Big 10 Bound: National Champion Anthony Abidin Talks About His Commitment to Wrestle for Nebraska

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Anthony Abidin will face top-notch competition when he takes the mat in the Big 10 for Nebraska, at 133 or 141 pounds, beginning in 2013-14. But it’s unlikely that he’ll be intimidated by the impressive credentials of his opponents.

Last year, while wrestling for Nassau Community College, he finished the season ranked 12th at 133 pounds, but defeated several higher-seeded foes to reach the NJCAA national championship bout against Brandon Wright of Iowa Central. When it came time for the introductions, Abidin listened while the announcer seemingly went on and on about Wright’s achievements.

“I had a good laugh about that,” Abidin said. “My intro was pretty quick, a few tournament results and a New York state championship. And then with Wright, it was all these national championships, multiple state championships, open tournament championships. It was like, is this over yet?”

When it came down to it, resumes didn’t matter. The match was knotted at 4 in the third period, but the Long Island native earned the key takedown and rideout to prevail 7-4. He was a national champion.

“I am always in it to win,” Abidin said. “I wasn’t expected to place by most people, but I came into the tournament with a goal of at least being top three. I promised myself that I worked harder than anyone else in the bracket and if I lost it simply wasn’t meant to be. I was on my game that whole weekend and I didn’t give up an inch. I surprised myself in the end.”

His impressive showing a year after completing his high school career atop the podium at the New York States at 125 pounds got the attention of several Division I programs. In fact, he first was interested in attending nearby Hofstra. However, after a trip to Cornhusker country this past weekend, he gave his commitment to Nebraska.

“I realized that I don’t want to stay home for college. I want to get away and experience new places and new things,” he said. “On my visit to Lincoln, I fell in love with the atmosphere right away. It was a perfect fit for me. The coaches were nice and straight shooters. I got to see the football game, wrestling practice and spent time with the team. I really like how the team was – everyone’s focus was on getting better and helping the rest of the guys get better.”

There have been several people who have helped Abidin get better over the years. He mentioned Steve Hromada, who played an integral role in transforming him into a state champion at Half Hollow Hills East High. And he said he has spent countless hours working with Vougar Oroudjov, both in high school and while at Nassau, improving all aspects of his wrestling.

“I can’t thank Steve Hromada enough for all he’s done for me,” Abidin said. “And I feel the same way about Vougar. I think I’ve developed so much. I finally picked up the college wrestling style – being aggressive but being smart and knowing how to wrestle well on top. I’ve gotten better at all of those things.”

Abidin will redshirt this season at Nassau and have three years of eligibility left with the Huskers. He will no doubt put the next year to good use, including spending time on an activity that was foreign to him until recently.

“I finally started to do something called lifting,” he said with a laugh. “I never did it in high school. I really just started lifting this summer. I will put in another good year of hard work and will do everything I possibly can.”

He’s known for that. In his semifinal match against Martin Gonzalez at the NJCAA National Championships, Abidin trailed 7-2 late in the second period. He was frustrated by his opponent backing up and the fact that there was a 20 minute stop in the action as the referees and coaches tried to sort out a dispute.

“That match just about gave me a heart attack,” he said. “After the long break, I was really aggravated because I felt like my conditioning advantage was going away. I was down by five and I knew I had a lot of work to do. I kept attacking and even though I wasn’t scoring off my shots, I got three stalling points. Finally, I hit a throw-by with one second left and scored two points to win it at the buzzer 8-7. It was amazing.”

Amazing. Just like going from sixth in the county as a high school sophomore to a scholarship athlete in the Big 10 in just a few short years.

Team Long Island Dominates on the Way to the Waterway Duals Championship in Pennsylvania

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

“Long Island wrestlers have shown lately that we can compete with anyone,” said John Passaro.

This weekend was another confirmation as Team Long Island went to the Waterway Duals in the Keystone State and captured the title in a field of 24 teams from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware and North Carolina.

The Empire State squad went 4-0 on Saturday, thoroughly dominating the title match, 53-12, against Malvern of Pennsylvania.

“We had a very good finals,” Passaro, one of the team’s coaches, said. “When we got to the finals, we brought the kids together and told them the tournament really started at that point. We didn’t want them to do all the work they had done and wrestle well all day and come in second. It was a good feeling to walk away knowing we got everyone’s best effort in the most important match.”

The team may have given its best effort in the finale, but the efforts were strong throughout the day. The morning began with a 51-6 victory over Turks Head. The squad fell behind early but got on the board after a tight 4-3 win by James Szymanski at 115 and rolled from there, coming out on top of 11 matches.

Next up was the quarterfinals meeting with Team Griffin, which proved to be the biggest challenge of the day. It was a back and forth affair that came down to the last match. Heavyweight Josh Edmonson, the newest addition to the roster, came through in the clutch, getting the victory to push Long Island to the semis.

“We picked up Josh the day before the tournament and that match was decisive for us,” Passaro said. “He did an outstanding job. He didn’t have a lot of time to practice. He had a weight advantage in that match and wore his opponent down. That was the key win of the weekend.”

From there, Long Island cruised to a 43-19 triumph over Team Pac 10. While the overall score wasn’t close, some individual bouts were. One of those featured state champion Nick Piccininni, who was one of the three wrestlers on the New York team that bumped up a weight for the event due to a late lineup change. Piccininni, who won the Super 32 qualifier a week earlier at 113, competed at 122 against Zack Fuentes and edged the two-time Pennsylvania medalist.

“Nick had a great match,” Passaro said. “He scored his points in the last few seconds of the periods and that’s how you win matches. He had a takedown with less than 10 seconds left in the first period and then escaped with less than 10 seconds to go in the third to win it.”

It turned out to be the only close contest of the day for the Ward Melville grappler, who went undefeated with falls in his other three bouts.

Piccinnini was one of five unbeaten wrestlers for the squad. Mepham’s Louie Hernandez continued his impressive summer by outscoring his foes 55-10 in his three matches. (He also received a forfeit).

“Louie was an offensive machine,” Passaro said. “I think he only gave up points when he let kids go for escapes. He was explosive on his feet and just dominant. With Louie and Corey Rasheed, I think we had two of the best 155-pounders in the state on our team.”

Rasheed wrestled at 163 for Team Long Island, sporting a perfect 4-0 mark, including three pins and a six-point decision.

“Corey had a great weekend,” Passaro said. “When you wrestle in a tournament like this and you’re wrestling up a weight class like Nick [Piccininni], Travis [Passaro] and Corey [Rasheed] did, giving up a lot of weight after weigh-ins the night before, it’s great to do as well as they did. In the finals, Corey bearhugged a kid and took him right to his back. It was one of the moments where you just say, ‘Wow.’ It was very impressive.”

Also impressive in winning all of their matches were Johnny Vrasidas and TJ Fabian. (Jackson Mordante, Tommy Dutton, Travis Passaro and James Szymanski all went 3-1).

Vrasidas went 4-0 at 174 pounds, including a pin and a 10-0 victory. He also earned an important 8-6 decision in the quarterfinals.

TJ Fabian, Photo by Boris V

Meanwhile, Fabian battled with several accomplished opponents, such as Zach Ulerick, a Pennsylvania state placer. The Shoreham Wading River senior earned a 3-0 win at 133 pounds in that tilt.

“TJ wrestled very tough,” Passaro said. “Being able to win the close ones is the sign of a good wrestler. He’s had a great offseason, blowing people out. So it was great to see him come out on the right side of some close ones. Like last season, TJ will be right there at states with the top guys.”

Seeing the top guys was the objective for the weekend, according to Passaro.

“To me, the main goal of going to the Waterway Duals was to get these kids ready for Super 32,” Passaro said. “In order to do that, we wanted to face the best competition possible. PA is known for hard nosed wrestlers who are great on top. A lot of these kids wrestled last weekend in Shippensburg and will be going to the Journeymen Classic [September 30] and the Ironhorse event [in October]. That’s a schedule conducive to getting ready to face the best in the nation at Super 32. This is the only dual event we’re doing in that time, though, so it was great to put it together and win it representing Long Island.”

According to Passaro, it wasn’t just those who traveled to Oxford, Pennsylvania this weekend that made the results possible. He wished to thank his fellow coaches, Teddy Fabian and Ralph Mordante, as well as Carlos Restrepo.

“People make the difference,” Passaro said. “Our practices were run by Carlos Restrepo whose son originally was going to compete. But even when he knew his son wasn’t going to be able to wrestle because of an injury, he still ran every single practice and did a magnificent job getting the kids ready. I had the easy part of putting the team together. The hard work is done by the high school and club coaches on Long Island. I don’t want the hard work done by lots of people to go unnoticed.”

Full Results: (courtesy of John Passaro)

Team Long Island 51 Turks Head 6

107 – Jessie Dellavecchia (L) 4-0 vs Anthony Petril
115 – James Szymanski 4-3 vs Austin Petril (SE Regional Qualifier)
122 – Nick Piccininni Fall vs Donte McCarthy (4th War, Dist 1 Q)
128 – Travis Passaro (L) 5-0 vs Mike Marino (2x Beast of East Place)
133 – TJ Fabian 4-2 vs Josh Nichter (3rd War at the Shore)
138 – Sam Ward 8-3 vs Gary Pizzuto (19-1)
143 – Tommy Dutton Fall vs Matt Venit
148 – Jackson Mordante 6-1 vs Sean Lyons
155 – Louie Hernandez 19-1 vs Hazty
163 – Corey Rasheed Fall vs Zurere
174 – Johnny Vrasidas Fall vs Dan Sauselein (District 1 Qualifier)
194 – Christian Araneo Fall Mark Morey
220 – FFT
290 – Josh Edmonson 10-2 vs Josh Yaboah

QUARTERFINALS
Team Long Island 34 Team Griffin 26

107 – Jessie Dellavecchia (L) 5-3 vs Levi Sterner
115 – James Szymanski 16-3 vs Levi Witmer
122 – Nick Piccininni Fall vs Todd Hauser (PA D3 Qualifier)
128 – Travis Passaro 4-1 vs Zach Clingan (PA D3 Qualifier)
133 – TJ Fabian 3-0 vs Zach Ulerick (6th PA, Beast of East Placer)
138 – Sam Ward (L) 6-1 vs Sam Kilian (Super 32 Placer)
143 – Tommy Dutton (L) 4-1 vs Patrick Duggan (4th PA, Beast & Fargo)
148 – Jackson Mordante (L) 19-2 vs Tyson Dippery (2nd PA, 1st NHSCA)
155 – Louie Hernandez FFT
163 – Corey Rasheed 9-3 vs Steven Cain (PA D3 Qualifier)
174 – Johnny Vrasidas 8-6 vs Austin Barkey (PA D3 Qualifier)
194 – Christian Araneo (L) Fall vs Stephen Loiseau (PA State Qualifier)
220 – FFT
290 – Josh Edmonsen Fall vs Espinoza

SEMIFINALS
Team Long Island 43 Pac 10 19

107 – Jessie Dellavecchia (L) 3-0 vs Lucas Miller (3rd MAWA)
115 – James Szymanski Fall vs Garret Mauger (2nd War at the Shore)
122 – Nick Piccininni 6-4 vs Zack Fuentes (2x PA State Placer 4/5)
128 – Travis Passaro 5-4 vs Eddie Kritzvky
133 – TJ Fabian Fall vs Hunteer Vogel
138 – Sam Ward (L) 2-1 vs Joe Staley
143 – Tommy Dutton Fall vs Adam Dombrosky
148 – Jackson Mordante 9-1 vs Ruben Maldonando
155 – Louie Hernandez 21-6 vs Greg Harvey
163 – Corey Rasheed Fall vs Garrett Abare
174 – Johnny Vrasidas 10-0 vs Mike Fretz
194 – Christian Araneo (L) 10-2 vs Gordon Bolig (PA State Qualifier)
220 – FFT
290 – Josh Edmonson (L) 7-1 vs Tracey Green

FINALS
Team Long Island 53 Malvern Prep 12

107 – Jessie Dellavecchia vs Nick Lattanze (3rd PJW’s)
115 – James Szymanski (L) Fall vs Wade Cummings (5th PJW’s)
122 – Nick Piccininni Fall vs Matt Lattanze (2nd PJW’s)
128 – Travis Passaro Fall vs Michael Beard (1st PJW’s)
133 – TJ Fabian 4-3 vs Tommy Stokes (1st PJW’s)
138 – Sam Ward 3-2 vs Greg Konezcny (SE Regional Qualifier)
143 – Tommy Dutton 16-5 vs Joseph Galasso (5th PA, 2nd Flo National)
148 – Jackson Mordante 5-0 vs Petrelli
155 – Louie Hernandez 15-3 vs Demetri Darsaneo (SE Regional Qualifer)
163 – Corey Rasheed Fall vs Connor Burns (3rd Prep Nationals)
174 – Johnny Vrasidas FFT
194 – Christian Araneo 6-5 vs Alfredo Ginniccari (7th Prep Nationals)
220 – FFT
290 – FFT

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.

What Was It Like to Be an Olympian? Brandon Escobar Talks About His London Experience

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

When we contacted Brandon Escobar, he was, not surprisingly, on his way to wrestling practice. The 21-year old Suffolk County resident didn’t take much of a break after competing in the 2012 Olympics at 55 kg for Honduras. Now back in the United States, Escobar talks about stepping on the mat in London, sharing a meal with famous athletes and his plans for a long future in the sport. For more on Escobar’s journey to make the Olympics, see here.

A big part of the Olympic experience is the Opening Ceremonies. What was it like to be a part of that?

Brandon Escobar: It was really something else. All of the hype about it made sense. It was so exciting. I was taking it in, enjoying it. But after that, it was all business. I wanted to enjoy my time, but I had my goal in mind. I wanted to get a medal.

After the Opening Ceremonies, you had around two weeks until you competed. What was your schedule like for that time?

Brandon Escobar: I stayed in London and trained with Team Cuba since I was the only wrestler from Honduras. Cuba didn’t have anyone at my weight — they had mostly heavier guys so there was no issue with me working out with them. It was great. I felt that I was in great shape and ready to go.

Did you get a chance to see any of the other events during that time?

Brandon Escobar: I saw some of the events on TV. My choice was to either go see an event or rest before my next practice. For me, it was easy to pick resting because I needed to be as ready for practice as possible. Wrestling is a sport where you need to be working harder than the next guy. Hard work is a confidence booster for me – so to be able to work out 2-3 times a day made me feel better. So I rested and watched the other sports and used it as downtime before the grind. It was something I needed for myself. I watched weightlifting, judo, a little basketball and soccer. I really enjoyed watching the gymnastics – those girls are amazing. Mostly, I had to stay focused on my own event.

Did you get to meet any other athletes or celebrities while you were there?

Brandon Escobar: I actually got to meet a lot of the USA men’s basketball team. I was eating and found myself at the table with them. I got to talk to LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, James Harding and Anthony Davis. They were really cool people, good company. It was cool to see people at that level be humble and just talk to everyone. That really showed me something. Even when they were eating, they were doing interviews and taking pictures with people. They were so smooth about it, so nonchalant. Everyone knows they’re great athletes but I saw that they were good people too.

After being in London for several weeks, you finally got to wrestle, against Mihran Jaburyan. (The Armenian won in two periods). What was it like to be on the mat at the Olympics?

Brandon Escobar: It was really interesting. At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I didn’t know if I should be worried or wrestle cautiously. But right before I walked out there, I just felt relaxed. I’ve been doing this for so many years and I thought it would just be doing the same thing on a much bigger stage. I wanted to beat the guy in front of me and show what I could do. I went out and attacked and it was definitely a good experience. Now I know what it’s like to wrestle at that level on that stage.

What’s next for you? Are you taking any time off from wrestling or are you already back on the mat?

Brandon Escobar: I think I took four days off. After I finished wrestling, I went out and had a little fun in London. Then, there was the Closing Ceremonies night and the flight back. I was really tired. But the next day, I was back into training. I haven’t stopped working out. Right now, I’m running in the mornings, wrestling in the afternoons and lifting in the evenings. I’ve been wrestling at Rocky Point, Eastport South Manor and anywhere that’s open and has a place for me to roll around. That’s my day, every day. I’ll also be working out at the NYAC and might go out to Penn State to the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.

When do you next wrestle competitively?

Brandon Escobar: There are so many tournaments coming up. In a month, I’m going to Brazil for the first tournament. Then I’ll be in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Cuba, Europe – all over the place. I’ll also be in Hondruas every once in a while to stay in touch. I’ve gotten so much help in Honduras and I’d like to promote the sport of wrestling there and make it bigger.

You wrestled freestyle in the Olympics. Will you be focusing just in freestyle going forward?

Brandon Escobar: No, I want to do freestyle and Greco. I want to do both styles at the next Olympics. My goal right now is to get a gold medal at both styles at every level – the Worlds, Olympics, Pan Americans.

My plan is to go for another 10 years – through the 2022 World Championships. That gives me two more Olympic cycles and a bunch of Worlds. In this sport, I’m considered really young (21). An infant. There weren’t too many guys my age in Olympic wrestling. I want to see it through, wrestle through my prime, have fun and on top of it all, I want to be #1 in the world.

I understand you got another souvenir to remember the Olympic experience – a tattoo of the Olympic rings.

Brandon Escobar: I got it on my ribs about a week ago. I wanted it there because I knew it would hurt and I wanted it to be something that I remember. It’s a pain I’m not going to forget just like I won’t forget my first Olympics.

Looking back, what was the best part of the Olympic experience?

Brandon Escobar: I would have to say just being there and being around amazing athletes and seeing the level that they are at. I got to know what the unknown is a little bit. I’m familiar with the environment and it will help me out in the future. I can go the tournaments now with a chip on my shoulder and a new level of confidence. I know where I have to be to get what I want. I want to be the guy, to show what I can do. I’m so fired up right now just thinking about it.

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)

Long Island Native Jenna Burkert Returns to FILA Junior World Championships Looking for Gold

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Photo courtesy of Jenna Burkert

It had been quite some time since Jenna Burkert took the mat against a male wrestler. But Burkert didn’t treat her opponent any differently than the females she typically faces, and the result was familiar.

She won by fall.

“I probably hadn’t wrestled an official match against a guy in four or five years,” she said of the exhibition dual in March 2012 against a group from Japan at Northern Michigan. “It was a lot of fun to participate and especially to get the pin. It almost felt like a new experience.”

The experience may have felt new, but it was common years ago on Long Island. In fact, when she first began in the sport, Burkert primarily competed with the boys and did so with a lot of success.

“I started wrestling in first grade in Rocky Point,” Burkert said. “There was a flyer in my classroom and a kid told me I couldn’t do it because I was a girl. I begged my mom for a long time and finally she let me do it. I fell in love with it and did well right away.“

She did, recalling that she was undefeated for years against her male foes. She said her first loss was an unfamiliar feeling for a number of reasons.

“The first time I was beaten was by a girl – Lisa Anson,” Burkert said. “I was used to winning against the boys so when I lost, I didn’t know what to do. She’s actually a friend of mine, but I never did get the chance to get revenge on the mat.”

Over the years, losses have become fewer and far between. And now, Burkert is getting ready to take on some of the best at the FILA Junior World Championships in Thailand in early September.

“I’ve trained all year for this,” she said. “I’ve put in the time, the training, the running. I’ve gotten some great experience and participated in both Olympic camps. I feel like I’m ready. I plan on getting the gold and having fun doing it.”

This won’t be the first time at a high profile international event for Burkert. She was a Junior Olympian in 2010 and last year at the Junior Worlds in Romania, she went 2-2 (with two pins) and finished eighth.

“It’s just an honor to compete at such a high level,” she said. “I thought I wrestled just okay at the Junior Worlds last year. I think the nerves got to me. Even the two matches I won, I had to come back in both. It wasn’t fun because I let so much pressure build up. But there’s a big difference this year. I’m having a lot more fun and it think it will show. I can do better and I will this time.”

Part of the fun is appreciating the trip. Burkert said she is hoping to ride an elephant while in Thailand and to experience some of the country, something she felt she was able to do while in India in May of this year. On that journey, she notched an impressive second place performance in the Hari Ram Grand Prix in New Delhi, despite wrestling on relatively short notice.

“I had no idea I was going until a little bit before,” she said. “Olympian Kelsey Campbell was going at 55 and the coach said they needed at 59 pounder. We were there about a week. It was one of my favorite trips. We had a really fun group, including Kristie Davis, who is someone I’ve always looked up to. The people of India that we met were really nice and we went on runs where we really got to see the town. It was frustrating to lose in the finals, but it was a great experience.”

The great experience was one of many for Burkert in 2012. She had a productive year, including a second place showing at the Dave Schultz Invitational and a dominant performance at the Body Bar, where she earned her berth to the upcoming Junior Worlds.

She continued to increase in confidence, going to toe to toe with many of the top grapplers in the nation, including Olympian Campbell.

“It was really good to wrestle Kelsey and a lot of the Olympians,” she said. “Sometimes you get caught up, putting them on a high level and forgetting that when you’re on the mat, you need to see them as just girls with wrestling shoes on. They deserve respect for all they’ve done but not when you’re out there wrestling them. I started to try to take it to them.”

Burkert saw a lot of the London-bound wrestlers in Colorado Springs, which will be her new place of residence after living in Michigan for a number of years.

During her sophomore year of high school, she moved to the Wolverine State when coach Tony DeAnda offered her a spot in the US Olympic Education (USOEC) program at Northern Michigan University. She had been attending school in Longwood, but found the invitation to the elite training environment at the USOEC difficult to turn down.

“It was really hard to leave, even though I was excited,” she said. “It was just one of those opportunities that may never come again if you don’t take advantage.”

It certainly was an adjustment. Burkert said she had practice at 5 a.m., then attended high school at nearby Marquette Senior High before attending another practice, which ended around 7:30 in the evening. The severe winter in the first year didn’t make things easier.

“It was really hard at first,” she said. “New team, new coaches, new school, no parents. I would cry every day in the beginning to anyone who would listen. But, after a few months, it got better. Erin Golston and I became good friends and helped each other through. By the end, I wound up loving it. I made great friends and the whole town is wonderful. I was even voted the class clown.”

She had plenty of success on the mat as well as she was named the ASICS Women’s High School Wrestler of the Year in 2010 and 2011. But despite her happiness in Michigan, she didn’t forget her original home in Suffolk County.

“It’s great to come back. I always go to Rocky Point and see the guys there, who are really nice and give me so much respect. I get some good workouts in too with lots of people, like the Duttons. But I mostly like to beat up on Darren Goldstein and [Steven] Ketcham,” she said with a laugh. “The support I get from Long Island is great. Sometimes I think they may have forgotten about me, but then I see they still talk about me and want to see me succeed, and that’s amazing.”

Coming to New York also gives Burkert a chance to see others who are so important to her.

“I really appreciate the support of my family. They’ve given so much time, effort and money since I was young to help me get where I am,” she said.

And, her family has also served as an inspiration to her and her career goals off the mat.

“With the women’s freestyle program moving from Northern Michigan, I’ll be resident athlete at the OTC,” she said. “I’ll be training and going to the University of Colorado Springs. The education is so important to me. I’ve always been around autism with my brother Joshua. He is the reason I want to be a special education teacher, hopefully in kindergarten, because I feel you can have so much impact at that age.”

Burkert’s dedication is apparent to everyone who sees her, or more accurately, to all of those who see her ankle, where she has a tattoo that says “Joshua” on top of the symbol for Autism Awareness.

“I plan on getting an Olympic medal and using that platform to really get the cause out there,” she said.

But before the Rio Games in 2016, Burkert has many other intermediate goals in mind. It all starts next week in Pattaya, Thailand where she looks to become a Junior World champion.

Hernandez, Fabian, Dellavecchia, Calderone and Chambers Add Another Summer Title at Wantagh Tournament

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Louis Hernandez, Photo by PhotoTrens, http://www.phototrens.com

Louis Hernandez has spent the summer trying to not only win matches, but to win those matches convincingly.

“I like to be dominant and be in the driver’s seat,” he said. “I try to go out there and break my opponent. I definitely don’t like to leave the match in the referee’s hands.”

This August, mission accomplished.

The Mepham junior won his second tournament in the past three weeks when he captured the 155-pound title at the Wantagh Summer event on Saturday after earning the championship at the Ken Lesser Memorial Summer Heat earlier in the month. In those two tournaments five of his six wins were by bonus points and the other was a comfortable 8-2 decision.

“I’m really happy with the way I’ve been wrestling,” he said. “All my training is paying off.”

Hernandez has been motivated by the way his sophomore campaign ended. He compiled an impressive 26-4 record but missed a chunk of the season in January. When he returned to the lineup in February, he earned the Section 8 title and had high expectations for his first appearance in Albany.

“My goal before the season even started was to win counties and go All-State,” he said. “But I broke my rib the week before the state tournament. I still went and gave it everything I had. Even though I didn’t do as well as I wanted to, I thought it was a good experience to compete there to get ready for next year.”

At the Times Union Center, Hernandez dropped a one-point decision to John Northrup of Rush Henrietta in his opening bout before recording a 17-1 technical fall over Richie Lupo of Union Endicott in the wrestlebacks. In his next contest, eventual fifth place finisher Dale White came out on top, 8-5.

“He didn’t place but he wrestled well at states,” said Craig Vitagliano, who coaches Hernandez at Ascend Wrestling Club. “I think he put things in perspective and realized what he did despite being injured. He’s been wrestling the whole spring and summer.”

Hernandez said he has followed a simple regimen throughout the offseason.

“Lift, run, wrestle,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been doing. I work out in the gym in my basement, go out for a run and go to Ascend to practice. I am focused on learning and getting better.”

Vitagliano believes he’s on the right path.

“[Hernandez] is one of the most talented kids I’ve ever coached,” Vitagliano said. “He’s a natural who is physically mature for his age. He’s extremely strong and athletic and great on his feet. He also has that killer instinct.”

That killer instinct has served him well in his bonus wins in the past few weeks. He hopes to keep piling up the victories as he puts himself to the test several more times before his high school season begins at either 145 or 152 pounds.

“I definitely want to go to Super 32 [in North Carolina] this year and try to be an All-American there. I’ll also be going to Waterway Duals in Pennsylvania because there’s always some great wrestling in that state. I want to get as much good competition to prepare for this season as I can because I’m hungry for a state title. That was what I was thinking after my last loss at states – I’ve experienced states now and next year, I plan to win the whole thing.”

TJ Fabian, Photo by PhotoTrens http://www.phototrens.com

Hernandez wasn’t the only wrestler to win the title at Wantagh after finishing on top at the Summer Heat earlier in August. The same could be said for a pair of East Islip grapplers, Jesse Dellavecchia (109) and Chris Chambers (198) as well as returning state placers Joe Calderone of Walt Whitman (123) and TJ Fabian of Shoreham Wading River (141). All were dominant. Fabian and Calderone both had two pins while Chambers had a pin and a major and Dellavecchia outscored his opponents 26-1.

About 180 wrestlers took the mat at the tournament in four divisions – Youth, Middle School, High School and Open. One of the organizers, Ray Handley Sr., was pleased with the event overall.

“We had wrestlers from a lot of different places – Albany, New Jersey and of course Suffolk and Nassau,” he said. “We lost the football players because of the timing, but the crowd was great and we got a lot of help to make it run well and end on time. All the money we raised goes back into the program to help with the travel during the season. Our goal with the tournament is to get the wrestlers sharp in the summer and I think we saw some quality wrestling throughout the day, at all levels, from Youth to Open.”

Championship Results – High School

102 CJ Archer (Rocky Point) over Jordan Richter (Longwood), 6-0

109 Jesse Dellavecchia (631 Elite) over Ryan Holzgruber (Ascend), 5-0

116 Gary Sidoti (Wantagh) over Paul Capobianco (VHW), 8-2

123 Joe Calderone (Walt Whitman) over Kevin Parker (Journeymen), Pin

129 Tyler Walsh (West Islip) Fft Travis Passaro (631 Elite)

135 Vinny Turano (Wantagh) over Chris Cataldo (5 Star), 18-2

141 TJ Fabian (X-Cel) over Brandon Aviles (Huntington), Pin

148 Ken Gallagher (VHW) over Brandon Mendez (Huntington), 5-4

155 Louis Hernandez (Ascend) over Chris Morrissey (Albany Titans), 18-3

163 Dennis Ferro (East Islip) over Matthew Russo (Apex), 7-2

173 Steve Schneider (Levittown) over Andrew Psomas (Lions), 5-0

185 James Corbett (Wantagh) over Kevin Rodriguez (Pat-Med), 3-2

198 Chris Chambers (East Islip) over Christian Araneo (Ward Melville), 14-0

223 Joe Marcantonio (Calhoun) over Larry Baker (Wantagh), Pin

Championship Results – Middle School

Dylan Rider (631 Elite) over James Langan (Wantagh)

John DeRidder (Wantagh) over Kyle Mosher (Gladiators)

Thomas Rohan (Wantagh) over Joe Conklin (Wantagh)

Johnny Devine (Albany Titans) over Albert Hernandez (Grand Avenue)

Elijah Rodriguez (Gladiators) over Tyrese Byron (Gladiators)

Harley Lopes (VHW) over Daniel Finkelstein (Jericho)

Caleb Wilson (Kensington) over John Hayes (Wantagh)

Championship Results – Open

Jamel Hudson (Quiet Storm) over Kevin O’Hagan (Sachem North)

Evan Wallace (Albany Titans) over Nick Miceli (X-Cel)

Elton Gonzalez (Fallout) over Chirs Dolon (Unattached)

Anthony Bonaventura (Warzone) over Brian Adriance (Albany Titans)

Steven Hromada (Rocky Point) over Carlos Torres (Fallout)

Christian Psomas (Lions) over Steven Vidal (Fallout)

Championship Results – Youth

Marco Codignotto (Wantagh) over Aidan Araoz (Wantagh)

Josiah Encarnacion (Wantagh) over Nico Berlingeri (Olympic)

Christian Encarnacion (Wantagh) over Bobby Moore (Wantagh)

Joe Moore (Wantagh) over Nicholas Killard (Wantagh)

CJ Andres (N Haledon) over Joe Russo (Wantagh)

Kyle Mosher (Gladiators) over Kerik Pollock (SEQKWA)

Stefan Major (631 Elite) over Jacob Tutuska (Brentwood)

With His Brother Tuning In from Afghanistan, Joseph Russ Wins Tournament Title

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Joseph Russ, Photo by Phototrens http://www.phototrens.com

While he was wrestling his way to the championship at 123 pounds at the Ken Lesser Memorial Long Island Summer Heat Tournament, Joseph Russ could hear his brother William in his corner, coaching him. He knew his mother, Marylou, was looking on in the stands. And he was well aware that he had another fan shouting words of encouragement … from halfway around the world.

Joseph’s older brother Stephen Russ, a former competitor for St. Anthony’s, has been in Afghanistan since April, serving in the Marines. But he didn’t want that to stop him from watching his sibling compete.

“We decided we would try to FaceTime him and bring the tournament to him in Afghanistan,” Marylou Russ said before the event began on Saturday morning. “We knew he would love to see his brother do really well.”

The St. Anthony’s junior delivered, beginning with a 13-3 major decision and a 18-2 technical fall in his opening two bouts before winning 9-3 in the semifinals over Shoreham Wading River’s Jack Taddeo, the eventual third place finisher. In the title bout, he edged Ascend’s Simon Greebel, to earn a 4-3 triumph and the top spot on the podium.

Russ hopes his performance will give him momentum going into the high school season. He took second in the CHSAAs a year ago at 113 pounds, losing to Patrick Skinner of Kellenberg, the eventual bronze medalist at states. He completed his sophomore campaign with an 18-9 record and, according to Marylou, is looking to win a Catholic League title and make the medal stand at the state championships in 2012-13.

Performances like that would fit right into the Russ family. Before joining the military, Stephen Russ made a habit of getting his hand raised for the Friars, capturing three CHSAA crowns while compiling a 132-15 record. He was a three-time All-State performer, grabbing sixth, fourth and third at the state tournament.

And the sport still holds significance for him.

“Stephen definitely misses wrestling,” Marylou Russ. “He misses working out with his brother.”

While it wasn’t possible for the brothers to train together on the first weekend in August, the Russ family got perhaps the next best thing.

“We got to FaceTime Stephen from the tournament,” Marylou Russ said. “And he looked great.” He also got to be involved in Long Island wrestling and his brother’s title from the other side of the globe.

Check out Videos from the Long Island Summer Heat Tournament, Including Fabian, McDevitt and More

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

For a recap and results of the 2012 Ken Lesser Memorial Long Island Summer Heat tournament, see the tournament recap.

135-Pound Champion TJ Fabian (X-Cel) vs. Jarron Koretz (Oceanside)

173-Pound Champion Dan McDevitt Discusses College Options and Weight Classes

102-Pound Champion Jesse Dellavecchia (East Islip) vs. Brett Brice (Longwood)

109-Pound Champion Christian Briody (Chaminade) vs. Joseph Perino (Leonia)

116-Pound Runner Up Evan Corso (X-Cel) vs. Bohang Liu (Beat the Streets)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJmgGsbXrFA

148-Pound Runner Up Matthew Haenel (VHW) vs. Anthony Ottaviano (Hauppauge)

123-Pound Third Placer Jack Taddeo (SWR) vs. Timothy Johnson (VHW)

135-Pound Third Placer Michael LaNasa (Plainedge) vs. Donald Knowlan (Fairfax)

Open Division – Top 2 Placers Colin Gironda (F&M, Comsewogue) vs. Patrick Argast (Belmont Abbey, Fordham Prep)

Open Division – Nassau Champ John Lanzillotti (Ohio State, Roslyn) vs. John Steiger (Miller Place)

135 Pounds: James Matias (Rocky Point) vs. William Hernandez (Pitch Fork)

116 Pounds: Paul Capobianco (VHW) vs. Eduardo Montecer (Glen Cove)

116 Pounds: Isac Brizuela (Brentwood) vs. George Albert (Wantagh)

129 Pounds: Anthony Arena (Lynbrook) vs. Anthony Castro (Glen Cove)

109 Pounds: Donald Cassidy (Commack) vs. Eric Fisher (Longwood)

163 Pounds: Erik Adon (East Islip) vs. Mike Urso (Clarke)

141 Pounds: Omar Elmeshad (Leonia) vs. Adeel Butt (Beat the Streets)

129 Pounds: Hekmat Naeemi (Walt Whitman) vs. Paul Merzbacher (SWR)

Returning State Placers McDevitt, Fabian, Calderone and Hughes Among the Champions at the Ken Lesser Memorial Long Island Summer Heat

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

For videos of the event, see the link: videos

Photo by Phototrens, http://www.phototrens.com

In February, Wantagh’s Dan McDevitt took the mat at Hofstra at the Section 8 Championships, winning the Nassau crown and a berth to the State tournament at 138 pounds.

This weekend, McDevitt once again wrestled on the Pride campus and earned a spot on the top of the podium. However, this time at the Ken Lesser Memorial Summer Heat event, he did it in a class 35 pounds heavier.

“I’m just growing and lifting,” McDevitt said. “I still have plenty of room to grow. I’m almost six foot now. I’ve gained about 40 pounds from when the season ended. I’m just eating and enjoying myself.”

The rising senior enjoyed himself on Saturday as well as he won a loaded weight that had multiple county champions and placers, including Nassau’s first and third placers at 152 (Dan Tracy and Steven Schneider) and Mattituck’s Tomasz Filipkowski, who was one round from medaling at 170 pounds in Division II, among others.

“The 173 bracket was pretty tough,” said event director Steve Meehan. “McDevitt wrestled well and had a very impressive tournament.”

He began with a 5-0 victory and pin before notching a 10-4 decision over Daniel Grabher in the semis. The Warrior finished strong, defeating Tracy 10-1 to take the title, which he hopes will catapult him toward his goal of winning a state championship at the Times Union Center in 2013. The question is, at what weight class?

“As of right now, I’m really not sure,” McDevitt said. “It’s really up in the air completely. If the season started tomorrow, I could get down to 52. But I’m really looking to go 70. But if I don’t get up to 185 or that range, I really don’t know if that’s reasonable given the size of my competitors.”

There was a large group of strong competitors at the event on Saturday across the weights, with around 280 total wrestlers entered in the high school and open divisions.

“The turnout was pretty good and we ended around the time we expected,” Meehan said, adding that an eighth mat might be added in 2013. “Having it in an air conditioned building was a plus. We originally called it ‘Summer Heat’ because it used to be in high school gyms which were very hot. I think all in all, it was a pretty good success and we saw some very good wrestling.”

One source of that good wrestling was TJ Fabian, who like McDevitt, was on the podium at the state tournament last year (fourth at 120). The Shoreham Wading River rising senior was in control throughout the day, cruising to the 135-pound championship with two pins, a technical fall and a major.

“Fabian had a really good year last year and he should make some noise at the states again this year,” Meehan said.

Two other wrestlers who made some noise last year at states earned gold on Saturday. At 116 pounds, Whitman’s Joe Calderone recorded three pins in four matches and at heavyweight, Mike Hughes of Smithtown took the title with a pair of falls.

Several other NYPHSAA qualifiers grabbed first place on Saturday, including Louis Hernandez (Ascend), who dominated in the 155-pound bracket, outscoring his opponents 52-15 during the day. Meanwhile, Sam Melikian, wrestling for Iowa Style, had one close match – a 4-3 victory over Conor O’Hara of Sachem East – but otherwise won only by bonus points on his path to the 141-pound crown.

Melikian wasn’t alone. Several champions racked up significant bonus points on their path. Registering two or more pins were Jesse Dellavecchia at 102, Chris Cataldo at 129, Brendan Dent at 148, Carlos Toribio at 185 and Kevin Tynes at 223. Also winning titles with some bonus wins were Christian Briody at 109, Joseph Russ at 123 and Chris Chambers at 198 and Christopher Plutchok at 163.

In addition to the efforts on the mat, Meehan mentioned the key role of the many volunteers who helped to make the tournament run smoothly. Their work exemplified that of the tournament’s namesake, Ken Lesser.

“The tournament is named for [Lesser] for a number of reasons but a big one is because of the pure volunteer that he was,” Meehan said. “The first words out of his mouth were always, ‘what can I do to help?’ He helped his own school and Long Island wrestling so much.”

For the top three placers in each weight, see below.

For full brackets for the High School Division, see this link.

For full brackets for the Open Division, see this link.

For videos, see videos

Championship Matches and Third Place Finishers

102 Pounds: Jesse DellaVecchia (East Islip) over Chris Martorello (VHW), 8-3

Third: Brett Brice (Longwood)

109 Pounds: Christian Brody (Chaminade) over Christopher Meloni (SWR), 4-2

Third: Matt Stallone (Sachem North)

116 Pounds: Joe Calderone (Whitman) over Evan Corso (X-Cel), Fall

Third: Ben Lamantia (VHW)

123 Pounds: Joseph Russ (VHW) over Simon Greebel (Ascend), 4-3

Third: Jack Taddeo (SWR)

129 Pounds: Chris Cataldo (Five Star) over Marshall Winston (St. Anthony’s), 7-6

Third: Tyler Walsh (West Islip)

135 Pounds: TJ Fabian (X-Cel) over Vinny Turano (Wantagh), 9-0

Third: Michael LaNasa (Plainedge)

141 Pounds: Sam Melikian (Iowa Style) over Alex Ynoquio (Beat the Streets)

Third: Conor O’Hara (Sachem East)

148 Pounds: Brendan Dent (Connetquot) over Matthew Haenel (VHW), 6-1

Third: Kevin Jackson (Ascend)

155 Pounds: Louis Hernandez (Ascend) over Declan Grey (VHW), 13-4

Third: Richie Luxmore (Hogwarts)

163 Pounds: Christopher Plutchok (Wantagh) over Michael Vespe (Ascend), 9-4

Third: Paul Gernavage (West Babylon)

173 Pounds: Dan McDevitt (Wantagh) over Dan Tracy (Ascend), 10-1

Third: Steven Schneider (VHW)

185 Pounds: Carlos Toribio (Beach Boyz) over Johnny Vrasidas (St. Anthony’s), 4-0

Third: Matt Goulbourne (Central Islip)

198 Pounds: Chris Chambers (East Islip) over Gio Santiago (Sachem North), 17-4

Third: Jake Horton (Pat-Med)

223 Pounds: Kevin Tynes (Brooklyn Tech) over Endy Nunez (Clarke), Fall

Third: Nicholas DellaPace (Nesconset)

288 Pounds: Mike Hughes (Smithtown) over Lester Enriquez (Hewlett), Fall

Third: Dan Hayden (East Islip)

Open Division

Weight Class 1:

Champion: Andrew Petroulias (Westhampton) 2nd Place: Jonathan Reyes (West Babylon)

Weight Class 2:

Champion: Robert Ferrante (Team Tugman) 2nd Place: John Lanzillotti (Ohio State)

Weight Class 3:

Champion: Davon Russell (Global) 2nd Place: Adam Troy (Huntington)

Weight Class 4:

Champion: Blake Fisher (Seaford) 2nd Place: Sean Messina (Hunter)

Weight Class 5:

Champion: Joe Cataldo (Five Star) 2nd Place: Clint Bodo (New Hyde Park)

Weight Class 6:

Champion: Colin Gironda (Franklin & Marshall) 2nd Place: Patrick Argast (Belmont Abbey)

Weight Class 7:

Champion: Gregory Martin (Kings Park) 2nd Place: Ryan Kelly (Power)

Weight Class 8:

Champion: Brian Slattery (Mount St. Vincent) 2nd Place: Michael Karbowiak (Crossfit)

New York Wrestling News 2012-2013 Archive

See Newyorkwrestlingnews.com for new content!

Category Archives: Section 11