William Koll vs Vincent DePrez (125lbs Finals) | NYWAY State Championships

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

[button link=”http://youtube.com/nywrestlingnews” type=”big” color=”teal” newwindow=”yes”] Click here to watch more from NYWAY[/button]

New York Wins the Border War; Edges New Jersey in Second Annual Charity Challenge

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

By Matt Diano

On a magical Sunday afternoon that was as much about 30 selfless student-athletes giving freely of their time to raise money for two incredible organizations (the Adam Frey Foundation and Pinning Down Autism) as it was a battle of interstate rivals, the second annual NY/NJ Charity Challenge ended the only way it could and should, with the outcome being decided in the final bout of the event. It was the hosts from the Empire State shocking the proverbial wrestling world by upending their neighbors by a score of 27-23. Today’s victory marked the second straight win for the Empire State after winning the inaugural event 31-25 last season.

Regarded as significant underdogs heading into the dual, many so-called aficionados were predicting that New York would be fortunate if they managed to win five of the 15 contested bouts. One bold individual even suggested that if the Garden Staters brought their “A” game to Clarkstown South High School that a shutout would not be out of the question. Whether this disrespect served as added motivation or not remains unclear. What is known is that contrary to the forecasts of others, the wrestlers from New York came out with a mission in mind, to prove that they play second fiddle to no foe when it comes to a contest pitting the best of the best against one another. Any previous discussion of a potential blanking was quickly put to bed as the Jason Bross-led NYers jumped out to an early 15-3 lead behind victories at 99, 106, 120, 126, and 132 pounds.

Getting the dual started off on the right note for Team New York was Wantagh freshman Jose Rodriguez, the 2012 NYS Division I runner-up. Pitted against 4x New Jersey Kids State Champion, Kyle Bierdumpfel (NJ does not contest a 99-pound division on the varsity level), it was Rodriguez coming on strong in the third, escaping to tie the bout at six before hitting a cement mixer for 2+3 to take the 11-6 lead. To his credit, the stud 8^th-grader Bierdumpfel showed immense perseverance, fighting off his back and eventually getting the escape. However, there would be no coming back as NY grabbed the 3-0 team lead via an 11-7 decision.

106 pounds was another case of New York trailing for a good part of the bout before storming back in the third period to seize victory. Falling behind 4-0 following a first period takedown and second period reversal, things were not looking very good for DI State Champion Nick Piccininni of Ward Melville in Section XI. But alas, known for his heart and non-stop attacking style, the two-time Suffolk County Champion clawed his way into the bout against NJ State runner-up Carl Buttitta, utilizing an escape midway through the middle stanza, followed by a takedown in the last half minute to cut the lead to 4-3 after two periods. The bout was soon tied as Buttitta was called for his third caution from the top position before a single second had ticked off the clock in the third period. With the bout all square at 4-4, rather than risk a late escape to lose, the Iselin-Kennedy product instead elected to cut Piccininni to give the NYer his first lead of the bout. Rather than sit on the lead, Piccininni continued with the aggressive style that had gotten him to this point, remaining on the attack and gradually wearing down his opponent, adding an insurance takedown with 25 seconds left in the match to make the score 7-4. Piccininni rode out the closing seconds to emerge with the “W”.

Following a 5-0 Pat Skinner loss to two-time New Jersey State Champion Brenden Calas (an escape late in the second, accompanied by a pair of two-point nearfalls accounting for the final score), the Empire State returned to its winning ways when Sean McCabe bested two-time NJ State finalist/2012 Champion, Mike Magaldo, 4-2 with a reversal late in the third period. McCabe, a senior from Connetquot High School, tallied the only takedown of the bout in the first period, but found himself in a nail biter after his rideout in the second period was negated by a second stalling warning from bottom in the final period. (Magaldo’s other point came from an escape in the first following the aforementioned takedown). However, as composed as they come, McCabe never panicked, slowly but surely maneuvering himself into an advantageous position, eventually being awarded the reversal in the final half minute to pull off the toss-up bout at 120 pounds.

The winning streak hit three in a row one weight class later when again, it was a more seasoned New York representative finding a way to win a close bout. This time, it was Eastport South Manor senior Maverick Passaro, a 2012 DI State Champion in his only appearance in Albany, breaking a 1-1 tie when he successfully got in deep and converted a double-leg takedown with :25 remaining in the match to take the 3-1 lead. New Jersey State runner-up Gary Dinmore, sensing the urgency of the situation, reacted well, quickly creating a scramble from bottom in an attempt to get the equalizing reversal. Dinmore, who was filling in for 3x State Champion Anthony Ashnault, who had a prior commitment to the Junior National Team, came close to getting the two, but in the end, found himself on the wrong end of the 3-1 decision.

New York deepened the hole Jersey was stuck in when they received a Herculean effort from 2012 DI bronze medalist, Nick Kelley, of two-time NYS Team Champions, Shenendehowa High School. Despite finishing third in NYS this season, anyone who has seen Kelley during his scholastic career knew that coming into the season, he was 1A at the 132-pound weight class, every bit as dangerous as eventual State Champion Jamel Hudson. (Kelley lost a one point decision to Hudson in the state semifinals a few weeks ago). Scoring the only two takedowns of the bout in the first and third periods (including the clincher in the final three seconds) , Kelley emerged with the 5-1 decision over 2012 NJ State champion Scott Delvecchio of perennial powerhouse South Plainfield.

As a testament to the talent and heart possessed on the other side of the G.W. Bridge, New Jersey shook off the early adversity and rallied, winning three of the next four weight classes. Serving as a catalyst at 138 pounds was BJ Clagon, who dominated the action from the feet. Clagon secured two takedowns in the first period and then added an additional TD in the last 20 seconds of the middle stanza to hold a 6-4 lead entering the final two minutes over Canastota’s DII State runner-up, Anthony Finocchiaro. Clagon, who looked about as lights out as one can in the state tournament a few weeks ago, doubled up his opponent by coming behind for a reversal with a little more than 1:00 remaining in the bout to make the score 8-4. Finocchiaro, who will continue his wrestling career next fall at Brown University, worked valiantly to escape from bottom, but simply was unable to free himself as the final seconds ticked away.

Building off the momentum created by Clagon, Alex “Lenny” Richardson did his part in the comeback effort, just missing bonus points in an 11-5 decision over Mike Caputo from the host school at 145 pounds. Many thought this would be a low scoring affair, as the two are teammates at the Apex Wrestling Club and are familiar with each other’s styles. Richardson had a much different idea as he piled on the takedowns one after the other, bringing the total to five by the time the six minute duration had elapsed. One positive for Caputo, who is rumored to have given a verbal commitment to Hofstra University, is that in the closing seconds of the match, with Richardson close to finishing a takedown on the far edge of the mat, Caputo successfully fought off the attack, denying his Jersey opponent of some much needed and desired bonus points.

With the margin having been cut to a much more respectable 15-9 team score and the Jersey boys threatening to go on the kind of run that often leads to victory, if there was ever a time that New York needed a big gun to step to the plate and reassert control, it was now. And, as luck would have it, the Empire State just happened to have a bazooka in their arsenal waiting to take care of business. Ranked in the top-10 nationally at 152 pounds prior to his decision to bump up for the postseason, Long Beach senior Dylan Palacio, who remains among the most coveted recruits on the free agent market, knew what was expected of him and did not fail to deliver. The aggressor every second of the bout, Palacio actually found himself trailing 2-1 at the end of the second period, having surrendered a takedown via power-double in the first period, and mustering only an escape in the middle frame. But, like any blue chipper, Palacio saved his best for last as the narrow deficit was quickly transformed into a 4-2 lead when he utilized a bar to tilt fellow State Champion, Raamiah Bethea, early in the third period to take his first lead of the match. The bout remained at 4-2 until Bethea made the mistake of putting himself in bad position while attempting to get free from bottom. Seeing his opportunity, Palacio locked up a cradle and got the fall with :48 remaining to bring the crowd to its feet and add a little cushion to the New York lead, 21-9. The loss was the first of the season for Bethea as both student-athletes came into the match unblemished in 2012. The win for Palacio proved invaluable to the team effort as again, New Jersey refused to “go gentle into that good night” (to quote Dylan Thomas), claiming victory at 160, 182, 195, and 220 to bring the score within a single point, 24-23.

At 160, it was super sophomore Johnny Sebastian of Bergen Catholic exploding for two takedowns in the first period to lead 4-2 after the first two minutes against Monsignor Farrell senior Rrok Ndokaj (who finished fourth at the DI tournament @170, but willingly dropped to allow DII State Champion, Zach Zupan to participate). An Ndokaj escape in the second was the only scoring there would be in the middle frame, sending the bout to the final two minutes with the NJ youngster still holding the lead, 4-3. In the third, Ndokaj did a solid job riding, preventing his opponent from getting his escape. However, with the clock as big an enemy as Sebastian, Ndokaj did the only thing he could do, going for broke with a tilt attempt in the last 15 seconds of the match. Sebastian, obviously expecting the last ditch attempt, easily countered and earned a reversal to pull off the 6-3 decision.

The previously cited Zupan came up clutch for the Empire State at 170, winning a war of State Champions over Ryan Harrington, a two-timer, who came into the All-Star Challenge unbeaten in the last two years. While Harrington was the more aggressive of the two in the first period, getting in deep on multiple occasions, it was Zupan scoring the only point of the first two minutes when Harrington was called for grabbing the headgear in the last five seconds of the period while trying to pull the NYS DII champion back onto the mat for a takedown attempt. A quick Harrington escape to begin the second evened the score at 1-1. The bout stayed all squared up until Zupan was able to finish a single-leg TD with 14 seconds remaining in the second period. He went on to ride out the last few seconds to keep the 3-1 lead entering the third period. There would be some fireworks in the closing minute of action as Harrington worked furiously to fight his way back from a 4-1 deficit following a Zupan escape earlier in the period. Securing two takedowns within 20 seconds of each other, Harrington eventually tied the match at 5-5. However, his gamble of trying to play for the win, cutting Zupan in the last 30 seconds of the match, ended up being the difference as he was unable to get the winning takedown, dropping the narrow 6-5 decision.

182 and 195 witnessed back-to-back bonus wins for Jersey as Jackson Memorial’s Dallas Winston and North Bergen’s Eric McMullen toyed with their opponents, dominating from every position on the mat en route to 10-2 and 14-2 victories respectively. The New Jersey State Champion at 182 pounds led his bout 5-0 after the first period, using a quick takedown and a three-point nearfall to quickly gain control over fellow senior, Jacob Berkowitz (the 2012 DI runner-up) of Scarsdale. Winston would not take his foot off of the gas pedal, escaping in the second period and then adding a pair of third period takedowns (the last one coming with just under :20 remaining in the match) to pull his state within eight points, 24-16.

McMullen was a master of the big move in his bout against NYS DI runner-up, Reggie Williams of Johnson City. Leading 2-1 following a quick takedown (and escape by Williams), McMullen blew the match open in the blink of an eye, hitting an inside trip to the back for the takedown and two additional nearfall points to conclude the opening period with a healthy 6-1 lead. Williams came out determined in the second, earning the quick escape and moving forward. However, any thoughts he may have had of getting himself back into the match soon faded away as McMullen lit up the scoreboard with a five-point lateral drop to increase the lead to 11-2 after the second. In the third, Williams attempted to set up for a cradle, but McMullen, mindful of his insurmountable lead, remained conservative from bottom, not allowing himself to get caught in any game changing moves. Still trailing 11-2 and unable to turn McMullen, Williams made the decision to cut his Jersey opponent. With the match all but already over, McMullen put an emphatic cap on his win by adding one final takedown in the last 25 seconds of the bout to account for the final tally.

The quest for the come-from-behind team win remained intact at 220 pounds as Lex Knapp scored the only point of the match via a second period escape. Despite what the scoreboard might indicate, this battle of the big boys was not without its share of activity as on two occasions, Brooklyn Tech senior Patryk Kopczynski, who finished fourth in the DI State tournament this season, appeared to have secured takedowns to take a lead in the bout. With :05 remaining in the first period, the Hunter College signee looked to have established control on the edge of the mat to take the 2-0 lead. In fact, initially, this was the call that the officials made before eventually waving it off after a quick meeting of the minds. After surrendering the escape to Knapp in the second period, Kopczysnki hit a nice low single after a stalemate to seemingly move in front. Again, there were no points for the Team NY representative as the officials ruled that he was guilty of a false start. These two “no calls” (the first more controversial than the latter) would prove to be the difference as Knapp did a fine job working from the top position, controlling the PSAL wrestler for the full two minutes to win by the slimmest of margins. The win set the stage for a winner take all final bout of the afternoon.

Scoreless after the first two minutes (certainly not uncommon for the 285 pound weight class), Cole Lampman and his Garden State opponent, 2012 runner-up, Jermaine Eleumunor, exchanged escapes early in the second and third periods to knot the score at 1-1. The score remained unchanged through the rest of regulation and after the 1:00 sudden victory period. Having scored first, Eleumenor had his choice first in the alternating :30 rideout periods. Electing to start on top, the NJ wrestler was not able to do much, quickly surrendering the escape to trail 2-1 with his turn on bottom still awaiting him. For Lampman, who could have easily made 220 this season, but preferred to stay at heavyweight as preparation for his plans to wrestle at 285 collegiately for Princeton University, the stage was set to play hero. All that separated him from glory was 30 seconds of hard wrestling from top. To say that he made the most of the opportunity would be an understatement. So in control was Lampman that despite being undersized, he never gave his opponent any hope of an escape, keeping him on his stomach for the full half minute…MATCH OVER; NEW YORK VICTORY !!!

Bross, who in addition to serving as the Team NY coach, is the founder of the Pinning Down Autism organization and also one of the organizers of the dual, was excited by the success of the event.

“There were nothing but winners today,” Bross said. “Every match was a thriller. It all came down to the last match. The fans saw the best wrestling you ever can. We packed the house and our charities had an amazing fundraiser.”

In addition, the victorious coach had the highest level of praise for the members of his team.

“They were amazing,” he said. “All of them came out with a chip on their shoulder and set a hard pace, pushing the action for the full six minutes. That was the difference. It was great to see the kids bond and pull for their teammates, who were their competition during the season.”

New York-27; New Jersey-23 (FINAL)

99- Jose Rodriguez (NY) dec. Kyle Bierdumpfel (NJ), 11-7

106- Nick Piccininni (NY) dec. Carl Buttitta (NJ), 7-4

113- Brenden Calas (NJ) dec. Patrick Skinner (NY), 5-0

120- Sean McCabe (NY) dec. Mike Magaldo (NJ), 4-2

126- Maverick Passaro (NY) dec. Gary Dinmore (NJ), 3-1

132- Nick Kelley (NY) dec. Scott Delvecchio (NJ), 5-1

138- BJ Clagon (NJ) dec. Anthony Finocchiaro (NY), 8-4

145- Lenny Richardson (NJ) dec. Mike Caputo (NY), 11-5

152- Dylan Palacio (NY) pinned Raamiah Bethea (NJ) 5:12

160- Johnny Sebastian (NJ) dec. Rrok Ndokaj (NY), 6-3

170- Zach Zupan (NY) dec. Ryan Harrington (NJ), 6-5

182- Dallas Winston (NJ) MD Jacob Berkowitz (NY), 10-2

195- Eric McMullen (NJ) MD Reggie Williams (NY), 14-2

220- Lex Knapp (NJ) dec. Patryk Kopczynski (NY), 1-0

285- Cole Lampman (NY) dec. Jermaine Eleumenor (NJ), 2-1 (ot)

Recruiting Services Now Available

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

[button link=”http://newyorkwrestlingnews.com/example-profile” type=”big” color=”teal” newwindow=”yes”] View A Profile[/button] [button link=”http://newyorkwrestlingnews.com/recruiting” type=”big” color=”teal” newwindow=”yes”] Get A Profile[/button]

Palacio Ready for Clash of State Champions at NY/NJ Charity Challenge

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

By Betsy Veysman

There are many stars who will take the mat on Sunday afternoon at Clarkstown South High School for the Second Annual NY/NJ Charity Challenge, but only one match features two wrestlers who are both nationally ranked and undefeated state champions.

At 152 pounds, Long Beach’s Dylan Palacio and Trenton Central’s Raamiah Bethea will square off to see who experiences a loss for the first time in quite a while.

The pair met at the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals in Virginia Beach in 2010, with Palacio winning a 5-3 decision at 145 pounds. Palacio admits that it was a long time ago, but believes much has stayed the same.

“My mentality hasn’t changed,” he said. “He’s a pretty straightforward wrestler, similar to [former Willingboro, NJ wrestler] James Green in a lot of ways. He shoots a lot of singles and doubles. I like to think I have great leg defense.”

Palacio, who will drop to 152 after winning his state crown at 160 pounds, also believes his pace was significant in the last meeting. “I was able to push the pace against Bethea and get him really tired the last time we wrestled. I think I can do it again. That’s my style – I like to make people exhausted and break them. I guarantee it will be six hard minutes of wrestling.”

The aforementioned James Green, who became a true freshman All-American last weekend at NCAAs for Nebraska, defeated Palacio in last spring’s NY/NJ Charity Challenge.

Returning for another shot was a no-brainer for the Long Beach standout.

“Last year I lost in the state semis and I was really angry. I had so much motivation and nowhere to use it,” Palacio said. “I was asked to wrestle Green at the Charity Challenge and I welcomed the opportunity. This year, the spot was rightfully mine in the New York lineup. It wasn’t just passed to me because someone else couldn’t go. I wanted to come back, especially for such good causes.”

Those good causes, Pinning Down Autism and The Adam Frey Foundation, will benefit from the proceeds of the event.

“Those charities do great things,” Palacio said. “There’s no better feeling than helping to raise money for them. I’m also happy to help out [Pinning Down Autism founder and event organizer] Jason Bross, someone I respect so much. He is so dedicated and puts in so much time to help with autism and promote wrestling.”

One thing the charity challenge is sure to promote is the rivalry between the bordering states. In last year’s event, Team New York came out on top in the dual. Palacio believes some have counted his team out this time, but he isn’t one of them.

“It’s for New York pride,” he said. “We’re not just wrestling for ourselves, we’re wrestling for state supremacy, to see who’s the best. On paper, we may have less talent but we don’t have less heart. They may come in cocky, but we think we’ll show them it’s our house.”

For Palacio, this weekend is also another opportunity to get some work in on the way to his last major high school goal – winning a national title at the NHSCA Senior Nationals in Virginia Beach in early April.

“I’ve placed there in the past,” he said. “I took third last year and was incredibly disappointed. It really drove me towards this year. I wanted to win Eastern States, be ranked nationally and win the state title. I did all those things. But I have to go out on top; I need some closure.”

After getting closure, Palacio will move on to the next chapter of his career. He said that he hasn’t decided on his destination yet, but the leaders are Cornell and Hofstra although he’s even considering going to a prep school for a year. But first he looks forward to going to battle with his New York teammates for state pride and charity. He can’t wait to be on the big stage.

“Someone told me they might move our match to the last match of the day,” Palacio said. “That would make everything more exciting and worthwhile. I’m really looking forward to it.”

New York and New Jersey Stars Converge to Battle for Charity

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

By Betsy Veysman

Josh Liebman couldn’t contain his excitement as he watched MSG Varsity’s programming on Monday night.

“When was the last time there was a preview show on TV about wrestling, let alone high school wrestling?” he asked. “It’s unprecedented. It shows the excitement about the event.”

The event is the Second Annual NY/NJ Charity Challenge, which will take place this Sunday, March 25 at Clarkstown South High School in West Nyack, New York to benefit Pinning Down Autism and the Adam Frey Foundation.

For those who love high level wrestling, some of the top grapplers in the Empire and Garden States will square off in a dual meet beginning at 1 p.m (doors at 11:30 a.m. for raffles and more). In fact, state champions will be everywhere, with five from New York and nine from New Jersey taking part. (There are also four runner ups from New York and five from New Jersey).

“It wasn’t difficult at all to get a top wrestler in every weight class,” said Jason Bross, New York event organizer. “It was actually harder to have to turn away some very deserving wrestlers. There is so much pride in putting your state logo on your singlet and representing your state. Wrestlers took that to heart and were proud to be on the team.”

“We were blessed,” added Liebman, discussing the recruitment of the New Jersey squad. “We were lucky to get Gary Mezzacapo, who is Jersey through and through, to help. By the end of state tournament weekend, he pretty much had the team in place. It was a mixture of his diligence and the kids knowing that it would be a quality event they would want to be a part of. The best kids want to be in the spotlight.”

The spotlight will be shining, especially in a clash between the neighboring states.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s baseball, basketball, football, wrestling or something else,” Liebman, New Jersey event organizer, said. “Any time you have competition between New York and New Jersey, there will be a rivalry there.”

“Wrestling fans have been talking about New York-New Jersey matchups on paper for years,” Bross added. “We wanted to bring those matches where they belong – on the mat.”

Last spring, those fans got their wish in the event’s debut. New York came out on top, a fact that has not been forgotten by either team.

“I saw last year how bitter the New Jersey people were and how excited the New York guys were afterwards,” Liebman said. “People started chirping on forums. New Jersey feels like it’s a better wrestling state and that it’s harder to be a state champ here. We respect New York, but we want to win.”

While coming out on top is an important motivator, far more important is the impact the day will have on the two charities.

Bross is the founder of Pinning Down Autism. The organization holds wrestling events across the nation with the goals of raising awareness, supporting the advancement of public resources and raising funds to improve the lives of families affected by autism within the communities holding the events.

“I’m most excited about how many people are in support of what these great charities are trying to accomplish,” Bross said. “I’m excited to give the wrestlers an opportunity to showcase themselves on a big stage and give back to better their communities.”

This year, Pinning Down Autism is donating the funds to Autism Radio, which according to Bross, offers a weekly show on which experts provide advice to families impacted by autism on topics ranging from nutrition to improved communication to the impacts of art and music on autistic children. Bross said the radio show has over six million listeners.

The other beneficiary on Sunday will be the Adam Frey Foundation, which was founded by the late Blair Academy and Cornell University wrestler.

While fighting cancer, Frey saw families of other patients suffering with their day-to-day lives and expenses. Frey was deeply impacted when he saw things like a family cutting a single hamburger into four pieces for dinner, and he knew he wanted to get involved.

“The Adam Frey Foundation is a non-research related charity for cancer,” Liebman said. “Adam wanted to do things to make the daily lives easier for families dealing with cancer, whether it be helping with groceries, bills or travel expenses. If you want the best treatment for cancer, a family often has to travel. The foundation helps ease the burdens related to that.”

In addition to preparing for the event, Liebman spent time with the New Jersey squad during their first meeting discussing the foundation and its namesake.

“The first practice we had, we circled everyone up and told them a little bit about Adam and the charity,” he said. “Surprisingly, a lot of them knew about it already. The kids really understand the kind of person they are representing and take pride in that.”

In addition to helping deserving organizations, Liebman sees the event as a chance to bring the wrestling community together.

“As much of a competition as this is, I also want it to have the atmosphere of a family reunion,” he said. “Wrestling is such a close knit community. I want it to be a celebration of the sport and the relationships in wrestling as well as a celebration of the charities.”

Bross and Liebman were both thrilled with the support provided by Cablevision and MSG Varsity, which will be broadcasting live.

“MSG Varsity is putting all their energy behind it,” Bross said. “The community is behind it in force. We feel like something really special is going on. Josh [Liebman], [Adam’s mother] Cindy Frey, [Clarkstown South’s coach] John Laurenzi and Gary Mezzacapo and I realized we could get together and really do this right.”

Liebman agreed.

“The growth opportunities are enormous for the charities, the sport of wrestling and the event itself,” Liebman said. “It’s like a perfect storm. I got butterflies when we were talking with some of the sponsors, realizing how much good can come out of this.”

Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and admission is a $20 donation for adults and $5 for students. Bross strongly believes that those in attendance will get far more than their money’s worth.

“There are so many factors that will elevate the energy in the room,” Bross said. “The rivalries, the great wrestlers, the charities. The environment will be taken to the next level. We think people in the room will feel like they’re at the Super Bowl or the seventh game of World Series. That’s the kind of energy we think the event will generate.”

For information, visit:

http://www.pinningdownautism.com

http://www.adamfreywrestling.com

NY/NJ Charity Challenge on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/280426122016952/

Dual Meet Lineup

99- Jose Rodriguez (Freshman, Wantagh, NY–2012 NYS DI Runner-up) vs. Kyle Bierdumpfel (Mahwah, NJ—4x NJ State Youth Champion)

106- Nick Piccininni (Freshman, Ward Melville, NY— 2012 NYS DI Champion) vs. Carl Buttitta (Sophomore; Iselin Kennedy; NJ— 2012 State Runner-up)

113- Patrick Skinner (Senior; Kellenberg Memorial, NY—2012 NYS DI 3rd) vs. Brenden Calas (Junior; Seton Hall Prep, NJ—2011 and 2012 NJ State Champion)

120- Sean McCabe (Senior; Connetquot, NY—2012 NYS DI Champion) vs. Mike Magaldo (Sophomore; Watchung Hills, NJ—2012 NJ State Champion)

126- Maverick Passaro (Senior; Eastport-South Manor, NY—2012 NYS DI Champion) vs. Gary Dinmore (Sophomore; Hunterdon Central, NJ—2012 NJ State runner-up)

132- Nick Kelley (Junior; Shenendehowa, NY—2012 NYS DI 3rd) vs. Scott Delvecchio (Junior; South Plainfield, NJ—2012 NJ State Champion)

138- Anthony Finocchiaro (Senior; Canastota, NY—2012 NYS DII runner-up) vs. BJ Clagon (Junior; Toms River South, NJ—2012 NJ State Champion)

145- Mike Caputo (Senior; North Rockland, NY—2012 NYS DI 4th) vs. Alex Richardson (Senior; St. Peters Prep, NJ—2012 NJ State Champion)

152- Dylan Palacio (Senior; Long Beach, NY—2012 NYS DI Champion) vs. Raamiah Bethea (Senior; Trenton Central, NJ—2012 NJ State Champion)

160- Rrok Ndokaj (Senior; Monsignor Farrell, NY—2012 NYS DI 4th) vs. Johnny Sebastian (Sophomore; Bergen Catholic, NJ—2012 NJ State Champion)

170- Zach Zupan (Junior; Canastota, NY—2012 NYS DII Champion) vs. Ryan Harrington (Senior; Mendham, NJ—2011 and 2012 NJ State Champion)

182- Jacob Berkowitz (Senior; Scarsdale, NY—2012 NYS DI runner-up) vs. Dallas Winston (Senior; Jackson Memorial, NJ—2012 NJ State Champion)

195- Reggie Williams (Sophomore; Johnson City, NY—2012 NYS DI runner-up) vs. Eric McMullen (Senior; North Bergen, NJ—2012 NJ State runner-up)

220- Patryk Kopczynski (Senior; Brooklyn Technical, NY—2012 NYS DI 4th) vs. Lex Knapp (Senior; Lacey, NJ—2012 NJ State runner-up)

285- Cole Lampman (Senior; Shenendehowa, NY—2012 NYS DI 3rd) vs. Jermaine Eluemunor (Senior; Morris Knolls, NJ—2012 NJ State runner-up)

The Trio of Champs and "The Greatest Night in Cornell Wrestling History"

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

By Betsy Veysman

Where should Cam Simaz go in the lineup?

That was a question the Cornell coaches were considering prior to the team’s opening dual meet in November of 2008 against Penn State.

According to assistant coach Damion Hahn, the Big Red wanted to fill the 184 and 197 slots with Justin Kerber and then-freshman Simaz, who both weighed about 185 pounds at the time. But they weren’t sure who should go where.

“Penn State’s 184 [Phil Bomberger] was ranked and he had a great double. He was built like a brick house, just as strong as can be,” Hahn said. “We came to the conclusion that Kerber could stop the double better. We knew Kerber could handle 197 because he’d done it the year before, but we were hoping if we put Cam there he could get his opponent so tired that he wouldn’t be able to stand up at the end.”

The plan worked as the Big Red won the bouts at both weights on the way to a 24-10 dual victory. Kerber defended well and scored a takedown of his own and Simaz had his Nittany Lion foe, Clay Steadman, gassed before picking up the second fall of his career. (He finished his career with 47 pins).

“It was a little lucky, but it turned out like we predicted it would. We looked like geniuses,” Hahn said. “We figured it worked and we stuck with it.”

Although underweight his entire rookie season, Simaz rode his athleticism and conditioning all the way to an All-American performance as an unseeded wrestler in St. Louis.

“During his freshman year, he finally hit 197 pounds during the NCAA tournament,” Hahn said. “It took him all year to get there. It’s never been about weight with him. He makes up for weight with his ability to wrestle hard the entire match.”

That constant movement and activity played a crucial role in his 100 career bonus point victories, a Cornell record. In his final three seasons with the Big Red, Simaz went 109-9 and just about always owned the third period.

On Saturday night at the Scottrade Center, Simaz fell behind Edinboro’s Chris Honeycutt in the championship bout 4-2, but came back to tie things up after two periods. Once again, the last two minutes were his.

“We knew the match would be won in the third and we felt very confident that Cam would be the one in control then,” Hahn said. “Honeycutt tried to muscle him early, but we thought all along that if Cam stuck to his plan and continued to keep the pace high and wear on him, the wheels would fall off the bus eventually. And they did.”

But it was much more than relentless pressure that helped the four-time All-American go from eighth as a freshman to champion as a senior.

“Cam has improved in every aspect of his wrestling,” Hahn said. “When he was a freshman, his defense was, for lack of a better word, horrendous. But he spent so much time working on baseline defense, defending leg attacks. No question it has paid off. He’s also come a long way on top. Over the years, his top wrestling became a strength. Those things have been huge difference makers for him.”

He’s been a huge difference maker for the Big Red and will continue next season as he will stay in Ithaca as part of the staff at the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club.

“If I ever get to coach another kid like Cam, I will be lucky,” Hahn said. “When you tell Cam what to do, he goes out and does it. How many people can you count on like that? If you tell him to run through a brick wall, he’ll do it. Never a question, never a doubt. We’re lucky that we’re keeping him around here so he can train and help out.”

One of the primary beneficiaries of having Simaz in town next year is his roommate, training partner and fellow national champion Steve Bosak.

According to Hahn, the now two-time 184 pound All-American had the ability to stand on top of the NCAA podium in the past, but was missing one key ingredient.

“The biggest thing with Bosak is belief,” Hahn said. “As a freshman, he just didn’t believe until after his first trip to the national tournament. He got some pins, scored some bonus for us and made the Round of 12 that year. That sparked something and made him believe for the first time that he was good enough. We already knew he was extremely good.”

He made a leap his sophomore year with a 34-5 mark and his confidence from his fourth place finish in 2011 carried over into this season.

“Coming into this year, Steve began to understand that he is already winning any match he starts 2-0,” Hahn said. “He will get out on bottom and can ride anyone. He started to realize that he needed to avoid putting himself in bad positions and stay patient for the right opportunities on his feet. He’s so difficult to score on now. I’m telling you, I have a lot of trouble taking him down. He’s so good all around and he proved it this weekend.”

He also proved that he can battle through nagging injuries, as most wrestlers do. Most fans around the country were aware of the hamstring injury that sidelined Simaz for the month of December. But far fewer were aware of the shoulder trouble that Bosak endured for the second part of the campaign.

“The shoulder popped and was bothering him,” Hahn said. “He wore a shoulder brace for the whole second semester in the room and did a lot of rehab until the end of the season. We were able to keep it under wraps because he didn’t have to wear the brace when he competed. There were certain positions he couldn’t get into, but he dealt with it. I doubt too many people who saw the NCAA tournament could tell.”

Most people who saw the NCAA tournament were aware that Kyle Dake is the only wrestler in history to capture national titles at three different weights. The junior completed an undefeated season with five convincing victories in St. Louis.

“Kyle’s obviously a special one,” Hahn said. “When he wrestles, I don’t have a worry in the world. He’s not going to stop wrestling. To take him down you have to go hell and back. I never doubt him or consider that he’ll do anything but win.”

What can the Ithaca, NY native do next year for an encore?

“I would bet the farm on Kyle winning another national title,” Hahn said. “But I think he can do it in a way that’s even more dominant. He can separate himself more. He can open up more and throw everything at the guys he wrestles. I’ve wrestled with him and he does things that make you say ‘wow, how did he do that?’ Let’s face it, what he’s done so far is monumental.”

Hahn talked about one more accomplishment that he called “monumental” – having three champions from Cornell in the same season.

What do those three victors have in common, other than the top spot on the podium?

“They are all goofballs,” Hahn said, laughing. “They like to goof around and make fun of each other. Steve is always talking and he’s really funny. With Cam, you just don’t know what he’ll say, he’s full of surprises.”

“They’re also all great people,” Hahn continued. “They’re a pleasure to work with and be around. I’m glad we have all three of them still in Ithaca next year.”

With Dake and Bosak back to defend their titles and many other talented returners, next year promises to be special. But for now, the three champions are enjoying what they and the team accomplished on Saturday in St. Louis, a time head coach Rob Koll calls “the greatest night in Cornell wrestling history.”

From Season-Ending Injuries to NCAAs: Accordino and Bonanno Become All-Americans for Hofstra

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Urgent Doctor

By Betsy Veysman

The sense of déjà vu was unmistakable. Hofstra’s Justin Accordino spent months and months rebounding from an ACL surgery to get back on the mats. But just 15 bouts into the 2010-2011 season, he sustained yet another severe knee injury.

For some, the grueling challenge of rehabilitation for a second time in two years would have been too much. But there was no hesitation from the Pennsylvania native. Knowing the challenge he would have to face again, he went through his second procedure and worked as hard as he could to return to Pride lineup.

“Not coming back was never going through my mind,” Accordino said. “This is something I love to do. The coaches asked me if I wanted to keep wrestling and it was always yes, yes. I really worked through my rehab as hard as I could.”

Prior to his injuries, Accordino made an immediate impact in his first season of college wrestling, with a 25-13 record and a 2-2 mark at the NCAA tournament. He registered several quality victories, including a major decision over this year’s NCAA champion, Frank Molinaro.

Two injury-interrupted campaigns later, he came into this year at 149 pounds with hopes of returning to his earlier form. Initially, things didn’t go as smoothly as he hoped, as he had a 10-8 record after the Southern Scuffle in early January.

“He had two years off the mat and with that, he had some rust,” said Hofstra head coach Rob Anspach. “At times he was wrestling really well, but then even in the same day, he was inconsistent. I think over time he felt more comfortable that nothing was going to happen to his knee and he just kept improving.”

Accordino appeared to hit his stride late in the season, winning 13 of his final 16 bouts and taking second at the CAA Championships behind Binghamton’s Donnie Vinson.

“From late January on, he really started looking good,” Anspach said. “He grinded out a win over [Cornell’s Chris] Villalonga and then wrestled [Pittsburgh’s Tyler] Nauman really tough. He shots were more crisp and he was attacking more. He was looking like the guy we recruited again.”

While he didn’t receive a seed for the NCAAs, he felt comfortable with his placement in the bracket where his first opponent would be Purdue’s Ivan Lopouchanski, the 12^th seed.

“We thought Justin matched up well with Lopouchanski,” Anspach said. “And then his next opponent would be the fifth seed [Kent State’s Ian] Miller, who was a true freshman. You never know how freshmen will react at this tournament. So I liked the spot we were in.”

Accordino began with an 8-4 decision over the Boilermaker and followed that up with a second period fall against Miller. He continued his roll with an 11-3 triumph over Oklahoma’s Nick Lester in which he built up a sizable lead early with a five-point move.

“He’s always a guy who went after big moves,” Anspach said. “He’s dangerous because he can do it all. He can hit leg attacks, he can throw, he can hit cement mixers. He’s never really out of a match. He’s went out and wrestled wide open and it got him to the semifinals.”

Getting to the semis assured Accordino of All-American status. For someone who didn’t know if he would be able to wrestle again at a high level, it was a significant accomplishment.

“It’s awesome,” Accordino said after beating Lester. “I’ve been working for this accomplishment since my freshman year. It’s great to hear [All-American] after fighting through injuries and working so hard.”

“It’s unbelievable,” added Anspach. “Every year you come out to NCAAs and see guys get hot at the right time. He didn’t have an easy road. I’m really happy he’s an All-American.”

Accordino wasn’t the only Pride wrestler to overcome an injury-shortened season to achieve an NCAA triumph. 125-pounder Steve Bonanno wrestled just one match in 2009 before an elbow problem sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign. The Wantagh native returned to the lineup last year, taking second at the CAAs and winning a match at NCAAs.

This year, however, Bonanno took another step forward, demonstrating he could compete with the best throughout the season, going 26-8 and placing at the Las Vegas Invitational and the Southern Scuffle.

“Steve just approached matches with a different kind of confidence this year,” Anspach said. “When he was a freshman, there were zero expectations on him and he competed well in the underdog role. But after that, all of a sudden there were expectations on him and he didn’t handle it that well. When he wrestled bigger names, he got taken down right away. Deep down, he didn’t believe he was an All-American. But this year, he believed in himself. He thought he should win and wrestled that way.”

Seeded 12^th in St. Louis, Bonanno started off with a victory before dropping a close decision to Kent State’s Nic Bedelyon. However, he responded with a pair of wins in the consolations and faced a matchup with Pittsburgh’s Anthony Zanetta to determine whether he would earn All-American status.

The two wrestlers were not strangers. Last year at nationals in Philadelphia, Zanetta eliminated Bonanno from the competition with a 5-3 decision. This regular season, Bonanno got some revenge, defeating Zanetta by major and by 6-1 decision.

In perhaps the most important meeting between them this year, Bonanno made it three in a row against the Panther, but it wasn’t easy. Zanetta notched two takedowns in the first period to take a 4-1 lead. In the second, Bonanno escaped and scored a takedown of his own to knot the score at 4. The Pride junior then had to ride the entire third to send the bout into overtime, which he did. After no one scored in sudden victory, Bonanno turned his opponent for nearfall points in the tiebreakers to earn a spot on the podium for the first time in his career.

“We felt confident going in but the second match against Zanetta this year was a lot closer than the first and we thought this would be even closer,” Anspach said. “Zanetta wrestled a great match. Steve was down early but he seemed calm and just kept wrestling. He needed to be tough and gritty and grind it out. It was a typical Steve match – he had to work hard and he’s one of the hardest workers we have. It’s a great feeling to have someone like him reach his goals. I couldn’t be happier.”

Bonanno will be back for the Pride next year, and head coach Rob Anspach is hoping Accordino will join him. The team is currently in the process of applying for a sixth year for the 149 pounder and although the NCAA has strict criteria, Anspach thinks the case for Accordino is strong.

Two wrestlers that will not return next season for the Pride are 2011 All-American PJ Gillespie and Ben Clymer, a pair of seniors who competed in Hofstra singlets for the final time in St. Louis.

“PJ and Ben have done amazing things for our program,” he said. “I would have liked to see Ben finish with 100 wins and he came up a few short. Neither of them finished the way they wanted to, but that in no way defines their careers. They were great assets to the program and they definitely will be missed.”

Whether or not Accordino is on the mat for the 2012-13 campaign, Anspach believes the example he set, coming back from season ending injuries to make the podium, is instructive for the rest of the program.

“You never know what will happen and when your opportunities will come,” he said. “A lot of people told Justin to call it quits, enough is enough. But he was determined to be an All-American and he went out and did it. He believed that he should do everything he could to reach his goals and if he didn’t get there, at least he wouldn’t have any regrets.”

On Saturday night, as he stood on the podium and accepted his trophy, it didn’t look like Accordino had any regrets at all.