Take a Look at More Videos from this Weekend's Journeymen Classic, Featuring Several NY State Placewinners

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Here are a few more videos from the Journeymen Classic this weekend, featuring several more New York state placewinners. For the remainder of the videos and results, see link

TJ Fabian (NYS 4th) vs. Sean Peacock (NYS Champion)

Nick Piccininni (NYS Champion) vs. Nick Casella (NYS Runner Up)

Justin Cooksey (NYS Runner Up) vs. Christian Vallis (New England Prep Champ)

Vitali Arujau (VHW) vs. Josh Logiudice (Journeymen)

Johnny Stramiello (NYS Placer) vs. Blake Retell (Journeymen)

Chris Koo (NHSCA All-American) vs. Logan Dean (Virginia State Placer)

Check out Videos and Results from the Journeymen Wrestling Classic

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

On Sunday, Niskayuna High School hosted The Journeymen Classic, which featured some of New York’s best wrestlers as well as competitors from 17 other states in a round robin format.

Check out some videos from the event (more will be added).

RESULTS are at the bottom of the page.

Nick Kelley (Fargo All-American, 2x NYS Placer) vs. Gary Dinmore (NJ State Placer) – 140 Pounds

William Koll (NY State Champion, NHSCA All-American) vs. Travis Passaro (NHSCA All-American) – 125 Pounds

David Almaviva (Fargo All-American, NYS 3rd) vs. Thomas Dutton (Fargo All-American) – 145 Pounds

Vincent DePrez (NY State Runner Up) vs. Scott Delvecchio (NJ State Champion)

Yianni Diakomihalis (Ranked #5 Nationally among Jr High wrestlers) vs. Jesse Dellavecchia (Sachem East)

Louie Hernandez (Section 8 Champion) vs. Brad Drover (New England Runner Up)

Yianni Diakomihalis (Ranked #5 nationally among Jr High wrestlers) vs. Tommy Aloi (All-American)

Lansing State Champion Connor Lapresi Chooses Bucknell

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Connor Lapresi couldn’t stand it. After suffering a high ankle sprain during his state championship victory at 132 pounds in February, the Lansing grappler was forced to take some time off from wrestling.

“It’s simply the greatest sport in the world,” he said. “I love it and it’s a huge part of me. If I don’t wrestle for more than a week or two, I feel like something’s wrong. When I was out after states, I was emotionally distraught. It’s kind of unhealthy. It was a good thing it was the NCAA tournament so I got to watch a lot of matches and afterwards, I watched a lot of youtube videos.”

He also continued mulling his college options. He’s had a strong connection with Cornell for a long time. In fact, he said he thought about attending the Ivy League institution since he was in sixth or seventh grade. But after a parent of a teammate, a Bucknell alum, started talking about the Pennsylvania-based school, he slowly began to consider leaving the Ithaca area. And after taking an official visit and making a detailed pros and cons list, Lapresi recently gave his verbal commitment to Coach Dan Wirnsberger and the Bison. He hopes to compete at 141 or 149 pounds without redshirting the first year.

“If I’m not putting on a singlet and stepping out on the mat to represent my team, I’m not happy,” he said. “I can’t just practice. Cornell was the only college I cared about for a long time. I’ve been wrestling in the Friedman Center with the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club for years – a lot of the guys there watched me grow up. But I was surprised when I visited Bucknell how much I liked it. It’s an awesome place. I really liked the coaches and the campus. The biggest factor was that I think I have the opportunity to be a four-year starter at Bucknell while at Cornell there are highly ranked guys everywhere. Unless you’re Kyle Dake, you may have to sit. I love wrestling and competing and I want to be where I can wrestle. That’s what will make me happiest.”

Lapresi was often happy during his 41-1 junior campaign in which he earned the state crown. The highlight moment for him, however, took place in the state semifinals where he faced Chittenango’s Wesley Blanding, the top seed in the bracket who had handed Lapresi his only loss of the season in overtime.

The rematch in Albany also went to an extra session. But this time, it was the Lansing wrestler that came out on top, notching a takedown with just three seconds remaining to earn a 3-1 decision.

“Blanding beat me in the Windsor Tournament. It was heartbreaking, but I knew I could beat him if we wrestled again,” Lapresi said. “With very little time left, I did a snap down, go behind. It was like a peewee move; it was amazing. As the referee was putting his hand up to show the two [points], the time expired. After a big win like that, I believed I could do anything. I felt like the sky was the limit at that point.”

That confidence showed when Lapresi came out and immediately took control of the title bout against Duanesburg’s Curt Rowley. With 20 seconds to go in the second period, Lapresi took his opponent down to take a 5-0 lead, but suffered a third-degree high ankle sprain in the process. He said it was extremely painful but he knew he still had more than a full period to go to achieve his goal.

“It actually still hurts now,” he said. “I did absolutely nothing the entire third period. I could barely stand. I spent the entire time thinking that I wasn’t letting this injury stop me from getting that championship, but every single movement hurt. Every third period seems like the longest two minutes of my life, but this one was really long.”

The physical pain was intense but almost as painful was the fact that he gave up a takedown in the final stanza on his way to a 6-3 victory. It was the only time Lapresi gave up offensive points the entire season.

“It was a little annoying to give up a takedown after not allowing anyone to take me down all year,” he said. “But it gives me something to aim for this year. State champion. Undefeated. No takedowns or back points allowed. That’s about the best you can do and that’s what I want to do.”

He also wants to be part of what he calls Lansing’s “dynamic duo” with junior teammate William Koll, a state champion in 2011 and third place finisher last season. Lapresi wished to thank his parents and the rest of his family for all of their contributions to his success and he also credited a large portion of his achievements to Koll and a few others in the Bobcat room.

“I wouldn’t be half the wrestler I am without William Koll, Corey Dake and coach Doug Dake,” he said. “The three of them have helped me get so far ahead of where I used to be. [Lapresi moved to Lansing before his sophomore year]. Part of it is the mentality and just being with people who want to win every bit as much as I do. They’ve been like a family for me.”

With that family still behind him, Lapresi looks forward to his final season as a Section 4 star. However, he first will finish up his defensive duties for the football team before getting back to his favorite sport full time.

“In football, it’s fun to tackle but then they blow the whistle and you have to wait another play to try to do it again. But in wrestling, you take a kid down, get a big mat return, smash their hip on the mat, get a tight tilt and watch the referee award back points. Nothing beats that. I can’t wait for wrestling season.”

He said he hopes to be a key player in the continuing rise of the Bucknell program. But he isn’t losing sight of more immediate goals.

“A lot of seniors fade after they make their college decision,” he said. “They lose the drive and get upset at states. I want to do great things in college. But I’m focusing on one day at a time. November 8 is the day it all gets started again. And on February 22 and 23 [the state tournament] I want to finish high school wrestling the right way.”

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

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Photos by Boris V

Over the next few weeks, New York Wrestling News will previewing New York’s high school Sections. We begin in Section 1 with a look at two of the top lightweights the Empire State has to offer.

—————————————————————

The 113-pound finals at the state tournament in February presented a bit of a pleasant challenge for Section 1 fans. Two of the area’s best, John “Trey” Aslanian of Edgemont and Dylan Realbuto of Somers, were on the mats at the same time, each battling to win the championship against a Section 5 opponent a year after finishing second in Albany.

Having both wrestlers make the title bout at the Times Union Center two years in a row wasn’t an accident. In fact, they helped each other get there. Although Edgemont and Somers are at least 30 minutes away from each other, the two wrestlers have trained together since fifth grade and have continued to work out quite a bit, often at the Askren Wrestling Academy.

“I feel lucky because it’s such a good situation for both of us,” Aslanian said. “Dylan’s one of my best friends. Since he’s big school and I’m small school, we know we won’t have to compete with each other at states, so it’s ideal. Dylan is incredibly hard to score on with his funk, so if I can score on him, I feel like I can score on anyone in the state. I think we push each other so much because we’re such different wrestlers and seeing a totally different style is never a bad thing.”

Not a bad thing at all. In fact, it’s a really good thing, according to coach Max Askren.

“They are almost exactly opposite in their styles,” Askren said. “But it’s totally complementary. Both are very, very technical wrestlers. But Trey wrestles from ties, likes to control things that way. Dylan really wrestles from out in the open. So it works to have them train together. If these guys want to wrestle in college, they should be wrestling together.”

Both Realbuto and Aslanian do plan to compete at the Division I level, with Aslanian considering Penn, Princeton and Harvard. However, they first have some business to take care of at the high school level.

For Aslanian, that means a first state title. He took fifth as a freshman and second the last two seasons at 103 and 113, respectively.

“Finishing second the last two years was obviously disappointing,” Aslanian said. “I go into every year wanting to win a state championship and when you come so close but don’t get it, it’s really difficult. Last year, I was more confident because I had already been in the finals before, so I think I was that much more disappointed not to get the job done.”

Aslanian felt he dropped the title bout to Sean Peacock of Midlakes because he was focused too much on his opponent and not on himself.

“I didn’t get to my gameplan and most importantly, I didn’t get to my offense,” he said. “I needed to force my offense – my shots and my takedowns – and instead I was thinking too much about what he was doing and lost sight of what I do well.”

Since stepping off the mat in Albany, Edgemont coach Peter Jacobson believes Aslanian has made significant improvements, partially due to his offseason wrestling.

The outstanding student made a smooth transition to freestyle, getting his hand raised often. At the Junior Duals in Oklahoma City, Aslanian went 7-1 for Team New York and he won four matches at Fargo. (He was an All-American in North Dakota in 2011).

“There’s great translation from strong freestyle skills to folkstyle skills and Trey has taken that to heart,” Jacobson said. “He wrestled some really strong matches at the Junior Duals and at Fargo went up against some very high level competition. I know he feels that he didn’t wrestle as well as he could have, but I can see already that the experience has made him better.”

“I think I grew a lot as a wrestler,” Aslanian added. “I got to wrestle some of the best kids in the country and I think I grew, just getting to see that national competition. I hoped to place or possibly win Fargo and I didn’t have my best performance. But I know I’ve gotten better.”

In addition to the top-notch opposition and additional practices in places like Vougar’s Honors Wrestling on Long Island, Aslanian’s improvement stems from significant time invested in video study.

“I love watching John Smith,” Aslanian said of the multiple-time NCAA and World Champion who now coaches at Oklahoma State. “He’s always attacking and pushing his offense. I also watch a lot of Ben and Max Askren. They’re so entertaining with their funk. Not too many people use the techniques they use. I learn so much by watching.”

“I think Trey’s biggest strength is the amount of time he puts into honing his craft,” Jacobson added. “He’s very much a student of the sport. He watches films of himself and standout wrestlers from around the world. If you line him up against the best in the state, he won’t be the strongest kid or the best natural athlete. He’s achieved what he has by working hard to play to his strengths.”

Helping him do that are two other members of his family and team – younger brothers Tyler and Kyle. Tyler, a junior, was one match from placing a year ago in Albany, while Kyle competed at 99 pounds as an eighth grader.

“It really benefits them to be pretty close in weight. They can work out at home or can drill whenever and wherever they want,” Jacobson said of the three Aslanians. “It’s not like the 190-pound older brother wrestling the 120-pound younger brother and expecting it to be beneficial. Having them all in the room couldn’t be better – they’re supportive of each other with totally different personalities. Tyler has the ability to make the podium this year and Kyle will make a huge jump. He’s the best natural athlete of the group and most of the matches he lost last year were size and strength related. He’ll be a full-sized 99 pounder this year and will see more success.”

Trey Aslanian believes more success is in the cards for all of the Aslanian brothers in 2013. (A fourth brother, Wyatt, is in elementary school).

“Last year’s Sectional tournament was probably the most memorable moment for me in my career, with Tyler and I both winning titles,” he said. “That’s probably the best I ever felt in wrestling. The plan for this year is for all three of us to win.”

But that’s only part of the plan. Trey Aslanian said he hopes to go undefeated after a 39-2 campaign in 2012, but even that isn’t most important. There’s one thing he can’t get out of his mind.

“I want to be a state champion,” he said. “I’ve wanted that ever since I started in this sport in fifth grade. I think about it every second of every day.”

He’s come close twice before and he knows this is the final opportunity before he heads off to the Ivy League.

“This season is the last of a lot of things,” he said. “I really enjoy wrestling with my brothers and it’s the last time to compete with them. It’s such a unique situation and I’ll miss it. I want to win states and I know there’s a lot of pressure because it’s now or never.”

Now or never was the situation Realbuto was in during last year’s state finals bout. He trailed by a point with just a few seconds left and it looked like he was going to get the silver again. But in dramatic fashion, he took Hilton’s Vincent DePrez down as time expired to win.

“I thought it was over just the same as everyone else thought it was,” Askren said. “Some people said Dylan was lucky, but if that’s true then he put himself in the position to be lucky.”

Realbuto and his frequent training partner Aslanian will try to put themselves in that gold medal position in February. Realbuto will make another leap in weight, according to Askren, going either 126 or 132. Aslanian, according to Jacobson, is still growing and will be at 120 or 126.

If both are at 126, Section 1 fans hope to have to divide their attention between the mats during the state finals, as they did in 2012, to watch Aslanian and Realbuto both try to complete their careers with a state championship.

Head Coach Carl Fronhofer Previews the 2012-13 Columbia Lions

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

In 2011-12, Carl Fronhofer’s first season as head coach, Columbia took third place in the Ivy League (losing a 19-18 nailbiter against second place Penn) and sixth at the EIWA tournament. The Lions sent three wrestlers to the NCAA tournament, where Steve Santos came within one win of becoming an All-American at 149 and 157-pounder Jake O’Hara and now graduated heavyweight Kevin Lester each won a pair of matches.

What’s next for the Ivy League squad in 2012-13? Fronhofer gave New York Wrestling News a preview of what to expect in the upcoming campaign, beginning with a weight-by-weight look at the team.

125 Pounds – Former Section 1 standout Penn Gottfried returns after taking last season off with a shoulder injury. He’ll be in a battle with Robert Dyar, who won 16 matches last year, for the starting role in 2012-13. Adding depth is California state champion Johnson Mai.

Coach Fronhofer: “Penn and Dyar are pretty competitive in the room and at this point, it’s hard to tell what will happen. Penn’s rehab went great and his arm is strong. But, he’s only been back on the mat for a couple of weeks. I think it’s close enough between those two guys that I’ll remove myself from that situation and see how it plays out. As for Johnson Mai, he’s a tremendous athlete who is very skilled. He’s good enough to find ways to win. But he’s probably at least a year away from getting big enough to compete nationally. It’s similar to Dyar when he first came in – he needed time to grow enough to compete at 125 pounds.”

133 Pounds – The departure of starter Kyle Gilchrist, who went 27-15 a year ago, leaves a spot that several wrestlers are hoping to grab.

Coach Fronhofer: “It’s definitely wide open. We have Andrew Grabfelder, who was a starter earlier in his career. He took a year off, was injured when he came back and is a senior now. If he can stay healthy and keep it together, he can do well. We also have some young guys from Ohio – Ryan Murdock and Angelo Amenta who are pretty talented kids who work hard. Also add in California freshman Joe Moita. This is the most wide open race for a starting spot in our lineup this year.”

141 Pounds – Last season, Matt Bystol, Ryan Ponte and Elijah Sullivan all manned the 141-pound spot at times, until Bystol earned the nod down the stretch. He and Ponte will be back, with Sullivan taking the year off. But it may be a three-way race again as Top 100 recruit Alec Mooradian, a Michigan native, will also look for time.

Coach Fronhofer: “We had several wrestleoffs last year at 141 and it went in circles. When the dust settled, it was Bystol who won the job. He was really steady and consistent and that’s why he found himself in the lineup at the end of the year. Ponte will battle with him again and so will Mooradian. [Mooradian] was a four-time state finalist and a three-time champion and lost only a few matches in his entire high school career. He’s tough and he’ll be fighting for the spot too.”

149 Pounds – Unlike the first three weights, 149 isn’t up for grabs. Four-year starter Steve Santos will be back a year after making the Round of 12 at the NCAA tournament. Santos has racked up several impressive victories during his career, including wins over Mario Mason, Donnie Vinson and Edinboro’s David Habat. In 2011-12, he compiled a 26-11 record and took fourth at the EIWA tournament before winning three bouts at nationals.

Coach Fronhofer: “Last year, Steve was solid. When he was a freshman and sophomore, he was a little inconsistent. He took some bad losses here and there. But if he continues to be consistent, he’s a top 10 guy in the country and is capable of more than that. I wouldn’t be surprised if he took top four at NCAAs this year. He has what it takes to be an All-American.”

157 Pounds – Like Santos, fellow senior Jake O’Hara got his hand raised at nationals in 2012. The Pennsylvania native won two matches in St. Louis to cap off a 30-victory campaign. According to Fronhofer, he and Santos will be the team captains and are the leaders of the squad who “take care of business inside and outside the room and do everything right”.

Coach Fronhofer: “Jake made a big leap last year. I think the difference between Jake as a sophomore and as a junior was pretty astronomical. It’s a credit to him. He works very hard – he stays the course and gets better every day. I think having [assistant coach] Adam Hall [an All-American at Boise State] to work with was very beneficial. Without question, Jake’s goal is to be on the podium in March. There’s no doubt in my mind that he can do it. The middle weights are always loaded but you have to show up and wrestle. He’s capable of placing at the NCAAs.”

165 Pounds – NCAA qualifier Eren Civan graduated and a number of young wrestlers are lining up to take his spot. Michigan native Josh Houldsworth, who started at 141 as a freshman in 2010-11, is moving up a few weights while 2012 spot starter Adam Fondale is in the mix with sophomore Eric Fajardo.

Coach Fronhofer: “Josh Houldsworth is pretty tall and we always thought he could grow. We’ve gotten such consistent work out of Steve [Santos] and Jake [O’Hara] that we asked Josh to move up and he’s making that move. Fondale won about 20 matches last year, wrestling in duals, opens and all over the place. Fajardo is a super talented kid who did a lot of judo growing up. He didn’t have the pure wrestling experience of a lot of other guys, but he’s a great athlete who has developed well. He took second at the FILA Junior Nationals this spring in Greco and has made some big gains in a short time.”

174 Pounds – Stephen West joined the lineup as soon as he arrived at Columbia and is ready to enter his fourth year as a starter. Despite 33 wins last season, he didn’t receive a bid to the NCAA tournament and looks to qualify for nationals and more in his final season in a Lions singlet.

Coach Fronhofer: “It was almost unbelievable that [West] wasn’t at the tournament last year. It was shocking to me after he qualified a spot for our conference and placed only one spot out [of automatic qualifying]. He had the most wins at the weight in the country. He was completely devastated – we all were. But he has the right attitude about the sport and life and he snapped out of it pretty quickly and went back to work in the spring and summer. He has the right focus. I assume that in March he’ll be competing at a pretty high level nationally. He’s shooting to be an All-American. He has the experience, the athleticism and the skill set that makes it possible.”

184 Pounds – Shane Hughes came in as a freshman and racked up 22 wins. He was an exciting wrestler to watch, recording 11 pins and going for big moves at 184 pounds. Several other freshmen, such as Zack Hernandez, Austin Coniker and Chris Loew are also listed at the weight.

Coach Fronhofer: “Shane is definitely very dangerous in certain positions. To make a jump this year, he’ll have to be more consistent and tighten up his game a little bit. You can’t put the reins on guys like him because part of why he’s good is that he’s so open. But he’ll have to improve a little on fundamentals and managing matches to take the next step.”

197 Pounds – In 2011, Nick Mills made Second Team All-Ivy at 184 pounds and took fifth at EIWAs. He began last season at the same weight and then transitioned to 197, going 12-15 overall.

Coach Fronhofer: “Nick had a rough year last year. He puts a lot of pressure on himself and was trying to figure out how to compete that way. If he does that, he’ll be back in a position to get to the NCAA tournament. He’s a great athlete and physically can compete with anyone. Chris Manna and Matt Idelson are two other guys who will be at that weight. They haven’t figured out a way to beat Mills yet, though.”

285 Pounds – Wyatt Baker notched a 13-5 record in his first year with the Lions while backing up NCAA qualifier Kevin Lester. He was busy in the spring and summer competing in the international styles. Baker represented the United States at 120 kg in Greco Roman at the Junior World Championships in Thailand, taking 10^th place. The native Californian is looking to make his mark in the EIWA and nationally in his initial campaign as a starter.

Coach Fronhofer: “Wyatt has made a huge leap. He’s a kid that comes from Servite, a major football factory and he was a big time football player. He only wrestled a few months of the year. He has a tremendous attitude – he’s a happy kid that gets the most out of every situation. I think it’s really hard to start right out of the blocks at heavyweight, so he was in a good position last year to come in and develop with Kevin Lester here. Having that year of development plus the great summer he earned by making the World Team really benefitted him and we expect him to compete at a high level right away.”

A Few More Questions . . .

What do you feel were the biggest things you took away from your first year as the head coach?

Coach Fronhofer: I think I learned about managing the guys. It’s a bit of a balancing act. A guy like Stephen West probably wrestled too many matches last year. He’s just so tough and so consistent, you can lose sight of the fact that he could use some time off. I think you learn as a head coach when to put the hammer down and when to pull back a little bit; how to manage individuals and keep the team’s best interest in mind. The decision making process is constantly evolving.

I also got to see that as a head coach you manage to wear a lot of hats at once. You have responsibilities to the team, the administration, the parents, recruiting, alumni and so on. You’re constantly learning on the job as you go through different experiences.

What goals have you set for the team for 2012-13?

Coach Fronhofer: I think we’ve done some great work in the offseason. You saw our guys wrestling a lot of freestyle and Greco. Our attitude is that if there’s a wrestling tournament, we’re going. We’re passionate about the Olympic movement in our country and we’re going to wrestle as much as we can.

I think our goal as a team at the EIWA tournament is to finish top 3. After that, I think we’re capable of sending six-plus wrestlers to the NCAAs. We have a few guys with very high level individual goals. They expect to become All-Americans and their goals are to win national titles. We can achieve some big things this year. I’m always excited in the fall, preparing for what’s coming next. We’re really looking forward to getting started.

Cornell's Kyle Dake Talks About His Olympic Experience and Wanting a Gold Medal of His Own

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Kyle Dake, Photo by Boris V

Cornell senior Kyle Dake spent a portion of his summer with the United States Olympic Wrestling team. This included training in Colorado Springs, traveling to Belarus for the pre-Olympic camp and then going to London for the latter stages of the Games. He briefly talked to New York Wrestling News about the experience.

What was it like to be in London during the Olympics?

Kyle Dake: It was a really great experience. Honestly, we were mostly training and trying to get the guys as ready as possible for the Olympics, so I didn’t get to spend that much time outside of wrestling. I got to take a tour in London one day and saw some great things like the Tower of London.

Did you get to attend any events while you were there?

Kyle Dake: I watched all the freestyle and one day of Greco, which got me super motivated. But I didn’t get a chance to go to any other events in person. We were busy and tickets were pretty expensive. But there were 30 screens set up at the USA House, where Olympians or past Olympians socialized and watched the events. I was in London but I basically saw a lot of the Olympics on TV.

Did you meet any celebrities or Olympians at the USA House?

Kyle Dake: I saw some of the female rowers, soccer players and the silver medal beach volleyball team [Jennifer Kessy and April Ross]. I saw Evander Holyfield and got to see his ear, which still looks deformed. And it was pretty cool to meet the great soccer player Mia Hamm.

Who did you spend most of your time working with in Belarus and London?

Kyle Dake: I was training with [84 kg Olympian] Jake Herbert. [National freestyle coach] Zeke Jones usually takes an extra person at each weight class as an alternate, just in case. Jordan Burroughs took Raymond Jordan as his training partner. [Raymond Jordan] was third at 84 kg at the Olympic Trials, so he was the alternate at 84. They needed a partner for Jake who could also be an alternate at 74. They chose me. I had trained with Jake before – at the camps in Colorado and also a little before that. It was a good experience to work with him. He has a lot of freestyle experience and I got to see how the bigger guys move. Jake wrestled well in the tournament. He had some interesting calls in his matches.

After training with Herbert, do you expect to stay at 74 kg for the next Olympic cycle? Are you finished with Greco or would you consider that sometime in the future?

Kyle Dake: We’ll see what happens, but right now 74 kg is my weight class. I’m done with Greco.

What do you think the freestyle training this summer has done for you as you get ready to go for your 4^th NCAA title?

Kyle Dake: I think it helped a lot. It gave me confidence that I could wrestle with the best guys in the world. Knowing I could hang with Olympians and gold medalists makes me feel really good going into the college season. My focus is on my fourth NCAA title now and doing whatever I can to help my team win a title too.

What will you remember most about the Olympic experience?

Kyle Dake: It was a huge motivator. I got really inspired and motivated to get better after watching those guys, especially watching the guys win the gold medals. I know now how badly I want a gold medal of my own. After my college career is over, I’ll be shooting for gold.

Olympic Bronze Medalist Coleman Scott, NCAA Champion Bubba Jenkins Coming to New York in September

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Coleman Scott

Some great clinics are coming to New York in the next few weeks to help wrestlers get ready for the upcoming season.

2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist Coleman Scott will be visiting Brentwood High School on September 22, courtesy of Ascend Wrestling Club, for a four-hour clinic.

The cost will be $50 per person. Coaches are welcome to attend.

Scott wrestled for Oklahoma State University where he was a 4x All-American and an NCAA Champion in 2008. He also was a World Cup Champion, Dave Schultz Memorial International Champion and a three-time Pennsylvania state champion.

Session I with Coleman Scott will begin at 9 a.m. and run until 11. Then, at 11:30, there will be instruction, drilling and live wrestling until 1:30.

For more information, please contact Craig Vitagliano at craig@ascendwrestling.com or see the event flyer:

http://longislandwrestling.org/liwa/camps/2012%20Coleman%20Scott%20Clinic.pdf

On September 15, another NCAA champion will be in the Empire State, as the 2011 157 pound national champ from Arizona State, Bubba Jenkins, will be coming to the Pin2Win Wrestling Club in Phoenix for a clinic from 10-12:30.

With a purchase of a ticket to the clinic, you get a free ticket to the World Kickboxing Associations event Modern Warfare at the Holiday Inn Electronics Blvd in Liverpool that night. Doors open at 6.

Tickets for the clinic are $30. For more information, call Eric Rose at 315-857-6576.

Nick Piccininni, Travis Passaro and Conor O'Hara Win Titles at Super 32 Qualifier in Pennsylvania

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Nick Piccininni, Photo by Boris V

Every year, late in the fall, the Super 32 Challenge in North Carolina features huge brackets full of some of the nation’s top high school wrestlers. This past weekend, a number of New York competitors qualified for early entry into the event by placing in the top four at the Super 32 Qualifier in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Talent from numerous states, including Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia took the mat and at the end of the day, the Empire State boasted three champions (Nick Piccininni, Travis Passaro and Conor O’Hara) as well as several other placewinners.

Piccininni, a 2012 undefeated state champion from Ward Melville, cruised through his five matches, none of which were close, to win the 113 pound title. Representing 631 Elite, he opened with a 11-2 major over Eric Hunt of Pennsylvania and proceeded to win his next four bouts by the combined tally of 35-1. He blanked Tanner Shoap, a multi-time state medalist in Pennsylvania, 10-0 in the final.

In the same bracket, St. Anthony’s Ben Lamantia also placed, taking fourth. The Friar wrestler earned victories in his first three contests before dropping a one-point decision to Bryan Damon of New Jersey to move into the consolations. Lamantia recorded a fall and two shutout wins in the wrestlebacks before losing to Damon again by a point in the bronze medal bout.

Piccininni wasn’t 631 Elite’s only champion. Also winning a title from the Long Island club was Travis Passaro, who earned his crown with a 2-0 triumph in sudden victory at 120 pounds. The Eastport South Manor wrestler was in control throughout the day, yielding only two points in his five matches, while scoring 18 and registering a pin. Passaro was joined on the podium at 120 by Technical Edge’s Freddie Dunau, whose four victories included a major and a fall.

The third Empire State champion was Sachem East’s Conor O’Hara. The Suffolk County grappler won his finals bout handily, 9-0, over Dixon Myers of Pennsylvania to top off a 5-0 day in which he won three bouts by two points or less.

Also making the finals was Journeymen’s Austin Weigel, who outscored his first three foes 14-3 before being edged 5-3 in the title bout by nationally-ranked Garrett Peppelman of Pennsylvania at 170 pounds.

The last New York wrestler to make the top four was Christian Briody of Chaminade and he put in quite an effort to get there, winning eight matches to take third at 106 pounds. He began his day with a 5-4 victory and followed up with another decision, this time 8-1 over Alex Zangrilli of New Jersey before dropping a 5-3 bout to Triston Law of Pennsylvania. Briody then faced a long road to make the top four and spent little time getting to work, pinning his first wrestleback opponent in 34 seconds before reeling off five more victories in which he outscored his opponents 25-9.

New York Top Four Placers – Super 32 Qualifier

106: Christian Briody (Chaminade), 3rd Place (8-1)

113: Nick Piccininni (631 Elite), 1st Place (5-0)

113: Ben Lamantia (St. Anthony’s), 4th Place (6-2)

120: Travis Passaro (631 Elite), 1st Place (5-0)

120: Freddie Dunau (Technical Edge), 4th Place (4-2)

132: Conor O’Hara (Sachem East), 1st Place (5-0)

170: Austin Weigel (Journeymen), 2nd Place (3-1)

Rob Koll's Cornell Season Preview and 2012-13 Big Red Schedule

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

By Rob Koll

Photos by Boris Veysman

Last year we enjoyed a great season, even with the addition of five new starters. This year, due to graduation and growth, we will have a fresh look at the 125, 174, 197 and 285 weight classes. We are fortunate to have a great incoming class as well as a room stocked full of returning talent. The following is a weight-by-weight breakdown of what you can expect to see on the mats this year.

125 POUNDS: Two wrestlers will compete for the starting spot at this weight class. Sophomore Bricker Dixon was 13-5 last year, placing at the Southern Scuffle and winning the NY State Intercollegiate and National Collegiate Open championships. Bricker was a four-time Missouri state finalist in high school. Bricker’s competition will come from freshman Nahshon Garrett, who was a two-time California state champion and a NHSCA Senior National champion as well.

These two are incredibly tough and talented young men. It will be difficult to replace All-American Frank Perrelli, but I believe either one of these two have the ability to pick up immediately where Frank left off. Whoever ultimately represents the Big Red in the postseason will be vying for All-America honors.

Others to watch: Logan Connor (Fr)

133 POUNDS: After transferring into Cornell in January, junior Nick Arujau won one match at the NCAA tournament before being eliminated. Last year he was undersized and did not compete favorably against the very best. Nick has worked incredibly hard over the summer and he looks like a completely new and improved version of himself. He has built himself into a very good-looking 133-pound wrestler and size will not be an issue this year.

Others to watch: Josh Kennedy (Jr)

Mike Nevinger, Photo by Boris Veysman

141 POUNDS: There is little doubt that Mike Nevinger made the biggest improvements on the team last year. He went from second/third string to 7^th in the country at NCAAs. I am pleased to say that he continues to improve and he will be even more dominant this year. Joe Stanzione enters his senior campaign after an outstanding 23-9 record last season. Nik Pena is taking the year off.

Others to watch: Joe Rendina (Fr) and Connor David

149 POUNDS: Chris Villalonga was 24-12 last season. Although this would be great for most freshmen, we expect even more from Chris this year.

Others to watch: Ryan Dunphy (Jr), Scott Bosak (Fr) Aaron Benedict (Fr) and Andrew Gonzalez (So)

157 POUNDS: Senior Kyle Dake is 100-4 with three NCAA titles. He has much to work on before he scores on me in the room, but he has not gotten frustrated. I’m proud to say he is working hard. His goal is to beat Coach Spates in a match and to score on me before he graduates. Personally I believe the last wish on his graduation bucket list is unrealistic but I gotta let the “Kid” dream.

Sophomore Evan Knight hopes to return to the mats after missing all of last season due to injuries. We hope Evan can safely return, but we expect to bring him back slowly.

Others to watch: Chris Dowdy (Fr)

165 POUNDS: Sophomore Marshall Peppelman gained invaluable experience in racking up a 28-17 first-year record. Last year he qualified for the NCAA tournament, where he won one match. This year we expect for him to compete for All-America honors.

This weight will be one of our most hotly contested. Junior Craig Eifert has amassed a 36-17 mark over the past two seasons wrestling from 149-165 pounds. More impressive is the fact that Craig’s record includes victories over numerous All-Americans. Sophomore Jesse Shanaman returns to the mats after recovering from last year’s season-ending knee surgery.

Others to watch: Cody Hutcheson (Sr) Casey O’Malley (Fr)

174 POUNDS: Sophomore Billy George has eaten and trained himself out of this weight class and will compete for the starting spot at 197. In his place we have a host of incoming freshmen as well as returning talent. Junior Michael Alexander is back after posting a 9-11 record. Sophomore Matthew Cunningham returns after suffering through an injury-plagued freshman campaign. Freshmen Duke Pickett and Owen Scott will undoubtedly make their presence known.

Others to watch: Patrick Sullivan (Jr)

Steve Bosak, Photo by Boris Veysman

184 POUNDS: Senior Steve Bosak will be expected to lead our team as he returns to defend his NCAA title. Senior Peter Mesko will provide us with a solid back-up if and when Bosak needs a break.

197 POUNDS: On paper this weight would appear to be one of our “holes”. The reality is not only will this not be a hole, but we will be more than competitive at 197. Four very capable wrestlers are lining up to replace NCAA champion Cam Simaz.

Sophomore Jace Bennett had a 16-7 record last year and will only improve now that he has a legitimate chance of breaking into the lineup. Billy George, last year’s starter at 174, is a full sized 197-pound wrestler. Billy had a roller coaster freshman campaign but still amassed an impressive 18-13 record. Senior Lukasz Stala enters his senior year after compiling a career 26-23 mark. Freshman Craig Scott, a two-time New York state champion, should also figure prominently into the fray.

285 POUNDS: This is the only weight class where Cornell has never had an All-American. I would like to blame Damion Hahn for this but since he has not been coaching at Cornell for 100 years, sadly I cannot pass the buck onto him! We are placing our hopes of breaking this streak on junior Stryker Lane, senior Oney Snyder or freshman Jacob Aiken Phillips.

Stryker placed 5^th at the EIWAs two years ago and last season finished with a 19-11 record, which included 10 falls. Oney only needs one more semester to graduate so he will not be competing until the second part of the year. Jacob Aiken Phillips, from this point forward referred to as JAP, suffered an early season injury, which forced him to miss the majority of the season. JAP is a former Georgia state champion who has good speed and size. We are excited to finally get an opportunity to see him compete.

Exciting Changes Made to the Schedule

I am typically fairly conservative in how I schedule, but this year I’ve decided to mix things up a little. We finally have the depth to handle a much more grueling dual meet slate, and the schedule reflects this situation. In the past, if we lost one or two wrestlers we were sunk in a dual. As a result, I tended to push a tournament-laden schedule. The New York Coaches Association also agreed that every team would attend the New York State Intercollegiates this year, if the event was moved to the first semester. I was willing to do this on the condition that we were the permanent host site. As a result, we have dropped the Body Bar from our schedule.

Because we do not have as many tournaments to help us pick our starting lineup, we have added a Red/White wrestle off on November 9. This will help us choose the team for our opening night Binghamton dual. In addition to this change we will be competing against Oklahoma, Central Michigan and Drexel at the Journeyman Duals on November 24 and against Missouri and Oklahoma State at Madison Square Garden on December 16. We also added home contests against Oregon State on January 27 and Bucknell on February 10.

I believe this is an ambitious schedule but we have the type of team that needs to be challenged and this schedule will do just that.

2012-2013 Schedule (Home Events in Bold)

Date	Event	Time
November 9	Red vs. White	6 p.m.
November 16	Binghamton	6:30 p.m.
November 17	NY State Intercollegiate Varsity	All Day
November 18	NY State Intercollegiate JV	All Day
November 24	Journeymen Duals (Albany, NY)	9:30 vs. Drexel; 1:30 vs. Oklahoma; 3:30 vs. C. Michigan
November 30-Dec 1	Las Vegas Invitational (Las Vegas, NV)
December 16	Madison Square Garden	10 a.m. vs. Missouri; 12:30 vs. Oklahoma St.
January 1-2	Southern Scuffle at Chattanooga, TN	All Day
January 6	at Lehigh	2:00 p.m.
January 12	Princeton
January 19	at Brown
January 19	at Harvard
January 26	Pennsylvania	2:00 p.m.
January 27	Oregon State	2:00 p.m.
February 2	at Hofstra	12:00
	at Columbia	6:00 p.m.
February 10	Bucknell	2:00 p.m.
February 17	National Duals
February 24	National Duals Final Four at Minneapolis, MN
March 9-10	EIWA Championships at Rutgers
March 21-23	NCAA Championships at Des Moines, IA

–Printed with permission

One-on-One With Recently Promoted Zach Tanelli, Hofstra's Head Assistant Coach

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Zach Tanelli, Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

New York Wrestling News spent time talking to recently promoted Hofstra Head Assistant Coach Zach Tanelli about a range of topics, from the team’s loaded 2012-13 schedule, to the newcomers who could have an immediate impact, to the New York-New Jersey wrestling rivalry.

Q: Let’s start with the schedule. Hofstra has a lot of tough tests early, including opening with last year’s National Duals champion, Minnesota. What was the thought process when putting together this schedule?

Zach Tanelli (ZT): You can blame me because [head coach] Rob [Anspach] put me in charge of scheduling. We wanted to change our philosophy a little bit. With the way the NCAAs are structured today, you’re judged on All-Americans. We have a strong tradition of having All-Americans and an overall good team, but we know we can’t be complacent and happy with having just a few All-Americans. We want to be a top-10 team and to do that we have to be as ready as possible to wrestle the best. So our goal is to match up with teams like Iowa, Ohio State and Minnesota early in the season to know what we need to work on to be best prepared for the NCAAs. We’d love to go 15-0 in dual meets, but that’s not our main focus. The goal is to be prepared for March. We know this doesn’t ensure All-Americans by any means, but we feel as a staff that it will get the guys as prepared as they can be for the part of the season that matters the most.

You’ll be meeting two of the teams you mentioned, Iowa and Ohio State, at the first-ever wrestling event at Madison Square Garden. How does the team feel about participating?

ZT: It’s definitely exciting for us to be a part of the inaugural event. Madison Square Garden would like to do it every year, but it will depend a lot on attendance. I think it will be a great draw. We wanted to wrestle the tough teams and we’re getting the chance pretty close to home. We’re really excited about wrestling at Madison Square Garden and about getting our guys an early season opportunity to see where they are.

You also will be participating in the National Duals this year. How did that come about?

ZT: Honestly, we always want to be a part of National Duals. Last year, we didn’t get invited. This year, we’re happy to be a part of it. As long as we get the invite, we’ll be in attendance.

You mentioned the focus on March and having All-Americans. Steve Bonanno made the podium last year and returns for more one season. What was the difference for him in 2011-12 and what do you expect from him in his senior campaign?

ZT: Last year everyone surrounding the program knew he was capable of being an All-American. The biggest thing that happened was mental. He started really believing in himself and stopped asking questions. He really committed to what we were telling him and dealt with the adversity.

He was an All-American, he was proud and we were proud. But immediately after, we sat down and agreed – 8^th place isn’t good enough because he can do more. This year, instead of being a guy [ranked] in the 5-8 range, we want him to be a guy in the 1-4 range and in title contention. He put in a good summer and we feel confident he can take that next step. A lot of it will come down to how he handles the adversity and pressure of being the hunted. No one will take him lightly and there’s a big mark on his back. I think he’s a kid who will step up to the plate and accept the challenge.

Justin Accordino also became an All-American for the first time last year. He was granted his sixth year of eligibility after missing most of two seasons with injuries. What are you looking for from him this season?

ZT: When Justin finally trusted and believed that he wasn’t going to go out there and get hurt, it really showed. And that’s what’s most important for him. If he’s consistent, the sky’s the limit for him. He’s a quick learner who listens well. Everyone saw what he’s capable of when he was healthy for a full year with a good year of training. We think he can punch his way into the finals this year rather than drop that semifinals match like he did last year.

Who do you see as a breakthrough performer for Hofstra this year?

ZT: I think there could be a couple, but I’ll start with [141-pounder] Luke Vaith. I thought he was very good last year. He had some solid wins over [former All-American from Penn] Zach Kemmerer and Billy Ashnault [of Rutgers]. I hate to make excuses but he had a pretty tough draw at the national tournament, getting [two-time NCAA champion] Kellen Russell in the second round and then Kemmerer, who had some experience at the NCAAs. I thought he could make the Round of 12 last year and after this summer, I think he will surprise a lot of people. He’ll definitely be tested right away with the schedule we have and I think he’ll pass. I’m looking for him to be an All-American this year.

Speaking of possible breakthrough performers, your incoming recruiting class had some of the top wrestlers in New York, such as 2012 state champions Dan Spurgeon (Plainedge) and Jamel Hudson (St. Anthony’s) as well as strong out of state talent. What have you seen from the class so far?

ZT: [Assistant coach] Dan Vallimont has done a great job on the recruiting side. He has done very well building relationships and reaching out to kids.

A lot of the kids were here over the summer, training and getting workouts in. I think the biggest thing isn’t necessarily the accolades they had in high school, but their attitude. We like the attitude they bring and feel strongly that they will pan out. There are 18 of them coming in, filling every weight other than 125. It’s exciting for the program.

Do you think some will see the mat right away?

ZT: It’s always hard to say with freshmen. Victor Pozsonyi [NHSCA All-American from New Jersey] will be right up there to start at 197. He’s had a really nice summer with us. Dan Spurgeon looks good as a 174 pounder. He has been around too and we’re really excited about him.

Then we have a newcomer in Taras Luzhnyy [silver medalist at the 2010 University World Championships in freestyle], who should be our starter at 184 pounds. It’s great because after Ben Clymer graduated, we thought we would have to start fresh at that weight. He’s a workhorse who has been here all summer and really wants to take care of business. As of now, he has only one year of eligibility and I wish we had more time with him. The biggest area of focus is obviously on the mat, but with his work ethic, he’s making the adjustments. We feel confident that by March, he’ll have a shot to be a high All-American. He brings a very different dynamic into the room and the amount of respect he has from the guys already is outrageous.

Another impact upperweight signed from Colorado, Dwight Howes (two-time Colorado state champion, FILA Junior Pan Am Games champion). Will he be at Hofstra this season?

ZT: Dwight is training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He’ll be spending this year out there, trying to get ready to make a World Team, and then he’ll be at Hofstra in the fall of 2013.

Congratulations on your recent promotion to Head Assistant Coach. What changes does the promotion bring about for you and in the coaching staff?

ZT: As far as responsibilities go, the responsibilities are pretty similar to what they were between [Head Coach] Rob [Anspach], Dan [Vallimont] and I last year. Everything I was doing last year, I’m still doing. It’s a really nice thing, though, to be recognized by our coaches, the Athletic Director and the leaders of the University. It’s an honor.

So, will the coaching staff remain the same for next year?

ZT: Gregor Gillespie is moving on to fight and Ryan Patrovich will be coming on as the volunteer assistant. We’re really excited about having Ryan on board as a coach. He had a great career at Hofstra and is an important part of the program.

Did you know you wanted to get into coaching after you graduated from Wisconsin?

ZT: Even when I was competing, I thought of myself as a better coach than wrestler. I knew I would be helping out in wrestling somehow after Wisconsin and I was fortunate that this opportunity arose close to where I grew up and I jumped on it.

Whenever I was home during college, I’d help out with my high school and the Edge Club with Ernie Monaco. I think I have a good sense of breaking technique down so guys can relate and understand and fit it into their style. There are some guys who are better wrestlers, but they have a hard time explaining the moves. Doing it and teaching it – totally different ballgames. The best coaches aren’t always the best athletes and I think that’s accepted in a lot of other sports, but in wrestling, personal accolades are taken heavily into consideration.

What are some of the things that challenged you as you went from wrestler to coach?

ZT: There were a couple of things. First, I think realizing that everyone is different and that you need to be patient. What motivated me isn’t what’s going to motivate every kid. You need to connect to each kid as an individual because at this level nearly everyone is capable of turning the corner and being successful, for the most part. There aren’t too many secret moves or techniques. It’s about getting people to buy into a system or philosophy and finding the buttons to push to make them get to their best.

Recruiting also takes getting used to. It’s a new experience to be confident and comfortable in a kid’s home. You’re talking to the kids and their parents about pivotal years in life and helping a kid go from being a young adult to a man. It took some time to get used to those types of conversations.

Also, I never really saw some of the things that go into coaching beyond the actual coaching – like the relationship building and fundraising. I guess I wasn’t expecting it. The wrestling part is easy – it’s enjoyable to hang out with the guys — lifting, training, wrestling. The other parts are challenging and probably go unnoticed. But the number of hours are worth it when the guys achieve their goals.

You’re from New Jersey. There is a growing rivalry between New York and New Jersey in wrestling. Was that rivalry in place when you were growing up?

ZT: When I was in high school, it wasn’t really a rivalry. But now, New Jersey has to worry about New York. New York wrestling seems to have grown quite a bit in the past decade. I saw some of that New York/New Jersey rivalry when I was up at the Adam Frey Classic. New York was always known for very good individuals, but is now well known for depth as well. I definitely get a lot more questions about New York kids on the national circuit now than I did even a few years ago. The state’s wrestling is heading in the right direction and I’m really excited to be a part of it at Hofstra.

New York Wrestling News 2012-2013 Archive

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