Category Archives: Division 1

Dake, Davis Take Third in Challenge Tournaments; Anderson Earns Third on Day 2

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UPDATED: April 22

Results of Wrestlers with New York Connections on April 22, 2012

Carver Hawkeye Arena  Iowa City, Iowa

 

Jon Anderson (Army): 74 KG Greco

3rd Place

Win Marco Toledo (No Limit Soldier) 0-1, 1-0, 4-1

Win Andy Bisek (MN Storm) 0-1, 1-0, 1-0

Loss Ben Provisor (Sunkist Kids) 1-0, 1-0

Win Tanner Andrews (USOEC) Pin 0-4, 1:24

Win Jake Fisher (NYAC) Pin 1:54

 

Max Askren (NYAC): 84 KG Freestyle

Win Mack Lewnes (NYAC/Finger Lakes Wrestling Club) 1-1, 2-0, 5-1

Loss Jake Herbert (NYAC/Cliff Keen WC) 3-0, 6-0

Win Jon Reader (Sunkist Kids/Cyclone WC) 1-3, 2-1, 4-0

Loss Keith Gavin (LVAC) 2-1, 4-0

 

Mark Gillen (ATWA): 60 KG Greco

Loss Donavan Depatto (US Marine) 1-0, 0-1, 2-0

Loss Chad Vandiver (Sunkist Kids) 5-5, 1-0

 

Adam Hall (NYAC- Columbia Assistant Coach): 66 KG Freestyle

Loss Chase Pami (Sunkist Kids/Team OTC) 2-0, 3-0

Win Jordan Oliver (Gator) 1-0, 1-1

Win Philip Simpson (Army/Team OTC) 4-3, 2-1

Win Zack Bailey (Victory) 1-0, 0-1, 1-0

Loss Josh Churella (NYAC/Cliff Keen WC) 2-0, 2-0

 

Mack Lewnes (NYAC/Finger Lakes Wrestling Club): 84 KG Freestyle

Loss Max Askren (NYAC) 1-1, 2-0, 5-1

Win Quentin Wright (NLWC) Pin 1:27

Loss Raymond Jordan (Sunkist Kids) 2-1, 2-1

 

Mark McKnight (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club): 55 KG Freestyle

Win Danny Felix 0-1, 1-0, 1-0

Win Zach Sanders (MN Storm) 1-0, 5-0

Loss Sam Hazewinkel (Sunkist Kids) 1-0, 1-0

Loss Obe Blanc (Gator) 0-1, 5-0, 6-0

 

Frank Perrelli (NYAC/Finger Lakes Wrestling Club): 55 KG Freestyle

Loss Ben Kjar (Kingdom Klub) 0-1, 1-0, 3-0

Win Michael Martinez (Gator/Wyoming RTC) 6-0, 3-1

Loss Matt McDonough (Hawkeye WC) 1-4, 7-0, 5-1

 

Philip Simpson (Army/Team OTC): 66 KG Freestyle

Win Kevin LeValley (MN Storm) 1-0, 2-1

Loss Teyon Ware (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) 8-6, 1-1, 3-3

Loss Adam Hall (NYAC) 4-3, 2-1

Results of Wrestlers with New York Connections on April 21, 2012

Carver Hawkeye Arena  Iowa City, Iowa

 

Kyle Dake (NYAC/Finger Lakes WC) 74 KG Freestyle 

3rd in Challenge Tournament

Win Colt Sponseller (NYAC/Ohio RTC) 2-0, 1-0

Win Nick Marable (Sunkist Kids) 0-1, 1-0, 1-0

Loss Trent Paulson (Sunkist Kids/CWC) 2-0, 0-1, 6-0

Win David Taylor (NLWC) Pin 5-0, 1:28

Win Nick Marable (Sunkist Kids) 3-0, 1-1

 

Kristie Davis (OCU/Gator) 72 KG Women’s Freestyle 

3rd in Challenge Tournament

Win Kendra Lewis (Lindenwood) 1-0, 5-0

Loss Stephany Lee (Sunkist Kids) Pin 0-1, 2-1, 1:08

Win Brittany Roberts (OCU/Gator) 2-0, 5-0

Win Julia Salata (King College) 6-0, 5-0

 

Dmitry Ryabchinskiy (NYAC/USEOC): 55 KG Greco

Win Mike Fuenffinger (MN Storm) 3-0, 1-1

Loss Max Nowry (NYAC) 6-0, 5-1

Loss Nathan Engel (Army) 2-4, 1-0, 1-0

 

Amy Whitbeck (NYAC): 55 KG Women’s Freestyle

Loss Michaela Hutchinson (OCU/Gator) 2-1, 4-0

Loss Randi Beltz (Missouri Valley College) Pin 2-1, 0:54

Empire Nationals 2012 Features Top Youth Talent in Individual and Dual Championships

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Last weekend, over 800 wrestlers from more than seven states descended on SUNY Brockport for the Brute Empire Nationals.  On Saturday, champions were crowned in over 60 brackets in the individual tournament.  The following day, many competitors returned to the mats for dual meet tournaments in both the youth and high school divisions.

The list of individual champions spanned from New York state high school placers like Justin Corradino to NHSCA National champions such as Dane Heberlein and Jordan Torbitt.  Participants came from as close as nearby towns in New York and from longer distances such as West Virginia and Ohio.

“The level of competition and quality of wrestling were absolutely phenomenal,” said Adam Burgos, head coach of the G2 Wrestling Academy in New York, who organized Sunday’s events.  “A lot of really great kids who are used to winning took some losses because they faced great competition.”

Last year, four teams participated in both the youth and high school dual competitions. (It was the first time the event featured a dual component).  On Sunday, 12 squads from five states battled for the youth title.

The finals featured a pair of familiar foes.  At the NYWAY State championships a few weeks ago, G2 finished on top with Cobra Wrestling Academy taking second.  This time, the results were reversed as Cobra, from the Buffalo area, earned the championship.

“I was excited for our kids,” said Cobra Executive Director Keith Maute. “It was exciting that every kid on the team trains at our club, with the exception of one weight where one of our stars was on vacation.  It was a great event to win.”

But the path to the finals was anything but easy.  In pool competition, Cobra came into the final bout against Pennsylvania’s NEPA Posse with a just a two point advantage, but secured the victory with a pin.  Things were even tighter against eventual third place finisher Smitty’s Barn.

After the matches were wrestled against the New Hampshire squad, the score was tied at 24.  The first six tiebreaker criteria didn’t break the deadlock.  On the seventh criterion, Cobra was declared the victor.

“Those duals against NEPA Posse and Smitty’s Barn came down to the wire,” said Maute. “We didn’t wrestle our best down low against Smitty’s, but as the dual meet went on and we saw we could be in trouble, guys stepped up and got the job done.  It was so close – we both had eight wins, there weren’t any pins, techs or majors.   There weren’t any penalty points.  We won on the seventh criteria – most first points scored.”

Maute wasn’t sure how his team would react in the finals.

“I didn’t know if it helped us or hurt us that we wrestled those close duals before,” he said. “The kids definitely understood that every point really matters, but I thought we might be tired.  But it didn’t seem to affect us that much.  There were some close matches and we won them early to set the tone and make us feel comfortable.  We’re very familiar with G2 – we know what they have and vice versa.  The score wasn’t that close in the end, but it was intense.”

“It was a battle,” Burgos added. “I’ve been to high school duals with a lot of emotion and this was right there.  [G2] lost the close matches, but the competition was great.  The coaches were all heated because it was intense, but afterwards, we were all high fiving.”

Cobra also was a finalist in the high school dual event, despite having to forfeit four weights and essentially beginning every meet down 24-0.

“We lost to the Ragin Raisins by 18 points.  If we had all of our guys, maybe we would have had a shot,” Maute said.  “It’s hard to say, they were really good. I was proud of the way the guys wrestled despite missing some weights.”

Both coaches felt that the team competition improved the individual event … and vice versa.

“The dual meet environment really enhances the individual tournament because the teams bring their best athletes,” Burgos said.  “They get a whole weekend of wrestling out of the trip.  One of the referees was telling me that the talent this year far exceeded what he’d seen before.  I attribute that to the clubs bringing their studs and that will continue to make the Empire Nationals better.”

The organizers aim for the event to not only be better, but also bigger next year.  Burgos said the hope is that registration will top 1200 for the individual event with 16 youth teams and 10 high school squads joining the team competition in 2013.

Burgos also acknowledged the work of the many people who contributed to the success of the event in 2012.

“The staff and the support from SUNY Brockport was awesome,” Burgos said.  “Jay Haas, who runs the individual tournament, did an amazing job and coach Bill Jacoutot of Brockport was great.”

For videos of the tournament, see:

http://www.flowrestling.org/coverage/248738-Empire-Nationals-2012

The following is a list of dual and individual results for the 2012 Brute Empire Nationals:

Individual Tournament, Championship Finals:

Division 1

43 Pounds: Ryan Devins (Saranac) pin Ethan Illerbrun (Independent), 2:34

48 Pounds: Colin Bradshaw (Pin2Win) dec Myles Gronowski (Cobra), 9-3

53 Pounds: Carson Alberti (Cobra) dec Carter Schubert (Superior Academy), 5-2

60 Pounds: Caleb Schaffer (Blackdog) pin Aidan Murtagh (Newton Braves), 0:41

70 Pounds: Jayden Scott (G2) dec Ethan Sanderson (Titletown Fight Club), 4-0

95 Pounds: Jacob Gates (Mexico) pin Jared Haers (Midlakes), 0:41

 

Division 2

50 Pounds: Jake Craig (Smittys Barn) pin Anthony Surace (Superior Academy), 0:33

55 Pounds: Ryan Crookham (Neshaminy) dec Stevo Poulin (Journeymen), 2-1

60 Pounds: Kelly Dunnigan (Olympic) over Jacob Deguire (Journeymen), 11-0

70 Pounds: Daniel Sheppard (Tyw) dec Brock Delsignore (Journeymen), 4-1

75 Pounds: Jake Evans (Btw) dec Dean Shambo (Mexico), 2-1

80 Pounds: Cooper Kropman (Penfield 162) dec Anthony Rasmussen (South Jefferson), 4-3

90 Pounds: Case Keagan (Adirondack) pin Ethan Zimmerman (C. Columbia), 0:54

 

Division 3

60 Pounds: Andrew Fallon (Smittys Barn) dec Myles Griffin (Mexico), 2-0

65 Pounds: Michael Gonyea (Journeymen) dec Nicolas Botello (Smittys Barn), 9-4

70 Pounds: Orion Anderson (Barnbrawlers) maj David Krokowski (Rock Solid), 8-0

75 Pounds: Caleb Johnson (Team Viper) dec Kyle Greene (South Lewis), 4-0

80 Pounds: Connor McGonagle (Smittys Barn) dec Dillan Palaszewski (Journeymen), 7-4

85 Pounds: Matthew Cabezas (Smittys Barn) pin Najee Lockett (Shaker Raiders), 2:45

90 Pounds: Creighton Edsell (NEPA Posse) dec Hector Colom (Ragin Raisins), 1-0

100 Pounds: Eoghan Sweeney (Journeymen) dec Elijah Rodriguez (Gladiators), 5-4

110 Pounds: Jake Hendricks (NEPA Posse) over Matthew Martusciello (Wawc), 13-2

135 Pounds: Frankie Gissendanner (G2) maj Michael Leibl (The Edge), 16-7

160 Pounds: Ian Malesiewski (Ragin Raisins)

200 Pounds: Travis Kuttler (West Branch)

 

Division 4

73 Pounds: Trent Snader (Renegade Force) pin Timothy Wheeler (Ragin Raisins), 0:42

78 Pounds: Dylan Disano (Marcaurele) dec Cody Craig (Maine Mat Cats), 2-0

83 Pounds: Dane Heberlein (Cobra) dec Brian Courtney (Athens), 2-0

90 Pounds: Parker Kropman (Penfield 162) dec Jonathan Soto (Marcaurele), 2-1

95 Pounds: Jimmy Hoffman (NEPA Posse) dec Troy Keller (Cobra), 6-0

100 Pounds: Yianni Diakomihalis (G2) over Ryan O’Rourke (Adirondack), 2-0

115 Pounds: Brandon Desfosses (Smittys Barn) over Xavier Barber (Dallas), 10-0

135 Pounds: AJ Aerberli (Warwick Youth) dec Trent Kowalski (NEPA Posse), 2-0

175 Pounds: Joseph Messare (Aplea) dec Michael Daskavitz (Lockport), 4-1

 

Division 5

105 Pounds: Charles Lenox (Ragin Raisins) dec Houstin McCune (Calhoun), 5-1

112 Pounds: Jake Gromacki (Ragin Raisins) dec Jared Price (Pioneer), 6-0

120 Pounds: Kaleb Young (Ragin Raisins) dec Craig Delacruz (Jersey Fresh), 1-0

130 Pounds: Kyle Lukowich (Ragin Raisins) dec Jack Glasl (Brockway), 4-0

135 Pounds: Johnny Taylor (Calhoun) dec Sonny Simonetti (Garden State Fresh), 4-1

140 Pounds: Billy Barnes over Glenn Haines (Garden State Fresh), 11-0

145 Pounds: Connor Lawrence (Journeymen) dec Austin Leon (Angry Fish), 5-3

152 Pounds: Jordan Torbitt (Finger Lakes) pin Dillon Shaw (Vipers), 0:58

160 Pounds: Trevor Allard (Mexico) pin Josh Burge (Elmira), 2:51

171 Pounds: Ethan Barnes (Hughesville) pin Justin Sanders (Gridiron Train), 3:10

189 Pounds: Jeff Velez (Jersey Fresh) pin Joe Nasoni (Baldwinsville), 2:19

250 Pounds: Paul Herrera (Saranac) pin Austin Slocum (Ragin Raisins), 3:39

 

Division 6

112 Pounds: Bryan Damon (Olympic) pin Bryan Ruggeri (G2), 1:42

125 Pounds: Justin Corradino (Olympic) over Hobie Stranssner (Webster), 10-0

130 Pounds: Logan Everett dec Ryan Kromer (Super Six), 10-4

135 Pounds: Christian Stone (Ragin Raisins) dec Karl Lightner (Ragin Raisins), 4-3

140 Pounds: Danny Delgallo (River Valley Wrestling) dec Dan Reagan (Lancers), 3-2

145 Pounds: Nolan Barger (Ragin Raisins) dec Tim Wheeling (Ragin Raisins), 3-0

161 Pounds: Ryan Vanguilder (Ragin Raisins) dec Rowdy Prior (Pin2win), 2-0

171 Pounds: Cole Shirey (Ragin Raisins) dec Michael Green (Journeymen), 4-3

189 Pounds: Jeffrey Lake (Alden Cobra) dec Zacary Kousa (Olympic), 5-4

220 Pounds: Andrew Welton (Ragin Raisins) pin Reggie Williams (Johnson City), 2:49

275 Pounds: Sam Eagan (Empire State WC) dec Frank Shomers (Niagara Falls), 4-3

** Full results not available for the following weight classes: Division 2 65 pounds, Division 4 (105, 125, 150, 230 pounds), Division 5 (98, 125 pounds) and Division 6 (105, 120 and 152 pounds)

 

Youth Dual Meet Results 

  1. Cobra Wrestling Academy (NY)
  2. G2 Wrestling Academy (NY)
  3. Smitty’s Barn – (New Hampshire)
  4. Ragin Raisins (PA)
  5. NEPA Posse (PA)
  6. Finger Lakes Wrestling Club (NY)
  7. Journeymen Wrestling Club (NY)
  8. West Virginia Elite (WV)
  9. Superior Wrestling Academy (NY)
  10. 10. Brockport Youth (NY)
  11. 11. Newton Wrestling Club (NJ)
  12. 12. X-Men (NY)

High School Dual Meet Results

  1. Ragin Raisins (PA)
  2. Cobra (NY)
  3. Superior Wrestling Academy (NY)
  4. Team Empire Nationals (NY)
  5. New Jersey Outlaws (NJ)
  6. Garden State Fresh (NJ)

–Betsy Veysman

Like Father, Like Son: Mark Gillen "Comes From Nowhere" to Qualify for Olympic Trials

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By Betsy Veysman

It was a pretty good weekend to be named Mark Gillen.

On March 31 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mark Gillen Sr. achieved a goal he set over 20 years ago when he won the Veterans Folkstyle National championship at 152 pounds.  On the same day, his son Mark Jr. punched his ticket to the 2012 Olympic Trials at 60 kg in Greco Roman with a second place finish at the Last Chance Qualifier.

For many, Mark Jr.’s runner up finish came out of nowhere, as other than an open tournament in Canastota earlier in March, he hadn’t competed since taking third at the New York State championships in 2009 as a senior for Johnstown High School.

Those who know the Gillens, however, weren’t overly surprised.  They may simply suggest that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Rewind back to 1989, when after three full years without any wrestling following a car accident, Mark Sr. decided he wanted to test himself on the mat again.  He worked on an exercise bicycle for a month and then drove to Topeka, Kansas with his wife for the USA Wrestling Greco Senior Nationals.

Gillen Sr., who had been training for the 1988 Olympics before his accident, beat the alternate for that Olympic team in overtime in the quarterfinals and then, in great pain, left the tournament with no losses and a sixth place medal.

“I really wanted to do it one more time,” he said. “I didn’t wrestle before going, I just biked because my back was really bad.  People called me the ‘phantom wrestler’ because I snuck up out of nowhere. It was a lot like what my son just did.”

Over the following six years, Mark Sr. underwent four back surgeries.  The discomfort was significant, but he longed for another chance on the mat.

“I said that if my back healed and I could get back into shape, I would do it again,” he said.  “I wanted a Hail Mary, a last hurrah. I decided that when I turned 50 I would wrestle at the Veteran Nationals with a goal of winning in all three styles.” (The championship he won on March 31 was the first part, in folkstyle).

To reach that objective, he knew he needed a training partner.  He didn’t have to look too far to find a good candidate – Mark Jr.

So, the pair began to work out, with an eye toward getting Mark Sr. on top of the Veterans Nationals podium three times.  But there was another, albeit longer term, goal in mind.  Mark Jr. had dreams of making an Olympic Team in Greco, as his father had dreamed years ago.  Believing that the window of opportunity to make a run at the 2012 squad had closed, the Gillens saw the training as the first step in Mark Jr.’s preparation for the 2016 Olympic Trials.

But then something unexpected happened.  When Mark Sr. was in the process of signing up for the Veterans Nationals, he saw the Last Chance Qualifier listed on the website.  He realized that his son could attempt an Olympic berth four years earlier than anticipated.

“We thought we were training anyway, so why not do it?” Mark Sr. said.  “We wanted to see where he would fall against the best competition.”

So, Mark Jr. registered, at first preparing to wrestle both Freestyle and Greco.

“Mark and I have always been the same.  We both would rather do Freestyle, but we’re just better at Greco,” the father said.  “I always wished I was at the same level in free as I was in Greco.”

A few weeks before their big events in Iowa, father and son competed in an open tournament at the Mohawk Valley Festival in Canastota in both styles.  Mark Jr. took first in a small class in Freestyle while Mark Sr. was sixth against a much younger group of challengers.

“I don’t think I had wrestled Freestyle since before anyone else I wrestled in the tournament was even born,” Mark Sr. said.  “It was fun though.  The next day was Greco and my son went up to 152 pounds and beat everyone, including most of the guys who had beaten me the day before in Freestyle.  It was great to be avenged by my son.”

Even with that successful foray into Freestyle, there was a change of heart as the Last Chance Qualifier approached.

“[Longtime coach and friend] Joe DeMeo suggested that Mark just wrestle Greco,” Mark Sr. said.  “He thought Mark could be a real contender for a spot in the Olympic Trials if he stuck to Greco.  Mark listened and really believed he could do it.”

That belief showed as he began the Last Chance Qualifier event with a pin in 1:30 against Eric Miller of Southern MN Wrestling Club.  He next earned a three period decision over Julian Gunnels of Warrior Wrestling Club before upsetting eighth-ranked Jimmy Chase of the NYAC to guarantee a bid to the Olympic Trials.  [Chase was granted a wildcard].

“I think it was a good thing that I had no idea who [Chase] was before the match,” Gillen Jr. said.  “I just went in and wrestled my match and it seemed to work out well.  I was able to score off my headlock and I felt like I controlled the match for the most part.”

“My expectations were that he would be competitive but if I’m being honest, I didn’t think he would make the finals,” Mark Sr. added.  “The win over [Jimmy] Chase was great. Chase was saying afterwards that he couldn’t believe he got beat by that ‘no-name.’”

In the finals, Gillen Jr. lost in two periods to Chad Vandiver of Sunkist Kids.

“I think after I qualified, it hit me where I was and I got extremely nervous,” Gillen Jr. added. “I got caught up in the moment.  But in a way it’s better that I lost in the finals.  It gave me the motivation to come out and train and push on.  It was definitely a wake up call that there was a lot to do before the Olympic Trials.”

It also was hard for Mark Jr. to be too disappointed in his finals loss after realizing what his family had achieved.

“Probably the best part of the weekend was watching my dad win,” he said. “We were both training together and I watched him win his final right before I wrestled.  There wasn’t enough time in between his match and mine, so he coached me still wearing his singlet.  It was really cool to both reach our goals.”

It wasn’t the first time Mark Jr. had beaten the odds with little preparation.

The younger Gillen had what his father called a “spotty” career for Johnstown High.  He medaled at states as a junior and senior, but in an earlier campaign missed weight by a tenth of a pound and watched grapplers he had beaten place at the state tournament.

In his final season, he tore his meniscus in his fourth match.  He didn’t compete again, even at practice, until the Eastern States, where he aggravated the injury.

“At that point I didn’t think he’d be back,” said Mark Sr., who was the Johnstown head coach at the time. “He couldn’t run to get his weight down, so he went up a weight for sectionals.  He went to states still without practicing and lost one match, to the eventual champion, on a technical violation call.  It was incredible.”

Many would describe his Olympic Trials berth the same way.  Since qualifying, he has been preparing at the USOEC in Michigan.  He knows he’s a bit of a dark horse, but is excitedly awaiting next weekend’s event in Iowa City.

“I would like to at least win a couple of matches and get my name out there a little bit more,” he said. “I believe it myself and winning it would be nice.  We’ll see what happens.”

Mark Jr.’s move to Michigan has temporarily left his father without a workout partner.  But Mark Sr. marches on, getting ready for the final two parts of the Veterans Triple Crown. The Freestyle and Greco competitions are in early May in Arizona.

After that, Mark Sr. will look for a new target.

“After I finish the wrestling in May, I want to do the Ironman in Lake Placid,” he said. “I know that if I don’t keep a goal in front of me, I’ll be a couch potato.  It’s difficult to get into the Ironman, but I said I’m going to do it and I believe I will.”

Based on past experience, it’s hard to question him.   But in addition to working towards the many miles of swimming, biking and running involved in the Ironman, Mark Sr. will undoubtedly be assisting his son in his journey toward the Olympic goal that he also longed for before injuries derailed his chances.

“It’s been a great ride and it will continue to be,” Mark Sr. said. “I’ve been living my own dream and now I’m watching my son live his.”

Cornell's Frank Perrelli Does "Dirty" Work as Olympic Trials Approach

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By Betsy Veysman

Frank Perrelli took care of business on the mat at the NCAA tournament in St. Louis, earning his first All-American honors with a fourth place showing.

But when he returned to Ithaca, there was still a lot of business left to do.

While the senior captain poured most of his focus into wrestling and academics at Cornell over the past year, he also spent considerable time on the business he co-owns with sophomore teammate Brett Henderson.

Henderson founded Dirty Surf & Skate, a company that produces all types of apparel, several years ago but took a break until he decided to re-start operations this past fall with Perrelli.

“I was really interested in the company, so when the opportunity arose, I hopped on board,” Perrelli said.  “Brett’s from California and I’m from New Jersey and spent my summers at the Jersey Shore. We’ve both spent a lot of time around the surf and skate community, so we’re using our roots and producing clothes for that community.”

The grapplers, both students in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell, are responsible for nearly all aspects of the business at this point.

“We’re doing all the grunt work and the designing, producing, marketing and promotion right now,” Perrelli said.  “There isn’t that much that we aren’t taking care of.”

The Hackettstown, New Jersey native admits that the venture took a bit of a backseat during the Big Red’s season.

It has likely done the same in recent weeks since late March, when Perrelli was granted a wildcard to the Olympic Trials, which will take place next Sunday, April 22 in Iowa City.

While the former University Nationals champion attained success in folkstyle for the Big Red, it’s no secret that freestyle, which takes advantage of his strengths in neutral, is his favorite type of wrestling.

“I really feel like freestyle complements my wrestling well,” he said. “I’ve done pretty well in competition the past couple of years while training only two months a year or less in freestyle.  Now that I’ll be able to dedicate all my wrestling time to freestyle rather than folk, I feel like I can make the big jumps and improve the way I want to.  When I can focus on freestyle, I think I’ll be among the best in the country, if not the best.  But I’m actually hoping to make that kind of statement next week at the Olympic Trials.”

He won’t enter the event as a favorite, but he is unlikely to be overlooked.  In the past few years, the two-time EIWA champion has defeated Nick Simmons (fifth at the 2011 World Championships) and former World Team Member Obe Blanc, while taking fifth at the 2011 US Senior Open.  In short, he has demonstrated that he can compete with the best the USA has to offer.

“Having beaten those guys definitely gives me confidence,” he said. “I know that I’m right there with them. Obviously, whoever has the best day next Sunday will make the Olympic team. I think that if I have a good day, I’m one of the guys that can make the team.”

He has had a lot of help in his preparation.  Big Red teammates Kyle Dake and Mack Lewnes have also been training for the Trials.  Dake received an at large bid after his third NCAA title in three years and Lewnes qualified in December of 2011 at an event in Las Vegas.   Many members of the Cornell staff have significant freestyle experience, as does Finger Lakes Wrestling Club head Clint Wattenberg.  Experienced freestyle coach Steve Knight of Excel Wrestling has also been in town assisting.

“There a ton of people for me to train with here,” Perrelli said. “We all try to help each other out.  Kyle and I had to make the switch from folkstyle pretty quickly and I think we have been able to do it in a short period of time because of our great staff.”

In addition to the great staff, Perrelli will be bringing a little Dirty Surf & Skate with him on his quest for London.

“We’re producing some Olympic Trials shirts for Mack, Kyle, and me.  We’re going to wear the shirts and my family is as well.  Obviously, the first priority for all of us is wrestling.  But we might as well promote the business as well on that stage.”

No matter what occurs in Iowa City, Perrelli is committed to the sport for the long haul.   He will remain in Ithaca next year, along with fellow senior Cam Simaz, to coach at the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club.

“I’m definitely not ready to leave Cornell yet,” he said.  “I call Ithaca home now.  And I really believe it is the best training situation for me, so it works out perfectly.  I am focused on the here and now, but no matter how much success I have this year, I see myself wrestling at least until 2016, if not longer.”

While competing in the sport will remain tops on his list, Perrelli is also glad that he will be able to continue his “Dirty” work.

“Wrestling will still come first, but I will have a lot more time to dedicate to the company,” he said. “It will definitely be a big part of my life.  Brett has a few more years around here, so we’ll have time to grow and build the company, which is really exciting.”

Also exciting to Perrelli is the opportunity to achieve more in the sport he loves.  While he was proud of making the podium this season, he said he wasn’t really satisfied.

“I honestly haven’t given too much thought to NCAAs since coming back,” he said. “Both losses I had were really close and in overtime.  There’s nothing I can do about that now, so I don’t dwell on it.  Don’t get me wrong, I was happy to be an All-American, but I was really close to more than that and it’s disappointing.  I guess I’ll have to make up for it in freestyle.”

 

For more information on Dirty Surf & Skate, see the website at:

http://dirtysurfnskate.com/

State Champ Steven Rodrigues Wins FILA Junior Freestyle Title; FLWC Places Four

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By Betsy Veysman

Steven Rodrigues ended his high school career at Fox Lane with a state championship.

This weekend, at the FILA Juniors, he added a national title to his resume.

“Going into any tournament, my expectation is to win,” he said.  “Whether it’s a local tournament back home or a tournament like FILA Juniors, I’m looking to perform my best and win it.”

The University of Illinois freshman did just that at 63 kg (138.75 pounds), going 5-0 on the day.

He began with a 3-2, 3-0 victory over Zach Stepan of the Minnesota Storm before dropping the first period to Badger Wrestling Club’s Tommy Glenn in his next bout.  However, Rodrigues dominated the remainder of the match with the Wisconsin wrestler, winning the final two periods 5-2 and 6-0 to move on to the quarterfinals where he faced Jack Clark of Raw 241.

“I got off to a slow start [against Clark], like I did in a lot of my matches,” he said. “I knew if I just kept my pace going, guys weren’t going to be able to hang around.  I won in the clinch in the second and then got to my offense and got a takedown to win it in the third.”

After that 1-1, 1-0, 1-0 triumph, Rodrigues topped Old Dominion’s Taylor Moeder to earn a berth in the title bout against Northwestern’s Jameson Oster.

The Wildcat grappler took the lead early, but Rodrigues responded, picking up two points for exposure in a scramble to capture the first period.  The second stanza had a similar beginning as Oster grabbed a 1-0 advantage, but the former Section I star took his opponent down with less than 15 seconds remaining to earn the victory, 2-2, 1-1. (The wrestler to score last wins a tied period in freestyle in most cases).

“I knew he was really funky,” Rodrigues said. “I knew he did a lot of crotch lifts and tried to stay away from that as much as possible. I fell behind both times and knew I had to keep attacking.  I didn’t think he could handle my pace.”

The winners of the seven Olympic weight classes earned automatic bids into the best of three finals of the FILA World Team Trails on May 25 in Colorado Springs.   The champions of those seven classes were: Joey Dance (55 kg), Mark Grey (60 kg), Destin McCauley (66 kg), Nazar Kulchytskyy (74 kg), Pat Downey (84 kg), Andrew Campolattano (96 kg) and Austin Marsden (120 kg).

63 kg is not one of those Olympic weights, so Rodrigues did not get an automatic finals berth.  However, he still plans to battle for a spot on the Junior World Team.

“I wanted to see how I would feel at 63 kg first and I felt pretty good,” he said. “I’m definitely going to the World Team Trials, either at 60 or 66 kg. The Trials are about six weeks away, and I will decide with my coaches which weight will be best for me and give me the best chance to make this World Team. Both weights are really tough, so I’ll have to prepare hard for this.  But I love to wrestle and compete and freestyle is really fun for me.  It’s something I’ve worked on the last couple of years, back in New York with Max Askren and Brian Realbuto.”

Rodrigues has continued that training in the Midwest and feels that the environment in the Illini room has already helped him step up his game since transferring in from Rutgers for the second semester.

“It’s been great at Illinois,” he said.  “I idolized [Associate Head Coach] Mark Perry growing up, watching him as a Hawkeye.  Wrestling in the Big 10 at a big time program really caught my eye.  I get along great with the team and the coaches and I’ve gotten a lot better.  But there’s still lots more to go.”

Rodrigues said he will compete at either 133 or 141 pounds as a redshirt freshman for Illinois next season.  But his freestyle goals are most important right now.

“[FILA Juniors] was great competition,” Rodrigues said.  “It was definitely a stepping stone in the right direction for me.  It was great to get my first national title and hopefully there are more to come in the future.”

Empire State Makes Its Presence Felt

Rodrigues wasn’t the only wrestler with Empire State connections to stand on the podium this weekend, as several grapplers who will suit up for New York colleges also had successful tournaments.

Four future Cornell wrestlers, who spent this campaign at the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club (FLWC), earned medals in freestyle.

At 55 kg (121.25 pounds), two candidates to join the Big Red’s lightweight corps in 2012-13, Caleb Richardson and Nahshon Garrett, took fourth and sixth, respectively.  The future teammates met in the consolation semifinals, with Richardson earning the three-period victory.

Also making the trip from Ithaca was Chris Dowdy, who notched fourth at 70 kg (154.25 lbs) with both of his losses coming to Isaac Jordan of Ohio.  His FLWC teammate Duke Pickett went 6-2 on the day and stood fifth at 74 kg (163 pounds) in a bracket with nearly 50 competitors.

While not Empire State residents yet, 2012 high school graduates Mark Grey (Cornell) and Dwight Howes (Hofstra) had impressive showings.

Grey, who was fifth at the Junior World Championships a year ago at 55 kg, earned the championship at 60 kg (132.25 lbs).  The Blair Academy wrestler won all five of his bouts in straight periods.

Howes, a Colorado native, took third at 84 kg (185 pounds) with a 5-1 mark.  Four of his wins were by bonus as he registered a forfeit, a pin and two technical falls.

On Sunday, five current Columbia wrestlers made the podium in the Greco Roman competition while representing the New York Athletic Club.  Eric Fajardo was the highest placer of the Lion wrestlers, taking second at 74 kg/163 pounds.

In addition, multiple New York high school wrestlers placed, including a runner up showing from Jessy Williams (Windsor) at 60 kg (132.25 lbs).

New York Placewinners – FILA Juniors Freestyle

 55kg/121.5 lbs:

Fourth place – Caleb Richardson, Finger Lakes Wrestling Club (Ithaca, NY)

Sixth place – Nahshon Garrett, Finger Lakes Wrestling Club (Ithaca, NY)

60 kg/132.25 lbs:

Champion – Mark Grey, Blair Academy (Cornell recruit)

63 kg/138.75 lbs:

Champion – Steven Rodrigues, Illini Wrestling Club (Fox Lane High School)

70 kg/154.25 lbs:

Fourth place: Chris Dowdy, Finger Lakes Wrestling Club (Ithaca, NY)

74 kg/163 lbs:

Fifth place: Duke Pickett, Finger Lakes Wrestling Club (Ithaca, NY)

84 kg/185 lbs:

Third place – Dwight Howes, Colorado (Hofstra recruit)

New York Placewinners – FILA Juniors Greco Roman

60 kg/132.25 lbs:

Second place – Jessy Williams (USOEC)

Fourth place – Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer (Buffalo Grapplers)

Seventh place – Jason Chudzinski (ATWA/USOEC)

Eighth place – Jesse Holton (Shamrock)

63 kg/138.75 lbs:

Second place – Tyrel White (Shamrock)

66 kg/145.5 lbs:

Fifth place – Matt Bystol (NYAC) – Columbia

74 kg/163 lbs:

Second place – Eric Fajardo (NYAC) – Columbia

Seventh place – Connor Sutton (Happy Yo)

79 kg/174 lbs:

Fourth place – Drew Rebling (NYAC) – Columbia

96 kg/211.5 lbs:

Sixth place – Matt Idelson (NYAC) – Columbia

120 kg/264.5 lbs:

Third place: Wyatt Baker (NYAC) – Columbia

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)

Stevo Poulin Takes Third (and First) Like a Champ at Gene Mills Eastern Nationals

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By Betsy Veysman

It looked like a simple mistake.  The registration for the Gene Mills Eastern Nationals listed Stevo Poulin’s name twice – in the Midget division at 54 pounds and in the Juniors at 60.

It wasn’t an error.

After three titles in the event in the past, the nine-year old was looking for a few additional tough matches.

“Sometimes the younger division isn’t that much of a challenge,” Stevo said. “I wanted a bigger challenge.  I’ve done it before [wrestling in two brackets] at local tournaments. I wanted to try it again.”

Although he had to shuttle back and forth between mats and on more than one occasion had to literally run from the final whistle of one match to his next bout, the Schuylerville native went 8-1 overall.

“I knew I would win the [Midget],” he said. “I thought I had a chance with the older kids because they weren’t much heavier.  I was kind of close to winning.”

Poulin, who weighed in at 53 pounds, breezed through the Midget bracket and into the finals with three victories.  There, he thought he might face an opponent from Maryland who he had beaten in a close match earlier in the year.  However, he instead faced his practice partner, Joey Scheeren, in the title bout and came out on top by major decision.

“They were out there almost laughing in the finals. It was almost like they were telling each other knock-knock jokes,” said Steve Poulin, Stevo’s father.  “We traveled with them to the tournament and [Joey and Stevo] are friends.”

Things were a bit more serious in the 60-pound division.  Poulin won his first two before facing Pennsylvania’s Luke Rex.  The bout went into overtime, where Poulin was penalized for scissoring the head, resulting in a victory for Rex.

Poulin bounced back to take third place, to earn two medals on the day.  But that wasn’t what Steve Poulin wanted to talk about.

“When he lost, he didn’t get upset,” the father said.  “He ran right over to his next match.  I overheard one of the other parents saying that every kid should learn from Stevo’s match.  I thought they were going to say something bad about Stevo or about the scissoring call.  But instead they said other kids should learn from how he walked off the mat, held his head high and knew how to handle the loss. He handled himself really well and that made me feel really good.”

It was the first time Poulin had lost at the Eastern Nationals, an event he has enjoyed attending for several years.

“It was the first big national tournament I ever went to,” Stevo Poulin said. “I like it because Gene Mills is there and I like the awards [which are signed by Mills].  I have good luck there.”

Poulin hopes for more good luck next week at the Brute Empire Nationals (dual and individual) in Brockport.   He will compete for Journeymen and he looks forward to a possible rematch with Ryan Crookham, who defeated him 4-0 last summer.

There’s also something else on his mind as the weekend approaches.

“Stevo is six wins away from 400,” his father said. “Hopefully, he’ll get there this weekend.”

If it doesn’t happen this time, there will be plenty of other opportunities as the Ohio Tournament of Champions, the Minimen Nationals and several other events are on the horizon.

“It will be a busy spring and summer,” Steve Poulin said. “But we’ll still make time for soccer and other things Stevo wants to do.”

One thing Stevo wanted to do was acknowledge another victory in the family at the Gene Mills tournament.   His cousin, Orion Anderson, another outstanding youth wrestler, was the champion at 70 pounds.

A full list of Gene Mills Eastern Nationals champions will be posted when available.  For more information on the tournament, see http://www.cnypin2win.com/

Pat Popolizio Takes Head Coaching Job at NC State

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2012 CAA Coach of the Year Pat Popolizio has been named the head coach at North Carolina State University after resigning from his post at Binghamton.

In his six years at the helm of the Bearcats, Popolizio built the squad into a top 20 program, which enjoyed perhaps its finest year in 2011-12.  In addition to a program-best 14th place finish at the NCAA tournament in St. Louis, the team boasted a pair of All-Americans for the first time in junior Donnie Vinson (third at 149) and freshman Nick Gwiazdowski (eighth at 285).  The team also went 15-4 in dual meets and swept the CAA Conference awards with Coach of the Year (Popolizio), Wrestler of the Year (Vinson) and Rookie of the Year (Gwiazdowski).

“The last six years have been, by far, the most exciting and rewarding in my life and I am very thankful for all of the support that everyone associated with this program has given,” Popolizio said in a message to Binghamton alumni, family and friends on Tuesday morning.

Binghamton Director of Athletics Patrick Elliott said that a national search will begin right away to find Popolizio’s successor.

“We wish Pat well in his new position,” Elliott said in the Binghamton press release. “He’s done an outstanding job here, building our program into one of the premier wrestling programs in the country.  I want to thank him for his hard work and commitment to our student-athletes over the past six years.”

Popolizio believes the Bearcat program remains in good hands.

“With the current student-athletes and the new administration, I am confident that Binghamton’s future remains bright,” Popolizio said. “Pat Elliott showed his support and devotion by attending and cheering on the Bearcats at the NCAA tournament this year.  Ed Scott, the Associate Director of Athletics for Student Services, will be supervising the wrestling program next year and I believe in his and Pat’s abilities to continue the success of this program.”

Popolizio, who coached 21 NCAA qualifiers and four All-Americans in his time in the CAA, takes over a Wolfpack program that was fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference a year ago with one All-American.

The former Oklahoma State wrestler cited “the tremendous facilities, strong tradition and huge potential” of the NC State program as some of the reasons for accepting the new position.

 

 

 

 

New York Wrestlers Earn Titles at the War at the Shore

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Close to 1800 wrestlers traveled to Wildwood, New Jersey this holiday weekend for the 9th Annual War at the Shore Folkstyle Nationals.  Some of New York’s finest were among the grapplers in attendance, battling with opponents from up and down the East Coast and around the country.

Six Empire State participants won individual titles on Saturday with more than 30 placing fourth or better in their weights.

Darien resident Dane Heberlein continued his winning ways after earning a national title at the NHSCA Middle School tournament in Virginia Beach the previous Saturday (and a NYWAY State Championship the weekend before). Heberlein cruised to five straight wins, including a 4-2 decision in the finals over Trevor Tarsi of Nazareth, PA at 85 pounds in Division 4.

A pair of representatives from 631 Elite stood on top of the podium in Division 3, as Adam Busiello took the 77-pound crown and Peter Pappas prevailed in the 82-pound class.  Busiello outscored his opponents 49-7 over his five bouts while Pappas opened with three commanding victories before coming out on top in one-point matches in the semis and finals. 631 Elite had a strong tournament overall, with eight competitors finishing in the top four at the event.

Another Suffolk resident atop the podium was Sachem East’s Jakob Restrepo, who was the victor at 140 pounds in Division 4.  Restrepo, who was 28-1 during the high school season at 120 and 126 pounds according to the NWCA Scorebook, yielded just two points in his five matches while notching a pin and a major decision.  He defeated Delaware’s Lucas Monson 5-0 for the championship.

Benny Baker of Newark Valley took the title at 83 pounds while representing JGold.  The NYWAY State Champion made quick work of his first two foes, winning by fall in less than two minutes in both bouts.  He then followed with a 4-1 semifinal triumph and a 4-0 victory over 631 Elite’s Ryan Burgbacher in the finale.

The final New York champion was Kevin Mulligan of the Olympic Club, who took his first three bouts by a combined score of 20-0 at 165 pounds before topping Will Lang of Utah 7-2 to earn the title.

For a list of top four medalists from New York*, see below:

 

Champions

Benny Baker (JGold) – 83 Pounds, Division 2

Adam Busiello (631 Elite) – 77 Pounds, Division 3

Dane Heberlein (Viper Garage Elite) – 85 Pounds, Division 4

Kevin Mulligan (Olympic) – 165 Pounds, Division 4

Peter Pappas (631 Elite) – 82 Pounds, Division 3

Jakob Restrepo (Sachem East) – 140 Pounds, Division 4

 

Second Place

David Berkovich (Elite Wrestling Academy) – 78 Pounds, Division 2

Ryan Burgbacher (631 Elite) – 83 Pounds, Division 2

Nicholas Casella (Covert) – 102 Pounds, Division 4

Billy Ciccarelli (West Point WC) – 125 Pounds, Division 3

Justin Corradino (Olympic) – 127 Pounds, Division 5

Thomas Cox (631 Elite) – 75 Pounds, Division 4

Joey Gates (Suffolk) – 137 Pounds, Division 5

Josh Logiudice (Guilderland) – 95 Pounds, Division 5

Cody Phillips (Cobra) – 90 Pounds, Division 1

Jose Rodriguez (Ascend) – 107 Pounds, Division 5

Dylan Rider (631 Elite) – 67 Pounds, Division 3

 

Third Place

CJ Archer (Rocky Point Elite) – 90 Pounds, Division 4

Timothy Castillo (Port Wrestling) – 140 Pounds, Division 3

Jesse Dellavecchia (East Islip) – 96 Pounds, Division 4

Tyler Joseph (Olympic) – 70 Pounds, Division 1

Jake Murphy (Wantagh) – 56 Pounds, Division 1

Nicholas Pagnotta (Rocky Point Elite) – 80 Pounds, Division 4

Sean Romanski (NY Titan) – 137 Pounds, Division 5

Jake Silverstein (631 Elite) – 82 Pounds, Division 3

Sam Ward (VHW) – 128 pounds, Division 4

 

Fourth Place

Vitali Arujau (VHW) – 99 Pounds, Division 3

Nick Bernardo (VHW) – 200 Pounds, Division 3

AJ Burkhart (IWC) – 82 Pounds, Division 3

Christian Gannone (631 Elite) – 62 Pounds, Division 3

Ethan Mackie (Lindenhurst), 75 Pounds, Division 1

Sean Miller (Connetquot) – 90 Pounds, Division 4

Mathew Seitz (Apex) – 102 Pounds, Division 4

Gino Titone (Connetquot) – 140 Pounds, Division 4

Jordon Wellington (631 Elite) – 58 Pounds, Division 2

Dale White (John Jay) – 162 Pounds, Division 5

 

*Some results were not complete. If you notice a missing top four placewinner, please contact us.

Ryan Cooley Discusses the Addition of Wrestling at Mount Saint Vincent

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Wrestling programs have been dropping at an alarming rate over the past few years.  However, there will be a new program in New York state next year as the College of Mount Saint Vincent will begin competing.

Head coach Ryan Cooley talks about the new program, what he is looking for in recruits and what he’s doing to build in anticipation of November’s opening dual.