While the New York Division I wrestling teams didn’t see dual action on Saturday, a number of wrestlers from the Empire State placed at the Edinboro Open in Pennsylvania.
Realbuto, Photo by BV
A pair of grapplers from the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club (FLWC) in Ithaca won titles – Mark Grey (133) and Brian Realbuto (157). Grey once again battled with Lehigh’s Mason Beckman, an opponent he has faced a number of times dating back to high school. Beckman has had a very impressive redshirt year, but Grey came out with the 4-3 victory. Meanwhile, Realbuto picked up five wins, including three by bonus points and topped Pittsburgh’s Donnie Tasser 9-7 in the championship bout.
Also placing for the FLWC were Gabe Dean at 184 (fourth) and Angelo Silvestro at 141 (fifth).
Those wrestlers will likely suit up for Cornell in the future. Some current Big Red grapplers delivered strong performances on Saturday, with 197-pounder Billy George earning second place behind American’s Daniel Mitchell at 197 and 141-pounder Joe Rendina grabbing fourth.
Buffalo put four wrestlers on the podium, including three fourth place finishers – Blake Ruolo (149), Tony Lock (197) and Justin Heiserman (285). Notching fifth was Justin Lozano at 165 pounds. Lozano lost to eventual gold medalist Ian Miller of Kent State in the second round but came back to win five consolation matches.
Binghamton’s David White was edged in the 125-pound finals by Pittsburgh’s Anthony Zanetta, while 2012 Frewsburg High School state runner up Nick Mitchell of Edinboro picked up third at 174. Mitchell’s one setback was against champion PJ Tasser of Pittsburgh, but he responded with four consecutive victories to collect bronze.
Brackets are available here: EUP_Open_2013
The following are changes that we are aware of to the original Sectionals schedules. Some of the tournaments were not impacted. Please contact us at newyorkwrestlingnews@gmail.com with any additional information.
Section 1: Division I and II tournaments now on Sunday at Pace University, with DI finishing on Monday
Section 2: Tournaments moved to Sunday at Queensbury High School
Section 4: Tournaments now only on Saturday
Section 5: Tournaments now Saturday and Sunday at Brockport
Section 8: Division I tournament is now on Sunday and Tuesday at the Mack Sports Arena at Hofstra; Division II tournament on Sunday at Carle Place
Section 9: Division I tournament now Sunday (Monroe Woodbury) and Monday (Valley Central)
Section 11: Division I tournament now begins Tuesday at the Mack Sports Arena at Hofstra; Division II tournament not certain as of Sunday night
PSAL: Tournaments to be held only on Sunday at Truman High in the Bronx
CHSAA: Postponed (not this weekend)
The postseason is finally here. Soon, we’ll find out who will have the opportunity to battle for a state title in Albany. But before the Sectional championships get underway, here’s a look at where our panel thinks things stand across the weights in New York State. There are sure to be some surprises and some great performances in the coming weeks by these wrestlers and by others. Please feel free to provide comments or suggestions and we’ll consider them as long as they are done respectfully.
Good luck to all . . .
99 Pounds:
Photo by BV
A Few Notes: Busiello re-enters the rankings after splitting matches with John Arceri, although the Huntington wrestler came out on top in their bout this past weekend. The Suffolk tournament will no doubt be tough at this weight with those two wrestlers and Jesse Dellevecchia all in the top 8. Holley’s Andrew Flanagan also joins the list after edging Jake Yankloski of Wayne. Flanagan looks to improve upon last year’s fourth place finish in this class in Albany.
106 Pounds:
A Few Notes: Golan Cohen of Colonie looked great at Eastern States and will likely be in the mix at the state tournament. However, Luis Weirebach‘s recent decision against Cohen vaults him into the rankings, a year after placing at 99 pounds for Hoosick Falls.
Photo by BV
113 Pounds:
A Few Notes: The departure of Anthony Orefice to 120 pounds moved several wrestlers up a few slots from the last time. In addition, Tyler Walsh of West Islip joins the rankings after his victory over Walt Whitman’s Joe Calderone, a returning fourth placer, in last weekend’s qualifier. Andrew Shomers has been solid all year long with a 42-1 record, including wins over All-State wrestlers Orefice and Drew Marra.
120 Pounds:
A Few Notes: The top five hasn’t changed since the last version of the rankings. Muldoon did lose a match in overtime to Nanuet’s Anthony Calvano (who has a number of solid wins), but Muldoon avenged that loss shortly thereafter. The injury to Nick Tolli of Arlington moved him off the list and Steve Michel re-entered. The returning state placer from Lancaster has several quality wins this year including over Sean Peacock, Anthony Orefice (twice) and Kellen Devlin of Amherst (twice). We expect to see strong surges from proven postseason performers such as Robert Person and Trey Aslanian.
Photo by Josh Conklin
126 Pounds:
A Few Notes: The top four remain the same as last time at 126. However, there is a bit of a shake-up afterwards. Islip’s Brad Wade moves into the rankings. He has been impressive, beating Corey Jamison twice and state runner up Justin Cooksey. Honestly, eight slots don’t seem to be enough in this class. Wrestlers such as Mike Raccioppi of Minisink Valley, Rocco Russo of Frontier, Laken Cook of Ilion, Jake Nicholson of Waterloo and Freddie Dunau of St. Anthony’s, among others, could do a lot of damage in Albany.
132 Pounds:
A Few Notes: Sam Ward of Locust Valley will be someone to watch in the Division II ranks. He upended Vinny Turano shortly after Eastern States and also had a win over Conor O’Hara in early December. Two wrestlers that may be under the radar for those outside of Section 5, Jacob Sepor of Pavilion and Clyde Carey of Addison, are ones to keep tabs on as well.
Photo by Josh Conklin
138 Pounds:
A Few Notes: Nothing has changed here. However, one wrestler we will be following the rest of the way is Danny Graham of West Seneca East. Before the season, he was mentioned to us by a Section 6 coach as someone who could have a breakout year. Thus far, he is undefeated.
145 Pounds:
A Few Notes: Louis Hernandez holds the top spot and Eric Lewandowski remains in the rankings, although both dropped a match since our last update. Hernandez’s only setback of the year came up a weight at 152 against the tough Michael Marrero. However, Hernandez’s run through some of New York’s best at Eastern States kept him in the same position. Tom Grippi has been on a tear since dropping a close one to Lewandowski at Eastern States.
Brendan Dent enters the rankings after an impressive campaign, including a win over Sachem East’s Jackson Mordente, while Jordan Torbitt blanked Norwich’s Frank Garcia, a wrestler who came within one win of placing in Albany last year. Nick Koelmel of Immaculate Heart Central handed Derrick Gray of Indian River (see 138 pound rankings) his only loss early in the season and has remained undefeated. Fredonia’s Jude Gardner placed in the Times Union Center last year and has only lost to Drew Hull this season (twice). He may get another shot at Hull this weekend.
Photo by Josh Conklin
152 Pounds:
A Few Notes: The small school tournament in Section 3 will be extremely tough this weekend at 152 pounds. Tyler Spann, Rowdy Prior and two-time state placer Isaiah Riccio of Beaver River will fight it out for the title. Riccio has taken third and fifth the past two years in Albany and knows how to perform on the biggest stage. Rasheed and Koo keep cruising to victories.
160 Pounds:
A Few Notes: There haven’t been any changes here. Staying on our radar is General Brown’s Tyler Silverthorn, a placer in Albany last year, who seems to be picking up some steam as the most important matches of the year approach. In addition, returning All-Stater Dale White of John Jay East Fishkill is back after injuries kept him on the sideline for much of the season. He’ll be someone to watch as well.
Photo by Josh Conklin
170 Pounds:
A Few Notes: Joe Piccolo goes to third after pinning Carlos Toribio at the Islip Cup. Previously, Toribio had notched a 5-0 decision over Piccolo. The rubber match could happen in a few days. Mike Green makes his debut in the rankings. The Section 2 wrestler is 40-1 with his loss coming against Vrasidas. He has defeated state placer Brad Burns and previously ranked Brett Perry of John Jay East Fishkill. Brockport’s Jared Mesiti is another wrestler who could made a big impact at the state tournament.
182 Pounds:
A Few Notes: Williamsville South’s Anthony Liberatore, who won multiple matches in the state capital last season, comes in at number eight. He has put together an impressive season with a single loss (to Egenlauf). Thomas Murray of Yorktown is also a medal contender.
Photo by Josh Conklin
195 Pounds:
A Few Notes: Ben Honis made the podium at Fargo this summer and has followed up with a strong season, including wins over wrestlers like Hunter Ayen of Gouverneur, Tyler Smith of Midlakes and Scott Wymbs of Horace Greeley. He also recently beat Joe Nasoni of Baldwinsville, who was in the last set of rankings. The two could meet again for the Section 3 crown. Joining this list at 195 is Levi Ashley of Shenendehowa, who has moved up after spending much of the campaign at 182. Syosset’s Dan Choi has been dominant and should be a contender in Albany.
220 Pounds:
A Few Notes: Matt Mott of Lynbrook enters the rankings after his undefeated campaign. He will definitely be tested this weekend, however, as he wrestles a very tough group in Section 8. Steven Mills of Sachem North will look to top Nick Lupi in Section 11 after a 34-1 season.
Photo by BV
285 Pounds:
A Few Notes: There was some movement here. The trio of Austin DiCerbo of Colonie, David Varian of Yorktown and Terrence Cheeks of Newburgh have taken turns beating each other with Cheeks coming out on top of recent meetings. Brandon Fayle of Lowville was upset last weekend, while Austin Coleman of Spencerport looks to be peaking at the right time and will be a tough matchup in the postseason.
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Special thanks to Mike Carey.
2 weeks to go until the state tournament!
Qualifying for the state tournament last year in Section 11 at 120 pounds last year was an achievement. Three of the top four finishers in Albany (champion Sean McCabe of Conntequot, bronze winner Matt Leshinger of Sayville and fourth placer TJ Fabian of Shoreham Wading River) came from Suffolk County. In fact, a former state champion, Mark West of Hauppauge, took fourth in the Section and didn’t get a ticket to the Times Union Center.
There are sure to be some brackets at this weekend’s Sectional tournaments that similarly have a number of wrestlers who have the potential to notch All-State honors . . . if they get a bid to the state capital. Let’s take a look at a few of the Sectional battles we are interested in monitoring.
99 Pounds:
We’ve had three different Section 11 wrestlers in the top 8 of our state rankings this season. That’s because East Islip’s Jesse Dellevecchia, Eastport South Manor’s John Busiello and Huntington’s John Arceri all have the ability to make some noise in Albany. They’ve had some entertaining matches against each other in 2012-13. There was a one-point win for Dellevecchia over Busiello. And a pin for the Eastport South Manor wrestler over Arceri, followed by a 3-2 decision by Arceri over Busiello. Whoever makes it to the state capital from this group will be a contender.
Cuccolo, Photo by Josh Conklin
Returning Section 9 qualifier Vinny Vespa is looking for his second consecutive trip to the biggest tournament of the season in late February. He will have a formidable competitor in his path, however, as Chris Cuccolo has had a very strong campaign. The Pine Bush wrestler has had a lot of success on the national level in Freestyle and Greco in the past and added some top-notch folkstyle victories this season, including his Eastern States Classic crown.
106 Pounds:
In a late January dual meet, fans were treated to a 7-5 sudden victory win for returning state bronze medalist Alex Tanzman over James Szymanski. Then, at least weekend’s Section 11 qualifiers, Tanzman, #1 in our individual state rankings, won round two between these competitors by fall. Could we see bout number three next week? We could, but you can’t ignore returning qualifier Steven Lee of West Babylon or others like Eastport South Manor’s Nick Garone and Central Islip’s Mike Figueroa, who have wrestled well all year.
113 Pounds:
It looked like this would be a showdown between 2012 All-State wrestler Drew Marra of Olean, returning state qualifier Pat McCarthy of Fredonia and Section runner up Andrew Shomers of Lewiston Porter. However, with McCarthy out last weekend for the Section 6 qualifiers, it looks like it could come down to a third bout between Shomers and Marra. Their first was a sudden victory win for Shomers.
120 Pounds:
Ask a number of wrestling fans around New York who will win the state title at 120 pounds, in either Division I or Division II, and you will be amazed at the wide array of answers. It appears to be wide open as to who will even be in the brackets.
Muldoon vs. Delacruz, Photo by Josh Conklin
Take Section 1. Even with an injury to Arlington’s Nick Tolli, there are a number of All-State quality wrestlers on both the Division I and II sides. In the large schools, Alex Delacruz of Ossining, Blaise Benderoth of North Rockland and John Muldoon of Pearl River are all capable of placing. The first two have previously competed in Albany. Who will earn the right do so this year?
In Division II, Trey Aslanian looks to get back to the state finals for the third consecutive year, however, even winning the Section won’t be easy as he’ll likely see Nanuet’s Anthony Calvano, a multi-time state qualifier.
Let’s move toward the island and look at Sections 8 and 11. Mike D’Angelo, who has faced Delacruz and Muldoon this season, has just one loss on his record and has looked as good as anyone in New York at times. After just missing out on a bid to the state capital last year despite only three losses all year (all to champion Nick Piccininni), he’ll have some hurdles to climb this season as well. Eastport South Manor’s Travis Passaro and Connetquot’s Steven Bulzomi have shown that they can wrestle with some of the nation’s best (both made the Round of 12 at the Super 32 Classic this year).
And in Nassau, Robert Person has made the podium in Albany before but has to get past some solid wrestlers like Simon Greebel of Hewlett (who he beat last weekend) and MacArthur’s Chris Cataldo (who beat Person at the Eastern States) to make a return visit to the Times Union Center medal stand.
And, how about a look at Section 6? Steve Michel and Anthony Orefice were the only two returning 2012 Division I medalists from this Section. The two have met twice this year, with Michel getting his hand raised on both occasions. Will they face off again?
126 Pounds:
Fabian, Photo by Josh Conklin
We began this article with a discussion of Suffolk County’s 120-pound bracket last year. Two members of that class, TJ Fabian and Mark West, are now at this weight. When you add in others like Islip’s Brad Wade and Huntington’s Corey Jamison, you have a group of Section 11 wrestlers who are all more than capable of winning a bunch of matches in Albany.
Dakota Gardner of Fredonia took sixth a year ago in Albany as an eighth grader. He is undefeated thus far and looks to be a title contender. He won’t be the only one with state tournament experience in the Section 6 bracket this weekend, however. Majed Mohamed, a placer in Albany a few years ago, will compete as will returning qualifier Andrew Lazickas of East Aurora. Brandon Muntz of Falconer has had a strong year as well. One of his two losses came in sudden victory to Gardner.
132 Pounds:
Matt Leshinger won the 120-pound Suffolk title last season, edging McCabe in the semis and Fabian in the finals. He then took bronze in Albany. He’s looking to finish off his high school career by winning it all at the Times Union Center. He could have some tough bouts in Section 11 before getting there again, however. Sachem East’s Connor O’Hara is in our top 8 statewide and Hauppauge’s Chris Mauriello has wrestled well at a number of big competitions, including a NHSCA Middle School National championship. Sean O’Hagan of Sachem North and Gino Titone of Connetquot are among the others in the mix.
138 Pounds:
138 is wide open in the CHSAA. Matt Diano described it this way, “It is essentially a five person race where any one of them are capable of getting hot and emerging with the title. Making this weight so hard to predict is that in head-to-head matches, all five have taken turns knocking each other off. Hence, no one has really created that separation that you look for when forecasting an outcome.”
It’s that unpredictability that makes it intriguing. Who are the five? Two of them, Blaise Rufo and Chaminade’s Danny Jones battled for the CHSAA title at 120 pounds a year ago. Rufo was victorious and he won a match in Albany. Rufo’s Monsignor Farrell teammate Karl Weisner is also in the field, along with St. Anthony’s Kevin Jackson and St. Joseph’s Travis Berube.
As Diano said, things are as clear as mud based on head-to-head matchups between these wrestlers this season. We’ll just have to see how this is seeded and who comes out on top.
145 Pounds:
Hull, Photo by BV
Section 6 has several very competitive wrestlers here. In Division I Eric Lewandowski will seek another medal to add to his state silver from a few years ago. On the Division II side, Drew Hull and Jude Gardner both come off All-State showings in 2012. Runner up Hull pinned Gardner a few weeks ago then edged him 1-0. What will happen the third time around?
Three PSAL second placers from 2012 will take the mat in Division I looking to break through for a title – Nigel Williams of Eagle Academy, Alex Palmer of Martin Luther King, and Marc D’Chiutiis of James Madison. Williams won the 2013 Mayor’s Cup over Palmer. D’Chiutiis has dropped a pair of matches to both Williams and Palmer in 2012-13.
Whitney Point’s Jordan Torbitt blanked returning qualifier Frank Garcia of Norwich 7-0 last weekend. The pair may meet again this weekend for the right to represent Section 4. Codie Nichols of Unatego will look to stop that rematch. He has compiled a 32-4 mark but has lost to both Torbitt and Garcia.
152 Pounds:
Tyler Spann’s 5-2 win over Rowdy Prior at the Section 3 championships in 2012 helped to send the Adirondack wrestler to the state capital, while Prior didn’t get a bid. Both wrestlers have had terrific seasons with Spann currently unbeaten and Prior with a runner up finish at the Eastern States Classic. Neither is the top seed in the Section 3 bracket, however. That belongs to Beaver River’s Isaiah Riccio, who is 23-4. Riccio has starred in Albany the past two seasons, placing third and fifth. There are also several other quality wrestlers in the bracket including Triston Engle of Dolgeville and Trevor Allard of Mexico.
Greene’s Dan Dickman was fourth in the Empire State last year but is the second seed for the upcoming Section 4 event behind Chenango Valley’s Kyle Halladay. Also lurking in the field are tough grapplers such as Unatego’s Kevin Thayer. Can the Greene wrestler get back to the Times Union Center and make the medal stand again?
160:
Similar to Dickman, Tyler Silverthorn of General Brown made the podium a year ago, taking sixth at the state tournament. However, the path back will involve topping a strong field in Section 3. Matt Fisher of Oneida competed well in Albany in 2012, with a pair of one-point losses in a 1-2 showing. Tom Confer of Camden has looked good all season with over 30 wins but has dropped multiple contests to Fisher. In his only match against Silverthorn, however, Confer won 3-1.
170:
Over the holiday break in Section 11, Carlos Toribio blanked Joe Piccolo in a dual between their squads. At the Islip Cup, Piccolo turned the tables and pinned the Brentwood senior in the first period. Who will take the potential rubber match? It’s hard to say, but there could certainly be another battle in Albany between the two state title hopefuls.
In Section 5, 2012 state qualifier Jeff Day of Letchworth will have to contend with a number of talented wrestlers to win the SuperSectionals. Among them are Jon Levchuk of Byron Bergen, with whom he has split matches this season. In addition, Collin Fox of Midlakes, Keith Vosburg of Alfred Almond and Aaron Paddock of Warsaw are all very much in the mix.
A year ago, two-time PSAL gold medalist Anatoliy Anchakov of Grand Street Campus defeated Cedrick Stephens of Wingate 14-1 in the semifinals of the PSAL tournament on his way to his second-straight PSAL title. However, Stephens flipped the script so far this season, beating Anchakov twice. Will Anchakov rebound to earn his third championship? Or will Stephens punch his ticket to the Times Union Center?
182 Pounds:
Tyler Morris of Salem was fourth at the state tournament last year at 182. Brad Burns of Hoosick Falls was sixth at 170. They will be the top two seeds in Section 2 this weekend. In Section 4, returning qualifier Mike Beers looks to get back to Albany but is in a tough group with Unatego’s Ryan Marszal and Greene’s Joel Roselle.
195 Pounds:
There could be a number of interesting rematches at this weight.
Ben Honis edged Baldwinsville’s Joe Nasoni last weekend and the two could square off another time for the Section 3 crown. Honis has some quality wins this year including over Tyler Smith of Midlakes, Wayne Burt of Colonie and Hunter Ayen of Gouverneur. Nasoni topped Canastota’s Zack Zupan. Who will get the nod for Section 3?
Kells, Courtesy of Fairport wrestling
In Section 5, Colton Kells of Fairport has defeated Collin Pittman twice this year after beating the Spencerport grappler a number of times last season by pin. However, Kells said their matches continue to get closer and after the Fairport senior won the last battle in sudden victory, who knows what another meeting might bring?
Also in Section 5, Bryce Mazurowski of Avon and Tyler Smith of Midlakes both made the NYS podium in 2011-12 at 195 pounds, with the Avon wrestler the silver medalist and Smith fourth.
A number of Section 11 standouts have the potential to win matches at the state tournament. The challenge will be getting there. East Islip’s Chris Chambers pinned Nick Weber of Kings Park earlier this year. Both have had outstanding seasons and are ranked in the top 8 in New York. Look out for Cristian Nunez of Sachem East, who has also had a strong year.
220 Pounds:
Holley’s Mike Silvis was one of the few wrestlers to challenge returning state runner up Zack Bacon of Hornell last season. The two haven’t met thus far in 2012-13 but have a good chance of doing so at Section 5‘s SuperSectionals. Penn Yan’s John Martisch is a wildcard to keep an eye on as he dropped a one-point bout to Bacon recently.
Fredonia’s Chris Saden had an unblemished record going into last weekend. Tonawanda’s Steve Warthling changed that. They could meet again for Section 6 supremacy, although others such, as Alden’s Erik Feitshans, who has a win over Warthling, could be dangerous.
In Nassau County, Matt Mott of Lynbrook is undefeated and recently took over the top spot in the Section 8 rankings. However, prior to that, it was Calhoun’s Jenard Rosemond at #1 with last year’s Nassau runner up Thomas Sinclair of Island Trees third. The winner here will be very competitive in Albany.
In Section 9, the race looks intriguing with Monroe Woodbury’s Rob Kelly, Minsink Valley’s Josh Bonneau and Middletown’s Alex Ortiz. All three placed at the Eastern States, with Bonneau taking third, Kelly sixth and Ortiz seventh.
And in Section 11, returning state placer Nick Lupi of Huntington looks for another opportunity at a New York crown. However, this bracket is loaded with Sachem North’s Steven Mills, Sachem East’s John Vigh and Islip’s Ryan Hughes. Lupi has beaten Hughes twice this year – in the ultimate tiebreaker and in sudden victory.
285 Pounds:
Soutiere, Photo by BV
Section 2 has several top heavyweights, including returning state silver medalists El Shaddai Van Hoesen (Division I) and Alex Soutiere (Division II). They won’t take the mat against each other, but Van Hoesen could meet another contender, Austin DiCerbo, of Colonie. (Van Hoesen has defeated DiCerbo).
Brandon Fayle of Lowville finished one match short of placing at the Times Union Center in 2012. However, he is the third seed for the Section 3 tournament after dropping a decision to Canastota’s Jacob Morris last weekend. The top seed in the bracket is Morrisville’s Wyatt Morris who beat Jacob Morris in the ultimate tiebreaker in January.
And the countdown to Albany marches on . . .
It’s February and that means the road to the state championships has begun. On Saturday and Sunday, a number of postseason events took place across the state, helping to shape the brackets for this weekend’s Sectional qualifiers.
There were too many big matches and results to recap, but here are just a few of the things that caught our eye. The countdown to the first whistle at the Times Union Center is now just about two and a half weeks away!
In Section 1, Yorktown has had a strong presence in our individual rankings this season with Joe Mastro, Steven Sabella and David Varian included in the last version and Thomas Murray falling just outside our top 8 at 182. Those wrestlers continued their winning ways this weekend, with Sabella having a tough match with another high quality wrestler – Scott Wymbs of Horace Greeley. Both of those wrestlers have what it takes to make some noise later this month.
Dale White of John Jay East Fishkill made the medal stand at 145 a year ago and was someone we were tracking as a potential state title contender coming into the campaign. However, he didn’t compete due to injury until January. This weekend, he picked up a title and is undefeated in limited action thus far at 160. Perhaps his time off will benefit him down the stretch run.
Ashley, Photo by Josh Conklin
In Section 2, Levi Ashley spent a bulk of the season at 182 pounds for Shenendehowa where he took fourth at the Eastern States Classic and nearly placed at the Reno Tournament of Champions against some of the nation’s best. For the past few weeks, however, he has been up at 195 pounds and has gone undefeated there. That run includes multiple wins over the tough Wayne Burt of Colonie, including a major decision in the finals over the weekend. He seems primed for a strong postseason.
Meanwhile, El Shaddai Van Hoesen continued his total dominance, quickly pinning Colonie’s Austin DiCerbo, a wrestler who could contend for the medal stand in Albany if he earns the opportunity.
In Section 3, a few wrestlers ranked in the state were upset. At heavyweight, Canastota’s Jacob Morris beat Brandon Fayle of Lowville 3-2 in the semifinals of the Class C tournament before topping Brandon Yager of Ilion for the championship. Fayle pinned Morris to win the Class title a year ago.
In addition, Ryan O’Rourke of Adirondack (ranked at 99), fell at 106 pounds to Hunter Owen of Sherburne-Earlville while Ben Honis, who was in the honorable mention section of the rankings, continued his strong season with a 3-2 win over Baldwinsville’s Joe Nasoni. It was Nasoni’s first loss at 195 this year.
In Section 4, Jordan Torbitt of Whitney Point took center stage at the Class B Championships. Last year as an eighth grader, Torbitt won more than 25 matches and took second at the Sectional tournament at 152 pounds behind All-Stater Dan Dickman of Greene. He has continued to shine as a freshman, bringing a 33-1 mark into the weekend after avenging his only loss to Newark Valley’s Trevor Hoffmeir. Torbitt impressed again on Saturday, beating Norwich’s Frank Garcia, a returning state qualifier who was ranked in New York.
Dietrich, Photo by Josh Conklin
The Greene middle/upper weights looked solid with Mike Beckwith and Christian Dietrich grabbing first place. Teammate Joel Roselle missed some time in the lineup but returned at 182 pounds where he took second behind Unatego’s Ryan Marszal.
In Section 5, a pair of wrestlers ranked in New York squared off in the finals of the Class A tournament at 99 pounds, with #1 Yianni Diakomihalis pinning Wayne’s Jake Yankloski. It was a good day for a number of Diakomihalis’s teammates as well, as brothers Vincent, Anthony and Lou Deprez all won Class A crowns.
In that same tournament, Yankloski’s teammate Bryan Lantry picked up a major decision over Brockport’s Barton Peters, who had come in with a 22-2 mark.
Like Diakomihalis, Hornell’s Zack Bacon sat atop our last set of individual New York State rankings. The 220 pounder has rarely been challenged this season as he won by bonus points in his first 33 matches. However, John Martisch presented an formidable obstacle as Bacon edged the Penn Yan wrestler 2-1.
In Section 6, in a battle of All-State wrestlers, Steve Michel of Lancaster pinned Anthony Orefice for his second victory over the Lockport wrestler this season at 120 pounds. (The first was a close decision). It wouldn’t be surprising to see the two of them square off again next weekend as they look to get back to Albany.
In another meeting of previous placers, returning state runner up Drew Hull of Royalton Hartland edged Jude Gardner at 145 pounds. It was Hull’s second victory over the Fredonia wrestler this year.
Gardner’s teammate Chris Saden brought an unblemished record into the weekend, however, he was upended in the finals, as Steven Warthling of Tonawanda earned a 9-6 decision. It should be an interesting weight at Sectionals.
Troy Seymour became the first-ever wrestler from Section 7 to reach 200 wins. On Thursday night, the Peru senior pinned Hunter Bishop in the first period at 170 pounds to pick up the milestone victory. In addition, Peru captured the Champlain Valley title over Saranac.
Hernandez, Photo by Josh Conklin
In Section 8, Mepham’s Jamie Dunn was an All-County wrestler in 2012 and figured to contend for the Nassau title this year. However, he entered the qualifier with a 23-15 record. He exited with a title, winning four straight matches, including avenging a loss to Matt Krause and beating top seeded Lucas Pincus in the finals. His teammates Louis Hernandez and Dan Tracy breezed to championships as well with all bonus wins and look to return to the Times Union Center for the second straight time.
138 pounds will certainly be interesting in the Nassau tournament. Highly ranked wrestlers like Rob Bennett of MacArthur, Quinn Knauer of Baldwin and Rob Rosenberg of Hewlett were among those upset and new contenders emerged, such as Brian Quiroz of Valley Stream Central who came in with a 3-1 record with all four matches in December up at 152 pounds.
Also of note, returning state runner up Justin Cooksey of MacArthur didn’t compete.
Section 9 held its JV Championships over the weekend. For full results, see here.
In Section 10, Gouverneur closed out another undefeated conference season with a home victory over Massena. Senior Dillon Stowell collected his 150th career victory and will try for his first state title in a few weeks after placing multiple times.
In Section 11, there were a number of rematches between wrestlers ranked statewide. At 99 pounds, John Arceri of Huntington avenged a loss by fall to John Busiello by edging the Eastport South Manor wrestler 3-2 on Saturday.
In another rematch between two of the top grapplers in New York, Alex Tanzman defeated James Szymanski again, this time by pin. The two had recently wrestled a close bout at 106.
In addition, Islip’s Brad Wade topped Huntington’s Corey Jamison at 126 pounds by a 2-1 score for the second time this season. Wade has been on a very impressive run after a few early losses and looks like a threat to win some matches in Albany – if he can get through the challenging 126-pound Suffolk bracket.
Tyler Walsh of West Islip lost 9-4 to returning fourth placer Joe Calderone of Walt Whitman earlier in the campaign. This weekend, he prevailed by the same score against Calderone. Walsh has quietly had a very strong 32-2 year with his only other setback coming against Danbury’s Kevin Jack, the Eastern States Champion at 120.
An article on the PSAL Dual Championship won by Brooklyn Tech, can be found here.
In CHSAA action, Monsignor Farrell crowned seven champions in the New York City qualifier and at least 19 wrestlers from the squad will compete in the Catholic States next weekend. In the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA League Finals, St. Anthony’s Johnny Vrasidas was named Most Outstanding Wrestler while teammate Joe Russ earned Champion of Champion accolades.
The following is a compilation of some of this weekend’s results. More will be added when available. That countdown to Albany continues . . .
Section 8, Division I at Mepham
Catholic Qualifier (Upstate)
Cornell picked up two dual victories on the road on Saturday, including a 29-12 win over Columbia in the evening that sealed the Big Red’s 11th consecutive Ivy League championship.
Midway through the opening match against Hofstra it looked like a weekend sweep might not be in the cards as Cornell faced a 15-3 deficit going into the intermission.
Freshman Nahshon Garrett had given the Big Red a 3-0 lead after defeating returning All-American Steve Bonanno 3-1 to begin the dual, however, Hofstra registered wins in the next four bouts. Jamie Franco edged Bricker Dixon at 133 in the tiebreakers, Luke Vaith dominated in the top position in a 5-0 victory over Mike Nevinger at 141, Cody Ruggirello got the crowd excited with a pin over Ryan Dunphy at 149 and Tyler Banks outlasted Jesse Shanaman in multiple overtimes at 157.
“I’m not going to lie – it was a little nerve-racking,” said Cornell assistant coach Damion Hahn. “We definitely didn’t expect to be down like that. The first five weights, there was a stubbornness in how we wrestled. It was like the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. There were the same mistakes again and again. We went back to the locker room and talked about making changes in the next five matches.”
There was an immediate difference after the break. With his team needing a boost, three-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake took the mat and delivered with a first period pin against Nick Terdick.
“Any time you start with Kyle Dake, you’ll get the momentum going,” Hahn said. “He was dominant as usual and got us what we needed.”
Peppelman, Photo by BV
With the deficit now a more manageable six points, the Big Red’s Marshall Peppelman took the mat against Jermaine John at 174 pounds.
The Pride sophomore held a 2-1 lead heading into the third period, but Peppelman notched a pair of takedowns, including one with less than five seconds to go, to capture the pivotal bout by a 5-3 score.
“We saw 174 as a toss up match going in,” Hahn said. “Marshall fell behind but he wrestled hard and stayed focused for the entire match. People don’t get to see how powerful Marshall is because he usually doesn’t take too many risks. But the people in the arena [at Hofstra] saw how explosive he can be. I mean, he hit a double in the middle of the mat and drove [John] all the way to the edge where he finished. And then with time running out, he hit another strong attack. In the past, he stopped when his shot was defended. In that match, he showed confidence and finished for the win.”
Cornell trailed 15-12 but it was smooth sailing from there, beginning with a quick fall for defending NCAA champion Steve Bosak at 184 against Taras Luzhnyy.
“I told Steve we needed six right before he went out there and he got the job done,” Hahn said. “I couldn’t be happier with what our veterans, Kyle and Steve, have been doing for us.”
And sophomore Jace Bennett followed suit with a pin of his own.
“Jace has been focused on some key aspects of his wrestling, especially not getting sloppy on top,” Hahn said. “We know he has a lot of talent. He can take down anyone in the country. When he gets on top, he has to focus on not rushing the legs. He needs to get to a good ride, in a dominant position and not force the legs. That’s gotten him into trouble. He did a good job staying in control.”
In the final match, Jacob Aiken-Phillips was in a battle with Hofstra senior Paul Snyder when the Pride wrestler injury defaulted.
“The last time [Aiken-Phillips] wrestled Snyder he lost to him at the Binghamton Open last year,” Hahn said. “He’s really good on the mat and when he got on top, he was riding really hard. I felt like he was gaining momentum. Unfortunately, Snyder got hurt.”
So, despite some shaky moments early, the Big Red captured the dual by a seemingly comfortable 30-15 score.
“Those last five guys came out and performed when we needed them to,” Hahn said. “Maybe they were a little angry about the first five and rightfully so. But there are definitely positives we can take away from winning at the end.”
Those positives carried over to the second meet of the day in New York City as the Big Red brought the Ivy title back to Ithaca for the 11th time in a row.
To watch videos of all 10 matches of Cornell vs. Columbia see this link.
Photo by BV
The Big Red never trailed as Garrett opened the event with an 11-1 major decision over Penn Gottfried. Leading the way for Cornell with pins were Dake and Bosak, with Bennett picking up a major at 197. Mike Nevinger (141), Chris Villalonga (149) and Aiken-Phillips all got their hands raised as well.
In the most dramatic bout of the night, Columbia senior Stephen West recorded a third period fall over Duke Pickett at 174. The Big Red freshman led for most of the match, but with little time left in the final stanza, West threw Pickett to his back and grabbed six points for the home team. Also winning for the Lions were Matt Bystol at 133 and Jake O’Hara at 157.
The victory capped off another undefeated conference season for Cornell and 11 straight years at the top of the Ancient Eight.
“We’re a little bit spoiled because we’ve had so many great kids over the past 11 years,” said Cornell head coach Rob Koll. “Sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of not appreciating the accomplishments. We’ve had more losses this year, but we need to be thankful for the victories and not focus only on the defeats. We’re happy to be Ivy League champions again but we know that we have a lot of work to do to get our seventh EIWA title in a row, get to the finals weekend of the National Duals and perform the way we want to at NCAAs.”
Army Hosts All-Academy Championships, Navy Takes First
Army took fourth at the 19th Annual All-Academy Championships held in West Point on Saturday. The Black Knights were led by four second place finishers – Jordan Thome (133), Tyler Rauenzahn (141), Paul Hancock (165) and Bryce Barnes (197).
Taking bronze for Army were John Belanger (149) and Patrick Marchetti (157).
Navy finished atop the team standings on the strength of seven individual gold medalists.
For more on the All-Academy Championships, see here.
American Tops Binghamton; Kent State Edges Buffalo
Nationally-ranked 149 pounder Donnie Vinson notched another quick pin and Nate Schiedel picked up a technical fall at 197, but it wasn’t enough as American topped the Bearcats, 26-14 in Washington D.C.. Also getting his hand raised for Binghamton was Cody Reed, who won by decision at 184.
For more on the Binghamton dual, see here.
Meanwhile, Buffalo got off to a strong start against Kent State with five wins in the first six bouts. However, in the 174-pound match, John-Martin Cannon was forced to injury default and the Golden Flashes won the remainder of the contests, including a major decision and a pin to capture a 22-19 triumph.
For more on the Buffalo dual, see here.
Sectional singlets are back.
It appeared that all wrestlers would wear their school colors at the state tournament in February for the first time in recent memory after the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee decided in May of 2012 to eliminate Sectional uniforms for all sports.
Today, that changed. According to NYSPHSAA Executive Director Robert Zayas, a 12-10 Committee vote dictated that Sectional uniforms will be allowed in all individual state championship sports “as long as no cost is incurred by the student, school or Section*.” In addition, he emphasized that the ruling means that Sectional singlets are permitted, but are not required.
The close vote was preceded by what Zayas called “a high quality discussion” which touched on a number of topics, including cost, tradition and the spectator experience at state championship events. In addition, there was talk about the need, particularly in wrestling, for a referee to be able to quickly identify what Sections the wrestlers are from to see whether he can officiate the match.
“I think all the different aspects of the uniform decision were discussed and everyone truly understood all the issues involved,” Zayas said. “In the end, it was a very close vote. I think it’s a vote that will be received very positively by the wrestling community. I enjoyed seeing the passion in New York for wrestling and the strength and interest of the wrestling community.”
That strength and interest was demonstrated by the petition started in December by Tim Herman, the Editor of armdrag.com. Discussions of that petition can be found here and here. Ultimately, close to 1300 people signed the online document.
“When I heard the uniform issue was back on the table, I knew that there was a good chance it’d be overturned,” Herman said. “I’m not sure if the petition had anything to do with it, but it certainly spread like wildfire and must’ve turned some heads. Thanks to a passionate wrestling community, we reached 1,000 signatures within a few days. Not long after, rumors of a revote began to circulate. I’m optimistic that all Sections will find a way to provide their wrestlers singlets, but we’ll have to wait and see. I realize that money is an issue for some, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. Some Sections already have a solution in place where cost is not an issue. Let’s hope others will follow suit and that we’re not revisiting this issue year after year.”
Whether the Sections decide to wear their traditional state tournament uniforms or have their wrestlers compete in their school singlets remains to be seen. But on Tuesday, a number of wrestlers expressed excitement about the outcome of the NYSPHSAA meeting.
“It was disappointing to everyone [when the decision was announced] because wearing that Sectional singlet and getting that Sectional gear is something that everyone looks forward to,” said returning state champion Nick Piccininni of Ward Melville. “It’s really exciting now.”
“It means a lot to me to represent Section 4,” added Johnson City junior Reggie Williams, the top ranked 195-pounder in the state, echoing the sentiments of several others. “Anyone can wear a school singlet but wearing the Sectional singlet means a lot more. I was really upset when I heard we wouldn’t be able to wear the Section singlets and I’m really happy that changed.”
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* When asked about the cost stipulation mentioned above, Zayas said that there would likely be some questions or discussion on what is and isn’t permissible.
As the postseason draws closer, the action continues to heat up. Over the past few days, fans were treated to previews of some of the key matchups we’ll see at state qualifiers in the coming weeks. We also saw teams like Wantagh, Johnson City and South Jefferson pick up additional trophies, as well as a plethora of other results. Here are some of the highlights (and more may be added):
For more on some of these stories, read on:
Another Title for Wantagh . . .
Quinn, Photo by Josh Conklin
Wantagh has continued to win week in and week out. The state’s top-ranked squad captured the Union-Endicott Duals, the team title at the Eastern States Classic and, on Saturday, the Nassau County dual championship. The Warriors cruised through the event, beginning with a 51-18 pounding of Island Trees. They followed with a 57-12 win over Division, a 50-18 semifinal result against Mepham and a 45-16 triumph in the finals against MacArthur. Leading the way were wrestlers ranked among the top 8 in the state – Danny McDevitt (170), Chris Araoz (126), Vinny Turano (132), Kyle Quinn (106) and James Corbett (182), who combined for eight pins and eight technical falls.
Johnson City Picks Up More Hardware
Williams, Photo by Josh Conklin
Johnson City followed up last weekend’s Section 4 Duals title with another crown – this time at the STAC. The Wildcats piled up 232.5 points to outdistance runner up Vestal and third place squad Union-Endicott. Johnson City was propelled by four champions (Isaiah Colgan at 106, Joseph Hamdan at 145, Zach Colgan at 152 and Reggie Williams at 195) as well as silver medalists Tyler Brazinski (99), Nick Bidwell (138), Conner Halladay (160) and Dominic Taylor (170).
Vestal’s run was highlighted by 182-pound champion James Benjamin, a returning All-State wrestler who won his title by fall in less than 30 seconds.
Benjamin will be in the mix in Albany for another spot on the podium. Also prominently figuring into the title picture at the Times Union Center will be two-time state champion Kyle Kelly. The Chenango Forks star earned a pin in the 113-pound finals against returning state placer Jimmy Overhiser of Corning, who bumped up from his usual weight. Another clash of contenders happened at 126 pounds, where Kelly’s teammate Jake Green edged Ithaca’s Richie Burke, 3-2 in the tiebreakers. Former state champion Tristan Rifanburg of Norwich also earned gold with a technical fall at 132 pounds.
For more results, see STAC here.
Also in Section 4 . . . BGA Takes the MAC
Also in Section 4, Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton won the MAC tournament at Unadilla Valley. Leading the way for BGA were a trio of titlewinners, Jesse Griswold (132), Justin Cirigliano (138) and Mark Viviano (195). Second place Unatego was very strong in the middleweights, boasting winners in three consecutive classes – Codie Nichols (145), Kevin Thayer (152) and Leland Slawson (160).
For more results, see here.
South Jefferson Keeps the Momentum Going
South Jefferson and General Brown have seen a lot of each other lately. The Spartans won a regular season dual against the Lions and then defeated them again for the Section 3 dual meet title a few days later. On Saturday, South Jefferson added another trophy with the Frontier League championship, won by over 30 points over General Brown.
Jared Carroll (99), Caleb Beach (106), Jon Crast (132), Daniel Smith (170) and Ryan Charlebois (195) took gold for South Jefferson while Nick Toutant of Indian River was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler after defeating Ryan Snow for the 126 pound crown.
For more results, see here.
Also in Section 3 . . . Holland Patent and Phoenix Victorious
At the Center States tournament, the top three teams finished within seven points of one another, with Holland Patent taking first, followed by Dolgeville and Canastota. The top squad featured a pair of champions – Hunter Richard at 113 and Josh Langley at 220.
The state’s top ranked 182-pounder, Zach Zupan of Canastota, breezed to the championship with a pin, while his teammates Jesse Puchales (170) and Wyatt Albanese (195) also won titles.
In matches featuring wrestlers who could figure into the picture at the Times Union Center, Ilion’s Laken Cook picked up a 3-1 decision over Rome Free Academy’s Antonio DeLuco at 126 pounds. In addition, highly regarded 99-pounder Ryan O’Rourke of Adirondack won a 2-0 battle against New Hartford’s Kelan McKenna while his teammates Derek Spann (106) and Tyler Spann (160) were named the event’s Most Outstanding Wrestlers. In a bout between previous state qualifiers, Tyler Spann edged Oneida’s Matt Fisher.
In the Liberty/Patriot tournament, Phoenix was first by a margin of more than 25 points. Nick Tighe dominated his way to the 138 pound crown while teammates Rowdy Prior (152) and Justin Rhodes (160) joined him on top of the podium.
For more results, see Center States and Liberty/Patriot.
West Seneca West, Rodriguez-Spencer Shine at the Ken Ton Tournament
The Ken-Ton Invitational included some of the best in Section 6, including Cheektowoga’s Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer. The returning state runner up cruised through the competition at 132 pounds, including a technical fall, a first period pin and a 15-6 major over All-State grappler Cody McGregor of Tonawanda. West Seneca West was the 7.5 point winner of the event over second place Kenmore West.
For more on the event, see here.
Reagan, Photo by BV
A number of other standouts from the same area took part in the Peter Rao Memorial. Lewiston Porter grabbed top billing, with Lockport next. Lew Port’s Dan Reagan earned MOW honors after two pins and a major on his way to the 138 pound title. Other notable winners included Lockport’s Anthony Orefice, an All-Stater who stood atop the podium at 120 pounds.
Rockland County Championships and Super 16 Feature Section 1 Standouts
Muldoon, Photo by Josh Conklin
In Section 1, a pair of tough tournaments took place over the weekend – the Rockland County Championships and the Super 16. Among the finals bouts that stood out at the RCCs was the 120 pound contest between Pearl River’s John Muldoon and Nanuet’s Anthony Calvano. Muldoon avenged a recent overtime loss to Calvano with a convincing victory. Just to reach the title bout, the Pearl River wrestler had to beat the very tough Blaise Benderoth of North Rockland. Another intriguing contest took place at 138 pounds where Benderoth’s teammate Matt Caputo topped Colby Kash, 9-2.
Among the champions at the Super 16 tournament were multi-time state placer Drew Longo of Ardsley (138) and Yorktown’s Thomas Murray (182), who has had a very strong season.
For an in depth look at these events, see here.
Who is the Best in the City? Mayor’s Cup Results
Who is the best in the City? That question was answered this weekend as the best from the five boroughs gathered at the Armory in Manhattan for the Mayor’s Cup.
Monsignor Farrell was the overall winner with 225 points, with Brooklyn Tech second (212 points) and Poly Prep third (168).
Farrell’s victory was fueled by dominant performances from a number of champions. At 160 pounds, Andrew Psomas earned a pin or a technical fall in all five of his bouts on the path to the title. Similarly, teammates Richard Sisti (220) and Matt Roberts (182) won by bonus points in all but one of their matches on the way to first place. The final gold medalist for Farrell was 138-pounder Karl Weisner, who topped teammate Blaise Rufo, 7-4, in the championship tilt.
Brooklyn Tech was paced by upperweights Shaquille Williams and Kevin Tynes. Williams defeated Quasar Hampton 1-0 but otherwise stuck all of his opponents at heavyweight while Tynes recorded a trio of falls in addition to his 3-1 title victory at 195.
Melikian, Photo by Josh Conklin
Poly Prep’s Noah Malamut put on an impressive show, pinning his way to the top of the 106-pound podium. Also demonstrating complete control were a number of wrestlers who competed in Albany last season. These included returning state runner up Cheick Ndiaye of Brooklyn International at 113, Sam Melikian of Fordham Prep at 132 and Nigel Williams of Eagle Academy at 145. A highly anticipated showdown between Tottenville’s Santo Curatolo and Grand Street’s Keanu Thompson didn’t come to fruition in the 126 pound final as Curatolo got the win by default.
For the full results, see here.
In the female competition, Curtis had champions in three consecutive weights – Leslie Schoberl at 120, Rosemary Flores at 126 and Shannon Henry at 132.
For the results of the girls competition, see here.
To report results, e-mail newyorkwrestlingnews@gmail.com
Cornell continued its decade-long winning streak in the Ivy League as the Big Red topped rival Penn 24-9 at the Friedman Center on Saturday afternoon. Rob Koll’s squad captured seven of the 10 bouts, including Kyle Dake‘s 11th pin of the season at 165 pounds. Freshman Nahshon Garrett set the tone for the day when he edged fellow top 20 wrestler Mark Rappo 2-1 to begin the meet.
For more on the Big Red’s victory see here.
Columbia Registers Win Over American
American dropped a dual to a New York squad for the second straight day on Saturday. After facing Hofstra on Friday, the Eagles visited Columbia in New York City and the Lions came out on top 24-13. The Ivy League squad was fueled by bonus points. Nick Mills recorded a pin at 197 while Josh Houldsworth (165), Stephen West (174) and Jake O’Hara (157) all notched major decisions.
For more on Columbia’s victory see here.
Buffalo Drops MAC Contest
Buffalo faced conference foe Ohio on Saturday evening and lost a 26-13 contest. Picking up victories for the Bulls were Max Soria at 125, Erik Galloway at 141, Blake Ruolo at 149 and Mark Lewandowski at 165.
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