Category Archives: Section 9

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

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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.

For full brackets see here

 

Videos from the Buffalo Invitational, Including Paddock, Stieber, Kilgore, Lewandowski and More

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The Buffalo Invitational included a pair of NCAA champions (Logan Stieber and Dustin Kilgore) as well as several other wrestlers who have gone deep into the postseason in their careers.  One of the highly anticipated matches took place in the 141-pound finals between a pair of Ohio State wrestlers – returning All-American Hunter Stieber and New York native Ian Paddock.  The former Warsaw High star defeated Stieber at the Buckeye wrestle-offs last week.

You can see that match and others, including bouts featuring Kilgore against Andrew Campolattano, the 125-pound and 174-pound finals and a number of others below, courtesy of Laura White.

 

141 Pounds: Ian Paddock (Warsaw HS, Ohio State) vs. Hunter Stieber (Ohio State)

 

197 Pounds: NCAA Champion Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) vs. Andrew Campolattano (Ohio State)

 

174-Pound Championship Nick Heflin (Ohio State) vs. Jake Waste (Buffalo) – Buffalo Invitational

 

184 Pounds: Kenny Courts (Ohio State) vs. Tony Lock (Buffalo) – Buffalo Invitational

 

125-Pound Championship Max Soria (Buffalo) vs. Kory Mines (Edinboro) – Parts 1 and 2

 

165 Pounds: Taylor Simaz (Finger Lakes Wrestling Club) vs. Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo)

 

197 Pounds: Angelo Malvestuto (Buffal0) vs. Cody Magrum (Ohio State) – Parts 1 and 2

 

Former MAC Champion Andrew Schutt (Buffalo) vs. Randy Languis (Ohio State) – 141 Pounds

 

125 All-New York Bout Between Soria (Buffalo) vs. Hunter Wood (Army) – Buffalo Invitational

 

Special thanks to Laura White for all her work!

Unstoppable: Vinny Vespa Wrestles Again After Confronting Cancer

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When Vinny Vespa was first diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, doctors told his mother Lisa Vespa that he could need treatment for up to a year.

Instead, five months later, almost to the day, Vinny Vespa returned to live wrestling with his teammates at Monroe Woodbury High School.

“I’m working really hard,” he said. “I definitely missed it. I’m really happy to be back on the mat.”

The truth is, he never really left.  While Vespa wasn’t allowed to go live during the treatment process, partially because of a port he had in his chest, he never stopped training and lifting.

And he certainly never lost connection with the wrestling community.

Vinny and his mother Lisa were amazed by the many contributions and well wishes they received, not only in Section 9 but throughout New York State and even beyond.

While they appreciated everything that was done for them, the Takedown Tournament held at Monroe Woodbury High School on June 30 was the highlight.  Over 350 wrestlers competed in the event, which also featured carnival games and other family entertainment.

“It was really fun to watch everyone come out that day not only to wrestle but also to support me,” Vinny Vespa said. “I even got to see my brother Michael wrestle again, which was really cool to watch.  I was surprised that people came from all over.  I knew there were a lot of people supporting me, but I didn’t expect that many people to be there.  I was really grateful.”

“It was surreal for me,” Lisa Vespa added. “It was so heartfelt and it showed the tremendous commitment that the wrestling family has.  I was taken aback by the level of support and I was so appreciative.  It was amazing.”

It was a high point, followed by a summer filled with treatment regimens and hospital visits.  A few days receiving chemotherapy.  A few days at home.  More chemotherapy.  Then a few weeks off and the process started all over again.

“The whole summer was a blur,” Lisa Vespa said. “It was definitely rough, but Vinny was an amazing patient.  He never complained.  He just did what he needed to do.  He was never looking for pity or praise.”

In September, even when in the midst of radiation treatments (and attending school again), Vinny felt like he had turned a corner.

“I really started to feel better,” he said. “I felt less nervous about things – like I knew I was going to be alright.  I started thinking about wrestling and getting back to it as soon as possible.”

A few weeks later, in October, Vinny had a PET scan and the doctors shared good news.

“I’m grateful to say that he’s in remission now,” Lisa Vespa said.  “We know it’s a long haul.  He’ll have another PET scan in January.  But we don’t have to go back to the doctor until then.  There aren’t any restrictions on him now, he just has to listen to his body to figure out what he can and can’t do.”

It took no time at all for Vinny to join Monroe Woodbury practice.  In fact, he participated the same day he was cleared.

“I started right away,” he said. “It’s been really cool, being around the team and wrestling with my teammates.  I think I’m starting to get fully back into it, but I’m definitely already better than last year because of how I feel.”

How he felt last year during matches was tired and out of breath.  He was unable to do what he wanted to late in matches and he was often unable to escape when he was in the down position.

“We couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t get out on bottom when he wrestled,” Lisa Vespa said. “I actually took him out of practice on a Saturday morning in January and asked his coach’s permission to send him to a clinic focusing on that.  Looking back now, it was insane.  Vinny had been wrestling since he was three or four years old — of course he knew how to do it. We were just grasping at straws, trying to come with any reason why he was having trouble.  I knew something was wrong, I just couldn’t figure out what.”

The Vespa family explored a number of options, including a new mouthpiece, asthma and bronchitis.  In addition, Lisa Vespa said she considered cancer back in November of 2011 when Vinny complained of terrible itching, which was the only symptom a friend of the Vespa family had when diagnosed with cancer.  However, after a doctor’s visit and some blood work, the Vespas came home with cream for the itching and went back to the drawing board.

It was months later, after Vinny struggled while winning the New York State Freestyle championship in May, that a tumor was found in his lungs that indicated that he had Stage 4 Lymphoma.

Having overcome so much, some people would be satisfied with simply putting on a singlet and getting on the mat again.  Not Vinny Vespa.

“My plan is to wrestle every chance my coach gives me to wrestle,” said the 2012 state qualifier. “As long as it benefits the team, I will go out and wrestle, even I have to bump up a weight.  But for Sections and the end of the year, I’m planning to go 99 pounds again.  I’m still light.  I was at the state tournament and I want to be there again.  This time I want to get to the finals and try to win it.”

That would be a fitting ending for a wrestler who has already won significant battles.

“For me, the most important thing is to look at him and know that he feels 100% again,” Lisa Vespa said.  “Because it was obvious last year that he didn’t feel anywhere near 100%.  Getting back on the mat five months after starting treatment says so much about Vinny.  But I also attribute a lot of it to the tremendous support from the wrestling community and to the sport of wrestling itself.  From wrestling, Vinny has learned an inner strength and perseverance.  He learned that you don’t give up and you dig deep when things get tough.  Wrestling gives you a level of confidence that no other sport can give you. I have no doubt that wrestling has helped him get where he is now.”

 

More Season Preview Articles:

Section 1 Preview

Section 3 Preview

Section 4 Preview

Section 7 Preview

Section 8 Preview

Section 9 Preview

CHSAA 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 11 Feature: Nick Piccininni Looks to Continue Winning Streak

Post Hurricane Sandy — Free Workouts Week of Nov 4

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A Message from John Gaglione Following Hurricane Sandy:

First things first. I sincerely hope everyone in the wrestling community is safe and no one was severely harmed during this disaster. During these tough times make sure you let your friends and family know how much you care about them and lend a helping hand whenever possible. Some people get hit worse than others so be considerate and understanding whenever possible and do your part to help others in need especially your loved ones.

I am sure the hurricane has sidelined many of your from being on the mat and getting your training in to get ready for the season.

For those local athletes who have the ability to drive I am also offering free workouts for the next week to help out those athletes in need who do not have access to a gym or training facilities. No questions asked. Just want to lend a helping hand to the wrestling community.

The free workouts will be specifically designed to improve your strength and conditioning on the mat and get you in shape for the upcoming season.

I can only fit so many people at my facility during each time slot while still accommodating my current members so this offer is limited to the first 10 wrestlers who take action and e-mail gaglionestrength@gmail.com to sign up for each session.

Here are the details:

November 4th through November 9th at Gaglione Strength

32 Allen Boulevard Unit D

(Off Route 110 near White Castle, Same lot as TJA Auto Collision)

Farmingdale NY, 11735

Sunday at 12pm

Monday-Friday at 9am and 4pm

E-mail gaglionestrength@gmail.com to sign up

Keep training hard everyone

Stay Safe and Stay Strong

John Gaglione

Results from the First Weekend of the Season: Buffalo and Ithaca Invitationals, NUWAY Southwest Kickoff and More

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Things got off to a good start for New York wrestling on Saturday night when Cornell’s Kyle Dake earned a 2-1 victory over Penn State’s David Taylor at the NWCA All-Star Classic at American University.  In the “Match of the Century”, the wrestlers traded a pair of escapes in regulation to send the contest to overtime.  After a scoreless minute in neutral, Dake rode Taylor for the full 30 seconds of the first rideout period and then escaped when it was his turn on bottom to get the win at 165 pounds.

That was just the start of the weekend, however, for New York wrestling.  The following provides some of the results from action on Saturday and Sunday, including the Buffalo Invitational which saw some strong performances from the host school, Army and the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club.  In addition, several New York natives placed at the Hokie Open on the campus of Virginia Tech as well as at the Ithaca Invitational.  And we didn’t forget about the young wrestlers who went to Vegas to compete at the NUWAY Southwest Kickoff Classic, representing New York and NYWAY.

 

Buffalo Invitational

Championship Results

125 Pounds: Max Soria (Buffalo) over Kory Mines (Edinboro), 8-3

133 Pounds: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) win by forfeit Johnni DiJulius (Ohio State)

141 Pounds: Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) over Ian Paddock (Ohio State), 3-2

 

149 Pounds: Michael DePalma (Edinboro) over David Habat (Edinboro), Fall 4:12

157 Pounds: Josh Demas (Ohio State) over Ian Miller (Kent State), 5-3

165 Pounds: Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo) over John Greisheimer (Edinboro), 6-3

174 Pounds: Nick Heflin (Ohio State) over Jake Waste (Buffalo), 4-1

184 Pounds: Casey Newburg (Kent State) over Victor Avery (Edinboro), 4-2 SV2

197 Pounds: Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) win by forfeit Cody Magrum (Ohio State)

285 Pounds: Peter Capone (Ohio State) over Keith Witt (Kent State), 2-0

Other New York Placers

Buffalo

Mike Soria, fourth at 125

Erik Galloway, third at 133

Andrew Schutt, sixth at 141

John Northrup, fourth at 149

Blake Ruolo, fifth at 149

Justin Lozano, third at 165

Jeff Palmeri, fourth at 174

Angelo Malvestuto, fifth at 197

Justin Heiserman, fifth at 285

Army

Hunter Wood, sixth at 125

Jordan Thome, fourth at 133

Daniel Young, sixth at 149

Chris Marchetti, fourth at 157

Paul Hancock, fifth at 157

Collin Wittmeyer, third at 184

Travis Mallo, sixth at 184

Bryce Barnes, fourth at 197

Stephen Snyder, fourth at 285

Finger Lakes Wrestling Club

Brian Realbuto, third at 157

Mark Grey, fifth at 133

Other – Ernest James (Edinboro, Longwood HS), sixth at 285

 

Ohio State won the team race (148 points), with Kent State second (111) and Buffalo third (108).

Full brackets can be found: here

 

Hokie Open (at Virginia Tech)

Quinton Murphy, Photo by Boris V

A number of Hofstra wrestlers as well as wrestlers who competed in the Empire State in high school took the mat at the Hokie Open in Virginia on Sunday.  Those who made the medal stand include Nick Gwiazdowski (Duanesburg) of NC State, who won the championship at 285 pounds with a pin over Indiana’s Adam Chalfant.  Also making the finals was Indiana’s Ryan LeBlanc (Morrisville-Eaton), who took second at 165 pounds behind All-American Peter Yates of Virginia Tech.  LeBlanc’s Hoosier teammate Quinton Murphy (Holley) also made the podium, taking fifth at 133 pounds.

 

Ithaca Invitational – Championship Results

125 Pounds: Ricardo Gomez (Ithaca, Brentwood HS) over Tom Casper (Springfield College)

133 Pounds: Alex Gomez (Ithaca, Brentwood HS) over Derek Adams (Springfield College)

141 Pounds: Michael Gentilcore (Oswego, Greece Olympia HS) over Abubakarr Sow (Oswego, Brooklyn International HS)

149 Pounds: Kevin Collins (Ithaca, Randolph HS) over Dylan Foley (Springfield College)

157 Pounds: Derek Brenon (Ithaca, Immaculate Heart Central HS) over Everet Desilets (Johnson & Wales)

165 Pounds: Frank Marotti (Johnson and Wales) over Blake Fisher (Oswego, Seaford HS)

174 Pounds: Jules Doliscar (Ithaca, Trinity HS) over Jerrold Roosa (Thiel College, Randolph Central HS)

184 Pounds: Jacob Lowry (Thiel College) over Michael Labell (Johnson and Wales)

197 Pounds: Shane Bartrum (Ithaca, Oswego HS) over Blake McNulty (Johnson and Wales)

285 Pounds: Humphrey Swift (Johnson and Wales) over John Garbordi (Springfield College)

 

NUWAY Southwest Kickoff (“The Freak Show”)

A group of elementary school wrestlers took a trip to Vegas for the NUWAY Southwest Kickoff.  Team New York competed well against top talent from the West Coast, boasting three finalists and a number of other strong performances.

Champion: Carter Schubert (7/8 year old) 55 pounds

Second Place: Carson Alberti (7/8 year old) 55 pounds

Second Place: Michael Gonyea (11/12 year old) 70 pounds

Fourth Place: Andy Lucinski (9/10) 61 pounds

Fifth Place: Jason Hoffman (13/15) 145 pounds

Eighth Place: Justin Hoffman (9/10) 100-110 pounds

Also competing:

Jakob Lucinski (5/6) 37-40 pounds

Garrett Skeens (7/8) 52 pounds

Josh Gill (11/12) 70 pounds

Caiden Mondore (11/12) 80 pounds

AJ Burkhart (13/15) 89 pounds

Mitch Seaver (13/15) 89 pounds

(More results may be added as available.  Feel free to send results to newyorkwrestlingnews@gmail.com)

Back on the Mat: Buffalo Invitational Kicks Off the Season for Many NY Wrestlers (And NCAA Champs Stieber and Kilgore)

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On Thursday night, the college season officially started.  But for a number of New York teams and wrestlers, the 2012-13 campaign begins on Sunday at the Buffalo Invitational, which includes competitors from the host school, Army, Ohio State, Kent State, Bloomsburg, Edinboro and the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club, among others.  The following preview takes a look at each weight, both at some of the top wrestlers registered, and a New York storyline or two worth watching.

125 Pounds:

Nikko Triggas, who was an All-American for Ohio State in 2011, makes his return to collegiate wrestling after an Olympic redshirt year in which he focused on Greco Roman.  The wrestler who manned the 125 spot for the Buckeyes in his absence last year, Johnni DiJulius, is also in the field after earning a bid to the NCAA tournament as a true freshman in 2012.  Joining DiJulius in St. Louis last March was Long Island native Max Soria of Buffalo.

Max Soria, Photo by Boris V

New York Story to Watch: Max Soria had a strong run in the MAC tournament to earn his automatic bid to the NCAAs as a freshman. He’ll try to build off that experience for the Bulls, where his competition will not only be from wrestlers like Triggas and DiJulius but also from his twin brother Mike Soria, who is also vying for the starting nod for the Bulls.

133 Pounds:

There are two NCAA champions entered in the Buffalo Invitational and Logan Stieber is one of them.  The Buckeye returns to the mat after his exciting victory over Jordan Oliver a year ago in the NCAA title bout.  On his way to that championship, Stieber defeated Army’s Jordan Thome, who is also scheduled to be in the field on Sunday.

Sam Recco, Photo by Boris V

New York Stories to Watch:  Fans of New York high school wrestling can see the college debut of 2012 New York state champion Sam Recco of Lyndonville, who will hit the mat for Edinboro.

Another heralded newcomer at this weight is Finger Lakes Wrestling Club’s Mark Grey, who piled up accolades at Blair Academy as well as in the international styles.

141 Pounds:

There was a lot of talk in the wrestling world last week about former Warsaw High School standout Ian Paddock‘s 7-2 victory over All-American Hunter Stieber at the Ohio State wrestle-offs.  The Buckeyes could meet again on Sunday.

New York Stories to Watch: Two New York wrestlers will try to disrupt the rematch between Paddock and Stieber.  Former MAC champion Andrew Schutt is back after a redshirt year and looks to move up the national rankings.  In addition, Connor Hanafee will look to make an impact after a convincing win at Army’s Black/Gold Match last week. [NCAA qualifier Tyler Small is also entered].

149 Pounds:

Cam Tessari and David Habat battled as freshmen a year ago, with Habat coming out on top in an overtime affair.  Tessari got the upper hand in March, however, reaching the podium with a fourth place showing. Joining the mix will be Army’s Daniel Young who was off to a hot start in 2011-12 before suffering a season-ending injury.  Black Knights head coach Joe Heskett said he believed Young was on track to make the NCAAs and do some damage.  He’ll likely have a chance to battle some top talent this weekend.  Blake Roulo of Buffalo also looks to be in the running.

New York Stories to Watch: Alex Cisneros won three California state titles and will make his college debut at 149 pounds for the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club.  Fellow Intermat Top 100 recruit from the Class of 2012, two-time New York titlewinner Jimmy Kloc (Buffalo), will compete in college for the first time.

157 Pounds:

Josh Demas and Mallie Shuster saw quite a bit of each other a year ago with Shuster winning their first two bouts and Demas taking the third at the NCAAs.  They will be joined by Shuster’s Kent State teammate Ian Miller, who was an impressive 28-5 in his rookie campaign at 149.

Brian Realbuto, Photo by Boris V

New York Story to Watch:  This weight class could provide a great opportunity to see what some of the Empire State’s best look like as they begin their careers on the college level.  Four of last year’s New York state champions are registered at 157 – Brian Realbuto and Dylan Palacio for the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club, Chris Nevinger for Buffalo and Tyler Button for Edinboro.  They won titles in 2012 for Somers, Long Beach, Letchworth Central and Phoenix, respectively.

165 Pounds:

Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo) and John Greisheimer (Edinboro) were both within one victory of being All-Americans at 157 pounds at the 2011 NCAA tournament.  Greisheimer logged a quality redshirt year with wins over NCAA participants such as Daniel Kolodzik, Joey Napoli, Jake O’Hara and Donnie Corby.  Lewandowski dealt with some injuries in 2011-12, according to his coaches, but head coach Jim Beichner is very optimistic about what a healthy Lewandowski can accomplish on the national stage. Lewandowski and Greisheimer could be on a collision course, with highly touted Ohio State freshman Mark Martin another grappler to keep tabs on.

New York Stories to Watch: Justin Lozano spent most of his first year as an NCAA wrestler at 174 pounds before moving up to 184 for the end of the season.  Now, he’s headed in the opposite direction – moving down to 165. His first matches at the new weight will be a story to watch.  In addition, the second Simaz brother in the Empire State, Taylor, will begin his college career.   One of his coaches is older brother and NCAA champion Cam Simaz.

174 Pounds:

John-Martin Cannon took fourth at the Midlands last year during a redshirt season that Beichner called perhaps the best he’s seen from a Buffalo wrestler.  He’ll have a chance to make another statement with All-American Nick Heflin of Ohio State in the bracket.

New York Story to Watch: Buffalo’s Jake Waste had a strong rookie year, going 24-9 after starting at 184 and moving down to 174.  In fact, he was 17-4 at the lower weight and will look to get ready for a full year at that class.

184 Pounds:

Casey Newburg won 30 matches as the starter for Kent State last year, including a major decision against Vic Avery of Edinboro.  Avery is also taking part in the Buffalo Invitational after winning more than 20 matches in his first season of college wrestling.  Making his return after sustaining a season-ending injury early in the 2011-12 campaign is Army’s Collin Wittmeyer.  Ohio State freshman Kenny Courts was one of the top recruits in the country a few years ago.

Tony Lock, Photo by Boris V

New York Stories to Watch: Tony Lock, an undefeated state and national champ from Pioneer, will get some early tests from the aforementioned wrestlers as will Phoenix graduate Austyn Hayes, who took third at 195 pounds in his final season for the Firebirds in 2011-12. Another first year college wrestler worth following is Michigan state champion Gabe Dean, who will be making his first start for the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club.

197 Pounds:

The second NCAA champion signed up to wrestle is Kent State’s Dustin Kilgore. He will have a pair of Buckeyes to contend with in his first action back after an Olympic redshirt year.  Andrew Campolattano made the Round of 12 in his freshman season, while teammate Cody Magrum has represented Ohio State at both 184 and 197 during his career.

New York Stories to Watch:  After two years in the ACC with Virginia Tech, Angelo Malvestuto returned to his home state as a transfer to Buffalo.  He bolsters the Bulls lineup and looks to compile wins right away.  In addition, a wrestler Army head coach Joe Heskett spoke very highly of in the preseason, Bryce Barnes, will get started for the Black Knights.

Ernest James, Photo by Boris V

285 Pounds:

A pair of New York natives head the field at heavyweight, with Peter Capone (Johnson City) coming off a successful campaign for the Buckeyes that included a runner up finish at the prestigious Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas. Edinboro’s Ernest James (Longwood) is looking for a strong follow up to his 30-12 campaign for Edinboro in which he beat NCAA bronze medalist Mike McMullan of Northwestern.  (Capone won an early December one-point match over James in overtime). A darkhorse may be Kent State’s Keith Witt, who picked up more than 25 victories for the Golden Flashes at 197 pounds and has made the move up to the heaviest class.

New York Stories to Watch: Justin Heiserman competed at 197 in his rookie season for the Bulls, but has made the transition up to 285 for his sophomore year.  Meanwhile, Oney Snyder, who was the Cornell starter for a portion of the 2010-11 season, will look to get off to a strong start to his senior campaign.

————————————————

New York Wrestling News plans to post match videos after the event.  Please check back later.

** The article was written according to the event’s registration as of the morning of November 2

Young New York Talent Ready to Take On the West Coast Through NYWAY Trips

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“The mystique of getting on a plane and traveling all the way across the country is unbelievable for the kids,” Michael LaPorte said.

A number of young wrestlers from New York will be experiencing that mystique over the next few weeks as part of a pair of NYWAY trips.  On November 1, a group of elementary school grapplers will head to Las Vegas for the NUWAY Southwest Kickoff.  About a week later, a contingent of middle schoolers will make the journey to California to take part in the Final Four Duals and Junior Mid Cals.

Carson Alberti, Courtesy of Cobra Wrestling

Both trips involve plenty of high quality wrestling as well as an opportunity to see the surrounding areas.

The Vegas-bound crew includes 11 students ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade.

“We wanted to give kids a chance to see a new place and showcase them in a different environment,” said Kevin Lucinski, who is leading the trip. “We’ll do a little sightseeing when we get there and then wrestle in the tournament.  I think we’re all looking forward to seeing some different styles of wrestling.  When you go to different parts of the country, different things are emphasized.  Personally, I’m anxious to see the kids from California and Nevada.  Some of the brackets have Reno Worlds placers and champions.  It gives our kids a chance to test themselves and shows everyone that even if you’re the best in your state, you still have to work really hard because there are so many good wrestlers out there.”

The list of wrestlers going to Vegas includes: Carson Alberti, AJ Burkhart, Josh Gill, Michael Gonyea, Jason Hoffman, Justin Hoffman, Andy Lucinski, Jakob Lucinski, Caiden Mondore, Mitchell Seaver, Garrett Skeens and Carter Schubert.

Golden State Adventure

Matthew LaPorte and Orion Anderson, Courtesy of Michael LaPorte

LaPorte, who led the trip to Northern California last year as well, never had any doubt that he wanted to return again in 2012.

“Just hearing the kids talking amongst themselves about how much fun they were having was worth all the hard work that goes into it,” he said. “I knew I wanted to do it again.  It’s really important to helping the sport grow in New York and having the kids advance as much as they possibly can. Having West and East coast meet each other is something special.”

There were some exciting matchups last year for the Empire State squad.  The team placed fourth at the dual meet competition and had two wrestlers win individual titles as well.  Both of those grapplers, Orion Anderson and Dane Heberlein, are coming back.

“It’s always great competition,” LaPorte said.  “Orion (80 pounds) was the only New York wrestler to go undefeated last year on both days.  He had some close matches, but he always came out on top. I think some of those California kids will be looking for him because of his performance last year.  Dane will be at 90 pounds.  He’s super excited about going back.  He was the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler last year and I think some of those West Coast kids will be looking for another chance at him as well.”

Also returning is Matthew Laporte (70 pounds), who registered a number of victories in 2011.   Joining the team will be Isaiah Bailey, Anthony Cirillo, Grant Cuomo, Antonio Cutrie, Connor Fredericks, Michael Gonyea, Jason Hoffman, Stephen Kapuscinski, Zach Kornberg and Dillan Palaszewski.

What excites LaPorte about the squad is that it brings wrestlers from all over the Empire State.

“The really good thing is that we were able to get a nice balance of the state with the addition of a few Long Island kids this year,” LaPorte said.  “Just about every area of New York has some representation, which is a good, healthy sign.”

According to NYWAY President Clint Wattenberg, the organization is working to expand to cover more of the Empire State this coming season.

“In representing New York with wrestlers from all corners of the state, it helps us get the word out about the many things that we are trying to do to increase opportunities for our young wrestlers. This year we hope to have the same broad representation at our NYWAY State Championships, which will serve to coalesce our season.”

As is the case with the Vegas trip, NYWAY will be covering a large portion of the wrestler costs.  According to LaPorte, the cost to each wrestler to go to California, including airfare, hotel, custom singlets, event entry costs is $250.

Like last year, the team will take some time to explore San Francisco in addition to both a dual event and an individual tournament.

“We’ll get there on Friday and have some time to rest,” he said. “Then, we’ll wrestle in the Final Four duals on Saturday and the Mid Cals on Sunday.  On Monday, which is a holiday, our agenda is to take the kids sightseeing – the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf.  It will be a great end to the trip.”

As for accomplishments on the mat, LaPorte said he’d like to improve upon last year’s fourth place showing in the duals.

“We’d like to be top three as a team this time,” he said. “And we want to place as many kids as possible into the finals on the second day.  But the biggest thing for me is making sure that it’s a great experience for the kids.  It’s great for them to know there’s so much more out there in wrestling and outside of it.  It’s really rewarding for me as a coach to be part of it.”

Check Out the Results of the Army Wrestle-Offs

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Here are the results from Army’s wrestle-offs.  The Black Knights begin the season at the Buffalo Invitational on November 4.

125 Pounds: Hunter Wood over Nathan Santhanam, 9-1

133 Pounds: Jordan Thome over Charlie Costanzo, 6-0

141 Pounds: Connor Hanafee over Shane Connolly, 20-7

149 Pounds: Javier Rodriguez over John Belanger, 6-0

157 Pounds: Paul Hancock over Brian Harvey, 11-3

165 Pounds: Jared Ross over Derek Allen, 9-3

174 Pounds: Coleman Gracey over Ryan Tompkins, 8-2

184 Pounds: Collin Wittmeyer over Robert Doyle, 8-1

197 Pounds: Bryce Barnes over William Gray, 18-4

285 Pounds: Stephen Snyder over Curtis Garner, 2-1

–Courtesy of Army Athletic Communications

NY College Updates: Army Hires Francois; Binghamton and Hofstra Wrestle-Offs This Week

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With the college season just a few weeks away, teams are getting closer to naming their starting lineups for the early season action.  This week, both Binghamton and Hofstra will hold wrestle-offs.  In other New York college wrestling news, Joe Heskett has added Enock Francois to the Army coaching staff for the upcoming campaign.  See more details on those stories below.

Binghamton Wrestle-Offs to be Held on Saturday

Donnie Vinson, Photo by Boris V

According to assistant coach Jasen Borshoff, Binghamton will be holding wrestle-offs this Saturday, October 27th at 1 p.m. in the West Gym.  The Bearcats open the season on November 8th at Lehigh.

As Borshoff discussed in the Binghamton season preview, there are a number of weights where the battle for the starting job is very competitive, including the first few weight classes (125-141) as well as 174 pounds.

One other important date to keep on the calendar is Sunday, November 11.  That’s when the Binghamton Open will be held, beginning at 9 a.m.  300 wrestlers are already signed up from 16 Division I teams.

 

Hofstra Wrestle-Offs Beginning on Wednesday

According to assistant coach Zach Tanelli, preliminary wrestle-off bouts will take place on Wednesday, with the finals on Sunday, October 28 at 5 p.m. in the Physical Education Building.  The event is open to the public.

Tentative matchups are as follows:

Wednesday, October 24th at 3:30 p.m.

157: Russell Benner vs. Mike Caputo
Jay Lysne vs. Dalton Ahern
133: Joe Gosinski vs. Jamel Hudson
141: Dan Manley vs. Cody Ruggirello
149: Matt Spataro vs. Cory Goshkagarian
Jahlani Callender vs. Sam Schwartzapfel
165: Nick Terdick vs. Dan Spurgeon
174: Frank Affronti vs. David Heitman
Hwt: Zeal McGrew vs. James Trull
157: Winner of Benner/Caputo vs. Winner of Lysne/Ahern

Sunday, October 28th at 5 p.m.

125: Steve Bonanno vs. Loser of Gosinski/Hudson
133: Jamie Franco vs. Winner of Gosinski/Hudson
141: Luke Vaith vs. Winner of Manley/Ruggirello
149: Winner of Spataro/Goshkagarian vs. Winner of Callender/Schwartzapfel
157: Tyler Banks vs. Winner of 157 Mini-Tournament
165: Jermaine John vs. Winner of Terdick/Spurgeon
174: Winner of Affronti/Heitman vs. Loser of Terdick/Spurgeon
184: Taras Luzhnyy vs. Loser of Affronti/Heitman
197: Tim Murphy vs. Victor Pozsonyi
Hwt: Paul Snyder vs. Winner of McGrew/Trull

 

Army Adds Enock Francois to Coaching Staff

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army wrestling head coach Joe Heskett has added Enock Francois to his staff for the 2012-13 campaign. Francois, who arrives at West Point after spending the past two seasons as a graduate assistant at University of the Cumberlands, will take over for Terry Madden as the Black Knights’ volunteer coach.

“I am so excited to be here at West Point and look forward to working with these young men,” said Francois. “The wrestlers here are eager to learn and continue to improve as a unit, and that is very exciting to be around.”

During his time at Cumberlands, Francois assisted head coach Matt Lowers in all aspects of the program. He helped coordinate practices, aided with recruiting and assisted with daily strength and conditioning activities.

Francois was a dominant wrestler during his collegiate days at both Northwestern College and California Baptist University, earning three NAIA All-America certificates. He was a two-time All-American at NWC, placing fourth at NAIA Nationals as a sophomore and taking fifth during his junior campaign. Francois, who still holds the Northwestern College single-season records for wins (45) and takedowns (150), piled up more than 100 wins at NWC before transferring to CBU for his final season.

He capped his collegiate career by placing second at the NAIA Nationals en route to his third All-America certificate. Francois, who is still actively wrestling, has World and Olympic Team aspirations. He will continue to train for the 2016 Olympic Games while coaching at the Academy.

“Training for the World and Olympic Teams has always been something that I have wanted to do,” said Francois. “I’m now able to do that through the West Point Wrestling Club, and I am thankful to have that opportunity.”

Francois authored an impressive high school career, posting 124 wins in four years. He was a two-time state qualifier in Florida, placing sixth in the state during as a senior. A three-time all-conference selection, Francois won three district championships and a pair of conference titles.

Francois graduated from California Baptist University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He earned his master’s degree in Teaching from University of the Cumberlands in 2012. (Courtesy of goarmysports.com) 

Piccininni Prevails Over Nation's #1 Wrestler, Joins Carthage's Shayne Brady in the Quarterfinals

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It will be hard to keep him out of the national rankings now.

Nick Piccininni has won a string of tournaments in recent weeks, dominating in most of his bouts, but he didn’t appear in the latest national rankings at 113 pounds.  On Saturday, he stated his case once again with pins in his first three matches before an overtime triumph over the country’s #1 sophomore wrestler, Zahid Valencia of California, to advance to the quarterfinals at the Super 32 Challenge against Sean Russell of Georgia.

Shayne Brady, Photo by Boris V

Also making the quarterfinals was state runner up Shayne Brady of Carthage, who tallied a 3-0 record at 182 pounds to earn a meeting tomorrow morning with Cornell recruit Jake Taylor of Pennsylvania with a semifinal berth on the line.

After dropping his first bout at 126 pounds, Shoreham Wading River’s TJ Fabian navigated a difficult path to the second day of competition, impressively winning five in a row to set up a battle with Michigan’s Ken Bade on Sunday.

In the 120-pound class, a pair of Suffolk County grapplers, Steven Bulzomi of Connetquot and Travis Passaro of Eastport South Manor, moved forward after each compiling 3-1 marks in Saturday’s action. Bulzomi will meet Tommy Ziegler of Ohio while Passaro will take on Zacheri Ulerick of Pennsylvania.

Also continuing in consolation action is Horace Greeley’s Nelson Wymbs, who will face Eldon Valery of Virginia at 220.

The brackets are here.

Additional Results for New York wrestlers

106 Pounds:

Nick Barbaria (New Rochelle) – (2-2)

Christian Briody (Chaminade) – (0-2)

Ryan Burns (Clarence) – (4-2)

Nick Casella (Locust Valley) – (2-2)

Tito Colom (Scorpion/Cobra) – (1-2)

Jon Errico (Byram Hills) – (1-2)

Brandon Fay (Fox Lane) – (0-2)

Andrew North (Pine Bush) – (2-2)

Jack Scurti (Half Hollow Hills East) – (1-2)

113 Pounds:

Joe Nelson (Oxford) – (1-2)

Andrew Flanagan (Holley) – (1-2)

Timothy Johnson (Harborfields) – (0-2)

Ben Lamantia (St. Anthony’s) – (3-2)

120 Pounds:

Travis Alexander (Long Island Lutheran) – (0-2)

Anthony Calvano (Nanuet) – (4-2)

Mike D’Angelo (Commack) – (4-2)

Jeffrey Gould (Pittsford Mendon) – (0-2)

Joe Russ (St. Anthony’s) – (2-2)

126 Pounds:

Freddie Dunau (St. Anthony’s) – (2-2)

Blaise Rufo (Monsignor Farrell) – (1-2)

Ryan Snow (General Brown) – (3-2)

132 Pounds:

Chris Araoz (Wantagh) – (3-2)

Sam Melikian (Fordham Prep) – (1-2)

Conor O’Hara (Sachem East) – (3-2)

Jon Silveri (Arlington) – (1-2)

138 Pounds:

Vincent Deprez (Hilton) – (1-2)

Kevin Jackson (St. Anthony’s) – (1-2)

Sam Ward (Locust Valley) – (0-2)

145 Pounds:

Nick Alessandrini (St. Anthony’s) – (0-2)

Anthony Deprez (Hilton) – (0-2)

Isaiah Riccio (Beaver River) – (1-2)

152 Pounds:

Mike Dusold (Locust Valley) – (1-2)

Matthew Haenel (Half Hollow Hills East) – (0-2)

Joseph Koshakow (Scarsdale) – (3-2)

Connor Lawrence (Duanesburg) – (0-2)

Rowdy Prior (Phoenix) – (2-2)

Matthew Russo (Horace Mann) – (3-2)

Paul Schoenberg (Baruch) – (1-2)

160 Pounds

Joe Mastro (Yorktown) – (2-2)

Andrew Psomas (Monsignor Farrell) – (3-2)

Jun Yoo (Jericho) – (0-2)

170 Pounds:

Johnny Vrasidas (St. Anthony’s) – (2-2)

Austin Weigel (Onteora) – (3-2)

182 Pounds:

Kevin Rodriguez (Patchogue-Medford) – (0-2)

Dan Smith (South Jefferson) – (1-2)

195 Pounds:

Chris Chambers (East Islip) – (1-2)

Collin Pittman (Spencerport) – (2-2)