Sunday's College Recap: Hofstra Beats Columbia; Army 1-1 Against Ivy Foes; Oregon St. Tops Cornell

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After beating American on Friday night, Hofstra made it a 2-0 weekend with a convincing 23-9 triumph in an all-New York meeting with Columbia.  Both Jake O’Hara (157) and Stephen West (174) have been in the national rankings for much of the season for the Lions. However, both were upset on Sunday by the Pride’s Tyler Banks and Jermaine John, respectively. Also picking up wins for the Pride were Steve Bonanno (125), Jamie Franco (133), Tim Murphy (197), Luke Vaith (141) and Paul Snyder (285). Vaith and Snyder’s victories were by major decision.

For more on Hofstra’s win, see here.

Oregon State Tops Cornell in Battle of Nationally Ranked Teams

Oregon State traveled a long way for a pair of duals this weekend, and came away with two wins.  The Beavers defeated Lehigh on Saturday and then topped Cornell on Sunday in Ithaca.

The Big Red got off to a great start when freshman Nahshon Garrett notched a technical fall at 125 pounds to give his squad a 5-0 advantage.  However, the visiting team responded with victories in the next four bouts, including two majors, to take a 14-5 lead into the break.

However, the Ivy League group bounced back with three straight bonus victories, beginning with Kyle Dake‘s technical fall at 165 pounds.  Duke Pickett followed with a major at 174 and Steve Bosak earned a fall at 184 to move Cornell ahead, 20-14.

In a pivotal match at 197, #8 Taylor Meeks of the Beavers rode a third period takedown to a 3-1 victory over Billy George, cutting the Big Red’s lead to 20-17.  Given the tiebreak criteria, Cornell needed a bonus point win at heavyweight against #4 Chad Hanke to take the dual.

The home team sent out 197-pounder Jace Bennett, who has 17 bonus wins this season, to face Hanke.  The Texas native got off to a 2-0 lead, however, the Oregon State 285-pounder picked up a third period pin in a scramble to give his team the 23-20 triumph.

For more on the dual, see here.

 

Army Splits a Pair With Ivy Foes

Army welcomed two Ivy League opponents to West Point on Sunday.  Harvard won six of the 10 matches in the opening dual to notch a 23-16 victory.  In the second meet of the day, the Black Knights responded with a 29-9 win over Brown.  Picking up two wins during the day for head coach Joe Heskett’s squad were 133-pounder Jordan Thome (two pins), 165-pounder Paul Hancock and 174-pounder Coleman Gracey.

For more on Army’s victory, see here.

 

Weekend Recap: Titles for Wantagh, Johnson City and S. Jefferson; Mayor's Cup and More News and Notes from Around the State

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As the postseason draws closer, the action continues to heat up.  Over the past few days, fans were treated to previews of some of the key matchups we’ll see at state qualifiers in the coming weeks.  We also saw teams like Wantagh, Johnson City and South Jefferson pick up additional trophies, as well as a plethora of other results.  Here are some of the highlights (and more may be added):

  • Wantagh, the Empire State’s top-ranked squad, followed up titles at the Union-Endicott Duals and the Eastern States Classic with the Nassau County Dual Championship at Clarke High School on Saturday. The Warriors ended a dominant four match run with a 45-16 result in the championship match against MacArthur.

 

  • South Jefferson and Johnson City followed up dual meet crowns in Sections 3 and 4 with additional first place showings at the Frontier League and STAC tournaments, respectively.  Nearby, Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton stood atop the MAC while Holland Patent did the same at the Center States and Phoenix won the Liberty/Patriot League.

 

  • The Mayor’s Cup in Manhattan showcased the best the five boroughs has to offer.  State contenders such as Sam Melikian, Cheick Ndiaye, Andrew Psomas and Richard Sisti were overpowering champions, while Monsignor Farrell captured the team race.

 

  • West Seneca West edged Kenmore West at the Ken-Ton Invitational, where Renaldo-Rodriguez Spencer of Cheektowoga was once again dominant in taking the title.  Also in Section 6, Lewiston Porter won the Peter Rao Memorial Tournament with 138-pounder Dan Reagan notching MOW honors at 138 pounds.

 

  • At the Rockland County Championships, John Muldoon of Pearl River responded to his recent overtime loss to Anthony Calvano by taking the rematch.  A number of other Section 1 stars were on display at that event as well as the Super 16 tournament in Yonkers, where Fox Lane took top billing.

 

  • John Arceri of Huntington upended Eastern States Champion Chris Cuccolo to take the 99-pound crown at the Big Ten Invitational in Albany over the weekend. More details on that tournament which had representation from Sections 1, 2, 7, 9, 11 and from Massachusetts.  The final results are here:  Big 10 Results

 

  • It’s worth noting that Westhampton Beach captured a league title over the weekend with a win over Shoreham Wading River in Section 11. A few days earlier, the Hurricanes put themselves in position for the championship when they topped the state’s third-ranked dual team, Rocky Point, 31-28.  In addition to a pin by the state’s top ranked 106 pounder, Alex Tanzman, Westhampton Beach was propelled by a pair of upsets. Jake Martin upended Sean Ferguson at 220 while Pete Broccoli‘s victory over James Matias sealed the victory for the Hurricanes.  Both Ferguson and Matias are ranked in Suffolk County.

 

  • In addition, Brockport ended a big week with a 71-15 win over Lansing on the campus of Cornell University. According to head coach Mike Ferris, 113-pounder Barton Peters had a standout performance with a technical fall at 113 while Bobcats junior William Koll also was impressive at 126.  The triumph in Ithaca came a few days after the Blue Devils recorded their first victory over rival Spencerport in 28 years to seal a league title.

For more on some of these stories, read on:

Another Title for Wantagh . . .

Quinn, Photo by Josh Conklin

Wantagh has continued to win week in and week out.  The state’s top-ranked squad captured the Union-Endicott Duals, the team title at the Eastern States Classic and, on Saturday, the Nassau County dual championship.  The Warriors cruised through the event, beginning with a 51-18 pounding of Island Trees.  They followed with a 57-12 win over Division, a 50-18 semifinal result against Mepham and a 45-16 triumph in the finals against MacArthur.  Leading the way were wrestlers ranked among the top 8 in the state –  Danny McDevitt (170), Chris Araoz (126), Vinny Turano (132), Kyle Quinn (106) and James Corbett (182), who combined for eight pins and eight technical falls.

Johnson City Picks Up More Hardware

Williams, Photo by Josh Conklin

Johnson City followed up last weekend’s Section 4 Duals title with another crown – this time at the STAC.  The Wildcats piled up 232.5 points to outdistance runner up Vestal and third place squad Union-Endicott. Johnson City was propelled by four champions (Isaiah Colgan at 106, Joseph Hamdan at 145, Zach Colgan at 152 and Reggie Williams at 195) as well as silver medalists Tyler Brazinski (99), Nick Bidwell (138), Conner Halladay (160) and Dominic Taylor (170).

Vestal’s run was highlighted by 182-pound champion James Benjamin, a returning All-State wrestler who won his title by fall in less than 30 seconds.

Benjamin will be in the mix in Albany for another spot on the podium.  Also prominently figuring into the title picture at the Times Union Center will be two-time state champion Kyle Kelly.  The Chenango Forks star earned a pin in the 113-pound finals against returning state placer Jimmy Overhiser of Corning, who bumped up from his usual weight. Another clash of contenders happened at 126 pounds, where Kelly’s teammate Jake Green edged Ithaca’s Richie Burke, 3-2 in the tiebreakers.  Former state champion Tristan Rifanburg of Norwich also earned gold with a technical fall at 132 pounds.

For more results, see STAC here.

Also in Section 4 . . . BGA Takes the MAC

Also in Section 4, Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton won the MAC tournament at Unadilla Valley.  Leading the way for BGA were a trio of titlewinners, Jesse Griswold (132), Justin Cirigliano (138) and Mark Viviano (195).  Second place Unatego was very strong in the middleweights, boasting winners in three consecutive classes – Codie Nichols (145), Kevin Thayer (152) and Leland Slawson (160).

For more results, see here.

South Jefferson Keeps the Momentum Going

South Jefferson and General Brown have seen a lot of each other lately.  The Spartans won a regular season dual against the Lions and then defeated them again for the Section 3 dual meet title a few days later.  On Saturday, South Jefferson added another trophy with the Frontier League championship, won by over 30 points over General Brown.

Jared Carroll (99), Caleb Beach (106), Jon Crast (132), Daniel Smith (170) and Ryan Charlebois (195) took gold for South Jefferson while Nick Toutant of Indian River was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler after defeating Ryan Snow for the 126 pound crown.

For more results, see here.

Also in Section 3 . . . Holland Patent and Phoenix Victorious

At the Center States tournament, the top three teams finished within seven points of one another, with Holland Patent taking first, followed by Dolgeville and Canastota.  The top squad featured a pair of champions – Hunter Richard at 113 and Josh Langley at 220.

The state’s top ranked 182-pounder, Zach Zupan of Canastota, breezed to the championship with a pin, while his teammates Jesse Puchales (170) and Wyatt Albanese (195) also won titles.

In matches featuring wrestlers who could figure into the picture at the Times Union Center, Ilion’s Laken Cook picked up a 3-1 decision over Rome Free Academy’s Antonio DeLuco at 126 pounds. In addition, highly regarded 99-pounder Ryan O’Rourke of Adirondack won a 2-0 battle against New Hartford’s Kelan McKenna while his teammates Derek Spann (106) and Tyler Spann (160) were named the event’s Most Outstanding Wrestlers.  In a bout between previous state qualifiers, Tyler Spann edged Oneida’s Matt Fisher.

In the Liberty/Patriot tournament, Phoenix was first by a margin of more than 25 points. Nick Tighe dominated his way to the 138 pound crown while teammates Rowdy Prior (152) and Justin Rhodes (160) joined him on top of the podium.

For more results, see Center States and Liberty/Patriot.

West Seneca West, Rodriguez-Spencer Shine at the Ken Ton Tournament

The Ken-Ton Invitational included some of the best in Section 6, including Cheektowoga’s Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer.  The returning state runner up cruised through the competition at 132 pounds, including a technical fall, a first period pin and a 15-6 major over All-State grappler Cody McGregor of Tonawanda.  West Seneca West was the 7.5 point winner of the event over second place Kenmore West.

For more on the event, see here.

Reagan, Photo by BV

A number of other standouts from the same area took part in the Peter Rao Memorial.  Lewiston Porter grabbed top billing, with Lockport next.  Lew Port’s Dan Reagan earned MOW honors after two pins and a major on his way to the 138 pound title.  Other notable winners included Lockport’s Anthony Orefice, an All-Stater who stood atop the podium at 120 pounds.

 

 

 Rockland County Championships and Super 16 Feature Section 1 Standouts

Muldoon, Photo by Josh Conklin

In Section 1, a pair of tough tournaments took place over the weekend – the Rockland County Championships and the Super 16. Among the finals bouts that stood out at the RCCs was the 120 pound contest between Pearl River’s John Muldoon and Nanuet’s Anthony Calvano.  Muldoon avenged a recent overtime loss to Calvano with a convincing victory.  Just to reach the title bout, the Pearl River wrestler had to beat the very tough Blaise Benderoth of North Rockland.  Another intriguing contest took place at 138 pounds where Benderoth’s teammate Matt Caputo topped Colby Kash, 9-2.

Among the champions at the Super 16 tournament were multi-time state placer Drew Longo of Ardsley (138) and Yorktown’s Thomas Murray (182), who has had a very strong season.

For an in depth look at these events, see here.

 

 Who is the Best in the City? Mayor’s Cup Results

Who is the best in the City?  That question was answered this weekend as the best from the five boroughs gathered at the Armory in Manhattan for the Mayor’s Cup.

Monsignor Farrell was the overall winner with 225 points, with Brooklyn Tech second (212 points) and Poly Prep third (168).

Farrell’s victory was fueled by dominant performances from a number of champions.  At 160 pounds, Andrew Psomas earned a pin or a technical fall in all five of his bouts on the path to the title.  Similarly, teammates Richard Sisti (220) and Matt Roberts (182) won by bonus points in all but one of their matches on the way to first place. The final gold medalist for Farrell was 138-pounder Karl Weisner, who topped teammate Blaise Rufo, 7-4, in the championship tilt.

Brooklyn Tech was paced by upperweights Shaquille Williams and Kevin Tynes. Williams defeated Quasar Hampton 1-0 but otherwise stuck all of his opponents at heavyweight while Tynes recorded a trio of falls in addition to his 3-1 title victory at 195.

Melikian, Photo by Josh Conklin

Poly Prep’s Noah Malamut put on an impressive show, pinning his way to the top of the 106-pound podium.  Also demonstrating complete control were a number of wrestlers who competed in Albany last season.  These included returning state runner up Cheick Ndiaye of Brooklyn International at 113, Sam Melikian of Fordham Prep at 132 and Nigel Williams of Eagle Academy at 145.  A highly anticipated showdown between Tottenville’s Santo Curatolo and Grand Street’s Keanu Thompson didn’t come to fruition in the 126 pound final as Curatolo got the win by default.

For the full results, see here.

In the female competition, Curtis had champions in three consecutive weights – Leslie Schoberl at 120, Rosemary Flores at 126 and Shannon Henry at 132.

For the results of the girls competition, see here.

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

Cornell Extends Winning Streak Against Penn; Columbia Tops American in Saturday College Action

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Cornell continued its decade-long winning streak in the Ivy League as the Big Red topped rival Penn 24-9 at the Friedman Center on Saturday afternoon. Rob Koll’s squad captured seven of the 10 bouts, including Kyle Dake‘s 11th pin of the season at 165 pounds. Freshman Nahshon Garrett set the tone for the day when he edged fellow top 20 wrestler Mark Rappo 2-1 to begin the meet.

For more on the Big Red’s victory see here.

Columbia Registers Win Over American

American dropped a dual to a New York squad for the second straight day on Saturday. After facing Hofstra on Friday, the Eagles visited Columbia in New York City and the Lions came out on top 24-13.  The Ivy League squad was fueled by bonus points. Nick Mills recorded a pin at 197 while Josh Houldsworth (165), Stephen West (174) and Jake O’Hara (157) all notched major decisions.

For more on Columbia’s victory see here.

Buffalo Drops MAC Contest

Buffalo faced conference foe Ohio on Saturday evening and lost a 26-13 contest. Picking up victories for the Bulls were Max Soria at 125, Erik Galloway at 141, Blake Ruolo at 149 and Mark Lewandowski at 165.

Who Is The Best in the City? 2013 Mayor's Cup Preview

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By Matt Diano

This weekend, the finest talent from the PSAL, CHSAA, and NYS Private League with ties to the five boroughs will again gather into the Harlem Armory for the ultimate battle of bragging rights known as the Mayor’s Cup.  A celebration of the immense skill that not so long ago remained untapped, the Mayor’s Cup is the singular event where a student-athlete earns the right to call himself the King of the Apple.  Slated to begin Saturday morning at 9 a.m., this year’s edition of the premier wrestling tournament in the world’s most famous city will feature as deep a field as any in years past.  Led by six defending champions, seven returning runners-up, and a multitude of placewinners from last season, if there is one certainty, it is that no one is going to have an easy route to the hardware.  Then again, with 500 of the best-of-the-best under one roof year-in and year-out, is there ever an easy path to Title Town? I think not!

99 Pounds

Martorello, Courtesy of gothamcitywrestling.com

A 3rd place finisher at the 2012 Mayor’s Cup, losing only to the eventual champion, Josh Antoine (formerly of Grand Street Campus; currently attending Edinboro University), Fordham Prep sophomore Chris Martorello will enter this year’s festivities among the favorites to go all the way in the lightest of all the weight classes. A bronze medalist at the 2012 Catholic State Tournament last season at this same weight, there has been no jinx for the Ram student-athlete thus far in 2013 as he has won 20+ matches, placing in the top-4 of the Shoreline Invitational, as well as just missing finishing in the top-8 at the Eastern States Classic a few weeks ago, falling one victory short.  Last weekend, Martorello went 4-1 at the CHSAA Duals, scoring bonus points in all of his victories, and with his only loss coming at the hands of St. Joseph Collegiate’s Garrett Baugher, a wrestler who many are projecting to make the podium at the NYS DI tournament next month in Albany.

Another returning placewinner from last season who figures prominently again in 2013 is Petrides junior Dolan McColgan, the defending PSAL DII Champion who finished 5th in 2012 at the Armory.  Sporting a 29-1 record thus far this season, McColgan will be considered a heavy favorite to head back to the state capital where he hopes to improve upon the 1-2 record he posted in his first trip to the Times Union Center.  With the small school division not offering much of a challenge to the Staten Island product, Saturday/Sunday might represent the true test of where he stands.

Also back to contend for gold in 2013 will be the wrestler that McColgan pinned in 5th place bout, fellow Staten Islander Malik Grant of Curtis.  A third place finisher at the 2012 PSAL Large School tournament as a freshman in 2012, Grant takes to the mat this weekend as the #1 ranked wrestler at 106 in the PSAL DI rankings per Gotham City.  Dropping down to 99, Grant’s 25-2 record makes him one to watch.

Representing the youth movement will be 8th-grader John Luke DeStefano, of Poly Prep.  A product of the Farrell Lions Club that has produced countless champions at the Mayor’s Cup, despite his youthful age, DeStefano has had an immediate impact at the Brooklyn-based school.  Placing in just about every tournament he has entered this season, the 3x Beat-the-Streets Youth Champion has compiled a 21-7 overall record.  He is expected to be the top-seed at the NYS Private School Championship tournament as he seeks the first of a potential five private school titles in his scholastic career.  While seeds have not yet been determined, it should be noted that if they were to meet in the semifinal round, McColgan did pin DeStefano in the 5th place match of the 2012 PSAL Holiday Tournament, held at Madison Square Garden.

Finally, one can never overlook Patrick Aguda of Towsend Harris.  A senior who has mustered a 10-2 overall record thus far in 2012/2013, Aguda just missed placing last season at the PSAL DI tournament at 106 pounds, falling a single victory short of the podium.  An 8th place finisher at the Mayor’s Cup at the higher weight class in 2012, one can expect that Aguda might enjoy a size advantage over his foes.  He finished 2nd at the Goddard Tournament this season, proving that he is capable of hanging with the upper tier of guys in the five boroughs.

106:

A Mayor’s Cup runner-up last season at 99 pounds, Poly Prep‘s Noah Malamut has been a juggernaut during his junior campaign, winning just about everything he has entered, including the title at the 2012 PSAL Holiday Tournament. The owner of a 21-1 record in 2012-2013, Malamut is looking more and more like a surefire bet to win his second straight Private School title. Last season, despite giving away nearly seven pounds to his foes, Malamut managed to win two matches at the National Prep Tournament, a very impressive accomplishment when you consider the caliber of opponents he was facing.

The wrestler who many expect to be opposite Malamut in the finals is returning 106-pound PSAL DI runner-up, Bohang Liu of Towsend Harris. Going 2-2 at this tournament last year as a junior, after finishing 6th as a sophomore in 2011, Liu brings a wealth of maturity and experience to the mat with him this weekend. He has fared pretty well in his scholastic swan song, compiling a 17-3 record this season, including finishing in the top 6 of the Long Beach Tournament on talent-rich Long Island. Gotham City has Liu ranked as the #1 wrestler at 113 pounds.

Also looking to add another bullet point to his resume after finishing as a PSAL DI runner-up last season (at 99) will be Long Island City junior Oscar Estudillo. Carrying a 14-4 record into the weekend, Estudillo has proven how dangerous he can be when he also finished high at the Long Beach Tournament, taking 5th against some of Nassau and Suffolk’s top dogs. 2013 will mark the first time that Estudillo will be competing at the Mayor’s Cup as in years past, his school has only sent a handful of participants.

The pattern of returning PSAL runners-up continues with Brooklyn International’s Alpha Diallo. A wrestler who selflessly wrestled up at 113 last season, Diallo could have very well been a returning DII City Champion at 106 if not for the presence of his teammate, 2012 NYS DII runner-up, Cheick Ndiaye, occupying the starting spot. Now, having flip flopped weights, putting the senior from Brooklyn at a more natural class, Diallo entered 2012-2013 as the favorite to win his first City title in his final attempt. He has not disappointed, posting a 14-7 record, winning the Wingate Tournament and finishing 5th at the PSAL Holiday Tournament among other feats. In his only previous appearance at the Mayor’s Cup, Diallo went 0-2 in 2011.

Joseph Donohue will be looking to make his introduction to the Mayor’s Cup tradition an impressive one.  The freshman from Xaverian has posted a 17-3 record in his rookie season, winning the Goddard Tournament and placing 2nd to Diallo at the Wingate Tournament.  Aguda is ranked #4 in this weight class in the latest GCW polls.

To read the previews for the rest of the weight classes, see the original article here on Gotham City wrestling.

Hofstra Tops American; Vinson Becomes All-Time Wins Leader in Binghamton Loss to Old Dominion

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CAA teams Hofstra and Binghamton both took the mat on Friday night after winning two of three duals last weekend in Virginia. The Pride defeated American at home, 21-9. After dropping two of the first three matches against the Eagles, Hofstra responded with five consecutive victories, beginning with a decision by Tim Murphy at 197.

Meanwhile, Binghamton lost a 21-18 dual at conference rival Old Dominion.  The Bearcats trailed 21-6 after six bouts but mounted a comeback, winning the last four matches.

One of the highlights for the Bearcats came in the 149-pound match when senior Donnie Vinson pinned Brennan Brumley. The victory for Vinson was the 124th of his career, making him Binghamton’s all-time wins leader.

Hofstra 21 American 9

165: Phillip Barreiro (American) dec Nick Terdick (Hofstra), 7-5
174: Jermaine John (Hofstra) dec Keithan Cast (American), 8-3
184: Thomas Barreiro (American) dec Victor Pozsonyi (Hofstra), 4-1
197: Tim Murphy (Hofstra) dec Devon Bradley (American), 6-3
285: Paul Snyder (Hofstra) dec Blake Herrin (American), 3-1 SV
125: Steve Bonnano (Hofstra) dec David Terao (American), 13-6
133: Jamie Franco (Hofstra) dec Esteban Gomez-Rivera (American), 2-0
141: Luke Vaith (Hofstra) dec John Boyle (American), 6-1
149: Kevin Tao (American) dec Cody Ruggirello (Hofstra), 7-4
157: Tyler Banks (Hofstra) dec Mark Cirello (American), 3-1

Old Dominion 21 Binghamton 18

125: Rob Deutsch (ODU) tech fall Mike Sardo (Binghamton)
133: Scott Festejo (ODU) dec Derek Steeley (Binghamton), 6-4
141: Justin LaValle (ODU) maj Dan Riggi (Binghamton), 10-0
149: Donnie Vinson (Binghamton) pin Brennan Brumley (ODU)
157: John Nicholson (ODU) pin Jack McKeever (Binghamton)
165: Brett Miller (ODU) dec Vincent Grella (Binghamton), 4-3
174: John Paris (Binghamton) dec Marcus Johnson (ODU), 4-2
184: Cody Reed (Binghamton) dec Austin Coburn (ODU), 5-3 SV
197: Nate Schiedel (Binghamton) dec Jacob Henderson (ODU), 4-1
285: Tyler Deuel (Binghamton) dec Matt Tourdot (ODU), 11-5

 

Necessary Toughness: Three-Sport Star Colton Kells Leads Fairport to First-Ever County Title

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No matter what time of year it is, you’ll find Fairport’s Colton Kells immersed in a contact sport . . .  (or two, or even three).

“Colton is always passionately doing something athletic,” said head wrestling coach Michael Kohl. “He loves sports, especially those of a physical nature. He just loves to lift and work out and especially to compete.”

An All-State linebacker this fall on the gridiron, Kells also suits up for the school’s rugby team in the spring.  And of course, the senior is a standout on the mat where he is currently ranked third in New York after an undefeated start to the 2012-13 campaign.

Courtesy of Colton Kells

Kells said that to “stay sharp”, he does some work in all three sports year round.  And for good measure, he adds some additional exercise to his regimen through his work at a local greenhouse, doing things like moving the plants, and through his summer job which involved lifting furniture.

Of all his endeavors, Kells didn’t hesitate when asked what he found most physically demanding.

“Wrestling is definitely the most intense,” he said. “There are four quarters of football and 80 minutes of rugby but the six minutes in a wrestling match are the toughest.”

So far in his senior season, Kells hasn’t had to wrestle the full six minutes very often.  Only eight of his first 38 matches went the distance.

However, last weekend, he was on the mat even longer than three periods in a contest that was significant for a number of reasons.

In the title bout of the Monroe County championships, Kells took on Spencerport’s Collin Pittman, a wrestler he defeated several times last year and 5-1 earlier this season.  After knotting the score late in the third period on a stalling point, the Fairport grappler got the 5-3 victory on a takedown in overtime.

“Colton stayed focused throughout the match and kept hustling,” Kohl said. “He was rewarded for his hustle and ultimately found a way to win.”

“[Pittman] has improved a lot over the past year,” Kells added. “You can see each of our matches gets closer and closer if you look at the scores. In [overtime], he shot in, I sprawled and I ended up on top after we scrambled for a little bit. It was a very physical match; the closest one we’ve had so far.”

It didn’t just mean a championship for Kells. It also was the 100th victory of his career.

“Once I realized I was getting close [to 100 wins], I started keeping track,” he said. “I knew going into the weekend that the finals could be my 100th win and I thought it would be cool to get it there.”

Hitting the century mark wasn’t the only reason the weekend was special, however. Kells was an important contributor to his team’s first-ever county championship, breaking the hold that Spencerport had on the title for more than 20 years.

“It meant a lot and it was great to do our senior year,” Kells said. “We’ve been together for years, working hard together.  We felt pretty confident coming in that we could win but you never know what will happen with a lot of tough teams there.”

“It was very exciting for us,” Kohl added. “It was a compilation of a lot of hard work and I know the boys take a lot of pride in the way they performed and that they were the first to win the county for our school.”

New achievements have been piling up for the Red Raiders. A year ago, Josh Lackey, now a freshman at North Carolina State, became Fairport’s first individual state champion when he put together an unbeaten campaign to capture the 220-pound crown in Albany.  Lackey said in an interview last summer that he hoped his showing would lead to more future championships for Fairport.

“Watching him win was actually a great inspiration for me,” Kells said. “We worked out most of last year.  We were drill partners; we lifted together.  Josh was great to work with. He never lets up.  He never stops pushing forward. It was amazing to see him win the title and it inspired me.”

The truth is, Kells wasn’t too far from joining Lackey on the medal stand last year. After dropping a number of matches to All-State wrestler Jesse Kozub as a sophomore and early in his junior campaign, Kells broke through and defeated the Brockport wrestler at the county tournament in 2012, a win that gave him a boost going into the latter stages of the season.

“Jesse had placed in the state the previous year and I knew after beating him that I could go with anyone.  It gave me a lot of confidence.”

Kohl agreed.

“I thought that was the turning point last season for Colton,” Kohl said. “I think he realized that he could wrestle with the elite kids.  He realized that there wasn’t a question of whether he was capable or not, it was all about how he performed.”

He performed well enough in his first trip to state tournament to win a pair of matches and come within one victory of making the podium.

And after he was finished competing, Kells took the floor at the Times Union Center to help Lackey warm up and prepare for his finals bout with Max Antone of Niagara Wheatfield.

It’s a place Kells hopes to visit again on February 23, 2013.  And the two-time captain is doing all the right things to get there, according to his coach.

“He’s not a flashy kid – he does everything the old fashioned way, through hard work and determination.  He’s extremely disciplined and does all the extra things. Kids like him, when you ask them to jump, they ask how high? If you asked him to run through a wall, he would.  He has that determined look in his eye this year and very high expectations for himself.”

Those expectations for success at the highest levels in New York won’t end in February.

“A couple days after states, I’ll be back in rugby,” he said. “We made it to the state finals the last two years and won once.  Hopefully we can get back there again and win.”

After all, every season is sports season for Kells.  Pity the obstacles in his way.

First NCAA Coaches Rankings Revealed; 25 NY Wrestlers Included, Dake First at 165

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The NCAA revealed the first Coaches Panel Rankings for the 2012-13 campaign on Thursday.  25 wrestlers from the six Division I programs in New York were included.

There will be two more sets of these rankings this season and the final version will be used as one of the key components of the selection process for the NCAA tournament, along with winning percentage and rating percentage index (RPI).

Here are the wrestlers currently included:

125:

Nahshon Garrett, Cornell (6th)

Steve Bonanno, Hofstra (19th)

 

133:

Jamie Franco, Hofstra (Tie 27th)

Derek Steeley, Binghamton (Tie 27th)

Jordan Thome, Army (33rd)

 

141:

Photo by BV

Mike Nevinger, Cornell (6th)

Luke Vaith, Hofstra (17th)

Connor Hanafee, Army (30th)

 

 

 

 

149:

Donnie Vinson, Binghamton (3rd)

Steve Santos, Columbia (8th)

Chris Villalonga, Cornell (15th)

Daniel Young, Army (18th)

 

157:

Jake O’Hara, Columbia (17th)

Jesse Shanaman, Cornell (30th)

 

165:

Kyle Dake, Cornell (1st)

Mark Lewandowski, Buffalo (17th)

Paul Hancock, Army (22nd)

 

174:

John-Martin Cannon, Buffalo (16th)

Stephen West, Columbia (22nd)

Coleman Gracey, Army (33rd)

 

184:

Steve Bosak, Cornell (4th)

 

197:

Nate Schiedel, Binghamton (5th)

Jace Bennett, Cornell (24th)

 

285:

Paul Snyder, Hofstra (25th)

Stryker Lane, Cornell (27th)

 

For the full rankings, see here.

Rider Hangs On To Top Army, 18-12

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Courtesy of goarmysports.com

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Four Black Knights won bouts, but it was not enough as the Army wrestling team dropped an 18-12 decision to Rider in a non-conference dual match Wednesday evening at Alumni Gymnasium.

It marked the third consecutive victory for the Broncs, who improve to 8-5 on the season. Rider won four of the first five bouts to open a healthy 12-3 cushion and never trailed en route to the win.

Senior Jordan Thome, junior John Belanger, sophomore Hunter Wood and freshman Bryce Barnes each recorded wins by decision for the Black Knights (4-5).

The match began at 165 pounds and 20th-ranked Ramon Santiago upended Army junior Paul Hancock, 7-4. Rider proceeded to win the next two bouts to establish a quick 9-0 lead.

Army began to cut into the Broncs’ advantage in the 197-pound bout as Barnes took a 12-8 decision from Ryan McNeil. Rider reclaimed its nine-point edge (12-3) with a victory in the heavyweight bout, but Army rallied to within 12-9 as Wood (125 pounds) and Thome (133) rattled off consecutive wins by decision.

Rider made it 15-9 following a victory at 141 pounds, but Army refused to go quietly, creeping to within 15-12 after Belanger slipped past Curt Delia, 6-5, at 149 pounds.

The Broncs sealed the match in the night’s final bout, however, when Zac Cibula defeated Army senior Patrick Marchetti, 4-1, at 157 pounds.

Army returns to the friendly confines of Gillis Field House on Sunday, Jan. 27, when the Black Knights host EIWA rivals Brown and Harvard beginning at 1 p.m.

Match Notes: Army falls to 12-13-1 all-time versus Rider … Bryce Barnes now ranks second on the team with 17 wins (17-13) … Paul Hancock dropped his first dual match of the year, falling to 8-1 in duals this season.

Rider 18, Army 12
125: Hunter Wood (A) dec. Patrick Skinner, 12-6
133: Jordan Thome (A) dec. Jimmy Morris, 5-1
141: Vinny Fava (R) dec. Tyler Rauenzahn, 6-1
149: John Belanger (A) dec. Curt Delia, 6-5
157: Zac Cibula (R) dec. Patrick Marchetti, 4-1
165: #20 Ramon Santiago (R) dec. Paul Hancock, 7-4
174: James Brundage (R) dec. Cole Gracey, 9-7
184: Ryan Wolfe (R) dec. Travis Mallo, 11-5
197: Bryce Barnes (A) dec. Donald McNeil, 12-8
285: Greg Velasco (R) dec. Stephen Snyder, 4-1
* The match began at 165 pounds

Dake, Garrett, Doliscar, Myhrberg Among Leaders in NCAA "Most Dominant" Standings

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At the end of the season, the NCAA will present awards to the Most Dominant Wrestler in Divisions I, II and III as well as the wrestlers with the most pins and technical falls. On Wednesday, the NCAA announced the current standings for each of those categories.

A pair of Cornell wrestlers appear in the Division I rankings. Three-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake sits eighth in the Most Dominant standings and second in pins, with 10. (Ohio State’s Logan Stieber and Kent State’s Dustin Kilgore lead those categories, respectively).

Dake’s freshman teammate Nahshon Garrett is tied for the lead with six technical falls but stands second in that race behind Penn State’s David Taylor because the Nittany Lion has taken less total time to record those tech falls.

In Division III, two New York wrestlers appear in the Most Dominant rankings.  Ithaca’s 174-pound starter Jules Doliscar is seventh while Cortland’s 197-pounder Jared Myhrberg is tied for eighth.

For more details on the standings and the formula for calculating “Most Dominant”, see here for Division I and here for Division III.

 

 

'A Unique Opportunity for NY Kids': SUNY Sullivan Adds Wrestling Program Starting This Fall

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For years, SUNY Sullivan has welcomed some of the best wrestlers in New York to its Loch Sheldrake campus for a weekend in January for the Eastern States Classic.

And grapplers have again ascended on the campus in the summertime for top-notch camps, including the J Robinson Intensive Camp in 2012, run by the longtime University of Minnesota head coach.

Now, wrestling will be a fixture at SUNY Sullivan year round, as President Dr. William Murabito and Director of Athletics Christopher DePew announced earlier this month that wrestling will be one of two sports added, beginning this fall.  (Women’s volleyball is the other).

According to DePew, the move to bring wrestling to Loch Sheldrake was in the making for some time, as he and the institution have become more and more connected to the sport over the years.

“We have developed very strong relationships with the Friends of Section 9 wrestling and also with members of Beat the Streets such as Al Bevilacqua and Bill Crum,” DePew said.  “Those individuals have been suggesting starting a wrestling program here for a while.”

DePew began to look at the possibility but was uncertain whether some of the start up costs, like new mats, might be prohibitive.

But when a new mat arrived, courtesy of Beat the Streets wrestling, the enthusiasm continued to grow.

And when DePew presented the proposal to add wrestling, as well as women’s volleyball, to the leaders of the institution, the Board not only approved it, but demanded that it go forward as part of the college’s five-year growth strategy.

It is believed that the programs will be an important recruitment tool for up to 40 new students in the next year and will be the first step of an overall plan to add four more athletic programs by 2015.

In addition to meeting the strategic needs of the institution, DePew believes there will also be a profound impact on the wrestling community.

“There are limited opportunities for wrestlers on the collegiate level and we’re happy to be providing a great option,” he said. “We believe we offer a unique opportunity for New York kids to get away from home and have the true college experience, but still be close enough to get home if they need to.  There is a bus from the Port Authority in New York City that goes to the flagpole at our school. We know there are so many good high school wrestlers in the state of New York, including in the Beat the Streets program, and we want to offer them a place to continue wrestling.”

There are of course some things currently being worked out.  Student housing is currently at capacity and there is an ongoing initiative to expand on-campus living.

And the leader of the program is still being determined, with the search for the head coach underway.  According to DePew, a number of candidates have already expressed interest and he is hoping to have the coach on board by mid February.

Even without the staff in place, the enthusiasm for the sport came through in conversations with DePew and was very clear during the Eastern States Classic.  In fact, DePew worked in the concession stand from the opening of the tournament in the morning through its close on both Friday and Saturday.  His excitement about making wrestling events a bigger fixture at the Paul Gerry Fieldhouse was palpable.

“I think this is a great opportunity for SUNY Sullivan and for the New York wrestling community,” he said. “We have some work to do, and I would say I’m cautiously optimistic.  We have seen NJCAA programs like Nassau and Niagara do very well in New York and we expect that we can have that kind of success as well. This fits in well with our continued quest to be the very best Junior College Athletic Program in the country.  I believe that the success of our current programs will breed immediate success for our future programs. We expect to become a national Junior College power in year one.”