Category Archives: Section 8

Weekend Recap: Windsor, Teike Bernabi, Massapequa and So Much More

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There has been a tremendous amount of high quality wrestling around the Empire State over the past few days. For a quick recap of some of the many events, read on.

 

Kelly Earns Fourth Windsor Crown, Jamison Picks Up OW Honors as Huntington Wins Team Title

Chenango Forks senior Kyle Kelly joined an exclusive club on Friday when he earned his fourth Windsor Christmas Tournament championship. He didn’t waste any time getting his hand raised, winning by fall in the first period against Dylan Wood of Walton.

Huntington traveled from Long Island to Section 4 and the trip was worthwhile as the Suffolk squad won the team title  with four champions.  Leading the way was 126 pounder Corey Jamison, who took home Outstanding Wrestler honors for the second consecutive year at this event.  He defeated Lansing’s William Koll 3-1 in the title bout in one of the deepest brackets.  (The other Huntington titlewinners were John Arceri at 99, Brandon Mendez at 145 and Anthony Puca at 285).

In addition to 126, another weight with a lot of firepower was 220. Waverly’s Ryan Wolcott continued his strong start to the season by upsetting Huntington’s nationally-ranked Nick Lupi 2-1 for the crown.

Photo by BV

Greene, which finished in second place overall, boasted a pair of champions in Christian Dietrich at 170 and Mike Beckwith at 160. Beckwith was one of five repeat champions from 2011, along with Kelly, Jamison, Puca and Norwich’s Tristan Rifanburg, who completed a dominant tournament with a first period pin in the 132 pound finals.

Host Windsor put a wrestler on top of the podium as Nate Hayes won a 4-0 decision at 120 pounds. Additional champions included Corning’s Jimmy Overhiser (106), Lansing’s Connor Lapresi (138), Chenango Valley’s Kyle Halliday (152), Walton’s Mike Beers (182) and BGA’s Mark Viviano (195).

For more information, see here.

 

Connetquot Captures Massapequa Holiday Tournament; Koo Grabs MOW Honors

Vespa, Phototrens.com

The second oldest holiday tournament in the state (after Windsor) also finished up on Friday and Suffolk County’s Connetquot took home the Massapequa Holiday Tournament title, led by four champions.

120 pounder Steven Bulzomi edged Hauppauge’s Austin Munro 1-0 to notch first place and after Munro’s teammate Mark West took the crown at 126, Connetquot won three championships in a row – Gino Titone at 132, Greg Chery at 138 and Brendan Dent at 145. In fact, the squad had another finalist at 152, however, the tournament’s MOW, Chris Koo of Great Neck South, ended the T-Birds streak of gold medals when he defeated Steve Schmit by 20-5 technical fall.

Finishing in second was Section 9’s Monroe Woodbury which continues to show strength throughout its lineup. The Crusaders featured four titlewinners – Vinny Vespa (99), Evan Barczak (106), JP Vandercliff (160) and AJ Voelker (170).

Long Beach sported a pair of champions (Steven Sewkumar at 113 and Zamarr Allen at 195), as did Section 5’s Pittsford (Chad Howard at 182 and Tyler Schaefer at 220). Host Massapequa also was represented at the top of the podium as Tim Gungor captured the heavyweight crown.

For more information, see here

 

Shenendehowa Wins Teike-Bernabi With Four Champs; Spencerport Boasts Three Title Winners

With seven finalists and four champions, Shenendehowa cruised to the team title at the Teike-Bernabi Tournament hosted by Spencerport.  The Plainsmen were led by co-Most Outstanding Wrestler Nick Kelley (138) as well as fellow gold medalists David Almaviva (145), Zach Joseph (152) and Ali Hashimee (170).

Taking runner up honors for the Section 2 school were Kevin Parker (120), Jesse Porter (132) and Justin Noble (182).

Sharing OW accolades with Kelley was Lockport’s 113 pounder Anthony Orefice, who won a battle of state placers with Gouverneur’s Dillon Stowell, 7-1.

Williams, Photo by BV

Orefice wasn’t the only Lockport grappler to make the top of the podium. Teammate Marshall Taylor grabbed the 220 pound crown. In addition, a number of fellow Section 6 wrestlers won titles, including Clarence teammates Jake Weber (160) and Brandon Glaubner (126) as well as Cheektowoga returning state runner up Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer (132), Lancaster’s Steve Michel (120) and St. Joseph’s Collegiate’s Garrett Baugher (99 – CHSAA).

The hosts from Spencerport were led to third place in the team standings by a trio of champions – Jon Haas at 106, Trent Egenlauf at 182 and Austin Coleman at 285.  Another Rangers wrestler, Collin Pittman, also made it to the finals but dropped a tight contest to two-time All-Stater Reggie Williams of Johnson City at 195.

For more information, see here.

 

Also in Section 5 . . . Midlakes Unbeaten at Dick Vincent Duals, Edges Warsaw 43-42

Peacock, Photo by BV

At the Dick Vincent Duals at Letchworth High, two teams stood above the rest. In the end, one point separated them. Midlakes finished the event 9-0 while Warsaw compiled an 8-1 mark with the difference being the Screaming Eagles 43-42 dual victory over the Tigers.

Interestingly, 12 of the 15 bouts in the dual were decided by pin. For Midlakes, it was Cody Maher at 152, Jeryd Graham at 182, Hammond Raes at 99, Rafael Mateo at 120, Sean Peacock at 126 and Derian Woodard at 132 who picked up six points with falls. Tyler Smith won by major at 220 and Will Raes by decision at 106.

Palmyra Macedon went 7-2 during the event.

 

Three Teams Go 7-1 at the Holley Holiday Duals; Devlin and DePrez Get Top Billing

A trio of squads – Brockport, Hilton and Webster Schroeder all finished the Holley Holiday Duals at 7-1. Brockport was declared the event’s winner based on tiebreaking criteria. The first place team’s loss was to Webster Schroeder, whose only loss was to Hilton. In turn, Hilton was defeated by Brockport.

Kellen Devlin of Amherst and Vincent DePrez of Hilton were named “MVP”s in the tournament summary. For the dual scores and the All-Tournament Team, see here.

 

Fairport Dominates Kenneth Haines Memorial Tournament With Six Champions

Section 5’s Fairport traveled to SUNY Oswego and put on an impressive performance in taking the team title at the Kenneth Haines Memorial Tournament. The Red Raiders finished almost 100 points ahead of runner up Fulton. Fairport had 10 finalists and six champions, including five straight winners from 106 to 132 pounds (Bryan Ruggeri, Zach Barker, Andy Pieri, AJ Pesci and Les Brown). Colton Kells added the last crown at 195 pounds.

While Fairport took control in the lightweights, Mexico did the same in the middleweights, capturing titles at 138 (Jay Kisselstein), 145 (CJ Loomis), 152 (Trevor Allard) and 170 (Jacob Woolson). Derek Owen (220) and Brennan Roberge (285) earned first place for runner up Fulton.

For more on the tournament, see here

Penfield Goes Undefeated at the Mountain Duals; Nasoni Notches Upset Victory 

Penfield went 8-0 at the 16-team Mountain Duals at Dolgeville. Two of the many wrestlers to lead the way were 120 pounder Matt Langenskamp and seventh grade standout Frankie Gissendanner (126/132). In the eighth round of action, Penfield topped General Brown 37-27, handing the Lions their only loss of the event.  Also going 7-1 was Burnt Hills (which lost to General Brown).

While Penfield’s performance was a headline from a team perspective, another discussion topic was the upset victory of Baldwinsville’s Joe Nasoni over Canastota’s Zack Zupan by fall. Canastota’s returning state champion was wrestling up a weight against Nasoni and held a lead at the time of the fall. However, Nasoni continued his impressive start to the season and showed he is one to watch in the upperweights this year.

For more information, see here.

Sachem East Wins Five at the Long Island Challenge

Sachem East swept five opponents at the Long Island Challenge at MacArthur High. The squad picked up wins over Clarkstown South, Kellenberg, Half Hollow Hills West, MacArthur and Islip with the smallest margin of victory a 12-point win over the host Generals. A number of videos from that dual, as well as some other battles between top Long Island wrestlers such as Tyler Grimaldi vs. Steven Schneider at 160 and Carlos Toribio vs. Joe Piccolo at 170, are available here.

Leading the way for Sachem East were Conor O’Hara (138), Jackson Mordente (145), Cristian Nunez (220) and Josh Edmondson (285), who were unbeaten during the event.

Islip went 5-1 while Brentwood put up a 4-1 mark.

Commack Takes Six Titles at the Sal DiFazio Holiday Tournament at Half Hollow Hills East

Tanzman, Photo by 27east.com

Commack was the big winner at Half Hollow Hills East with six champions and a team title by over 60 points.  The Cougar titlewinners were Champion of Champions CJ Labate (145), Mike D’Angelo (126), Brian Gully (113), Mark Milo (152), Dan Fiorvanti (182) and Ali Halimi (285). A number of wrestlers ranked in our first New York State rankings for the 2012-13 season also took titles, including 106 pounder Alex Tanzman of Westhampton Beach, 120 pounder Robert Person of Bellmore JFK and 132 pounder Matt Leshinger of Sayville.

For more information, see here.

John Glenn Comes Out on Top at the Raider Invitational 

A young team from John Glenn captured the title at the Raider Invitational at Patchogue-Medford, with Wantagh taking second.

John Glenn was paced by champions Zach Ancewicz (99), Matt Porrello (145) and Anthony Pino (195) as well as runners up Chris D’Amico (120), Arman Akhund (132) and Bryan Smith (220).

Wantagh’s Chris Araoz was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler and he was joined on top of the medal stand by teammates Kyle Quinn (113), Vinny Turano (138), Connor Contorno (152), Dan McDevitt (170), James Corbett (182) and TJ Ragusa (220).

 

Sachem North Undefeated at Joe Davidson Memorial Duals

On their home turf, the Sachem North wrestlers went unbeaten at the Joe Davidson Memorial Duals, an event that included 10 teams. The Flaming Arrows were led by 182 pounder Gio Santiago and 132 pounder Sean O’Hagan, who both picked up victories in each of the duals.

Yorktown Captures Mid-Hudson Tournament With Four Champions

Yorktown came out on top at the Mid-Hudson Tournament with championship showings by Joseph Mastro (152), Thomas Murray (182), Steven Sabella (195) and David Varian (285).  A number of teams had a pair of titlewinners. For Pine Bush, it was Chris Cuccolo (99) and Johnny Stramiello (113), for Ketcham it was Danny Murphy (132) and Brad Marvin (145) and for Ossining it was Alex Delacruz (126) and Trent Lofaro (220).

For more on the tournament, see here.

 

Phoenix Represents the Empire State; Takes Fifth in Louisiana

Tighe, Photo by BV

While there was a lot of great action in the Empire State, Phoenix traveled to Louisiana for the Deep South Bayou Duals.  On the first day, the squad cruised to first place in Pool A, defeating teams from the host state plus Florida and Oklahoma.  The closest meet was a 33-point win by the Firebirds over Fontainbleau, Louisiana.

Then, it was on to the championship bracket. After a 36-33 loss to Jesuit, the New York team won three in a row to earn fifth place and an overall 7-1 mark.  Nick Tighe, Rowdy Prior and Justin Rhodes led the way on Day 2, combining for 12 wins – 11 by pin and one by technical fall.

 

More results to be added . . . to report results e-mail newyorkwrestlingnews@gmail.com

New York State Rankings #1 for 2012-13 Season

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Here we go . . . the first and probably most difficult rankings of the year.  Soon, wrestlers will settle into their weights, more top wrestlers will go head to head and others will be back from injuries. Rankings, especially at this time of year, are subjective and we’re sure there are some wrestlers not included who will make an impact.  They are the opinions of those who collaborated on this project and are meant to generate conversation. We will seriously consider all of your feedback . . . as long as it’s done respectfully.  So, have at it.

Special thanks to Mike Carey for his incredible work to make these rankings happen.

Diakomihalis, Photo by BV

99 Pounds:

  1. Yianni Diakomihalis, Hilton (5)
  2. Vito Arujau, Syosset (8)
  3. Jesse Dellavecchia, East Islip (11)
  4. Peter Pappas, Plainview (8)
  5. Ryan Hetrick, Southwestern (6)
  6. John Arceri, Huntington (11)
  7. John Busiello, Eastport South Manor (11)
  8. Vinny Vespa, Monroe Woodbury (9)

A Few Notes: There are some terrific young wrestlers in this weight, but #1 is Hilton’s Yianni Diakomihalis, who has been extremely impressive not only on the mat for Hilton thus far but all over the country over the past several months.  Before this high school campaign began, he captured the Junior High Championship at the Super 32 Challenge in North Carolina. On his way to that title, Diakomihalis defeated Syosset eighth grader Vito Arujau (who took third). Arujau has been dominant thus far, both at 106 and 99. Suffolk county will have quite a battle in this class.  Over the holidays, Jesse Dellevecchia edged John Busiello in a very close and entertaining match while Arceri won the Windsor Christmas Tournament with a technical fall in the title bout.

106 Pounds:

  1. Alex Tanzman, Westhampton Beach (11)
  2. Jimmy Overhiser, Corning (4)
  3. Tony Recco, Lyndonville (5)
  4. Andrew Flanagan, Holley (5)
  5. Kyle Quinn, Wantagh (8)
  6. Jake Yankloski, Wayne (5)
  7. Jonathan Haas, Spencerport (5)
  8. Steven Lee, West Babylon (11)
A Few Notes: Tanzman took bronze at 99 a year ago, and started the season up at 113 (where he dropped a decision to state champion Nick Piccininni). Overhiser took fourth at this weight a year ago and has picked up where he left off, including a title at the Windsor Christmas Tournament.  Recco, a state champion in 2012, and Flanagan, a placer, have done well up a weight after competing at 99 a year ago. Yankloski caught our attention when he defeated qualifier Bryan Ruggeri of Fairport by technical fall early in the year.  He won his first 16 bouts.

 

Piccininni, Photo by BV

113 Pounds:

  1. Nick Piccininni Ward Melville (11)
  2. Kyle Kelly, Chenango Forks (4)
  3. Anthony Orefice, Lockport (6)
  4. Bryan Lantry, Wayne (5)
  5. Dillon Stowell, Gouverneur (10)
  6. Nick Barbaria, New Rochelle (1)
  7. Johnny Stramiello, Pine Bush (9)
  8. Cheick Ndiaye, Brooklyn International (P)

A Few Notes: This is one of two weights where there was a lot of back and forth on who is #1 and who is essentially 1A. We expect Piccininni and Kelly to settle things on the mat in the finals at the Times Union Center.  Two years ago, Kelly defeated Piccininni in the state semifinals and neither has lost in the state of New York since.  The Ward Melville wrestler’s outstanding performances against top competition outside the state, and a victory over the nation’s top sophomore, Zahid Valencia, gave him the edge.  Of course, Kelly’s many achievements are extremely impressive, including two state titles and placements at Fargo and Virginia Beach.  Anthony Orefice also has had a lot of success both inside and outside of the Empire State.  He was 40-2 a year ago, with his losses coming to Piccininni and Jimmy Overhiser (by default) and he registered a solid 7-1 win over Stowell over the holidays. Like Orefice, Bryan Lantry was fifth in 2012 in the state capital.  After a slow start at the Madison Square Garden title bout, Ndiaye gave Kelly a tough match a few weeks ago, dropping a two point decision.

Person, Photo by BV

120 Pounds:

  1. Robert Person, Bellmore JFK (8)
  2. Rocco Russo, Frontier (6)
  3. Steve Michel, Lancaster (6)
  4. Mike D’Angelo, Commack (11)
  5. Sean Peacock, Midlakes (5)
  6. Trey Aslanian, Edgemont (1)
  7. Kellen Devlin, Amherst (6)
  8. John Muldoon, Pearl River (1)

A Few Notes: Person, a two-time placer out of Section 8 is looking to make the finals for the first time after placing multiple times in the past. A number of these wrestlers have met this year.  Russo defeated Michel early on and then Michel beat Peacock.  Meanwhile, in last year’s state finals at 113, Peacock topped Aslanian.  The Edgemont grappler, headed to Princeton, is on a mission to win a state title after two runner up finishes in Albany.  Mike D’Angelo may not be a familiar name to those outside of Long Island but he suffered only three losses last year – all to Nick Piccininni.  In fact, Piccininni had only four regular decisions prior to Albany and three were against D’Angelo.  Truthfully, D’Angelo won’t have an easy time in Section 11 this year, because a pair of wrestlers who made it to the Round of 12 at the Super 32, Connetquot’s Steven Bulzomi and Eastport South Manor’s Travis Passaro, are also very strong.

Realbuto, Photo by BV

126 Pounds:

  1. Dylan Realbuto, Somers (1)
  2. TJ Fabian, Shoreham Wading River (11)
  3. Chris Araoz, Wantagh (8)
  4. Corey Jamison, Huntington (11)
  5. William Koll, Lansing (4)
  6. Blake Retell, Shaker (2)
  7. Dakota Gardner, Fredonia (6)
  8. Antonio DeLuco, Rome Free Academy (3)

A Few Notes:  Realbuto captured a state title a year ago and will have a challenging group to beat to repeat. Fabian took fourth last season at a deep 120 pound weight and has impressed so far for Shoreham Wading River, as he did while winning seven straight after an opening round loss at the Super 32.  Chris Araoz knows about long winning streaks at national events as he took the 120 pound NHSCA National title last spring. Meanwhile, former state gold medalist William Koll has made the move up a few weights.  He took second this weekend at the Windsor Christmas Tournament behind Corey Jamison, who came into Albany as the number two seed last year but didn’t compete the second day.

Rodriguez-Spencer, Photo by BV

132 Pounds:

  1. Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer, Cheektowoga (6)
  2. Matt Leshinger, Sayville (11)
  3. Tristan Rifanburg, Norwich (4)
  4. Sam Melikian, Fordham Prep (C)
  5. Cody McGregor, Tonawanda (6)
  6. Brandon Lapi, Amsterdam (2)
  7. Vinny Turano, Wantagh (8)
  8. Ben Ettlinger, Fox Lane (1)

A Few Notes: Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer is currently ranked nationally at this weight and has a boatload of achievements in the international styles. Last year, he took second in Albany behind Nick Tighe in an entertaining, back and forth, match. Future Columbia Lion Matt Leshinger of Sayville, a returning bronze medalist, went through one of the state’s toughest brackets (Section 11, 120 pounds) just to get to the Times Union Center last season.  Rifanburg, McGregor and Lapi have made a number of appearances on the medal stand and Melikian came within one match of joining them a year ago.

Kelley, Photo by BV

138 Pounds:

  1. Nick Kelley, Shenendehowa (2)
  2. Nick Tighe, Phoenix (3)
  3. Connor Lapresi, Lansing (4)
  4. Tom Dutton, Rocky Point (11)
  5. Vincent DePrez, Hilton (5)
  6. Eric Lewandowski, Lancaster (6)
  7. Codie Gillette, Saranac (7)
  8. Derrick Gray, Indian River (3)

A Few Notes: A pair of Binghamton-bound wrestlers are the favorites to capture titles at this weight in 2013. On the Division I side it’s Kelley, who is looking for his first crown to cap off a terrific career. On the other hand, Tighe is aiming for his third straight championship in Albany. Tighe may have to battle returning 132 pound gold medalist Connor Lapresi, who will wrestle for Bucknell in the future. On the large school side, Tom Dutton had a stellar offseason, placing at both the NHSCA Nationals and Fargo after a successful regular season in Section 11. DePrez and Lewandowski have both competed in the Saturday night finals in the past and will look to get back there this February.

Almaviva, Photo courtesy of Anthony Almaviva

145 Pounds:

  1. David Almaviva, Shenendehowa (2)
  2. Louis Hernandez, Mepham (8)
  3. Isaiah Riccio, Beaver River (3)
  4. Dan Reagan, Lewiston Porter (6)
  5. Jude Gardner, Fredonia (6)
  6. Joey Butler, Burnt Hills (2)
  7. Jackson Mordente, Sachem East (11)
  8. Colby Kash, Clarkstown North (1)

A Few Notes: Almaviva, an All-American, lost some matches this year but did so while making the Round of 12 at the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions. After taking bronze in Albany last year, he’ll be looking to get to the finals this time. A number of other wrestlers on this list have solid experience at the Times Union Center, such as All-Staters Riccio, Reagan and Gardner. Hernandez made the trip to the state capital last year and wrestled with a severe injury. Now back in form, he dominated tough competition in and outside of the Empire State in the offseason and is looking for big things in a return trip.

Rasheed, Photo by BV

152 Pounds:

  1. Corey Rasheed, Longwood (11)
  2. Tom Grippi, Fox Lane (1)
  3. Drew Hull, Royalton Hartland (6)
  4. Angelo Kress, Columbia (2)
  5. Tyler Spann, Adirondack (3)
  6. Chris Koo, Great Neck South (8)
  7. Rowdy Prior, Phoenix (3)
  8. Kyle Halliday, Chenango Valley (4)

A Few Notes: Rasheed is a three-time placer and two-time runner up going into his junior year.  He took second at 145 in D-I last season while Drew Hull, a two-time medal winner, was the silver placer in the small school tournament.  Tom Grippi handed our #1 at 145 David Almaviva his only loss in Albany last year and finished one match from placing.  He already has over 20 wins.  Kress pinned his way through the PSAL Holiday tournament and racked up a number of wins in offseason events in the international styles. At the state tournament last season, he lost to nationally ranked Nicky Hall in the opening round before winning three straight in the consolations.  Chris Koo has been an All-American twice in Virginia Beach but has yet to travel to the state capital.  He has the ability to not only qualify but go far at the Times Union Center. He most recently was the Outstanding Wrestler at the Massapequa Holiday Tournament. Prior had a 32-3 season last year but two of his setbacks came in the Section 3 tournament (including to Spann).  He has been on fire this year thus far.

Grimaldi, Photo by BV

160 Pounds:

  1. Tyler Grimaldi, HHHW (11)
  2. Burke Paddock, Warsaw (5)
  3. Brendan Goldup, LaSalle (2)
  4. Jake Weber, Clarence (6)
  5. Mike Beckwith, Greene (4)
  6. Nick Gallo, Schalmont (2)
  7. Tyler Silverthorn, General Brown (3)
  8. Austin Weigel, Onteora (9)

A Few Notes: Speaking of 1 and 1A back at 113, Grimaldi and Paddock are both in the national rankings.  Some have Grimaldi higher and some have the reverse. We expect both to stand on top of the podium in Albany in their respective divisions.  Why do we have Grimaldi higher?  He defeated Paddock at the New York State Freestyle championships this year and placed at Fargo while both were in the same bracket. Needless to say, Paddock has a plethora of achievements over the years and will be difficult to beat. Mike Beckwith encountered a number of setbacks a year ago but with very little practice under his belt won Section 4 and a match in Albany.  He has blistered through the competition this year. Silverthorn was one of the few non-senior medalists in either division at 160 in 2012. Gallo came within a bout of the podium as a freshman and Goldup, a former All-Stater, is off to a great start. Weigel was one bout from the All-State status at 170 and will be a handful down at 160. [Dale White has been out injured].

170 Pounds:

  1. Troy Seymour, Peru (7)
  2. Dan McDevitt, Wantagh (8)
  3. Carlos Toribio, Brentwood (11)
  4. Zack Buckley, Fredonia (6)
  5. Christian Dietrich, Greene (4)
  6. Johnny Vrasidas, St. Anthony’s (C)
  7. Joe Piccolo, Half Hollow Hills West (11)
  8. Andrew Voelker, Monroe Woodbury (9)

Seymour, a national runner up and fourth placer at the state tournament last year, stands on top of 170.  Behind him are a number of talented competitors, none of whom have tasted the podium yet at 170.  However, McDevitt was on the medal stand as a fifth placer in 2012 — down at 138. After a growth spurt, he is up several classes and after beating some tough customers this summer, he’s looking like a solid bet to medal again. Johnny Vrasidas made it to the top 8 in Albany in February.  Toribio has started off the year on fire in Section 11, beating All-Stater Gio Santiago and returning qualifier Matt Roberts, both while wrestling up a weight. He also handled Piccolo this past week at the Long Island Challenge. An interesting wildcard is Deitrich, who medaled at 152 as a seventh grader in 2011 and who looked overpowering as he cruised to the Windsor Christmas Tournament title.

Zupan, Photo by BV

182 Pounds:

  1. Zack Zupan, Canastota (3)
  2. Shayne Brady, Carthage (3)
  3. Tim Schaefer, Warsaw (5)
  4. James Corbett, Wantagh (8)
  5. James Benjamin, Vestal (4)
  6. Trent Egenlauf, Spencerport (5)
  7. Gio Santiago, Sachem North (11)
  8. Levi Ashley, Shenendehowa (2)

A Few Notes: Zack Zupan, the top ranked recruit in New York, stands at #1 while fellow Section 3 wrestler Shayne Brady, the Division I runner up a year ago comes in at #2.  The two met in the finals of the Herkimer Invitational, which ended quickly after some good early action when Brady injury defaulted.  Tim Schaefer, a multi-time state placer, is off to another great start for Warsaw after taking third at this weight in 2012.  Benjamin is back after his All-State showing out of Section 4 and fellow medalist Gio Santiago returns to the rankings. Above him is Wantagh’s James Corbett, who has impressed during his undefeated start, including a solid win over the Sachem North wrestler. Egenlauf has won multiple tournaments so far this campaign including the Teike Bernabi.

Williams, Photo by BV

195 Pounds:

  1. Reggie Williams, Johnson City (4)
  2. Bryce Mazurowski, Avon (5)
  3. Dan Choi, Syosset (8)
  4. Tyler Smith, Midlakes (5)
  5. Colton Kells, Fairport (5)
  6. Tyler Morris, Salem (2)
  7. Collin Pittman, Spencerport (5)
  8. Nick Weber, Kings Park (11)

A Few Notes: Reggie Williams conquered all challengers as a sophomore at 195 with the exception of four losses to state champion (and now graduated) Tony Fusco of Shenendehowa. Williams is the favorite to win his first state title.  Next up is another state silver medalist, Bryce Mazurowski of Avon, a future member of the Binghamton Bearcats.  Two 2012 fourth placers also sit here, Tyler Smith of Midlakes (at 195) and Tyler Morris of Salem (at 182). Colton Kells finished in the top 8 in Division I at 195 a year ago while Choi did the same at 182. Pittman gave Williams a lot to handle in the finals of the Teike Bernabi tournament despite a previous setback.

 

Bacon, Photo by BV

220 Pounds:

  1. Zack Bacon, Hornell (5)
  2. Ryan Wolcott, Waverly (4)
  3. Mike Silvis, Holley (5)
  4. Nick Lupi, Huntington (11)
  5. Dan Breit, Nanuet (1)
  6. Chris Saden, Fredonia (6)
  7. Joe Sprung, Berne Knox (2)
  8. Richard Sisti, Monsignor Farrell (C)

A Few Notes: Zack Bacon of Hornell, currently ranked #16 in the country by Intermat, leads the way. Bacon is familiar with Silvis and they are sure to meet this year again. Lupi also earned a spot in the national polls (by Amateur Wrestling News). The Huntington wrestler was upset in the Windsor Christmas Tournament finals by Ryan Wolcott, a returning Top 8 wrestler (at 170). Breit, Sprung and Sisti all made appearances at the Times Union Center in 2012.

Van Hoesen, Photo by BV

285 Pounds:

  1. El Shaddai Van Hoesen, Columbia (2)
  2. Mike Hughes, Smithtown West (11)
  3. Matt Montesanti, Medina (6)
  4. Alex Soutiere, Ravena (2)
  5. Brandon Fayle, Lowville (3)
  6. James O’Hagan, Seaford (8)
  7. David Varian, Yorktown (1)
  8. Anthony Puca, Huntington (11)

El Shaddai Van Hoesen earns the top spot with his absolute dominance thus far as a senior after taking second in 2012.  Another silver medalist, Alex Soutiere, has followed up his run at the Times Union Center with an unbeaten start.  A pair of sixth place finishers are also included, with Smithtown West’s Mike Hughes and Medina’s Matt Montesanti in control just about every time they’ve stepped on the mat.  Brandon Fayle of Lowville fell one bout short of placing in 2012 and has put up solid results again, with the one blemish on his record via disqualification.  Rounding out the rankings are Seaford’s James O’Hagan, an NHSCA Nationals third place finisher who went 31-3 last year and who has lost only to Hughes this campaign (the only match Hughes hasn’t won by fall).  Anthony Puca of Huntington and David Varian of Yorktown, a qualifier out of Section 1, round things out.

* Results based on NWCA Scorebook

Check Out Videos of Grimaldi, Cooksey and Other Stars from the Long Island Challenge at MacArthur

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On Thursday, MacArthur hosted Day 1 of the Long Island Challenge dual event, including teams from Brentwood, Clarkstown South, Half Hollow Hills West, Kellenberg and Sachem East. A recap of the results will come after the tournament is completed. However, for now, check out action including some top Long Island wrestlers such as returning state silver medalists Tyler Grimaldi and Justin Cooksey as well as two of the top 170 pounders in the state – Carlos Toribio and Joe Piccolo.

 

Tyler Grimaldi (Hills West) vs. Steven Schneider (MacArthur) – (Special thanks to Frank Grimaldi)

Carlos Toribio (Brentwood) vs. Joe Piccolo (Hills West)

Justin Cooksey (MacArthur) vs. Anthony Messina (Sachem East)

Steven Schneider (MacArthur) vs. Tim Friedman (Sachem East)

Jackson Mordente (Sachem East) vs. Sal Randazzo (MacArthur)

Chris Cataldo (MacArthur) vs. Michael Abbondanza (Sachem East)

Michael Pistone (Sachem East) vs. Michael Marrero (MacArthur)

Ryan Hughes (Islip) vs. James Golder (Kellenberg)

Chris Reilly (Hills West) vs. Kevin Rivas (Brentwood)

BJ Jackson (Brentwood) vs. Ferro (Hills West)

 

(Special thanks to Frank Grimaldi)

Grapplers from All Over NY (Plus Michigan, Ohio and PA) Gearing Up for the NYWAY Kickoff Classic on Jan 6

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Last year, the inaugural NYWAY Kickoff Classic brought several hundred youth wrestlers from five to 14 years old to the campus of Cornell University.  Many of the standouts from that event continued to make names for themselves throughout the season, including some at the varsity level.

A few examples: Penfield’s Frankie Gissendanner was named MOW at his first varsity tournament and won the prestigious Top Hat event in Pennsylvania at 126 pounds– as a seventh grader.  Alexander’s Dane Heberlein has already made an impact at 99 pounds in Section 5 while Michigan’s Devin Schroder, who won the NYWAY Kickoff a year ago at 105-110 pounds, went on to take All-America honors at the FloNationals in April at 106 as an eighth grader.

The second annual NYWAY Kickoff Classic on January 6 promises to be another top notch event, this time at Niagara County Community College (NCCC) in Sanborn, New York.  NCCC head coach Keith Maute, who is also the Director of Cobra Wrestling Academy, will serve as Tournament Director.

Around 100 wrestlers from Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania have already committed to attend and enrollment from New York has been strong.  In fact, the expectation is that over 400 youth wrestlers between the ages of five and 14 will compete.

“We are hoping to make this a true New York state championship with registration from all around the state,” said Kevin Lucinski, NYWAY’s Far Western Director. “Having top kids from other states just adds to the competition.  We want people to know that it will be professionally paired with New York certified referees and full mats.  We’re hoping it will be a flagship event for NYWAY and Section 6.”

The champion in each of the 59 weight classes will receive custom Cage Fighter shorts (pictured) and the top four finishers in each bracket will earn medals.

Lucinski notes that there has been a change to the registration process.  Rather than signing up online, all registration must be done using the mail-in form, which is here: 2013-NYWAY-KICK3

Please send the registration to:

Cobra Wrestling Academy

351 Pine St

Lockport, NY 14094

If you have already registered and paid online, please confirm your registration by e-mailing Kevin Lucinski at kslucinski@yahoo.com.

 

Next Generation of Studs Shine at the PSAL Holiday Tournament

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By Matt Diano

With many of their collegiate wrestling heroes competing directly next to and/or across from them, the student-athletes from nearly 40 schools, spanning everywhere from Long Island, the five boroughs, and New Jersey proved that it will not be long before it is them participating in the main event at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden.

Having earned the right to take part in the historic Grapple at the Garden (the first college wrestling event ever hosted by the 34th Street Mecca of sporting events) by surviving an elimination tournament the previous day at Harry S. Truman High School, the top 8 grapplers in each weight class excitedly took their turns creating lifelong memories. Whether they won or lost their respective placement matches, no one will ever be able to take away the fact that their legacies are forever carved into foundation of the building that knows no equal and needs no introduction. And, in the end, hand raised or not, there were no losers. We (fans, competitors, media, etc.) all won because we got the experience the best of both worlds; we were privy to seeing the best of the present, while equally mindful that we were getting treated to a rare and unmatched look at the future. For every Dake/Caldwell or Garrett/Waters match, there was a scholastic equivalent, such as Kelly/Ndiaye, Roberts/Rose, or Thompson/Green. While only 26 (including the ladies) individuals would leave as titlists, all entered and exited as champions.

Getting the party started at 99 pounds would be freshman phenom John Busiello from Eastport South Manor in Suffolk County. A decorated wrestler on the youth level, Busiello, who was a 20+ match winner for the varsity as an 8th grader, entered the Garden as the #3 ranked wrestler in his weight class in Section XI. If he wrestles the rest of the season the way he did this weekend, there is every reason to foresee him moving up a few spots on that totem pole. Going 3-0 between the two day affair, Busiello recorded bonus points in all of his bouts, outscoring his first and last victims by a combined tally of 31-3, sandwiched around a third period fall in the semifinals. He would claim the hardware with a 19-3 technical fall over fellow Long Islander Matt Maquet, of Long Beach in Section VIII.

Brooklyn would be in the house at the 106-pound weight class as defending NYS Private School Champion, Noah Malamut of Poly Prep, would score one for the five boroughs when he bested Maquet’s teammate, Charlie Spada, in a high scoring finals battle. Jumping out to the early lead, including a pivotal tilt for near-fall points, the junior from PP would have to contend with a late rally from his opposition, showing strong defense down the stretch to emerge with the 11-8 decision. Malamut would be the only individual champ for Poly Prep, leading the hometown favorite to a top-10 (8th) finish in the team standings.

Kelly vs. Ndiaye, http://www.phototrens.com

113 would be one of the highlight bouts of the afternoon as Chenango Forks’s two-time defending NYS DI Champion, Kyle Kelly, would be pitted against the 2012 NYS DII runner-up, Cheick Ndiaye, of Brooklyn International. With points expected to be at a premium in such a hotly contested battle of returning Empire State finalists, it would be the Binghamton University bound Kelly that struck in a big way, locking up a cradle and taking it over to gain the early lead. He would not look back, fending off the athletic and immensely polished Ndiaye 6-4. For the weekend, Kelly went 3-0, with Ndiaye being the only foe who was able to make it out of the first period against him.

Two weight classes later, it would be Kelly’s teammate, Jake Green, making it 2-for-2 for Forks over opponents from Brooklyn. Regarded as a slight underdog in the 126 pound title bout after his opponent, 2012 PSAL Large School Champion, Keanu Thompson (Grand Street Campus), defeated NHSCA All-American Travis Passaro (ESM) 7-3 in the semifinals, Green refused to be intimidated, scoring the only takedowns of the match to win a hard fought 4-2 decision. This victory should serve as a major confidence booster for Green as he looks to repeat as a Section IV champion and earn his first All-State placement in 2013. For Thompson, who prior to the loss had been on a hot streak (including a win over Ndiaye earlier in the season), the goal is to put the loss behind him and get back on track. The senior captain from Grand Street Campus came one victory short of the podium last season in Albany.

Getting Staten Island in the win column was standout extraordinaire, Santo Curatolo. A senior who is seeking his fourth career PSAL DI title, Curatolo might be among the fastest growing prospects in the Empire State. After falling to place in Albany for the third straight season, the Tottenville student-athlete has been on a tear, commencing with an All-American finish in Junior Greco-Roman in Fargo this past summer. Curatolo would show no mercy on the field this weekend, pinning two of his opponents and adding a 13-1 major decision to reign supreme at 120 pounds. His finals win, a 1:38 fall via cement mixer (I call it a Billman Mixer in tribute to former Pennsylvania great, Jamarr Billman, who hit a similar variation of the move in the 1997 AAA state finals his senior season) came over Wingate’s Kenton Greaves in what could potentially represent a preview of the 2013 NYC finals.

After watching two of his PSAL peers fall short of their championship goals, one wrestler who had no intention of kowtowing to Coach Rick Gumble’s mighty Forks squad was New Utrecht 132 pounder, Saidyokub Kahramonov. A runner-up in 2012 to current Brown University freshman, Ahmed Elsayed, Kahramonov is a heavy favorite to make his second consecutive trip to the state capital after being an injury placement last season. He certainly had his “A” game on full display 72 hours ago, finishing a perfect sweep of pins when he stuck returning Section IV bronze medalist, Carl Rouse, with 24 seconds remaining in the second period. Kahramonov also had falls over 2012 USA Wrestling Schoolboy Greco-Roman All-American, Leonard Merkin (Poly Prep), and 2012 Catholic High School Athletic Association returning placewinner, Ralph Maio, of Monsignor Farrell.

Starting a trend that would see his school take the titles at three of the next four weight classes was Long Branch’s Nick Menkin. A winner of just under 30 matches as a sophomore, the wrestler who missed out on the chance to compete at the New Jersey State tournament when he finished 4th at the regional qualifier, was not in a generous mood on Saturday and Sunday. 4-0 on the weekend, Menkin did not have a match closer than six points (his 9-3 win in the finals over Farrell’s Karl Weisner), pinning one of his opponents, teching another, and major decisioning the third (15-4) en route to the title bout and the eventual hardware. Complementing the efforts of their teammate were a pair of Georges (cousins). Striking first in the battle for ultimate family bragging rights would be 145-pounder, Nick, who after hanging on for a 6-4 decision in the semifinals over two-time PSAL runner-up, Nigel Williams of Eagle Academy, really poured it on in the finals, controlling all of the action and scoring the only takedowns of the match, defeating Columbia High School’s (Section II) Jim Devine 8-2 in the championship bout. Not to be outdone, at 160, it was Jake, whose older brother, William is a wrestler at Cornell University, making it an even 2-for-2 for the family when he made it back-to-back victories over foes from Columbia (their third consecutive finalist), outlasting Chris Morrissey, 7-5 in overtime. 220-pounder, Vincent Roselli, would also win in overtime, 5-3 over Paul Okeke of Clarkstown South, to account for the fourth and final individual gold for the eventual team champs from across the bridge.

Preventing Columbia from dropping three straight championship matches was Angelo Kress at 152 pounds. A state qualifier at this weight last season as a sophomore, Kress finished 6th (in the adjusted placements that do not include CHSAA or PSAL representatives). If he wrestles in Albany the way he did in the Big Apple, it is almost a surefire guarantee that the defending Section II champion will move up a few rungs on the proverbial ladder. Pinning his first two opponents in an average time of 2:22, Kress must have had big plans on Sunday afternoon as he wasted no time at all coming, seeing, and conquering. Pitted against 2012 PSAL Large School bronze medalist, Konstantin Parfiryev, from James Madison, Kress would put leave no doubt as to who the best of the best was, pinning his finals opponent in 54 seconds, the quickest fall of the championship round. One of two champs on the day for Columbia (the other coming in the last bout of the tournament), Kress would lead his team to a runner-up finish in the final polls.

Having gone four straight weight classes without some local flavor taking home a title, junior Adis Radoncic of RKA, would nip the issue in the bud, snapping the streak with 10-4 decision over Long Branch’s Nick Pappayliou at 170 pounds. Already a two-time PSAL Small School champion (on pace to be a four-time NYS DII qualifier), Radoncic just missed placing at the Times Union Center in 2012, falling one victory short of the podium. A lethal thrower, next to Ndiaye, Radoncic is considered the best medal threat for the PSAL in the Division II ranks. Pappayliou, who transferred to the Garden State perennial powerhouse for his senior season after competing for Ocean Township the first three years of his scholastic career, finished 4th in the district tournament in 2012.

Matt Roberts, Photo by Philip Rufo

Winning a war of returning NYS qualifiers was Monsignor Farrell’s Matt Roberts at 182. Trailing 2-0 early on in his title match against Eagle Academy’s Nathanael Rose, the 2012 CHSAA State Champion, Roberts, did what he does best, utilizing his deep gas tank to claw his way back into the match. Pushing the pace against Rose, who won the PSAL DII title as a freshman last season, Roberts would ascend to the top step of the podium following an 8-5 victory. The senior leader would be the lone champion for the Staten Island program who for the first time in history (after dominating the Mayor’s Cup since its inception) finished behind a fellow five borough school (Brooklyn Tech) in a major city wide tournament.

Speaking of B’Tech, the Todd Bloom led program would not be shutout this weekend, getting on the scoreboard at 195 with senior Kevin Tynes. A PSAL runner-up last last season to McZiggy Richards (the wrestler who finished 3rd in NYS and is currently attending St. Benedicts Prep), Tynes may be one of the hungriest wrestlers in the city this season after seeing the success of the man who beat him in last year’s Large School finals. Cruising in his first three matches (pin, 16-1 TF, 10-1 MD), Tynes would get his first test of the tournament in the finals when he faced the twin brother of the 170 pound runner-up, Chris Pappayliou. A 3rd place finisher at the district tournament, the Long Branch transfer would make his NYC counterpart work for every point, leading to perhaps the most entertaining and competitive title bout. In the end, the home court advantage would be too much for the Jersey boy to overcome as he dropped the bout 7-6 to Tynes.

El Shaddai VanHoesen, Photo by BV

Closing the show in emphatic fashion would Columbia’s other champion, returning NYS DI runner-up, El Shaddai VanHoesen. A full sized heavyweight who makes his impact felt every bit as much on the football field as he does on the wrestling mat, VanHoesen has every reason in the world to want to end his grappling career on top. Having suffered an injury early in the football playoffs, the big man had the misfortune of having to watch as his team was eliminated, powerless to do anything about it. A student-athlete with championship dreams, with one door having been closed, you can bet he will not let anything stop him from going all the way on the mat. He seemed every bit the proverbial man on a mission, notching four straight pins (including two in under 1:00) to stream roll his way to the last title of the afternoon. While not sure if it would be considered a benefit or a curse, the wrestler who found himself in the position of being the final notch on the belt of the VanHoesen locomotion was Tynes’s teamamte, Shaq Williams. The top-ranked 285 pounder per the GCW rankings, Williams will be looking for revenge when the calendar hits February.

Turning our attention to the fairer sex, leading the group of 10 champions for the young ladies was All-American Rosemary Flores of Curtis. A double freestyle champion in Fargo two summers ago, you name it and Flores has seemingly won it at some point in her career. An ASICS 1st Team honoree last year, Flores had little trouble adding another trophy to her growing collection, spending a combined 90 seconds on the mat in pinning two opponents to earn the the 132 pound crown. While she is by far the most well known, Flores is not the only elite philly in the Curtis stable as he was joined on the top step of the medal stand by teammates Leslie Schoberl (120) and Shannon Henry (138). In similar fashion to Flores, Shoberl and Henry would never see the third period as the three blue chippers combined for seven falls in seven matches. Curtis was the only program on the ladies side to have three gold medalists. Other champions in the women’s tournament included the following: 99- Kim Cardenas (Petrides), 106- Ana Salazar/160- Karina Lozano of Grover Cleveland, 113- Jennifer Juarez (Robert Wagner), 126- Sarah Andresen (Hunter), 145- Idalis Graciano (Springfield), and Wingate’s Destane Garrik at 170 pounds.

To see the full results from both the male and female varsity tournaments, please click the following links: 2012 Boys; 2012 Girls

For more information on New York City wrestling, visit Gotham City Wrestling

Q&A with Chris Koo, All-American Looking to End His Career With a Trip to Albany (and a Title)

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Photo courtesy of Chris Koo

 

By Irwin Loew

Chris Koo is an All-American wrestler.  In fact, he has placed at the NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach each of the last two years.  However, despite his achievements, the Great Neck South senior is looking for his first trip to the New York state tournament.  In 2012, Koo took third at 160 pounds at the Section 8 Championships, but after an offseason full of training, he would like to not only get to Albany this year, but also find a spot high on the podium to cap off his high school career.

Irwin Loew caught up with Koo for a few questions about his accomplishments to date, his future in the sport and more.

How did you get into wrestling?

Chris Koo (CK): I got into the sport when my father took me to the local YMCA for open mats.  I was eight years old.  I was not successful right away but I loved the feel of the mat and the intensity.

What’s the atmosphere like in the Great Neck South room?

CK: The atmosphere in the room is great.  Some of my main workout partners are my head coach, Ryan Pingatore and Sal Lanzilotta.  Coach Pingatore is on top of everyone and creates such an intensity in the room.  We may not have the best kids in the county, but he pushes everyone and makes sure they give 110 percent.

Where else do you wrestle?

CK: I also wrestle at Ascend Wrestling Club, run by Craig Vitagliano.  I go to four practices a week.  The days I am not wrestling, I’m either running or lifting.

You took sixth place at 145 pounds at the 2011 NHSCA Sophomore Nationals.  What was that experience like?

CK: The experience was great.  That’s when I first started attending Ascend and Craig [Vitagliano] broke down every single match out there for me.  He corrected what I was doing wrong.  I wasn’t expecting to place at a national tournament. I went there with the attitude of just wrestling and gaining a great experience.

After placing at that national tournament as a sophomore, what were your expectations for your junior year?  

CK: My expectations coming into my junior year were to win counties and become All-State.  Watching [Mepham’s] Dan Tracy win counties was the most heartbreaking thing in the world.  I remember coming home and crying. [Koo defeated Dan Tracy by major during the season but placed third in Nassau].  I also wasn’t happy with my performance at Virginia Beach.  Coach Craig and I were aiming to get a higher finish than the previous year. [Koo made the podium again at the national tournament, taking seventh at 152].

What are your expectations for your senior season?

CK: As a senior, winning counties would be great, but I am aiming to win states.  We’ve never had a state champ come from our school.  I’ll be at 152.  I have been working on a lot of wrestling situations and techniques with Coach Craig [Vitagliano].

Are you looking to continue wrestling after high school?

CK: I am interested in wrestling Division I.  I am looking into Hofstra, University of Maryland and Merchant Marine Academy.  I expect a lot when I get into college.  Wrestling with college wrestlers like [Harvard’s] Paul Ligouri and John Khory shows me what my weaknesses are and how I can improve.  I would like to study Economics or Statistics.

What wrestlers do you like watching?

CK: I enjoy watching Adam Saitiev and Elbrus Tedeev because they are very good at hand fighting and set ups.  Most of the wrestlers I watch are great at hand fighting.

Do you play any other sports? 

CK: I don’t play other sports but I do run a lot.

What music do you like to listen to?  What is the last book you read and the last movie you saw?

CK: I like listening to Eminem before my matches.  Last book: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.  Last movie: The Avengers.

Koo earned four pins in his first five matches this season and then picked up the Most Valuable Wrestler Award at the Bethpage Dads Club tournament.  In the latest Nassau County rankings, he is #1 at 152 pounds.

Weekend Notes: Dake Earns OW, Nick Kelley Wins Bronze in Reno and More From Around the State

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Dake vs. Caldwell, Phototrens.com

The first ever-wrestling event at Madison Square Garden captured a lot of headlines this weekend.  While Cornell and Hofstra both went 0-2, Big Red senior Kyle Dake earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award after his victories over #3 Tyler Caldwell of Oklahoma State and #13 Zach Toal of Missouri.  Dake controlled both matches, earning a reversal and riding time in each.  Also going undefeated on the day for Cornell was returning NCAA champion Steve Bosak, who made his season debut.  The 184-pounder picked up two victories against ranked opponents – #7 Mike Larson of the Tigers and #13 Chris Chionuma of the Cowboys.

For the box scores and descriptions from Cornell and Hofstra, see here and here.

Kelly vs. Ndiaye, Phototrens.com

Fans in attendance in New York City were able to watch some top level high school action in addition to the college duals as the placement matches of the PSAL Holiday tournament took place on Sunday at MSG as well.

Long Branch (NJ) took the team crown at the event, with champions at 138 (Nick Menkin), 145 (Nick George), 160 (Jake George) and 220 (Vincent Roselli).  In second place was Section 2’s Columbia, followed by the PSAL’s Brooklyn Tech.

One of the most anticipated finals happened at 113 pounds where two-time state champion Kyle Kelly of Chenango Forks took on 2012 state runner up Cheick Ndiaye of Brooklyn International.  Kelly jumped out to an early lead and looked like he might get the pin but Ndiaye fought his way back into the match.  However, Kelly closed out a 6-4 victory in a battle between two wrestlers who will be among the top contenders at 113 in Albany in Division I and II, respectively.

Kelly’s teammate Jake Green captured first place in a challenging 126-pound field.  Green topped Grand Street’s Keanu Thompson 4-2 in the title bout with multiple time All-American Travis Passaro of Eastport South Manor grabbing third.  (Thompson defeated Passaro in Saturday’s semifinals).

Outstanding Wrestler honors went to Tottenville’s Santo Curatolo, who won at 120 pounds by first period fall.  That was one of three quick pins for Curatolo in the event.  His other victory was a 13-1 major.

The silver medal team from Columbia had a pair of champions, including heavyweight El Shaddai Van Hoesen, who pinned all four of his opponents and was only pushed into the second period once.  His teammate Angelo Kress had a similar experience at 152 pounds – four matches and four falls.

The other champions were: John Busiello of Eastport South Manor (99), Noah Malamut of Poly Prep (106), Saidyokub Kahramonov of New Utrecht (132), Adis Radoncic of RKA (170), Matt Roberts of Monsignor Farrell (182) and Kevin Tynes of Brooklyn Tech (220).

For full brackets, see here.

Outside of New York City . . .

While the focus of many wrestling fans was on the Big Apple, there was plenty of quality wrestling featuring New York wrestlers around the state and even in the Pacific Time Zone.  Here are a few notes from the weekend:

Wantagh saw its first dual action of the season at the David Bloom Memorial event.  The Warriors went 4-0, defeating New Rochelle, Sachem North, East Islip and one of Rhode Island’s top squads, Cumberland.

In one of the significant results of the day, Wantagh’s 182 pounder James Corbett continued his strong start to the season with a 5-2 victory over Gio Santiago of Sachem North, the 2012 Suffolk County champion who was sixth at the state tournament.  Corbett had a solid 32-6 season a year ago while wrestling at 160, 170 and 182 pounds and took fourth at the Section 8 tournament.  Now 7-0 with five pins and a technical fall, he’ll be a wrestler to watch in the upperweights this season.

Barbaria, Photo by BV

In a matchup of wrestlers with a great chance to travel to Albany in February, New Rochelle’s Nick Barbaria, an All-State wrestler at 99 pounds a year ago, picked up a quality win over NHSCA All-American Kyle Quinn, 5-3 at 113.

And Further Upstate . . . 

Spencerport won the Batavia Christmas Tournament on Saturday by almost 30 points over Blairsville, Pennsylvania.  Leading the way for Spencerport were champions Kaleb Pascoe (99), Brandon Barrett (113), Trent Englauf (182) and Collin Pittman (195).  Elmira was third as Sean McGinley took first at 285 and Charlie Kennedy (120) and Curtis Grant (138) earned second.  Royalton Hartland also made its presence felt with a trio of champions – Cameron Swick at 106, Drew Hull at 152 and Alex Jensen at 182.

Schaefer, Photo by BV

The Alexander Green and Gold Tournament in Section 5 showcased a number of state title contenders.  Warsaw won the event by a wide margin, with Rush Henrietta second and Fairport third.

Among the champions were All-State grapplers Corey Hollister of Perry (113), Dan Reagan of Lewiston Porter (145), Warsaw’s Burke Paddock (160) and Most Outstanding Wrestler (182) Tim Schaefer and Zack Bacon of Hornell (220).  For more detailed results, see here.

Koll and Lapresi Impress In Pennsylvania . . .

Lansing took 23rd at the King of the Mountain tournament at Central Mountain High School in the Keystone State . . . and the Bobcats did it with only two wrestlers entered in the event.  2011 state champion Will Koll dominated his way to the 126 pound title, with pins in his first four bouts before notching a 7-4 decision over Ryan Easter in the championship match.  2012 state titlewinner Connor Lapresi made his mark at 138, putting up bonus points in his first four matches before dropping a 7-2 decision in the title bout.

Kelley, Porter Place at the Reno Tournament of Champions in Nevada

Two Section 2 schools, Shenendehowa and LaSalle, headed out West with a handful of their starters to meet some out of state competition at the Reno Tournament of Champions.

Kelley, Photo by BV

Leading the way for the New Yorkers was Nick Kelley, who took third place at 138 pounds.  He began the event on a roll, winning his first four matches by fall, including an 16-second pin in his initial contest.  In the semifinals, Kelley lost an 8-6 match in overtime, however, he came back to dominate his next bout 11-4 to take the bronze.

Also making the podium for the Plainsmen was Jesse Porter at 132 pounds.  Porter entered the tournament as the 14th seed, but made an impressive run, winning his first two matches before dropping a 1-0 decision to eventual third place finisher Robbie Rizzolino of Easton, Pennsylvania. Porter responded with four victories in the wrestlebacks, including three pins.  He won his seventh place tilt 5-2 over Zack Edwards of Broken Arrow High in Oklahoma.

Two Shenendehowa grapplers came within one victory of the medal stand, but took different paths to get there.  182 pounder Levi Ashley dropped his opening match to bronze medalist Ian Baker of California.  However, he quickly rebounded, capturing five straight in the consolations before Brock Warren of Broken Arrow ended his run.  Meanwhile, David Almaviva, the ninth seed, won his first two contests before losing to Tanner Bailey of Broken Arrow. He rallied with two wins in the wrestlebacks.

Zach Joseph went 3-2 for Shenendehowa at 152 pounds while Corey Ali (2-2) and Kevin Parker both took the mat at 120 for the Plainsmen.  Freshman Joseph Clemente turned in a solid showing for LaSalle, with a 3-2 mark at 138 pounds while his teammates Mark Pelton (152), Paul Andreoli (152) and Eric Rider (126) also competed.

Shenendehowa took 21st place as a team in a field of more than 110 squads.  Canon McMillan (PA) took the gold overall.

For the full Reno Tournament of Champions bracket, see here.

———————————–

For more results from the weekend, see here.

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

 

 

 

 

"Time to Flip the Switch": Hofstra To Tangle With Iowa and Ohio State at Madison Square Garden

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New York Wrestling News will be providing a live blog of the Grapple at the Garden.  The link is here.

The preview story for Cornell is here.  

For more on Hofstra, read on.

————————————————

Hofstra has faced a challenging slate over the first month of the season and it doesn’t get any easier this weekend as the Pride faces a pair of top 5 foes, Iowa and Ohio State.

“I think we’ve had one of the toughest schedules in the country thus far,” said head assistant coach Zach Tanelli of the Pride’s 0-9 start.  “The results haven’t gone the way we wanted at this point and that seed of doubt has been planted.  Guys have a choice, they can choose to water that seed and go down the path of destruction or they can get back on track.  We know we have very good wrestlers and some have been in a little bit of a rut.  But our schedule doesn’t let us feel bad for ourselves.  We put it together to prepare ourselves for where we want to be in March. We need to stop the bleeding and progress toward our goals. Individually and as a team we have lot to prove and we can still get to where we need to be in March.”

This weekend is the next step in that process, according to Tanelli.

“The key word is opportunity,” he said. “The guys have to see it as an opportunity to embrace the great competition and the atmosphere.  We need to believe we’re going in not to just have a great experience wrestling in front of thousands of people but to win in front of thousands of people. We want to go in with the attitude that we’re going to punch tickets to nationals and springboard ourselves into the second half of the season.  Almost every opponent our guys will face is ranked.  We’ve fallen victim to some upsets this year and we know on paper we’re favored in very few matches. But now it’s time to flip the switch and be the ones getting the upsets.”

Bonanno, Photo by BV

There will be ample chances to do just that.  Two Pride wrestlers ranked across most polls are Steve Bonanno (125) and Luke Vaith (141). Bonanno, a returning All-American, will begin his day with two-time national champion Matt McDonough before meeting 2011 NCAA placer Nikko Triggas of the Buckeyes.

“We’re looking for both Steve and Luke to step up to the plate,” Tanelli said. “Steve will have some great tests.  McDonough’s achievements speak for themselves.  Steve has been a little dinged up and a little inconsistent.  But he doesn’t feel bad for himself.  He knows he has what it takes to get back on track.  He’s preparing for two very high quality opponents and feels confident.”

Vaith will take on Iowa’s Mark Ballweg, who is a few rungs higher in some national rankings, as well as All-American Hunter Stieber of Ohio State.

“Luke has to wrestle the way he’s capable of,” Tanelli said. “He’s very tough but he needs to be more consistent at this level.  It’s a deep weight class this year and he can compete with everyone.  He needs to minimize his lapses and if he does, I believe he can be 2-0 on the weekend with two quality wins.”

Bonanno and Vaith won’t be the only Hofstra grapplers matching up against two highly regarded foes.  133-pounder Jamie Franco has already faced four of the country’s top 20.  On Sunday, he’ll see two of the best in #1 Logan Stieber and #3 Tony Ramos.

Franco, Photo by BV

“Jamie’s working to get back to where he was last year where he was competing at a really high level,” Tanelli said. “He’s been more hesitant than in the past.  What’s good with him is that he tends to wrestle to the level of his competition and he’ll be wrestling two of the top pound-for-pound guys in the country.  He needs to dictate the pace and wrestle his style.”

A few other Hofstra wrestlers are slated to face a pair of top 20 foes. Jermaine John could see #2 Nick Heflin and #7 Mike Evans at 174 pounds, although Heflin has missed time with an injury and Evans has split the role with Grant Gambrall (a former All-American).

Heavyweight Paul Snyder has put together a strong season thus far, going 14-3, and he’ll have a chance to make a statement nationally with strong showings against #5 Bobby Telford and #12 Pete Capone, a New York native.

“Paul is having a nice year,” Tanelli said. “He hasn’t seen the competition that some other guys have, but he’s on the right path.  He’s a veteran who knows what to expect.  In the last few years, he hasn’t had the results he wanted and he’s made adjustments.  It’s been showing.  This weekend will be a great test for him.  Hopefully, he’ll show again that all the extra work is paying off.”

Another senior looking to take the mat for Hofstra is Matt Spataro, who has filled in for All-American Justin Accordino this year.

“He’s done an admirable job,” Tanelli said. “Matt’s a super athlete who just needs to believe in himself a little more.  He has embraced his role. When your number is called, you have to represent this program well and he’s done that.”

According to Tanelli, Accordino is “a little banged up” and given his injury history, the squad is being a little cautious about his return.

“Justin has been around for a while and he knows the grind and what to expect,” Tanelli said. “He has a goal of being a national champion and we want to give him the opportunity to achieve that goal.  For the time being, that means playing things a little safer and maintaining his health for the end of the season.”

In the interim, Hofstra will look to gain some momentum in front of the crowd at Madison Square Garden.  Tanelli said the team may make “match time” decisions at a few weights, including 157 (Jay Lysne and Cody Ruggirello) as well as 184 (Taras Luzhnyy and Victor Pozsonyi).

“I think the guys have some good perspective now,” he said. “We’ll be wrestling two great teams with tough wrestlers and in that situation you need to be ready every second for the entire seven minutes.  It’s a great opportunity.”

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

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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