Last year, the inaugural NYWAY Kickoff Classic brought several hundred youth wrestlers from five to 14 years old to the campus of Cornell University.  Many of the standouts from that event continued to make names for themselves throughout the season, including some at the varsity level.

A few examples: Penfield’s Frankie Gissendanner was named MOW at his first varsity tournament and won the prestigious Top Hat event in Pennsylvania at 126 pounds– as a seventh grader.  Alexander’s Dane Heberlein has already made an impact at 99 pounds in Section 5 while Michigan’s Devin Schroder, who won the NYWAY Kickoff a year ago at 105-110 pounds, went on to take All-America honors at the FloNationals in April at 106 as an eighth grader.

The second annual NYWAY Kickoff Classic on January 6 promises to be another top notch event, this time at Niagara County Community College (NCCC) in Sanborn, New York.  NCCC head coach Keith Maute, who is also the Director of Cobra Wrestling Academy, will serve as Tournament Director.

Around 100 wrestlers from Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania have already committed to attend and enrollment from New York has been strong.  In fact, the expectation is that over 400 youth wrestlers between the ages of five and 14 will compete.

“We are hoping to make this a true New York state championship with registration from all around the state,” said Kevin Lucinski, NYWAY’s Far Western Director. “Having top kids from other states just adds to the competition.  We want people to know that it will be professionally paired with New York certified referees and full mats.  We’re hoping it will be a flagship event for NYWAY and Section 6.”

The champion in each of the 59 weight classes will receive custom Cage Fighter shorts (pictured) and the top four finishers in each bracket will earn medals.

Lucinski notes that there has been a change to the registration process.  Rather than signing up online, all registration must be done using the mail-in form, which is here: 2013-NYWAY-KICK3

Please send the registration to:

Cobra Wrestling Academy

351 Pine St

Lockport, NY 14094

If you have already registered and paid online, please confirm your registration by e-mailing Kevin Lucinski at kslucinski@yahoo.com.

New York Wrestling News will be providing a live blog of the Grapple at the Garden.  The link is here.

Cornell started off the season with victories in its first four duals, including wins over ranked teams Oklahoma and Central Michigan while missing multiple starters, including NCAA champion Steve Bosak. This weekend will without question put the team to the test as the Big Red faces #7 Missouri at 11 a.m. and #2 Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

#7 Missouri vs. #8 Cornell

While the Tigers don’t have any former All-Americans in their starting group, they offer a balanced lineup in which every starter has been ranked in the top 20 for at least a few weeks of the season.  Both teams were at the Las Vegas Invitational a few weeks ago, where Missouri took second and the Big Red placed one spot behind in third.

“It’s hard to point to just a few key matches against Missouri, because there are big ones really all the way up and down the lineup,” Cornell assistant coach Jeremy Spates said.  “We have to win a bunch of the toss ups and have our studs put up some bonus points.”

Let’s take a look at the dual.

The Rematches

Garrett, Photo by BV

Only two head-to-head matches between the teams took place in Nevada.  One of those was a dominant 14-3 semifinal victory for Kyle Dake over Zach Toal at 165 pounds.  The other was a 6-4 title bout win for Alan Waters over Nahshon Garrett at 125.  Dake’s convincing win makes it difficult to imagine a different outcome this time around.  However, the Garrett-Waters match was competitive and we’ll see how the ever-improving Big Red freshman adjusts to the mat wrestling of Waters.  A reversal of that result would be less surprising.

“It was a really close match with some pretty close calls,” Spates said. “Nahshon likes the big stage; likes to put on a show. I’m excited to see them wrestle again.”

The Toss Ups/Battles of the Unranked Wrestlers

Chris Villalonga and Drake Houdashelt were on track to meet in the consolations at 149 pounds in Las Vegas.  However, Justin Gonzalez upset the Tiger wrestler one round before they would have faced each other. Villalonga then defeated Gonzalez 11-0 on his path to sixth.  Despite that podium finish for the Big Red wrestler, Houdashelt is the higher ranked wrestler by a few spots nationally. It appears to be a toss up match that will be pivotal in the dual.

Only two bouts feature a pair of unranked wrestlers, although Kyle Bradley (157) and Todd Porter (174) of Missouri were previously included in some Top 20 lists.  Both Tigers would be favorites on paper against Cornell’s probable starters, Chris Dowdy and Duke Pickett. (For the full lineup from the Cornell website, see here).

 The Rankings Favor Cornell . . .

Mike Nevinger looks to be back in form after a fourth place finish at the Cliff Keen at 141.  At that same event, Missouri’s Nick Hucke went 0-2. However, Hucke had been in the top 20 prior to the Las Vegas tournament.

 The Rankings Favor Missouri . . .

Arujau, Photo by BV

Nathan McCormick is off to a hot start, with a 13-1 record at 133 pounds.  His only loss was to NCAA champion Logan Stieber.  While McCormick is the favorite going into the match, Cornell’s Nick Arujau is ranked just a few spots lower in some of the national polls. Arujau missed the competition in Vegas, but in his last outing he pinned top 15 wrestler Cody Brewer of Oklahoma.  If he wrestles that way, it will be an interesting bout.

At 197, Brent Haynes is consistently ranked in the nation’s top 15 while Jace Bennett has appeared in some polls.  Their matchup could be a wild and unpredictable one with two wrestlers who pile up nearfall points and who have the ability to change a match quickly with their strong mat wrestling.

Dom Bradley is among the nation’s best heavyweights.  Fresh off his victory at the Cliff Keen, he will be the clear favorite against Cornell’s Stryker Lane, although Lane has shown marked improvement this year, placing sixth in Vegas and beating some quality competition.

Mike Larson is ranked and has had a successful 14-2 year for the Tigers.  He last faced a Cornell wrestler at the National Duals in January of 2011.  At that event, in a tight quarterfinal dual, Steve Bosak earned a 15-0 technical fall over Larson, an outcome that secured crucial points in the Big Red’s slim 18-15 victory on the way to the team title.  Larson is now #8 in the nation at 184 pounds and a favorite against Craig Scott.

Earlier in the week, Cornell head coach Rob Koll said he was ready to lean on freshmen like Dowdy and Scott as both have competed well for his squad thus far.

“They’ve wrestled in tough matches all year,” Koll said. “We aren’t going to rush anyone back and put them on the mat unless they’re healthy.”

 #8 Cornell vs. #2 Oklahoma State

Many observers expected these two teams to meet in the National Duals finals in 2011, however, Oklahoma State was upset by Virginia Tech and the Big Red then defeated the Hokies for the title.  On Sunday, the meeting between the squads will treat fans to a number of the nation’s top ranked grapplers, including a highly anticipated showdown at 165.

“Oklahoma State has a very tough team,” Spates said. “They have some of the best in the country in their lineup.  We think there are a couple of swing matches that we’re focused on.  We know they’re going to be tough to beat, but our guys will go out and wrestle hard and put it all out there.”

The ‘Big One’

Dake, Photo by BV

During the summer, wrestling fans started getting excited about a potential superclass at 165 including Kyle Dake, David Taylor and Tyler Caldwell.  Dake and Taylor met at the All-Star Dual with the Big Red wrestler coming out on top.  And all three will be entered at the Southern Scuffle in early January.  But the first folkstyle battle between Dake and Caldwell will take place on Sunday in perhaps the most highly anticipated individual match of the Grapple at the Garden. [Dake did previously top Caldwell in freestyle].

“It was a close match last time they wrestled,” Spates said. “[Caldwell] is a tough wrestler who is really hard to score on.  I know Kyle’s pretty excited about the chance to wrestle him.  We’re looking for Kyle to control the match and show why he’s the number one wrestler.”

The Rankings Favor Cornell . . .

In a meeting of freshmen, Nahshon Garrett will square off against Eddie Klimara, who was recently taken out of redshirt.  Klimara’s first match was a 3-2 loss to Kyle Garcia of Oklahoma, a wrestler Garrett beat 12-4 at the Northeast Duals.

Mike Nevinger will likely take on Julian Feikert of the Cowboys, who registered a crucial pin over Nick Dardanes of Minnesota in Oklahoma State’s dual win over the Gophers and is 8-4 overall.

The Rankings Favor Oklahoma State . . .

A pair of wrestlers ranked first in the nation lead the way for the Cowboys — Jordan Oliver at 149 and Chris Perry at 174.  Both have won all of their matches by bonus points thus far.

For Jace Bennett, Nick Arujau and Stryker Lane, the afternoon will offer a similar challenge to the Missouri dual.  Lane will face his second top 5 opponent of the day when he meets up with Alan Gelogaev at heavyweight.  Bennett and Arujau will also meet their second ranked foes of the day when they take on #7 Blake Rosholt and #7 Jon Morrison, respectively.  While Rosholt and Morrison are favored, neither has been dominant in recent matches.

Two new faces in the Oklahoma State lineup have had quick success.  Alex Dieringer has started his rookie year with nine straight victories at 157 pounds, while Chris Chionuma has solidified the 184-pound position with a 7-2 mark.

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With two highly regarded opponents and several thousand people in the stands of a storied venue, the Big Red is looking forward to what Sunday has to offer.

“It’s pretty neat to be able to be in this event,” Spates said. “Originally, we thought there was a conflict with finals, but it’s great that it worked out for us to participate. I was actually looking at the different events that have been at the Garden over the years and it’s pretty crazy.  Everything from heavyweight boxing to big Knicks games, and huge concerts.  It’s amazing.  And anytime you have a ton of fans like we’re expecting, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Please note: the dual times have changed to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., rather than the original schedule of 10:30 and 12:30.

New York Wrestling News will be providing a live blog of the Grapple at the Garden.  The link is here.

The preview story for Cornell is here.  

For more on Hofstra, read on.

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Hofstra has faced a challenging slate over the first month of the season and it doesn’t get any easier this weekend as the Pride faces a pair of top 5 foes, Iowa and Ohio State.

“I think we’ve had one of the toughest schedules in the country thus far,” said head assistant coach Zach Tanelli of the Pride’s 0-9 start.  “The results haven’t gone the way we wanted at this point and that seed of doubt has been planted.  Guys have a choice, they can choose to water that seed and go down the path of destruction or they can get back on track.  We know we have very good wrestlers and some have been in a little bit of a rut.  But our schedule doesn’t let us feel bad for ourselves.  We put it together to prepare ourselves for where we want to be in March. We need to stop the bleeding and progress toward our goals. Individually and as a team we have lot to prove and we can still get to where we need to be in March.”

This weekend is the next step in that process, according to Tanelli.

“The key word is opportunity,” he said. “The guys have to see it as an opportunity to embrace the great competition and the atmosphere.  We need to believe we’re going in not to just have a great experience wrestling in front of thousands of people but to win in front of thousands of people. We want to go in with the attitude that we’re going to punch tickets to nationals and springboard ourselves into the second half of the season.  Almost every opponent our guys will face is ranked.  We’ve fallen victim to some upsets this year and we know on paper we’re favored in very few matches. But now it’s time to flip the switch and be the ones getting the upsets.”

Bonanno, Photo by BV

There will be ample chances to do just that.  Two Pride wrestlers ranked across most polls are Steve Bonanno (125) and Luke Vaith (141). Bonanno, a returning All-American, will begin his day with two-time national champion Matt McDonough before meeting 2011 NCAA placer Nikko Triggas of the Buckeyes.

“We’re looking for both Steve and Luke to step up to the plate,” Tanelli said. “Steve will have some great tests.  McDonough’s achievements speak for themselves.  Steve has been a little dinged up and a little inconsistent.  But he doesn’t feel bad for himself.  He knows he has what it takes to get back on track.  He’s preparing for two very high quality opponents and feels confident.”

Vaith will take on Iowa’s Mark Ballweg, who is a few rungs higher in some national rankings, as well as All-American Hunter Stieber of Ohio State.

“Luke has to wrestle the way he’s capable of,” Tanelli said. “He’s very tough but he needs to be more consistent at this level.  It’s a deep weight class this year and he can compete with everyone.  He needs to minimize his lapses and if he does, I believe he can be 2-0 on the weekend with two quality wins.”

Bonanno and Vaith won’t be the only Hofstra grapplers matching up against two highly regarded foes.  133-pounder Jamie Franco has already faced four of the country’s top 20.  On Sunday, he’ll see two of the best in #1 Logan Stieber and #3 Tony Ramos.

Franco, Photo by BV

“Jamie’s working to get back to where he was last year where he was competing at a really high level,” Tanelli said. “He’s been more hesitant than in the past.  What’s good with him is that he tends to wrestle to the level of his competition and he’ll be wrestling two of the top pound-for-pound guys in the country.  He needs to dictate the pace and wrestle his style.”

A few other Hofstra wrestlers are slated to face a pair of top 20 foes. Jermaine John could see #2 Nick Heflin and #7 Mike Evans at 174 pounds, although Heflin has missed time with an injury and Evans has split the role with Grant Gambrall (a former All-American).

Heavyweight Paul Snyder has put together a strong season thus far, going 14-3, and he’ll have a chance to make a statement nationally with strong showings against #5 Bobby Telford and #12 Pete Capone, a New York native.

“Paul is having a nice year,” Tanelli said. “He hasn’t seen the competition that some other guys have, but he’s on the right path.  He’s a veteran who knows what to expect.  In the last few years, he hasn’t had the results he wanted and he’s made adjustments.  It’s been showing.  This weekend will be a great test for him.  Hopefully, he’ll show again that all the extra work is paying off.”

Another senior looking to take the mat for Hofstra is Matt Spataro, who has filled in for All-American Justin Accordino this year.

“He’s done an admirable job,” Tanelli said. “Matt’s a super athlete who just needs to believe in himself a little more.  He has embraced his role. When your number is called, you have to represent this program well and he’s done that.”

According to Tanelli, Accordino is “a little banged up” and given his injury history, the squad is being a little cautious about his return.

“Justin has been around for a while and he knows the grind and what to expect,” Tanelli said. “He has a goal of being a national champion and we want to give him the opportunity to achieve that goal.  For the time being, that means playing things a little safer and maintaining his health for the end of the season.”

In the interim, Hofstra will look to gain some momentum in front of the crowd at Madison Square Garden.  Tanelli said the team may make “match time” decisions at a few weights, including 157 (Jay Lysne and Cody Ruggirello) as well as 184 (Taras Luzhnyy and Victor Pozsonyi).

“I think the guys have some good perspective now,” he said. “We’ll be wrestling two great teams with tough wrestlers and in that situation you need to be ready every second for the entire seven minutes.  It’s a great opportunity.”