Category Archives: Division 2

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

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By Betsy Veysman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cortland’s Postseason Lineup* in 2011-12

125 Nigel McNeil (22-4 overall)

133 Sean Kempf (20-10)

141 Brian Bistis (26-9)

149 Andre Berry (17-10)

157 Troy Sterling (17-7)

165 Jonathan Conroy (32-11)

174 Lou Puca (21-10)

184 Carl Korpi (28-9)

197 Jared Myhrberg (33-1)

285 Joey Giaramita (24-11)

* All records according to team’s website

 

Cortland’s 2012 Recruiting Class*

Tony Battista (133) Cicero-North Syracuse HS

Tyler Beckwith (174/184) Binghamton/Greene HS

Wes Blanding (133) Chittenango HS

Mike Bosco (174) Nassau CC/John Glenn HS

Joe Cataldo (165/174) MacArthur HS

Alec Dierna (125/133) Webster Schroeder HS

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

Nick Falco (149) Nassau CC/East Meadow HS

Tyler Hall (125) Marathon HS

Mitchell Janes (149) Port Byron HS

David Occhipinti (133) Croton-Harmon HS

Anthony Padulo (141) Baruch College HS

Josh Reed (174) Webster-Schroeder HS

* Provided by Cortland

Troy Nickerson Ready to Start Next Chapter as Cyclones Assistant Coach

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By Betsy Veysman

It sounded like Troy Nickerson was talking about Cornell, the way he has for years. A beautiful campus. Great opportunities for outdoor activities like hunting.  An unmistakable family atmosphere on the wrestling team.

But on Saturday when being interviewed, he wasn’t describing Ithaca, which he has called home since 2005.  He was discussing the place he’ll be starting the next chapter of his career – Ames, Iowa as an assistant coach at Iowa State University.

“I’ve been in New York almost my entire life,” he said. “It will definitely be different living in Iowa, but there are a lot of similarities.  I think the opportunity I have out there is a great one.”

The opportunity was one of several available to the four-time NCAA All-American.  At different points since graduating from Cornell he considered medical school and a Masters degree, but ultimately decided he couldn’t imagine his life without wrestling, even after a recent challenging time in the sport.

Nickerson spent much of the recent past working on freestyle in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Trials. However, his quest for London didn’t go as planned, as he didn’t qualify for the Trials.

“It was a life experience for me,” he said.  “I’m happy that I made the commitment to train.  I think I wouldn’t have been satisfied if I didn’t try.  I had a lot of setbacks.  Health was a factor stopping me from reaching my goals. But I developed great relationships and traveled the world. I learned a lot about myself.  I realized how much passion I still have for wrestling and that I still wanted it to be the focus for me.  I loved coaching before and decided it was what I wanted in the future.”

Nickerson has previous coaching experience at the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club (FLWC) in Ithaca, where he mentored grapplers ranging from the youth to senior levels after completing his Big Red degree.  He was the head coach of the club’s college team in 2010-11.

“The thing I enjoyed most about working at FLWC was helping those guys achieve their goals,” he said. “I got to see their improvement on a daily basis and that’s what excited me.  I was able to develop relationships with them and impact their lives – like so many of my coaches have done for me.”

The only wrestler to capture five New York high school state titles said he feels lucky to have been around great leaders who he hopes to emulate in his new position.

“I really admire what Rob Koll and all of the Cornell coaches have done,” he said. “I think the thing that has impressed me most is the atmosphere of family and community that has been cultivated.  Whether you’re a top guy or a backup who is unlikely to ever start, the coaches take a value in each person’s life, in wrestling and outside of wrestling.  That’s extremely important.  It has helped Cornell develop a rich tradition in a short time. I look forward to developing similar relationships at Iowa State.”

Nickerson has that chance with a team that is looking to get back to the top of the college wrestling world after 20th and 35th place finishes at the past two NCAA tournaments.

“There’s a lot of young talent in the room right now,” he said.  “When [head coach] Kevin [Jackson] came in, they were really in a rebuilding phase and that continued this past season. But there are some great guys there and some talented recruits coming in.  I’ve seen the ability of NCAA qualifers like Ryak Finch and Luke Goettl as well as incoming guys like John Meeks, Destin McCauley and Dakota Bauer, to name just a few. I look forward to working with those guys and making a big impact.”

The 2009 NCAA champion at 125 pounds certainly can relate to the young talent.  He joined the Big Red lineup as a true freshman and showed he belonged right away.  The Chenango Forks native won his first 18 bouts, earned the first of his three EIWA crowns and reached the NCAA finals in his first season out of high school.

In his 97-8 career with the Big Red, Nickerson had many memorable victories.  One of them was a match against a Cyclone – Andrew Long – in early 2010.

It was a high profile tilt for a number of reasons.  It was the opening bout of a dual between two top teams – #2 Iowa State and #6 Cornell.  It was also being televised live and was part of a fundraising event for the Adam Frey Foundation.  Long had been impressive and was ranked fifth in the nation.  Nickerson had been struggling with injuries.

It didn’t matter.  The Cornellian put on a show for the crowd, albeit a short one.  He took Long down soon after the opening whistle and put him on his back.  While the Cyclone fought hard to keep the match going, Nickerson earned the first period pin and a victory many Big Red fans still discuss.  But Nickerson isn’t one of them.

“That match was in the past,” he said. “I think what you can take away from that win and others is that when you step on the mat, it doesn’t matter who you’re facing or what the environment is like. That’s the kind of mindset I hope to instill.”

“I saw a lot in the past year, traveling internationally and being put way out of my comfort zone,” he continued. “We had to perform in environments where we didn’t have the food, equipment and other amenities we’re used to in the United States.  It’s all about being able to adapt.  That’s what the guys at Iowa State need to do, just go work hard; don’t worry about who the opponent is. I want to have guys that just compete and believe they’ll win.”

While he talked about not worrying about who the opponent is, Nickerson admitted that he’s happy Cornell is not on the Cyclone schedule this season after three consecutive years of dual meets between the squads.

“I loved my time at Cornell and consider Ithaca home,” he said. “I learned from the best coaches in Division I.  I will always be a Big Red fan. I am grateful for the opportunities Cornell has given me.  When it comes time to coach against the Big Red at NCAAs or some other tournament down the line, I’m sure it will feel different than against other teams.  But I’m excited to be at such a storied program and I’ll do everything I can to bring victory to the Cyclones.”

"Winning Big With New York Kids": Matt Dernlan Excited to Get Started at Binghamton

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By Betsy Veysman

Matt Dernlan was focused on his Clarion wrestlers at the 2012 NCAA tournament in St. Louis, but like many other coaches and fans, he couldn’t help but notice the performance of Binghamton’s Donnie Vinson.

The 149-pounder dropped his initial bout to Nick Lester of Oklahoma before rattling off seven straight victories to take third place.

“I think it’s the toughest tournament in the world, especially if you lose your first match,” Dernlan said. “It’s not the achievement of third place that was so impressive.  It was the resilience and resolve he showed to come back and keep fighting and winning.  With that type of character and his talent, he’s got everything it takes to be a national champion.”

Dernlan now has an opportunity to be a part of Vinson’s run at a title in his new position as head coach at Binghamton.  In fact, when talking to Dernlan, the phrase “national champion” comes up quite a bit.

The Ohio native has some experience with reaching the pinnacle of the college wrestling world.  As the Director of Operations, he was part of Penn State’s NCAA title team in 2011.  He witnessed the key ingredients that brought that crown to State College and believes he sees many of the same pieces in place at Binghamton.

“When the job first opened up, it wasn’t something I pursued because there were a lot of good things going on at Clarion,” he said of the institution he coached for nine months.  “But Binghamton reached out to me.  The more I talked to them, the more I saw all the elements necessary to build a national championship program.”

Those elements, according to Dernlan, go beyond the athletes and coaches.

“Coming from Penn State, I have an understanding of everything that has to come together to get to the top,” he said. “You need to have committed support from everyone – from the President, the athletic department, the alumni and the community.  You need to have support systems in place for the student-athletes.  I wouldn’t have left a top 20 program with the history and tradition of Clarion if I didn’t think all of that support was here.  When I spoke to the President about his vision for the university and to the Athletic Director about his vision and plans for the next five years, I got really excited.  Conversations with the alumni made me even more excited.  It became an easy decision.”

Another reason the decision was “easy” is the current state of the Bearcat program.  When now-North Carolina State head coach Pat Popolizio took the reins six years ago, Binghamton was a winless team.  Fast forward to 2011-12, when the Bearcats earned a top 20 dual meet ranking in addition to an 14th place finish at the NCAAs fueled by five qualifiers and a pair of All-Americans (Vinson and freshman heavyweight Nick Gwiazdowski).  Dernlan spoke with admiration about the foundation Popolizio developed.

“A lot of credit needs to go to Pat,” Dernlan said. “He did so much to elevate the program to national prominence.  He created the right kind of culture.  We want to take advantage of that and build on all the momentum.”

To do that, Dernlan will look for a holdover from Popolizio’s staff, Jasen Borshoff, to play a key role.

“I’ve been spending time with Jasen, picking his brain and getting to know him,” he said. “I am very impressed with his intelligence and passion.  He’s everything I think college coaching should be about.  Retaining Jasen was a priority. He is committed and driven towards the same goals as I am.”

Dernlan said he also would like to utilize the expertise of volunteer assistant Andy Seras, whom he has not spoken to yet in detail in his few days on the job.

“Andy’s resume and track record show that he brings a lot to the table,” he said. “If he wants to continue on, that would be attractive.  He has roots in New York.”

New York roots are another topic Dernlan talks about with enthusiasm.  He has watched several Empire State grapplers succeed in the postseason over the past several years and believes that homestate wrestlers should form the backbone of the squad.

“It is very appealing to be in New York, which is one of the best scholastic states in the country,” he said. “That’s been proven by performance at the NCAAs.  If we can get the talent in this state on our team, I don’t anticipate going outside the borders that much.  I believe we can win and win big with New York kids.”

Dernlan knows it won’t always be easy getting those top Empire State grapplers on campus.  There aren’t double digit in-state programs competing for talent like in Pennsylvania, but the coach knows that programs such as Cornell, Hofstra and Buffalo are competitors on the recruiting trail — and on the mat.

“Rob Anspach has done a great job at Hofstra,” he said.  “They have great tradition and I am sure we will push each other to be great and continue to elevate the stature of CAA wrestling.  And I know there’s a team up the road in Ithaca that’s been doing special things. You want to compete against teams like Cornell.  Rob Koll is one of the best coaches in the nation and he’s created the standard.  We’ve got a bullseye on his team.  Having several elite teams in this state can only be a great thing.  But our goal is to become the face of New York wrestling.  If we can do that, we’ll be contending for national titles because that’s what Cornell is doing now.”

Trying to take that step next year will be a fairly experienced Bearcat team.  While longtime standouts Justin Lister and Matt Kaylor have graduated, and heavyweight Nick Gwiazdowski is likely to transfer, Binghamton could return the remainder of its starters, including NCAA qualifiers Vinson, Nate Scheidel and Cody Reed.

“I think we’ve got great experience and a collection of individuals that have gone deep into March and know what that environment is like,” Dernlan said.  “Everyone is proud of what Binghamton accomplished last year but now we’re aspiring to go beyond. There’s a lot that goes into that; a lot of intangibles you can’t control at the national tournament.  But my expectation is that with the talent we have returning and the incoming guys, we can improve upon last year if we prepare the right way.”

An integral component of that, according to Dernlan, is optimizing the level of competition throughout the campaign.

“We need to elevate our schedule and compete against the best,” he said. “The CAA tournament and Nationals are the two target weeks of the season.  We won’t be doing our program or any of our wrestlers favors by padding records heading into the conference tournament.  We need to test ourselves early, often and consistently so that when March rolls around, we’re ready for those big moments. We know what the intensity and the fight of March are all about and we need to be prepared.”

Part of that preparation, the coach said, is encouraging an aggressive style of wrestling.

“We want to go out to dominate, put up points and break our opponents,” he said. “If you do that, you build a reputation and it spreads.  It creates a tangible element at the national tournament.  People step on the mat with you and they already know what they’re in for.  They know you won’t back down and you’ll be in their face for seven minutes.  That’s what makes you succeed against the best.”

Succeeding against the best is something Dernlan values.  When asked about his most memorable match, he almost immediately brings up one of his toughest high school battles in the Buckeye State against fellow state champion John Marchette.

“Competing against him is something I remember to this day because he pushed my limits in every capacity,” he said.  “We laugh about it at this point and appreciate and respect each other for pushing each other to new levels. Fortunately, I was the winner, but we were both better for the battle and it helped us both later on.”

Dernlan sees that competitive fire in the Binghamton room.  He has spent his first few days meeting the team and laying out the gameplan for the summer and next season.  He joked about his endless to-do list, which includes things like figuring out summer camps, talking to this year’s incoming class, selling a house and hiring another assistant coach (Frank Beasley accompanied Popolizio to the ACC), all while shuttling back and forth to Pennsylvania.  But he’s enjoying every minute of it and his optimism is obvious.

“[Popolizio] won and he did it the right way,” he said. “He wanted to win with character kids who were a positive reflection on the program.  That’s fundamental for me; doing things in a way that the university and the community will be proud of.  With what we have in place here, I think Binghamton should be a top 10 team every year. But that won’t be enough for me.  I’m driven to win a national title.   If we attract the right kids with all we have to offer, I believe we can get there.”

Finals Videos from New York States Junior Division (Fargo Qualifier)

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Check out videos for the finals from the New York State Championships (Fargo Qualifier) on May 5 in Binghamton.

 

160 Pounds: Dylan Palacio (Ascend) vs. Burke Paddock (Team Ten)

 

182 Pounds: McZiggy Richards (Beat the Streets) vs. Jeffrey Day (Genessee Valley WC)

 

170 Pounds: Rrok Ndokaj (Beat the Streets) vs. Sher Mohammad (Beat the Streets)

 

138 Pounds: Tom Page (NYSS) vs. Vincent Turano (Ascend)

 

126 Pounds: Keanu Thompson (Beat the Streets) vs. Oral Allen (Ascend)

 

132 Pounds: Jessy Williams (Team Worldwide) vs. James Ronca (Journeymen)

 

145 Pounds: Matt Greene (Columbia) vs. Justin Boone (Copiague)

 

152 Pounds: Tial Thang (MVWC) vs Leland Slawson (MVWC)

 

220 Pounds: Soslan Gularov (Steeplechase) vs Jonathan Babson (Happy Yo)

 

195 Pounds: Pat Nasoni (MVWC) vs Alex Moss (MVWC)

 

Cornell Regional Training Center Clinic Comes to Long Island May 25-26

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In late April, Kyle Dake, Mack Lewnes and Frank Perrelli, representing the U.S. Regional Training Center (RTC) at Cornell, competed with the best freestyle wrestlers in the country at the 2012 Olympic Trials.

On May 25-26, Dake, Lewnes and Perrelli will come to three locations (Askren Wrestling Academy, Luthern High School and Eastport-South Manor High) for the Cornell RTC Long Island training camp.  They will be bringing some of the nation’s best with them, as NCAA champions Steve Bosak, Troy Nickerson and Cam Simaz will be on hand as clinicians as will coaches Rob Koll, Damion Hahn, Mike Grey and Clint Wattenberg.

“We are looking to put on a great clinic in a part of the state that has excellent wrestling, while also making our presence more visible in downstate New York,” Cornell head coach Rob Koll said.  “I’m not sure many people are aware that we are building our RTC in Ithaca.  We are doing more than just molding student-athletes to be All-Americans and NCAA champions at Cornell, we are also developing the RTC to help make Olympic dreams come true.”

Lewnes was one of the first to take advantage.  When he first arrived in Ithaca as a freshman in the fall of 2007, he thought he would have to go elsewhere to pursue his freestyle goals after completing his collegiate career.  However, by the time he graduated in 2011, the RTC was up and running and he was able to stay at Cornell to work on freestyle and prepare for the Olympic Trials.

The three-time All-American spent the 2011-12 campaign training with a number of individuals accomplished in the international styles at the RTC, including Olympic alternates Hahn and Wattenberg, World Championships placer Koll as well as members of the Big Red team.

“I got fantastic support and had an amazing year,” Lewnes said. “We’ve only been designated as a Regional Training Center for a few years and things are developing so fast; it’s great.  It’s only going to keep growing, especially as we bring in a freestyle coach.”

While the RTC sent three grapplers to the Olympic Trials in 2012, Lewnes and Koll expect that to change.

“We were able to support Mack, Frank and Kyle, and we’re looking to support and train more athletes over the next few years,” Koll said.  “Our goal is to help more and more people move up the ladder and work for their Olympic aspirations. Next time the Olympic Trials roll around in 2016, we want to make sure we don’t have three guys competing, but more like 10.”

Some of those future Olympic hopefuls will be at the clinic on May 25-26.  All staff members will rotate among the three sites (Askren Wrestling Academy in Somers, Luthern High School in Brookville and Eastport South Manor High in Manorville).

On Friday the 25th, the event will take place from 6-8:15 p.m.  The following day, the camp will have sessions from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3.  Lunch will be included for all on Saturday.   Registration costs $90 in advance and $100 at the door. For group discounts please call Rob Koll directly at 607-255-7307.

[button link=”http://www.flwrestlingclub.org/RTC_LongIslandCamp_flyer.pdf” type=”big” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] Camp Flyer[/button]

 

 

For further information or to sign up, please visit flwrestlingclub.org/rtc.htm

–Betsy Veysman

 

 

Palacio Earns Triple Crown; Ndokaj, Koll, Gularov, Livernash Win Double Titles at NY States

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By Betsy Veysman

The first thing Dylan Palacio told Long Beach head coach Ray Adams after winning the Greco and Freestyle New York State titles this past weekend was that he’s not done yet.

While the Cornell-bound senior, who competed for Ascend in Binghamton, won’t consider himself finished with his high school goals until he competes for national championships in Freestyle and Greco in North Dakota this summer, he did achieve something significant this weekend – the New York State Triple Crown.  (He won the Empire State folkstyle title at the NYPHSAA Division I tournament in Albany in February).

None of the results have come as a surprise to Adams.

“Going into the season, I thought he could have all the success he’s had,” the coach said. “He just missed on a lot of these goals in the past – finishing third at States and at the Nationals in Virginia Beach.  He just came up a little short and was knocking at the door.  After all he’s done, it was just his time.”

Adams believes that both Palacio’s mindset and the work he put in prior to this season made the difference.

“Dylan really improved his technique all around, but especially on his feet where he developed more of an arsenal.  He opened up and put a lot of points on the board,” Adams said. “He also had a one-track mind this year; he was 100% driven.  His mental toughness and refusal to lose have really shown.  He’s really stubborn with his goals.”

At Fargo in 2011, Palacio went 4-2 in Freestyle and took eighth in Greco.  He has made it clear that he expects to be on the top of the podium this time.

“You obviously have to be really good to win at Fargo and you need a little luck too,” Adams said. “Dylan knows he can win there.  If he continues to train hard, I think he has a very legitimate shot at winning in both styles.”

Another wrestler looking forward to a return trip to North Dakota is Rrok Ndokaj.   The Monsignor Farrell senior didn’t place there a year ago, but clinched a spot on the Empire State squad with his titles in both Freestyle and Greco over the weekend while wrestling for Beat the Streets.

“I felt confident going in,” Ndokaj said. “I felt like there shouldn’t be anything standing in my way.”

The titles were a continuation of Ndokaj’s postseason success in 2012.  After falling one round short of the podium at the state tournament in 2011, the Catholic League champ took fourth place at the Times Union Center this time at 170.

“It was a little bittersweet at States,” he said. “I came in seeded second and wanted to make the finals, but I guess I can’t be too upset about placing.”

The Staten Island native followed up his performance in Albany with an All-American finish (eighth) at FloNationals in Philadelphia down at 160.

Back at 170 pounds this weekend, the future Bloomsburg grappler won 13 matches, dropping a total of just two periods, to capture both the Freestyle and Greco Roman New York state titles.

“Wrestling at Fargo last year was definitely a great experience, being in that arena wrestling at a national level,” Ndokaj said. “I want to go back and try to do something better.  A national championship is my goal. It’s the only goal you can set.”

Joining Palacio and Ndokaj as double champions at Broome Community College on Saturday and Sunday were Team Worldwide’s Ethan Livernash (100 pounds), Finger Lakes Wrestling Club’s William Koll (120) and Soslan Gularov of Team Steeplechase (220).

Koll won both Freestyle and Greco titles at this event a year ago, but didn’t make the trip to Fargo in 2011.  He will make his debut in North Dakota after breezing through the competition in the Empire State, winning by pin or technical fall in eight of his 11 bouts, dropping just one period along the way.

Livernash swept Andy Martinez to win both of his titles while Gularov won 10 of his 11 bouts in straight periods.  The only opponent to take him to the limit was Team Worldwide’s Matthew Abbott in the Freestyle finals, however Gularov took the third stanza of that match in dominating fashion, 6-0.

Ndokaj was one of the champions for Beat the Streets, which showed its strength across the Cadet, Junior and Women’s brackets.  The New York City based club took first in both Freestyle and Greco in the Junior division and second and third, respectively, in Cadet Greco and Freestyle.

MVWC came out on top in both styles in the Cadet competition, while Ascend was top three in three of the events (second in Cadet FS and Junior Greco; third in Junior FS). (Team points weren’t available for Women’s Freestyle).

In addition to the double winners in the Junior division, there were also several wrestlers victorious in both styles at the Cadet level: Matthew Morris (ATWA, 113 pounds), Freddie Dunau (Technical Edge, 120), Mike Dusold (VHW, 152), Daniel Smith (MVWC, 170) and Joe Nasoni (MVWC, 195).

For full results for Cadet, Junior and Women’s competition, please see the following links:

http://newyorkwrestlingnews.com/sundays-updated-results-from-new-york-freestyle-and-greco-states/

http://newyorkwrestlingnews.com/results-from-ny-freestyle-and-greco-states/

New York Well Represented on NWCA Division I All-Academic Team

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On Tuesday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association released the 2011-12 All-Academic Team, which included several wrestlers who went to high school in New York or who wrestle for teams based in the Empire State.  Congratulations to those Division I competitors.

 

Steve Bonanno, Hofstra, Accounting (Wantagh, NY)

Kyle Dake, Cornell, Development Sociology (Ithaca, NY)

Nick Gwiazdowski, Binghamton, Undeclared (Delanson, NY)

Matt Kaylor, Binghamton, Master of Arts in Teaching (Ballston Spa, NY)

Steven Keith, Harvard, Economics (Shoreham, NY)

Ryan LeBlanc, Indiana, Fitness Specialist (Morrisville, NY)

Matt Mariacher, American, Public Communication (Buffalo, NY)

Mike Nevinger, Cornell, Engineering (Perry, NY)

Jake O’Hara, Columbia, Financial Economics (Mountaintop, PA)

James Rafferty, Army, Int’l and Comparative Legal Studies (Haddon Heights, NJ)

Steve Santos, Columbia, Financial Economics (Brick, NJ)

Kevin Smith, Buffalo, Physical Therapy (Mexico, NY)

Billy Watterson, Brown, Economics (Pound Ridge, NY)

 

The full list can be found at:

Click to access 2012-individual-all-academic-team.pdf

Gwiazdowski Gets Release from Binghamton; NC State "High on the List"

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Nick Gwiazdowski attributed much of his success as a true freshman this year, including his All-American finish at the NCAA tournament, to the coaches he worked with at Binghamton.

So when Pat Popolizio left the Bearcats in April to take the head coaching job at North Carolina State, Gwiazdowski began reassessing his future.

Now, after being granted a full release from the CAA university, Gwiazdowski has a decision to make.

“Now that I have my release, I’m allowed to look around,” he said on Sunday. “Some people have drawn conclusions, but there is a process I need to go through before anything becomes official.  It’s fair to say that NC State is very high on my list.”

Gwiazdowski said he has not yet visited the ACC institution or any other schools, but knows he would fit in with the Wolfpack coaching staff.

“It would be tough to leave New York,” he said. “This is where I’m from and I have a lot of close friends at the school and on the team.  But my family and I have to consider what’s best for my career.  I only have four years of school left and only three of competition to achieve my dreams.  I think I can do that under [Popolizio’s] leadership.”

In the interim, Gwiazdowski and many of his teammates have been involved in the process of hiring Popolizio’s successor.  In addition, the Delanson native has been training with Bearcats assistant coach Jasen Borshoff and the rest of the squad.

“I will go through the process I agreed on with Binghamton and make my decision soon,” he said.

 

–Betsy Veysman

Sunday's Updated Results from New York Freestyle and Greco States

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Junior Freestyle Results

100 Pounds: Ethan Livernash (Team Worldwide) over Andy Martinez (Beat the Streets)

106 Pounds: Kyle Kelly (Team Worldwide) over Golan Cohen (Titan Worldwide)

Third: Nicco Riccio (Journeymen)

113 Pounds: Lucas Malmberg (Finger Lakes Wrestling Club) over Josh Antoine (Beat the Streets)

Third: Allan McNeil (Titans NY)

120 Pounds: William Koll (Finger Lakes Wrestling Club) dec Santo Curatolo (Beat the Streets), 2-0, 1-0

Third: Freddy Medina (Ascend)

126 Pounds: Rocco Russo (NYSS) dec Oral Allen (Ascend), 5-6, 8-7, 5-0

Third: Blake Retell (Journeymen)

132 Pounds: Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer (Buffalo Grapplers) pin James Ronca (Journeymen), 6-0, 1:05

Third: Abubakarr Sow (Beat the Streets)

138 Pounds: Nick Kelley (Journeymen) dec Tom Page (NYSS), 2-0, 3-2

Third: Emin Aliyev (Beat the Streets)

145 Pounds: David Almaviva (Journeymen) dec Quinton Murphy (Team Miron), 6-3, 5-4

Third: Justin Boone (Copiague)

152 Pounds: Tial Thang (MVWC) dec Andrew Paulsen (Buffalo Grapplers) 3-0, 9-1

Third: Leland Slawson (Team Worldwide)

160 Pounds: Dylan Palacio (Ascend) dec Tyler Grimaldi (631 Elite), 5-0, 5-0

Third: Burke Paddock (Teamten)

170 Pounds: Rrok Ndokaj (Beat the Streets) dec Austin Weigel (Journeymen) 1-0, 3-0

Third: David Bunn (Copiague)

182 Pounds: Tim Schaefer (Teamten) dec Tom Murray (Askren Wrestling Academy), 1-0, 2-1

Third: McZiggy Richards (Beat the Streets)

195 Pounds: Reggie Williams (Johnson City) TF Spencer Morton (MVWC), 4-6, 6-0, 10-4

Third: Levi Ashley (Journeymen)

220 Pounds: Soslan Gularov (Steplechase) dec Matthew Abbott (Team Worldwide), 2-0, 0-5, 6-0

Third: Josh Langley (MVWC)

285 Pounds: El Shaddai Vantbesen (Titan Worldwide) dec Quasar Hampton (Beat the Streets), 2-0, 2-1

Third: Dante Salkey (Ascend)

 

Cadet Greco Roman

 

88 Pounds: David Ciciarelli (MVWC)

94 Pounds: Sean Miller (Connetquot)

100 Pounds: Dolan McColgan (Beat the Streets) over Bryan Arroyo (Beat the Streets)

Third: Ray Sorensen (MVWC)

106 Pounds: Nicholas Casella (VHW) dec Donny McCoy (Section Six Freestyle), 8-4, 4-0

Third: Dandre Norman (MVWC)

113 Pounds: Matthew Morris (ATWA) dec Travis Alexander (Ascend) 7-3, 7-0

Third: Carter Merecki (Journeymen)

120 Pounds: Freddie Dunau (Technical Edge) pin Ian Lupole (Team Worldwide), 0:13

Third: Zack Barker (Titans Wrestling Club)

126 Pounds: Ryan Snow (MVWC) TF Tom Stobe (Clarke), 6-0, 7-0

Third: Anthony Nunziata Jr (Sachem North)

132 Pounds: Jesse Porter (Journeymen) pin Sam Ward (VHW), 1-0, 1:31

Third: Sean O’Hagan (Sachem North)

138 Pounds: Jordan Bushey (Celler Dwellers) dec Jay Oakes (ATWA), 2-0, 4-4

Third: Matthew Marino (Sachem North)

145 Pounds: Nicholas Forget (Celler Dwellers) dec Skylar Kropman (Titan Worldwide), 6-4, 6-0

Third: Jordan Torbitt (Finger Lakes Wrestling Club)

152 Pounds: Mike Dusold (VHW) pin Conner Halladay (Johnson City), 6-0, 0:04

Third: Jacob Ashcraft (Journeymen)

160 Pounds: Gregory Kleinsmith (Team Worldwide) TF Travis Eberley (MVWC), 6-0, 7-0

Third: Angelo Kress (Journeymen)

170 Pounds: Daniel Smith (MVWC) pin Jack Buell (MVWC), 1-0, 1:45

Third: Aidan Mathews (Askren Wrestling Academy)

182 Pounds: Steven Lee (Journey) pin James Bethel (Dark Corner), 1:38

Third: Aaron Paddock (Team X)

195 Pounds: Joe Nasoni (MVWC) pin Chris Tangora (NY Titans) 4-1, 1-6, 0:25

Third: Nick Weber (Journey)

220 Pounds: Matthew St. Onge (Clarkstown South)

285 Pounds: Mark Ifraimov (Beat the Streets) over Mazen Hassen (Beat the Streets)

Third: Mason Cross (Titans Wrestling Club)

 

For Saturday’s results, see: http://newyorkwrestlingnews.com/results-from-ny-freestyle-and-greco-states/


Results from New York Freestyle and Greco States

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Junior Greco Roman Results

100 Pounds: Ethan Livernash (Team Worldwide) over Andy Martinez (Beat the Streets)

106 Pounds: Golan Cohen (Titan Worldwide) inj def Kyle Kelly (Team Worldwide)

Third: Nicco Riccio (Journeymen)

113 Pounds: Josh Antoine (Beat the Streets) pin Lucas Malmberg (Finger Lakes Wrestling Club), 0-7, 0:51

Third: Allan McNeil (Titans NY)

120 Pounds: William Koll (Finger Lakes Wrestling Club) TF Cheick Ndiaye (Beat the Streets), 6-0, 7-0

Third: Santo Curatolo (Beat the Streets)

126 Pounds: Keanu Thompson (Beat the Streets) TF Oral Allen (Ascend), 7-1, 6-0

Third: Rocco Russo (NYSS)

132 Pounds: Jessy Williams (Team Worldwide) Fall James Ronca (Journeymen), 0-4, 6-0, 1:29

Third: Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer (Buffalo Grapplers)

138 Pounds: Tom Page (NYSS) dec Vincent Turano (Ascend) 2-0, 6-4

Third: Emin Aliyev (Beat the Streets)

145 Pounds: Matt Greene (Columbia) fall Justin Boone (Copiague), 0-1, 0:54

Third: Brendan Morgan (Journeymen)

152 Pounds: Tial Thang (MVWC) dec Leland Slawson (Team Worldwide), 0-3, 4-1, 1-0

Third: Barry Hart (Beat the Streets)

160 Pounds: Dylan Palacio (Ascend) pin Burke Paddock (Teamten) 0-1, 0:48

Third: Connor Sutton (Happy-Yo)

170 Pounds: Rrok Ndokaj (Beat the Streets) dec Sher Mohammad (Beat the Streets) 2-1, 5-2

Third: Ahmed Elsayed (Beat the Streets)

182 Pounds: McZiggy Richards (Beat the Streets) dec Jeffrey Day (Genesee Valley), 4-1, 1-1

Third: Christopher Loew (Ascend)

195 Pounds: Pat Nasoni (MVWC) pin Alex Moss (MVWC), 3-3, 1:33

Third: Angel Ortiz (Curtis)

220 Pounds: Soslan Gularov (Steplechase) dec Jonathan Babson (Happy-Yo) 4-0, 3-0

Third: Paul Okeke (Clarkstown South)

285 Pounds: Dante Salkey (Ascend) pin Terrence Cheeks (Newburgh WC), 1:18

Third: Jeff Urbina (Copiague)

 

Cadet Freestyle Results

88 Pounds: Joey DiPalma (Islip) TF David Ciciarelli (MVWC)

94 Pounds: Vincent Vespa (Eclipse) dec Sean Miller (Connetquot), 3-2, 8-6

Third: Tony Novotny (Connetquot)

100 Pounds: Chris Donnelly (Ascend) dec Josh LoGiudice (Journeymen), 3-0, 2-2, 6-0

Third: Dolan McColgan (Beat the Streets)

106 Pounds: Jose Rodriguez (Ascend) dec Nicholas Casella (VHW), 8-0, 2-5, 5-1

Third: Donny McCoy (Section Six Freestyle)

113 Pounds: Matthew Morris (ATWA) dec Johnny DiPalma (Islip) 7-1, 2-2

Third: Dominic Inzana (Journeymen)

120 Pounds: Freddie Dunau (Technical Edge) pin Ian Lupole (Team Worldwide), 7-1, 1:15

Third: Zack Barker (Titan)

126 Pounds: Thomas Reina (Ascend) dec Ryan Snow (MVWC), 1-0, 5-0

Third: Mike D’Angelo (Ascend)

132 Pounds: Samuel Ward (VHW) dec Jesse Porter (Journeymen), 1-0, 0-3, 1-0

Third: Sean O’Hagan (Sachem North)

138 Pounds: Thomas Dutton (Rocky Point) TF Jakob Restrepo (Sachem WC), 7-0, 8-1

Third: Brandon Aviles (Huntington)

145 Pounds: Nick Vines (Ascend) dec Nicholas Forget (Celler Dwellers), 4-1, 5-0

Third: Jordan Torbitt (Finger Lakes Wrestling Club)

152 Pounds: Mike Dusold (VHW) pin Louis Hernandez (Ascend), 4-11, 5-5, 0:54

Third: Konstantin Parfiryev (Beat the Streets)

160 Pounds: Angelo Kress (Journeymen) dec Gregory Kleinsmith (Team Worldwide), 5-1, 5-5

Third: Jerrett Norton (MVWC)

170 Pounds: Daniel Smith (MVWC) dec Jack Buell (MVWC), 2-0, 7-1

Third: Sam O’Malley (Smithtown)

182 Pounds: Ben Honis (MVWC) pin Steven Lee (Journey), 3-0, 0:32

Third: Nathanael Rose (Beat the Streets)

195 Pounds: Joe Nasoni (MVWC) TF Chris Tangora (NY Titans), 7-0, 10-3

Third: Nick Weber (Journey)

220 Pounds: Richard Sisti (Beat the Streets) over Matthew St. Onge (Clarkstown South)

285 Pounds: Peter Strassfield (Southhampton) pin Mason Cross (Titan), 1:15

Third: Mark Ifraimov (Beat the Streets)

 

Women’s Freestyle Results

97 Pounds: Kimberly Cardenas (Beat the Streets) over Eleni Sardina (Beat the Streets), 6-0, 5-0

Third: Estrella Velez (Beat the Streets)

105 Pounds: Lissette Ruiz (Beat the Streets) over Lisbeth Pena (Beat the Streets)

112 Pounds: Nyasa Bakker (Beat the Streets) over Kelsey Gray (Genesee Valley), 0-1, 5-1, 6-1

Third: Jennifer Juarez (Beat the Streets)

121 Pounds: Sara Andresen (Beat the Streets) over Sum Yuet Wu (Beat the Streets), 0-7, 0:28

Third: Sarah Tortorici (Beat the Streets)

125 Pounds: Kendra Kenyon (Genesee Valley) over Karen Koag (Beat the Streets), 6-0, 1:47

Third: Kass Rodriguez-Urbas (Beat the Streets)

130 Pounds: Amanda Jackson (Beat the Streets) over Natalie Kuang (Beat the Streets), 5-4, 3-3, 5-1

Third: Kimberly Abudullah (Beat the Streets)

139 Pounds: Alexis Porter (Journeymen) over Rosemary Flores (Beat the Streets), 3-0, 4-1

Third: Manenfy Tavarez (Beat the Streets)

149/159 Pounds: Mary Westman (Genesee Valley) over Lia Heintjes (Beat the Streets)

159/172 Pounds: Mary Westman (Genesee Valley) over Yuneris Diaz (Beat the Streets)

217 Pounds: Laura Zomchick (Beat the Streets)