Here Come the Hawkeyes: Iowa Visits Buffalo for Annual Takedown Cancer Fundraiser

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Monday night provides a unique opportunity to fans in the Buffalo area – the chance to watch one of the storied programs in college wrestling come to town for an exciting dual as well as the chance to contribute to a great cause.

At 7:00 p.m. the #5 Iowa Hawkeyes will visit the hometown Bulls for the annual “Takedown Cancer” dual meet which will benefit a number of cancer-related charities.

Mark Lewandowski, Photo by BV

Buffalo first got involved a few years ago to benefit former Bulls wrestler Jeff Parker, who was battling melanoma at the time. While he passed away in 2010, the team’s involvement has continued. This year, according to head coach Jim Beichner, the funds raised will be donated to the Jeff Parker Foundation, Carly’s Club and to a family or families in the area with a child currently battling cancer.

Beginning at 5 p.m. there will be a number of fundraising activities, including auctions including 60-80 items, according to Beichner. The purchase of a $10 raffle ticket earns entry into the drawing for the grand prizes, which are two round trip Delta plane tickets to anywhere in the continental United States, four tickets to Jim Kelly’s suite at the upcoming Buffalo Bills-New York Jets game and a dinner for 10 at a popular local restaurant, Ilio DePaolo’s.

The Bulls are hoping to exceed last year’s fundraising total of $23,000. However, they aren’t losing sight of what they need to do – battle the Hawkeyes.

“We think this is going to be a great fundraiser,” Beichner said. “But we remember that we’re there to wrestle Iowa. We’re there as a team to compete and everything else happening is a wonderful bonus. It’s a great sign for our program to have a Big 10 or Big 12 team in our home gym for the third year in a row. Iowa’s probably the most dominant program in the last 30 years or so and we are proud to have them come to Buffalo.”

The Hawkeyes went 2-0 at the Grapple at the Garden, to push their 2012-13 record to a perfect 10-0. Eight of their starters sit in the Top 20 nationally.

Beichner said his group is looking forward to the challenge.

“We know they’re a great team,” he said. “We think we’ll have some very competitive match ups. I expect a full effort from every guy. The Hawkeye symbol shouldn’t matter. We need to have the mindset when we step out on the mat that we’ll win.”

Leading the way for the Bulls are nationally-ranked seniors Mark Lewandowski and John-Martin Cannon. Lewandowski is 13-2 at 165 pounds this year after a one-point loss to Mike Ottinger of Central Michigan in the team’s first dual meet of the season.

“Mark is wrestling very well,” Beichner said. “He lost on a penalty point and you hate to see a match between two good wrestlers decided that way on a late call. He wrestled an aggressive match – he was by far the more aggressive wrestler. He has the right mindset and will respond.”

Cannon has seen limited action due to a number of setbacks this season. He was out early in the campaign while recovering from an injury and in his first bout back, he was hit in the face, suffering a broken nose and a concussion. However, he returned and notched a victory against Central Michigan.

“[Cannon] is getting back to 100%,” the coach said. “He looks really good and he’ll be a threat no matter who he wrestles.”

A third grappler Beichner singled out was 197 pounder Angelo Malvestuto, who he said “wrestled extremely well” against the Chippewas. He expects those wrestlers and others to step up in front of the hometown crowd.

“We’re really excited about [Monday],” Beichner said. “The thing we really want to promote is that we’re having the University of Iowa in our home gym. It’s our opportunity to wrestle well against great opponents. That’s what’s so important for our program.”

To find out more about the organizations involved in this event:

Jeff Parker Foundation

Carly’s Club

Weekend Notes: High School State Finalists Battle; Binghamton Picks Up First Two Victories and Much More

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Here are a few news and notes from some of the college and high school action around the state this weekend . . .

Binghamton Goes 2-for-2, Army Tops Drexel

Donnie Vinson, Photo by BV

After dropping the first six duals of the season against a tough schedule that included ranked teams such as Cornell, Illinois, Oklahoma and Lehigh, Binghamton began a winning streak this weekend. On Friday night, Matt Dernlan picked up his first victory as the leader of the Bearcats program as the CAA squad defeated Princeton, 23-12. On Sunday, Binghamton followed up by capturing six of the 10 contests against league foe Boston to win 26-13. Going unbeaten on the weekend were nationally ranked wrestlers Donnie Vinson (#3 at 149 pounds) and Nate Schiedel (#6 at 197 pounds) as well as Patrick Hunter (125), Vin Grella (165) and Cody Reed (184). The Bearcats return to action at the Midlands in Illinois on December 29.

Army also was victorious, earning a 22-15 triumph over Drexel on Thursday night. The Black Knights once again received key wins from 165-pounder Paul Hancock, who recorded a fall, as well as 141-pounder Connor Hanafee and 184-pounder Collin Wittmeyer in pivotal matches. The squad will take the mat again on January 1 at the Southern Scuffle.

In the first dual meet action of the season for Buffalo, the Bulls were defeated by Central Michigan, 28-7. Six of the 10 bouts were decided by two points or less and unfortunately for Buffalo, the Chippewas came out on top in five of those six close matches. Winning for the New York squad were Angelo Malvestuto at 197 and John-Martin Cannon, in his return to the mat after missing a few weeks with injury.

All-State Wrestlers and State Finalists Square Off

A year ago, the dual between Wantagh and Shenendehowa at the Civil War Duals ended in a tie, with the Nassau County team earning the win on criteria. With both squads going undefeated the remainder of the year, that result was instrumental in Wantagh earning the award as the state’s #1 Dual Meet team. The powerhouses are both loaded again this year and were set to meet this weekend in Clifton Park as part of the 2012 Civil War Duals. However, due to a tragic accident in which two Shenendehowa students were killed, the event was appropriately postponed.

However, there were still some top notch matchups this weekend as the 2012-13 season picked up steam.

Drew Hull, Photo by BV

In a dual meet in Section 6, two podium finishers from February took the mat at 152 pounds. Two-time All-Stater Drew Hull of Royalton Hartland, who captured second place in Albany at 145 pounds a year ago, topped fourth place finisher (at 138) Dan Reagan of Lewiston Porter by the score of 6-0. (However, Lewiston Porter won the dual 48-30).

At the Herkimer Invitational, a pair of state finalists, Canastota’s Zack Zupan and Carthage’s Shayne Brady sat on different sides of the 182-pound bracket. The two cruised into the finals, setting up a meeting in the title bout. However, that match didn’t go the distance, as Brady suffered an injury and defaulted. (Zupan had taken the early lead). We hope to see the runner up from Carthage back on the mat soon.

Another Section 3 standout, two-time state champion Nick Tighe of Phoenix, also met a state runner up this weekend, Hilton’s Vincent DePrez, in the 138-pound championship contest of the Matthew Marino Tournament at Webster Schroeder High. The Binghamton-bound Tighe dominated, grabbing a 16-3 major decision. It is worth noting that DePrez was one of three second placers for his squad – and for the DePrez family. His brothers Anthony (145) and Lou (120) also took silver while nationally-ranked teammate Yianni Diakomihalis was the victor at 99 pounds.

In the team race at the Matthew Marino event, which featured strong entrants from Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6, Vermont’s Mount Anthony High took first. Earning second place was Section 6’s Fredonia, led by four gold medalists — returning state placers Dakota Gardner (126 pounds) and Jude Gardner (145) as well as Zach Buckley (170) and Christian Saden (220). Buckley had a solid win over Section 5 champion Jared Mesiti, 7-4.

Also taking top billing were state qualifier Colton Kells of Fairport at 195 and state placer Bryan Lantry of Wayne at 113. Lantry’s teammate Jake Yankloski registered an impressive bonus point victory in the 106 title match against 2012 qualifier Bryan Ruggeri of Fairport.

More Contenders in Action

Matt Leshinger, Photo by BV

In the first weekend of action for Section 11, the Sayville tournament showcased several state title contenders. Among them were Ivy League-bound seniors Tyler Grimaldi of Half Hollow Hills West (Harvard) and the host school’s Matt Leshinger (Columbia). Grimaldi, who was second in the state at 160 a year ago, captured Most Outstanding Wrestler honors in Sayville after cruising at 160 pounds. Meanwhile, Leshinger, who took bronze at 120 in February, had a solid debut up a few weights as he won the tournament at 138 pounds.

Another strong event on Long Island was the Bruins Cup at Baldwin, which provided another opportunity to see a number of strong wrestlers ramp up their seasons.

Steven Sewkumar of Long Beach collected Most Outstanding Wrestler honors for the second consecutive weekend as he took the 113 pound title in a close match against St. Anthony’s Ben Lamantia. St. Anthony’s celebrated a number of champions, including former All-State grappler Freddie Dunau (126) and 2012 qualifier Johnny Vrasidas (170) as well as Joe Russ (120).

Vito Arujau, Photo by BV

Syosset’s Dan Choi, who came within one match of the medal stand at the Times Union Center in Albany registered four pins on the way to the 195-pound crown while his teammates Joe Scholl (182) and Vito Arujau (106) also made the top of the podium. Arujau looked dominant for the second straight tournament, earning the title by technical fall.

Led by champions Anthony Messina (132), Jackson Mordente (145) and John Vigh (220) and runners up Conor O’Hara (138), Mike Pistone (152), Mark Tracy (170) and Josh Edmonsen (285), Sachem East took the team title by over 50 points, with Longwood next.

MacArthur Takes First at the Mahopac Duals

While multiple Section 8 teams wrestled at the tournaments listed above, MacArthur traveled to Section 1 for the Mahopac Duals. The Generals were impressive throughout the competition, including a 42-25 victory over Section 4’s Johnson City in the title tilt. The host team from Mahopac was fourth.

And From the Midwest . . .

While Empire State teams can’t compete at some of the large in-season national events, a pair of 2012 New York State silver medalists made the podium at one of the most challenging tournaments in the country this weekend — the Walsh Ironman in Ohio. Jose Rodriguez, who took second at 99 pounds last season while competing for Wantagh, was the runner up at 106 pounds at the Ironman behind Eli Stuckley of St. Paris Graham. Rodriguez now attends Massillon Perry in the Buckeye State.

Former Longwood star Nicky Hall notched seventh place on Saturday while representing Wyoming Seminary. Hall is a two-time New York medalist, including a second place showing at 152 pounds in 2012.

For more dual meet results from around the state, see here

To report results, e-mail newyorkwrestlingnews@gmail.com

Central Michigan Tops Buffalo

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Courtesy of buffalobulls.com

MT. PLEASANT, MI – The Buffalo wrestling team opened its dual and Mid-American Conference season Saturday afternoon, taking to the road to face #11 Central Michigan. The Bulls (0-1, 0-1 MAC) were stymied in a loss, with a final score deceptive of the dual itself. Six matches were decided by two points or less, with the Bulls losing five of the six, and neither the Chippewas or the Bulls would score more than four points in a single bout until the final three matches of the day.

Central Michigan came out to a 21-0 lead after taking the first six matches. Mike Soria lost 2-0 to eighth-ranked Christian Cullinan at 125 pounds, Erik Galloway was pinned at 133 by third-ranked Scott Sentes, and Andrew Schuttlost 4-2 at 141. Blake Roulo lost by an even closer margin at 149, dropping a 3-2 decision to Donnie Corby. Wally Maziarz then lost 3-1 at 157 to Luke Smith, and Mark Lewandowski lost a rematch of last year’s 165 MAC championship bout, falling 2-1 to Mike Ottinger.

The close margins finally fell in UB’s favor in the 174-pound match, as John-Martin Cannon returned after a handful of early season injuries and earned his first win of the season with a 4-3 win over Anthony Bill. Following a major decision loss by Anthony Lock to fourth-ranked Ben Bennett, Angelo Malvestuto earned the team’s most impressive performance with a 14-1 win over Jackson Lewis to bring the overall score to 25-7. Justin Heisermanwould lost 10-3 in the heavyweight bout to Jarod Trice to give the Chips the final margin of 28-7.

This early-season dual schedule gets even harder for UB, as next up will be fifth-ranked Iowa on Monday, Dec. 17. It will be the first meeting ever between the two programs, and it will also be Buffalo’s fourth-annual Takedown Cancer Fundraiser. The dual will be held at 7 pm, but the Alumni Arena doors will open early for numerous raffles and silent auctions to help the Bulls raise money to Takedown Cancer.

More information on the event can be found on BuffaloBulls.com in the coming week.

Update on Sectional Singlets at States: NYSPHSAA Executive Director Discusses the Petition

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

A few days ago, a petition was posted asking the NYSPHSAA to bring back Sectional singlets for the 2013 state tournament. (In May, Sectional uniforms were eliminated for all sports in New York). As of 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening, over 815 people had signed that petition.

New York Wrestling News spoke to one of the people the petition is addressed to, Robert Zayas, the Executive Director of the NYSPHSAA, to understand his response to the petition and to get his input on what can be done for those looking to bring the singlets back.

New York Wrestling News (NYWN): I’m sure you are aware of the petition going on now to bring the Section singlets back. What is your reaction to that petition?

Robert Zayas (RZ): Yes, I am definitely aware. I appreciate the passion people have for the sport of wrestling here in New York. I have received several hundred e-mails as have members of my staff. Unfortunately, we don’t have a say in whether the singlets come back or not. The Executive Committee made the decision back in May and therefore any change will have to come from that committee.

NYWN: Who makes up the Executive Committee?

RZ: There are two representatives from each Section. If there will be a change, it will come from them. We really are a grassroots organization, which is bottom up, rather than top down. If the Sections come together and say that they want this change, it might be possible. But if it’s only a few Sections, it probably won’t happen.

NYWN: When is the next Executive Committee meeting?

RZ: The next meeting is January 29.

NYWN: Let’s take a step back. In May 2012, the uniform change was approved. The language from the meeting notes was “Approved the elimination of Section uniforms in all sports and therefore requiring athletes to wear their school uniforms at State Championships even if a sponsor provides them.” Why was that last part about the sponsors specifically added?

RZ: I think it was to make sure things are fair and consistent across all sports. Some sports have the ability to get a sponsor or sponsors to provide those uniforms and some don’t.

NYWN: So if booster clubs or donors came together and bought singlets, would they be permitted?

RS: I believe those would not be permitted at this time.

NYWN: In the October Executive Committee notes, a Section representative brought up the fact that wearing Section uniforms could be beneficial from a safety perspective. The quote from the meeting notes was: “The Safety Committee agrees the wearing of Section uniforms at the State Wrestling Championships would improve the efficiency and time in which the appropriate medical personnel could respond to an injured athlete.” What was the outcome of that discussion?

RS: That was presented at the October meeting. The Executive Committee did not approve the proposal.

NYWN: Since the elimination of Section uniforms was made across all sports, do you think a change is possible in a single sport like wrestling or do you think it would have to be made across the board?

RZ: Other sports have brought this issue up as well. Cross country is one of them. But in the end, it’s completely up to the Executive Committee.

NYWN: Some of the arguments made for returning to the Sectional singlets are the years and years of tradition and the ability for family, fans and media to be able to follow the action in Albany. Are there other impacts you see?

RZ: It is obviously a big tradition here in New York and I have heard many people talk about how it will change viewing the tournament from the stands. We also will need to make some changes with the referees because in the past, they could quickly look at the Section singlets, make sure there weren’t wrestlers from their Section competing and referee that match. We’ll have to come up with a method for officials to quickly see that the wrestlers about to compete are not part of their Section.

NYWN: So, for those who want their voices to be heard on this issue, what should they know?

RZ: The Executive Committee made the change. My understanding is that cost was the focus of the decision. They’ll need reasons to reverse the decision. I don’t mind hearing the passion and perspectives of the member schools and constituents on this issue. But I don’t have the ability to overturn this and neither do a number of others on the petition. The people who want their voices heard should make sure their opinions are heard by the Section representatives.

NYWN: Thank you.

Further information on the Executive Committee is available here.

No Sectional Singlets for the State Tournament: Petition Asks NYSPHSAA to Reconsider

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Every wrestling season brings change. There are always new coaches, new state title contenders and some young guns who show they are ready for varsity competition. This year, there is another new development in the Empire State – the elimination of Sectional singlets for the state tournament.

This is not unique to the sport of wrestling. Sectional uniforms were eliminated in all sports, according to the NYSPHSAA meeting notes from May of 2012. To see those notes (the relevant item is #16 on page 1), the link is here.

After that decision, the topic was revisited at the October 2012 meeting. After an inquiry by a Section 2 representative, it was reported that the Safety Committee agreed that wearing Section singlets at the state tournament would “improve the efficiency and time in which the appropriate medical personnel could respond to an injured athlete.” No further comment on the issue is included. To see those October notes (the relevant topic is on page 8), the link is here.

[The next meeting of the Executive Committee is January 29, 2013, according to the November 2012 edition of NYSPHSAA News].

Several wrestling fans have voiced their opinions on the subject. One such voice is that of Armdrag.com Editor Tim Herman, who has put together a petition asking the governing body to reconsider the decision for this year’s state championships. The content of that petition is below:

By Tim Herman, Editor of Armdrag.com

We the people of the NYS high school wrestling community were shocked to hear that our qualifying wrestlers will no longer have the honor of wearing their section colors during state tournament competition. This tradition of nearly 50 years has been a longstanding symbol of pride and respect for wrestlers, fans, and parents alike.

Earning a state championship singlet is not only the goal of nearly every wrestler in NYS, it’s something the spectators look forward to. Fans dress in their section colors, families have custom colored t-shirts made, and some athletes even dye their hair to match! Not to mention, in a sea of athletes, it’s nearly impossible to closely follow the action as a spectator without the visual cue. Some spectators, many of whom travel from several hours away, take time off from work, and spend the weekend in Albany, will indeed be turned-off by this decision.

Some sections allow their wrestlers to keep their singlets only if they pay for them. If money is the issue, perhaps this is a solution. Together with team warm-ups and some creative-thinking, you might even be able to turn it into a money-maker! This could work not only for wrestling, but also for other individual sports that might benefit from color-coded uniforms.

We urge you to reconsider your decision. Please bring sectional singlets back to the New York State wrestling tournament.

To go to the petition website, click here.

Section 6 Preview: 10 All-State Wrestlers from 2012 Return, Led by Finalists Hull and Rodriguez-Spencer

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Division I

Returning State Placewinners from 2012

Anthony Orefice, Lockport, 106 Pounds, Fifth Place

Steve Michel, Lancaster, 120 Pounds, Sixth Place

Additional Returning State Qualifiers from 2012

99 Pounds: Tyler Hartinger, Lancaster

113 Pounds: Ron Duguay, Kenmore West

113 Pounds: Kellen Devlin, Amherst

120 Pounds: Rocco Russo, Frontier

132 Pounds: Eric Lewandowski, Lancaster

160 Pounds: Jake Weber, Clarence

170 Pounds: Anthony Liberatore, Williamsville South

Seniors to Watch

Eric Lewandowski (Lancaster) – Lewandowski, who took second in New York as a 96-pound sophomore in 2010, had another strong year in 2011-12, registering a 43-10 record at 132 pounds. He captured the Section 6 title with a 7-1 victory over eventual state runner up Dylan Cohen before going 2-2 in Albany with losses to champion Jamel Hudson and fourth place finisher Nick Mauriello. He will look to return to the podium as a senior.

Anthony Liberatore (Williamsville South) – The senior cruised through Sectionals with a pair of falls and a major decision at 170 pounds. In Albany, he picked up where he left off in his opening match, earning a first period pin against Cody Smith of Section 10. He went 2-2 overall to cap off a 40-5 season, coming within one win of making All-State. That will clearly be on his to-do list for 2013.

Ron Duguay, Photo by Boris V

Ron Duguay (Kenmore West) – After taking second in the Section, Duguay notched an impressive upset in the first round of the state tournament, defeating top-seeded Mark Raghunandan by a 5-3 score. The road didn’t get much easier after that victory, as Duguay next took the mat against All-State wrestler Robert Person and number two seed Corey Jamison to end his run. However, Duguay has a lot to build on, including his big victory and a 39-5 overall season.

Who Else is A Threat to Place In Albany?

Of course, the conversation has to start with two wrestlers who were on the medal stand in 2012 in the state capital – Lockport’s Anthony Orefice and Lancaster’s Steve Michel. Orefice is very familiar with the podium. In 2011, he took fourth at 96 pounds and last season he was fifth at 106 on the heels of a 40-2 campaign. Orefice had wins over All-State wrestlers Drew Marra of Olean (twice), Freddie Dunau (a 2011 medalist from St. Anthony’s) and Johnny Stramiello of Pine Bush. His only losses of the season were at the Times Union Center — 11-8 to state gold medalist Nick Piccininni and to Corning’s Jimmy Overhiser (by default). Orefice’s accomplishments stretch beyond the Empire State. He has been an All-American at the NHSCA Nationals multiple times.

Meanwhile, Michel began the state tournament with a pair of victories over Section 1 champion Jake DiMarsico and PSAL representative Keanu Thompson before losing to state champion Sean McCabe of Section 11 and forfeiting to sixth. He will be looking for more in 2013.

Although he was a state placer, Michel didn’t win the Section 6 crown in 2012, dropping the title bout to Frontier’s Rocco Russo. Russo went 43-3 with his only regular season setback coming against Michel. In Russo’s second appearance in Albany, he went 1-2 but stayed active in the offseason, including a trip to Fargo.

Jake Weber (Clarence) – As a sophomore, Weber was 35-6 at 160 pounds. At the state tournament, he drew eventual runner up Tyler Grimaldi of Section 11 in round one and dropped his first wrestleback match. However, he demonstrated the ability to put opponents on their backs, with 21 pins and just five regular decisions. And he also has national credentials, having placed at the NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach. With that experience, he can be expected to get his hand raised in Albany this year.

Austin Acquard (Iroquois) – Acquard won a match in Albany in 2011 at 96 pounds however he didn’t get a return trip back to the Times Union Center after a fourth place Sectional finish at 113. According to Niagara County Community College coach Keith Maute, he was a small 113 pounder who was caught between weight classes. Having grown into the weight more, he will have a chance to go back to the state capital.

Kellen Devlin had a lot of success as an eighth grader. Who are some of the other young guns to watch?

Nate Schwab has to be near the top of the list. As a freshman at 152 pounds, he went 38-9 with seven of his losses to seniors. At the Section 6 tournament, Schwab lost to state qualifier Luke Falzone 1-0 and then came back to take third. He has also made his presence felt beyond the New York borders, taking seventh at 152 pounds at the NHSCA Freshman Nationals tournament this past spring. Also worthy of mention is his teammate Ryan Burns, also a sophomore, who recently demonstrated his skills at one of the most challenging tournaments on the high school calendar – the Super 32 in North Carolina. In a loaded 106-pound bracket, he compiled a 4-2 record after his 40-5 ninth grade campaign for the Red Devils.

Matt Kloc of Iroquois, another sophomore, took third in a tough 120-pound weight behind Michel and Russo. He lost his first bout 1-0 and then captured three consecutive victories for third to complete a 33-10 season. The younger brother of two-time state champion Jimmy (now wrestling at Buffalo), will look for his first bid to the state tournament.

Tyler Hartinger of Lancaster racked up a 36-9 mark as a freshman 99-pounder. He had a difficult first match in his opener in Albany – losing to two-time state champion Kyle Kelly of Chenango Forks, but he came back to earn a victory in his next bout. Hartinger was joined by a number of talented youngsters at 99 pounds a year ago, including fellow sophomore Donny McCoy of Niagara Falls, who was second in the Section and 34-7 overall (1-3 against Hartinger).

Hector and Tito Colom of Dunkirk are likely to both be at 99 pounds this year. The brothers have earned some quality results, both making the finals at the Ohio Tournament of Champions while Hector took seventh at the Middle School Super 32 Classic. According to Maute, both will make an impact this year, with Tito having the potential to not only make it to Albany but win several matches there.

A Few More to Keep an Eye On . . .

Luke Catalano (Lake Shore) – As a tenth grader, Catalano was second in Section 6, compiling a 31-7 mark while splitting time between 220 and 285 pounds.

Marshall Taylor (Lockport) – As a 195 pounder a year ago, he was third in the Section, racking up close to 30 wins and recording over 20 pins.

Danny Graham (West Seneca East) – Graham has placed third in the Section multiple times. He sported a 34-5 record in 2011-12, defeating All-State wrestler Cody McGregor and topping former state qualifier Austin Acquard three times. According to Maute, Graham has a very good chance to make the trip to the state tournament this year, possibly up several weight classes at 138 or 145.

Jose Pagan (Lockport) – Pagan took second at 145 pounds in the Section 6 tournament last year, losing the title bout to two-time state champion Jimmy Kloc of Iroquois. The Lockport grappler won over 30 matches a year ago and the wrestlers who handed him more than half of his losses (Jake Baer, Michael Roman, Luke Falzone and Kloc), all graduated. Look for him to make an impact in the middleweights in his senior season.

William Brady (Williamsville East) – Brady is the highest returning placer in the 220 pound class after taking fourth as a junior. He notched over 30 victories in 2011-12, including 21 by fall, and was mentioned as a wrestler to watch in the upperweights in the upcoming campaign.

Team Race:

Kenmore West won the title in 2012 by an eight-point margin over Lockport, with Clarence not far behind in third. Those three squads look like they’ll once again be battling for the Division I crown.

While Clarence was the bronze team in February, Maute believes they may have the upper hand this time around, especially with seven returning team members that finished in the top 6 in the Section tournament a year ago. While the Red Devils said goodbye to several placers, they return 160-pound runner up Jake Weber, 152-pound bronze medalist Nate Schwab, fourth placers Ryan Burns and Nate Ward as well as Brandan Glauber (fifth at 120), Austin Czaja (sixth at 113) and Austin Krawczyk (sixth at 126).

But, of course, last year’s top two teams, Lockport and Kenmore West, both bring back plenty of firepower. Lockport has three finalists on the roster, led by All-State wrestler Anthony Orefice. Section silver medalists Brad Feeney (126) and Jose Pagan (145) will look to move one step higher on the podium while Marshall Taylor (third at 195) and Marcellus Hinton (fifth at 285) will be threats as well. Wrestlers such as Josh Steinman and Seth Anderson didn’t get on the medal stand a year ago, but will look to pick up some points to compensate for the losses of Mike Feeney (champion at 138) and Joe Sansone (third at 182).

While Lockport will miss Feeney and Sansone, Kenmore West will be without the services of graduates such as Section champions Dylan Caruana and Brandon Lathrop as well as second place finishers Zach Skiba and Nicolas Burgos. Leading the way in 2012-13 will be 113-pound runner up Ron Duguay, fifth place medalist Christian Bauman (106) and sixth placers Anthony Argentieri (99) and Mark Stucke (138). Adding some experience will be Shane Currey and Jon Szurczynksi in the upperweights.

Iroquois brings quite a few top notch wrestlers to the table, especially in the light and middleweights. Returning placers Jacob Slade (third), Austin Acquard (fourth), Matt Kloc (third) and Eric McEvoy (fourth) will lead the charge for the Chiefs in the postseason.

Division II

Returning State Placewinners from 2012

106 Pounds: Drew Marra, Olean, Fourth Place

113 Pounds: Cody McGregor, Tonawanda, Fifth Place

120 Pounds: Dakota Gardner, Fredonia, Sixth Place

126 Pounds: Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer, Cheektowoga, Second Place

138 Pounds: Dan Reagan, Lewiston-Porter, Fourth Place

138 Pounds: Jude Gardner, Fredonia, Sixth Place

145 Pounds: Drew Hull, Royalton-Hartland, Second Place

285 Pounds: Matt Montesanti, Medina, Sixth Place

Additional Returning State Qualifiers from 2012

99 Pounds: Dylan Lundmark, Southwestern

113 Pounds: Pat McCarthy, Fredonia

113 Pounds: Ryan Kromer, Lewiston-Porter

120 Pounds: Andrew Lazickas, East Aurora

160 Pounds: Zach Buckley, Fredonia

Top Seniors

There’s no question that there are a large number of impact twelfth graders in Division II this year, including four returning All-State wrestlers.

Drew Hull, Photo by Boris V

Drew Hull has twice been on the podium in Albany. Last year, he went all the way to the state finals, dropping a one-point decision to Tyler Button at 145 pounds. He followed that up by competing at the NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach where he was an All-American in the past. Hull has been active in the offseason and is capable of not only making his third appearance on the medal stand, but standing on the top step.

Dan Reagan and Jude Gardner aren’t strangers on the mat. They went 2-2 against each other as juniors in the midst of highly successful seasons. (Gardner was 46-9 overall, while Reagan was 45-6). They met twice in the postseason with Gardner winning by fall in the Section 6 championship bout and Reagan capturing a 4-1 victory at the state tournament on his way to fourth place. Meanwhile, Gardner took sixth. The two could battle a few more times in 2012-13.

Matt Montesanti, Photo by Boris V

Matt Montesanti was 30-3 with 17 pins entering the Times Union Center, where he won his first two bouts at 285 pounds. The Medina senior then lost to eventual state champion Hayden Head of Beekmantown and forfeited his remaining two matches to take sixth. One of only two placers to return at heavyweight, his sights are set on a title.

Fredonia teammates Zach Buckley and Pat McCarthy both went 1-2 in Albany to conclude seasons in which they won over 40 bouts and registered some quality victories over state qualifiers. Joining them at the Times Union Center was East Aurora’s Andrew Lazickas, who also notched a win. Can they end their careers with a few more wins in Albany?

Who Else is A Threat to Place In Albany?

Like in Division I, there are some obvious answers to this question as Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer, Cody McGregor, Dakota Gardner and Drew Marra already demonstrated their ability to place last year.

Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer, Photo by Boris V

Rodriguez-Spencer was the silver medalist in a difficult weight featuring past state champions like Nick Tighe and Tristan Rifanburg as well as multiple-time placer Corey Dake. He showed resolve, winning both his second round and semifinal matches in overtime (including an 8-6 win over Rifanburg). He also shined in the spring and summer in the international styles, which he has done for years. In 2012 alone, he placed in a number of elite Greco-Roman events, including Junior Nationals in Fargo, FILA Cadets and FILA Juniors.

Marra went 3-2 at the Times Union Center to cap off a 42-7 sophomore campaign in which he was fourth in New York at 106. Cody McGregor, a fourth place finisher in 2011 as an eighth grader at 96 pounds, made his way onto the medal stand again, this time taking fifth at 113. He’ll go for his third All-State showing this season, looking to climb his way up the podium.

An opponent McGregor was very familiar with is Lewiston Porter’s Ryan Kromer. Kromer went to Albany as the Section 6 winner after beating McGregor 1-0 in the semifinals. They met again at the Times Union Center and McGregor came out on top in the ultimate tiebreaker by the same 1-0 score to eliminate Kromer one victory shy of the podium. It was Kromer’s second trip to Albany. He’s looking for the third time to be a charm.

Like McGregor, Dakota Gardner was ready to wrestle some of the state’s best, capping off a strong season by grabbing sixth in the final tournament of the season. He followed that performance off with a third place showing at the NHSCA Middle School Nationals at 127 pounds.

As an eighth grader, Kellen Devlin of Amherst was impressive, notching a 34-5 record, including a dominant performance at the Section 6 tournament on his way to the title (in Division I). He outscored his opponents 18-1 and defeated Duguay in the championship bout. It looked like he was on his way to victory in his first match at the Times Union Center against All-Stater Robert Person of Nassau County, however, he was reversed to his back with less than 30 seconds left. Devlin quickly rebounded after his 0-2 showing in the state capital, winning a number of spring and summer events, including the Ohio Tournament of Champions. He will be a lightweight to track closely this year, but according to Ross Conti, it will be in Division II this time.

Also Keep an Eye On . . .

DJ Marshall (Lewiston Porter) – Marshall went 33-10 at 120 pounds with a number of his setbacks at the hands of Section 6’s top wrestlers (Dylan Caruana, Dakota Gardner, Andrew Lazickas). He rebounded from a loss to state qualifier Lazickas in the semifinals to take third place in the Section.

Eddie Hutschenreuter (Alden) – The junior enters the season as a two-time state qualifier who won a match at the state tournament in both 2010 and 2011. However, he didn’t have an opportunity to make it three years in a row in Albany after he suffered a season-ending injury in December of 2011. According to Maute, the Alden wrestler has returned to the mat and “is definitely a threat to place; in fact, I think he should place this year.”

Alex Smythe (Eden) – Smythe is familiar with the medal stand on the state level. He took fifth at 125 pounds in 2011 at the Times Union Center. Last year, he was fourth in the Section at 145 pounds after amassing a 31-7 mark, with two of the losses to an out of state wrestler and three others to All-State opponents. Smythe will look to return to Albany.

Zach Bickle (Royalton Hartland) – Bickle is a two-time state qualifier, who came within one win of making All-State in 2011 at 103 pounds. He will look for his third journey to Albany as a senior after winning more than 30 matches as a junior. Bickle registered quality wins over Kellen Devlin, Pat McCarthy and Ryan Kromer a year ago.

Austin Lynn (Frewsburg) – Frewsburg’s Nick Mitchell had a terrific season a year ago, with his only loss coming in the state finals at 170 pounds. Lynn is another Bears upperweight who is primed for a strong season. He went 33-8 as a junior, taking second in the Sectionals at 182 pounds.

Andrew Shomers (Lewiston Porter) – Shomers, who wrestled at Niagara Falls last season, was second behind Anthony Orefice at 106 in the Section. In fact, four of his six losses came against Orefice with one other against qualifier Bryan Ruggeri from Fairport. Shomers certainly knows how to finish a match – he notched 29 victories with 21 of them coming by pin. He should be an impact player for his new team.

Kyle Blake (Falconer) – Blake was 31-9 in 2011-12 at 99 pounds with a second place showing at the Section 6 tournament.

“He was really impressive last year,” said Ross Conti. “He lost by a point in the [Section 6] finals and he really came on as the season went on. He’s a kid that has the look of someone who will definitely do really well.”

Brandon Dallavia, who racked up a 35-4 record at 132 pounds for Lewiston Porter as an eighth grader, has left the Empire State for Blair Academy. However, there are other young grapplers to watch, including Depew’s Philip Calandra, who according to Maute, has a good chance of winning Division II this year in the lightest weight class.

Team Race

Lewiston Porter won the Division II race a year ago by an incredibly slim margin of 1.5 points over Fredonia. The two teams look poised to be at the head of the class again with a slew of returning placers.

Fredonia’s lineup looks very tough heading into 2012-13 as the Hillbillies bring back six Section 6 medalists, including champions Dakota Gardner (120), Jude Gardner (138) and Zach Buckley (160). In addition, Pat McCarthy returns for his senior year as do fourth placers Tyler Cassidy (132) and Christian Saden (195).

Dan Reagan, Photo by Boris V

Lewiston Porter will challenge, however, with 113-pound champion Ryan Kromer back, along with All-State wrestler Dan Reagan and Section bronze winner DJ Marshall (120). Garrett Rath (fifth at 285) will look for a move up the podium to help offset the lost production of graduates Jason Kromer and Kevin McMurray and the departure of Brandon Dallavia. The addition of Andrew Shomers will add another top wrestler to the mix.

Royalton Hartland, third in 2012, will put a number of wrestlers on the podium as well, beginning with Drew Hull who was the runner up in the Section as well as in the state. Taking third a year ago were Garrett Baugher as an eighth grader at 99 pounds (who has since departed for St. Joseph’s of the CHSAA) and Alex Jensen at 220. Cameron Swick and Zach Bickle also took top 5 spots for the Raiders.

According to Ross Conti, there are a few other teams to keep an eye on in Division II. Conti said Falconer was the top ranked small school dual team a year ago and will be worth watching again.

“[Falconer] usually has a good wrestler in every weight class, although they don’t have a lot of stars,” he said. “Fredonia sent four to states and had other kids on the bubble, yet Faulkner beat Fredonia in a dual meet. They lost a few guys, but they always have solid numbers and a very good coaching staff. Those kids seem to get better in a hurry. They’ll be tough, especially in duals.”

Another team Conti mentioned was Ripley.

“I think Ripley might have been the smallest wrestling school in the whole state,” he said. “For years, Ripley’s been a good team with state representatives and placers. But it’s hard to have depth as such a small school. Now that they are merging with Westfield and Chautauqua Lake, I think they’ll be a team to watch out for.”

Special thanks to all of the contributors to this article, especially Keith Maute and Ross Conti.

More Season Preview Articles:

Section 11 Preview

Features:

Section 1 Feature: Aslanian and Realbuto, All-State Wrestlers and Workout Partners, Seek to End Their Careers on Top of the Podium

Section 4 Feature: Looking for “Number Nine”: Reggie Williams Aims to Make History at Johnson City

Section 5 Feature: The “Miracle” Continues: The Return of Aaron Paddock

Section 9 Feature: Unstoppable: Vinny Vespa Wrestles Again After Confronting Cancer

Section 11 Feature: Nick Piccininni Looks to Continue Winning Streak

Weekend Recap: Garrett Earns MOW as Cornell Wins New York State Collegiate Title; Columbia Crowns Three Champions

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

This weekend, the focus of New York college wrestling was in Ithaca.

First, on Friday night, Cornell defeated Binghamton 30-7 in a rematch of the dual won on criteria by the Big Red a year ago in Vestal. For full results of the meet between the Big Red and the Bearcats, see here.

On Saturday and Sunday, most of the Empire State’s squads across all divisions competed in the New York State Championships, with the varsity competition on the first day and the “B” event on Sunday.

For final brackets from Saturday’s event, see:

NYS Tournament Final Brackets

To watch a video replay of the championship matches, see here.

Here are a few quick observations from Saturday’s action:

Cornell Freshmen Didn’t Look Like Rookies

Craig Scott, Photo by BV

Without two defending NCAA champions (Kyle Dake and Steve Bosak) and a number of other starters, the Big Red won the team title on Saturday by more than 30 points. Contributing significantly were freshmen such as Nahshon Garrett, Chris Dowdy and Craig Scott. All three won their debuts in a Cornell singlet against the Bearcats on Friday night and they all followed up with strong showings in the tournament.

Nahshon Garrett, Photo by Boris V

Garrett earned Most Outstanding Wrestler honors after capturing the 125-pound title with a 13-9 victory over returning All-American Steve Bonanno of Hofstra. It was the second week in a row on top of the podium for the California native, who won the Binghamton Open during the season’s opening weekend.

Scott beat NCAA qualifier Cody Reed of the Bearcats in the dual on Friday and then did it again, by a larger margin, on Saturday. That victory put him in the finals, where he upended Tyler Beckwith to win the tournament a week after taking second at the Binghamton Open.

The finals of the Cornell wrestle-offs at 157 pounds featured Craig Eifert and Jesse Shanaman, but with both out due to injuries, Chris Dowdy made sure the Big Red remained strong at the weight class. Dowdy notched a convincing 5-0 shutout in the meet against Binghamton and then fought his way to the finals on Saturday, where he took silver behind NCAA qualifier Jake O’Hara of Columbia.

The performances of the three first-year Cornell students bodes well for the future of the Ivy League squad, as does the work of 141-pounder Mike Nevinger who didn’t yield a point all day. He recorded three pins and outscored his opponents 13-0 in his other two bouts to win the tournament. Similarly dominant was 197-pounder Jace Bennett, who pinned his way to the championship match, where he notched a major decision.

Champions from Columbia

The Lions led the team race for portions of the day on Saturday and boasted three champions – Steve Santos (149), Jake O’Hara (157) and Stephen West (174). There’s no question that the trio will make the Lions tough in the middleweights in 2012-13. Santos and O’Hara both won multiple matches at the NCAA tournament last year and West was on the verge of receiving an at large bid. All three were in control throughout the day, but they weren’t alone in excelling for the Lions. The New York City-based team also had other top four finishers — Penn Gottfried (fourth at 125), Joe Moita (fourth at 133), Josh Houldsworth (third at 165) and Nick Mills (second at 197).

Hofstra Takes Third

Luke Vaith, Photo by Boris V

Hofstra had one champion on the way to third place in the team competition, but it wasn’t one of the Pride’s returning 2012 NCAA qualifiers. It was Paul Snyder, who breezed through the early rounds before a 3-1 decision over Buffalo’s Justin Heiserman in the title match. Rob Anspach’s squad had five other representatives earn top four spots, with Steve Bonanno (125) and Jermaine John (174) taking second; Jamie Franco (133) and Luke Vaith (141) grabbing third; and Nick Terdick notching fourth.

Standout Performances for Cortland

Tyler Beckwith, Photo by Boris V

Only one non-Division I wrestler made the finals – Tyler Beckwith of Cortland at 184 pounds. But Beckwith wasn’t the only grappler from the Red Dragons to impress. Bobby Dierna took third at 149 with his only loss coming by a point to champion Steve Santos. Jared Myhrberg was fourth at 197 and Corey James rebounded from a first round loss to take fourth at 285. Brad Bruhn’s squad finished sixth in the team standings, the highest finish for a non-Division I team.

Another DIII team, Ithaca, had some strong showings, including bronze finishes for both Jules Doliscar at 174 and Ricardo Gomez at 125.

Mark Lewandowski Knows How to Pile Up the Points

Photo by Boris V

You could say Lewandowski was dominant on his way to the crown at 165 pounds. In his first four matches, he outscored his opponents by a combined 62-1 tally, winning each bout by technical fall. Two of the matches ended in less than one period. His prowess in winning by at least 15 points wasn’t surprising – he had the most technical falls in the nation last year. But we saw first hand that if you look away for too long, you can miss a lot of points when the Buffalo senior is on the mat. (He won 12-6 in the finals).

Lewandowski’s teammates Andrew Schutt and Justin Heiserman also went to the championship bout before taking second. None of Schutt’s matches went the distance. He won his first three by fall and then was pinned in the finale by Cornell’s Mike Nevinger.

The “B” Tournament

Cornell had four champions on Saturday and another three on Sunday in the “B” tournament. Ryan Dunphy (149), Michael Alexander (174) and Jacob Aiken-Phillips (285) all captured first place for the Big Red.

In addition, two more more Ithaca-based grapplers earned gold with Taylor Simaz (157) and Gabe Dean (184) winning for the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club.

Buffalo and Columbia each boasted a pair of victors. Sean Walton (133) and Dominic Montesanti (165) won for the Bulls while Robert Dyar (125) and Matt Idelson (197) were champions for the Lions. Army’s Tyler Rauenzahn rounded out the champions as he stood on top of the medal stand at 141 pounds.

Final brackets for the “B” tournament are here.

New York Youth Stars Excel in Vegas and California on NYWAY Trips

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

This story covers recent NYWAY trips to both California and Nevada. To read only about the Las Vegas trip, please skip down to Section 2 of the article.

Alcatraz.

When Michael LaPorte, the leader of the NYWAY trip to California last weekend followed up with the families of some of the team members over the past few days, the word ‘Alcatraz’ kept coming up.

“I called several of the parents to make sure everyone was doing okay,” LaPorte said. “The parents who weren’t on the trip all said their kids couldn’t stop talking about how cool the trip to Alcatraz was and how they wanted to go back. But they all said the wrestling was good too.”

Indeed, it was. For the second straight year a group of middle school/junior high New York wrestlers traveled to the Golden State through the NYWAY organization to meet some of the best in the West in both a dual meet event and an individual tournament (the Junior Mid Cals).

The squad began the journey by going 1-3 in the dual meets after forfeiting two weights due to injuries. However, day two was a different story, according to LaPorte.

“On the first day, I think there was a little bit of an adjustment and we were getting used to each other as coaches and wrestlers since a lot of us hadn’t worked together before,” he said. “On the second day, everyone really turned it up and wrestled great. I was extremely happy with how everyone competed.”

In fact, the squad came away with a third place finish at the Junior Mid Cals.

Courtesy of Michael LaPorte

Leading the way with 26 team points was a grappler who was very familiar with the tournament. Alexander’s Dane Heberlein was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the event last year and his return visit was successful as well as he took second place at 90 pounds after winning three of his four bouts.

“Dane was undefeated overall on both days going into the finals,” LaPorte said. “He had a couple of really good matches on the first day but came out on top every time. He was winning in the finals pretty handily after the first period but seemed to run out of gas and the kid caught him and pinned him. I think Dane was the better wrestler in the finals, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”

Also earning the silver medal for New York was 160-pounder Antonio Cutrie.

“Antonio did a great job throughout,” LaPorte said. “He went up against a really tough kid in the finals who was a Middle School National champion in Greco Roman. But he knew he wrestled well and he got us a lot of team points.”

When it came to team points, only Heberlein scored more than 85-pounder Dillan Palaszewski, who notched multiple pins on his way to third place.

“Dillan was like that silent killer. His demeanor is so quiet, but he just goes on the mat and does his thing,” LaPorte said. “He’s a very methodical, patient wrestler who is very gifted. He was 9-2 on the weekend and the two losses were to the same kid (who won the tournament). On the first day, he took a bit of a beating from the kid and on the second day it was a close match. He’s fun to coach and watch for sure.”

Joining Palaszewski in third were returning champion Orion Anderson (4-1 at 80 pounds) and Grant Cuomo (95 pounds).

“Orion lost a really, really tough one in the semis to the eventual champion,” LaPorte said. “He was up by two going into the third and got caught in a move and got put on his back. He wound up losing by a point. It was a heartbreaker. The first day he had a tough go of it, losing a few times, but he showed great resilience in coming back and wrestling great on the second day. Other teams definitely did their homework on him. He was heavily watched throughout – a lot of people were asking about him because they knew how good he is.”

Meanwhile, Cuomo tallied a 3-1 mark on the way to his bronze.

“Grant’s father gave me a little cheat sheet on him which helped me a lot in coaching him,” LaPorte said. “He was a little tentative on the first day, but totally different on day two. He let himself go and was relaxed on the mat and looked tough.”

Making the podium in fourth position was Anthony Cirillo at 100 pounds, who earned a technical fall and pin along the way. Also competing at that weight was Steven Kapuscinski, who picked up a victory.

“Cirillo wrestled really well. He had a lot of matches on the second day,” LaPorte said. “He wrestled tough, even toward the end where he was getting a little worn down. And Steven Kapucsinski – he’s a fighter. Conditioning wise, he was definitely one of the best on the team. It was amazing – he was as fresh in the third period as he was in the first every time.”

A pair of New Yorkers grabbed fifth, with Isaiah Bailey (105 pounds) and Zachary Kornberg (115) notching identical 3-2 marks in their respective brackets.

“Isaiah is one of the more mature wrestlers I’ve been around,” LaPorte said. “He’s traveled quite a bit and he’s a super respectful kid. He’s a really talented athlete and he showed maturity in how he handled his losses. He’s very cerebral in the sport.”

As for Kornberg, LaPorte was impressed with how he dealt with adversity.

“Zach had a great time. He was the one kid on our team from Long Island and so much was going on there with the hurricane,” LaPorte said. “I think the tournament was a good distraction for him. On the mat, he has a totally different style than most of the kids, but it was obviously effective. He had a lot of energy and heart.”

The same could be said for Connor Fredericks, who wrestled at 120 pounds.

“Connor went up against tough kids, never complained and was ready to go every time,” LaPorte said. “He fought hard and enjoyed everything. That’s all I could ask for.”

In his second trip to the Northern California event, Matthew LaPorte went 2-2 at 70 pounds while Michael Gonyea did the same at 75. The two often wrestle against each other in events in the Empire State and the tournament was an opportunity for them to be teammates, instead of opponents.

“Matthew and Michael were in two of the largest and toughest brackets, with multiple state and national champions,” LaPorte said. “They have a very unique situation and they are very competitive with each other, so the fact that they bonded on this trip meant a lot to me. They both stepped up and were in every match against excellent competition.”

Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed. In fact, Matthew LaPorte earned the tournament’s Coaches Award.

Matthew LaPorte with his award

“That meant a lot to me,” Michael LaPorte said. “I had no idea it was coming. The award was for showing respect and good stewardship for the sport and for wrestling tough. I was very proud. If any of the kids on our team got that award, it would have been the highlight of the trip for me, but I was of course super excited that my son won. It fit with what I kept hearing from people there. They kept saying our kids were animals on the mat but polite and respectful off the mat to boot.”

Of course, there was another trophy – the third place team award, which LaPorte attributed to not only the team members, but the parents who came along.

“We were hoping to have a better showing than last year and I believe we did, especially with the team trophy,” LaPorte said. “The parents who were there deserve so much credit and recognition for taking time out of their schedules and helping so much. Thank you to Anthony Cirillo, Jason Hoffman, Mary Palaszewski, Jeff Gonyea and Jerry and Julie Kapuscinski. Without them, we couldn’t have done what we did in wrestling and outside of it.”

Although they didn’t have too much time outside of wrestling, they certainly took advantage, spending time at the Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street, Muir Woods, as well as other parts of San Francisco and, of course, Alcatraz.

“I think the kids got so much out of the sightseeing,” LaPorte said. “They really enjoyed that experience. The kids made new friends and that alone was worth the trip. I think the thing that stands out was that people said we left a really positive impression and that we represented New York State well. It was a blast.”

Vegas!

On November 1, another group of young wrestlers flew to Nevada as part of a separate NYWAY trip to compete at the NUWAY Southwest Kickoff. Included was a pair of New York wrestlers who were looking for great competition from the West Coast . . . and wound up facing each other in the finals.

In the 55-pound bracket (7/8 year old division), Carson Alberti and Carter Schubert met for the title. The two Empire State residents aren’t strangers. They’ve wrestled a number of times, with Alberti coming out on top several times in the spring. However, this time, Schubert earned the 2-0 victory and the championship after dominating his first several matches.

He began the tournament with a pin and then outscored his opponents 12-2 the rest of the way.

“When Carson and Carter wrestle, it’s always a tough match. It usually comes down to one takedown,” said Kevin Lucinski, who led the trip. “I think that’s the first time Carter has beaten him, but it was another great match between them.”

Also making the finals for Team New York was Michael Gonyea at 70 pounds in the 11/12 year old division. Gonyea began the event with two first period pins and then recorded an 8-1 decision before dropping the title bout to take second place.

“Mike wrestled really well,” Lucinski said. “He got caught in a pancake and that one move decided the match. I think he learned something from that match and he showed that he’s a really good wrestler.”

Andy Lucinski won a pair of decisions on the way to a fourth place finish in the 9/10 year old competition at 61 pounds while Justin Hoffman was eighth at 100-110 pounds in the same age group. Another Lucinski – Jakob – took the mat in the 5/6 year old competition at 37-40 pounds.

“Andy beat a NUWAY National Champion from Colorado in his first match and wrestled really tough, especially early on,” Kevin Lucinski said. “As for Justin, he was expecting to wrestle at 100 pounds but it became a 100-110 bracket, which was a little bit of a tough break. But he wrestled really hard. Jakob’s a first year wrestler who might have been the lightest kid in the tournament at about 35 pounds. I liked the way he went out and battled.”

Meanwhile, Caiden Mondore earned a 9-0 major decision in his opening contest at 80 pounds (11/12 year old). Also competing at the 11/12 year old age group was Josh Gill at 70 pounds and in the 7/8 group Garrett Skeens took the mat and earned a major at 52 pounds.

In the 13/15 year old group, AJ Burkhart and Mitch Seaver both wrestled at 89 pounds, with Burkhart picking up a victory in his first match before dropping two close decisions. Jason Hoffman, who wrestled for the varsity at Hadley Luzerne-Lake George as a seventh grader, lost his initial bout at 145 pounds but rallied to win four of his final five matches, including three pins, on his way to fifth.

“Jason battled all the way back,” Lucinski said. “It wasn’t easy – his bracket was loaded. Actually, the 13/15 division was insane; just stacked top to bottom with absolute monsters. At 89 pounds, both AJ and Mitch wrestled really well. They were beaten by very good kids – they only lost to placers. In AJ’s first loss, he battled hard against one of the top kids in the country, Zander Silva, and was in good position the whole time. It was 1-0 late in the match.”

There was a point at which the trip seemed to be in doubt. With the impact of Hurricane Sandy, it wasn’t clear that the wrestlers would get to Nevada in time.

“We didn’t know what to expect, but we really didn’t have any issues,” Lucinski said. “Half the kids flew from Buffalo to Washington and we were worried the flights would be cancelled. But ours was one of the first flights they let out, so we were lucky.”

Once in Sin City, the group did more than just wrestle. They had a great time visiting the aquarium, Mandalay Bay and walking around with some of the parents. The M&M store was also a big hit.

“We had a great time. The wrestling was great and so was everything else,” Lucinski said. “I would definitely want to do it again.”

Coverage from the Binghamton Open: Match Video with Champions Vinson and Realbuto (and More) and Update with Steve Bosak

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

Donnie Vinson, Photo by Boris V

Check out some videos from the Binghamton Open, including the 149 and 157 pound champions – Binghamton’s Donnie Vinson and Finger Lakes Wrestling Club’s Brian Realbuto, respectively. In addition, Cornell NCAA champion Steve Bosak provides an update on when he expects to get back on the mat.

Steve Bosak – Update on His Return

Brian Realbuto (FLWC) vs. Mike Simmons (Rutgers)

Donnie Vinson (Binghamton) vs. Curt Delia (Rider)

Mark Grey (FLWC) vs. Dan Riggi (Binghamton)

Jesse Shanaman (Cornell) vs. Zac Cibula (Rider)

Jimmy Gulibon (Penn State) vs. Garrett Frey (Princeton)

Mike Nevinger (Cornell) vs. David Batkowski (Penn State)

Gabe Dean (FLWC) vs Ophir Bernstein (NCAA qualifier, Brown)

Weekend Results Roundup – Binghamton Open, Oklahoma Gold, Michigan State Open and Hofstra Duals

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

It was a busy weekend for the New York Division I college teams. Binghamton and Cornell competed at the Binghamton Open, while Army and Buffalo took part in the Oklahoma Gold event. Meanwhile, Columbia and Hofstra went to the Midwest, with the Lions wrestling at the Michigan State Open and the Pride taking on two Big 10 teams in dual meets. The results are below.

Binghamton Open

The host Binghamton Bearcats crowned three champions at the West Gym on Sunday – Joe Bonaldi (141), Donnie Vinson (149) and Nate Schiedel (197) in a tournament that featured over 300 wrestlers. Also placing for Binghamton was Tyler Deuel, who was fourth at heavyweight.

New York also featured two other titlewinners – Cornell’s Nahshon Garrett at 125 and Finger Lakes Wrestling Club’s Brian Realbuto at 157.

Additional medalists for Cornell were: Bricker Dixon (fourth at 125), Nick Arujau (fourth at 133), Joe Stanzione (second at 141), Mike Nevinger (fourth at 141), Jesse Shanaman (sixth at 157), Duke Pickett (fourth at 174), Marshall Peppelman (sixth at 174), Craig Scott (second at 184), Billy George (fourth at 197), Jace Bennett (sixth at 197) and Stryker Lane.

In addition to Realbuto’s crown, the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club put the following wrestlers on the podium – Mark Grey (second at 133), Gabe Dean (fourth at 184) and Oney Snyder (at 285).

For full brackets see here

For video coverage see this link

Columbia Earns Three Titles at the Michigan State Open

The Columbia Lions were led by three champions at the Michigan State Open. Steve Santos (149), Jake O’Hara (157) and Steve West (174) kicked off the 2012-13 campaign with the titles. Also making the podium for the Lions were Chad Ryan, who was fourth at 157 and Nick Mills who earned fifth at 197.

Hofstra Drops Pair of Duals on Opening Weekend

Hofstra traveled to Big 10 country, taking on Minnesota and Wisconsin on the road to open the campaign. The Gophers topped the Pride on Friday night before the Badgers earned a five-point dual win on Sunday. For full stories, please see gohofstra.com. The box scores are below:

#25 Wisconsin 18, #16 Hofstra 13
125 lbs.: #4 Steve Bonanno (HU) maj. dec. Matt Cavallaris (UW), 12-3
133 lbs.: #15 Jamie Franco (HU) dec. Tom Kelliher (UW), 9-7 in OT
141 lbs.: #3 Tyler Graff (UW) dec. #13 Luke Vaith (HU), 5-3
149 lbs.: Cole Schmitt (UW) dec. Matt Spataro (HU), 3-0
157 lbs.: Tyler Banks (HU) dec. Alex Yde (UW), 6-2
165 lbs.: Frank Cousins (UW) dec. Nick Terdick (HU), 9-7
174 lbs.: Jermaine John (HU) dec. Scott Liegel (UW), 3-2
184 lbs.: Dylan Iczkowski (UW) dec. Taras Luzhnyy (HU), 8-5
197 lbs.: Jackson Hein (UW) dec. Victor Pozsonyi (HU), 12-5
285 lbs.: Cole Tobin (UW) vs. Paul Snyder (HU), 4-3

#3 Minnesota 32, #16 Hofstra 6
125 – #11 David Thorn (UM) WBF #4 Steve Bonanno (HU), 3:00
133 – #6 Chris Dardanes (UM) dec. #15 Jamie Franco (HU), 9-5
141 – #13 Luke Vaith (HU) dec. #7 Nick Dardanes (UM), 6-4
149 – Matt Spataro (HU) dec. Tom Giamo (UM), 5-4
157 – Seth Lange (UM) dec. Tyler Banks (HU), 3-1 in SV
165 – #10 Cody Yohn (UM) tech fall Nick Terdick (HU), 15-0
174 – #6 Logan Storley (UM) maj. dec. Jermaine John (HU), 12-1
184 – #4 Kevin Steinhaus (UM) maj. dec. Taras Luzhnyy (HU), 10-0
197 – #11 Scott Schiller (UM) maj. dec. Victor Pozsonyi (HU), 14-4
285 – #1 Tony Nelson (UM) dec. Paul Snyder (HU), 6-3

Oklahoma Gold (at Brockport)

Three New York teams competed at this year’s tournament, with Army taking third, Buffalo fifth and Brockport sixth. (Oklahoma was the team champion).

The Black Knights were led by a trio of second place finishers – Daniel Young (149), Collin Wittmeyer (184) and Bryce Barnes (197) and a pair of bronze medalists – Jordan Thome (133) and Tyler Rauenzahn (141).

The Bulls also had a number of top three finishers, with Andrew Schutt grabbing second at 141 and Wally Maziarz (157), Angelo Malvestuto (197) and Justin Heiserman (285) taking third.