s looking for a place where his academic success will be a priority.  He also made clear that contrary to what he might have thought in the past, he won’t be a heavyweight.

“Reggie was thinking for a while he could be at 285 in college but then we went to the Penn State vs. Ohio State dual meet,” head coach Jordan Glenn said.  “After he saw the size of the boys at that level, he didn’t think that heavyweight would be the route for him.”

In fact, Williams said he “should have gone 182” last year and that he may certify at that weight for the upcoming campaign.

But at this point, the most important number isn’t his weight – it’s “nine”.

“We tell the boys all the time about the eight individual state champions we’ve had at this school,” Glenn said. “We talk about who will step up and become the ninth. We’re looking to get number nine this year and Reggie has what it takes to do it.”

“I’m thinking all the time about being number nine,” Williams said before quickly adding, “Or number 10 if one of my teammates beats me to it. That’s what’s driving me so much right now.  I’m going all out. I don’t want to lose a match and I want to pin anyone who steps on the mat with me.  My mindset now is that I have to win.  I wanted to be a three-time state champion but now I want to be the first two-time champion in Johnson City history.  I daydream about what I would do after winning states a lot.”

That would be yet another trophy for Reggie Williams.

 

More Season Preview Articles (and more on the way)

Section 1 Preview

Section 3 Preview

Section 7 Preview

Section 8 Preview

Section 9 Preview

CHSAA Preview

 

Features (more to come):

Section 1 Feature:  Aslanian and Realbuto, All-State Wrestlers and Workout Partners, Seek to End Their Careers on Top of the Podium

Section 5 Feature: The “Miracle” Continues: The Return of Aaron Paddock

Section 11 Feature: Nick Piccininni Looks to Continue Winning Streak