Tag Archives: Suffolk County Wrestling

Longwood National Champion Corey Rasheed: Driven to Dominate in His Senior Year

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Corey Rasheed said it was the “worst I’ve wrestled in a long time.”

Returning from injuries that had sidelined him for most of the summer, the Longwood star went undefeated at the Journeymen Classic to capture the 160-pound title and Most Outstanding Wrestler honors for the upperweights.  He faced a New England champion and wrestlers who took second and third at Fargo in 2013 – and won by a combined 21-5 score.

Not too shabby for his “worst.”

Rasheed, Photo by BV

“When I tell people that, they look at me funny,” he said.  “But I’m not satisfied. It’s not about the title. Most wrestlers are in competition with the kids in their weight, but I feel like I’m in competition with every wrestler. I want to be the best.”

He showed his potential to be among the best as a seventh grader when he earned a spot in the state finals at 96 pounds.  After a fifth place finish as a freshman, Rasheed returned to the title bout in Albany as a sophomore in 2012, before taking silver for the second time.  A few weeks later, he again made the championship round of a big event – the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals in Virginia Beach, where he took second place at 145 pounds.

“When I lost the match [to Minnesota’s Larry Bomstad] in Virginia Beach, it felt like the state finals all over again,” Rasheed said.  “I knew I couldn’t let it happen again.”

He made sure in 2012-13 with a season of pure dominance at 152 pounds.  The Suffolk County standout went 34-0 with 22 pins. Only two opponents managed a regular decision.

But there was only one thing on his mind.

“All season, I was thinking about states,” he said. “I know I shouldn’t have, but during counties, I was thinking about states.  Then, during the first rounds of the state tournament, I was thinking about the finals.”

He punched his ticket to the finals with a technical fall, pin and a 5-0 shutout at the Times Union Center. In his third time wrestling on Saturday night at the biggest New York tournament of the year, he was ready.

“I was kind of numb at the moment,” he said. “Everything seemed so slow. I wasn’t nervous; I’d been there so many times before.  I was just thinking I had to win.  If I lost again in the finals, it would have been devastating.  I had to win.”

He did.  And he did it quickly.  Just 56 seconds into the title bout, Rasheed pinned Great Neck South’s Chris Koo.

“I didn’t care about getting the pin in the first period,” Rasheed said. “At the end of the day, I was just happy to get my hand raised there in the finals.  When I looked at the crowd and saw my friends and family hugging each other, it was a great moment.”

Appropriately, the fall came from the move Rasheed executed with perfection all year long – the cradle.

“I’ve been using that cradle since I started wrestling as a young kid,” he said. “People don’t see that it’s so easy to hit from all different angles.  It’s something that comes natural to me.  I work on other things – I don’t practice the cradle anymore.”

He may not practice it, but he certainly used it a lot, including at Virginia Beach where he returned to the national finals. This time, he came out on top, defeating Alabama’s Brandon Womack 9-6 in the 152-pound title bout to finish a perfect season as a state champion and a national champion.

The national rankers noticed, even if Rasheed wasn’t paying much attention.

Photo by BV

“I’m not a strong believer in rankings,” he said. “It’s an honor to be there and I want to be #1 one day, but I haven’t checked them in a long time. I don’t even know where I am anymore.”

(He is currently listed as the #56 senior in the nation by Intermat and #48 by FloWrestling.  At 160 pounds, Flo has Rasheed as #8 in the land).

College coaches probably have a good idea of where Rasheed stands in the rankings.

“I have a group of schools that I’ve been talking to,” Rasheed said, preferring to leave out the names. “I can’t pick yet because I haven’t visited places so I wouldn’t be making a good decision. I’m not in a rush to commit, but I am excited to wrestle in college.”

Rasheed’s familiarity with college wrestling has been increasing recently.

“I’m unorthodox when it comes to wrestling because I don’t really watch wrestling much,” he said.  “My favorite sport to watch is basketball. But a lot of college coaches that got in touch with me compared me to some guys and I started to watch them. I realized that I’m getting better just from watching. Ed Ruth is one that a lot of the coaches mentioned.  The coaches said we do a lot of the same things in every position.  Other than that, my favorite wrestler to watch is probably Jordan Burroughs – he’s phenomenal; so fast and explosive.”

Many fans have used those adjectives to describe Rasheed as well.  (The vast majority of coaches and observers we spoke to all around the state said Rasheed is New York’s top senior). He named numerous people who have helped him develop over the years, but at the top of that list was his brother Malik, a multiple-time state placer for Longwood.

“Malik has definitely helped me so much,” he said. “He should have been a two or three time state champ, but he had bad luck with tearing cartilage in his rib and so many other things people don’t know about. He’s my biggest influence. Last year, he came to the room and wrestled with me. We really go at it – there are days he beats me up and days I beat him up.  We’ll leave the room bleeding.  At times, we fight because it gets that competitive, but he’s helped me so much.”

That spirit translates to basketball, which Rasheed said he plays just about every day, “even in the snow.”  And despite all his accomplishments, his intensity hasn’t waned at all on the mat.

“I have more of a desire to win now than ever before,” Rasheed said. “In seventh, eighth, ninth grade, I was only thinking about high school wrestling and what I wanted to accomplish there.  But now, I’m thinking about college and the Olympics.  A lot of kids who start young burn out because it’s a tough sport to dedicate yourself to.  It’s not really a sport; it’s a lifestyle.  For me, the feeling of not getting your hand raised is terrible, more now than ever.”

Rasheed doesn’t plan on having that “terrible” feeling this year.  He said he will certify at 154 pounds, giving him the option of being at 152 again or moving up to 160.

“My goals are to win leagues, counties, states and nationals,” he said. “I’m still deciding between Virginia Beach and FloNationals and I know they’re crazy hard tournaments.  But I don’t want to just win; I want to dominate. My goal is to dominate the whole year.”

He pretty much did that as an eleventh grader.  And while he’s proud of what he did in 2012-13, he’s not dwelling on last season.

“I was definitely happy about my junior year,” he said. “Once I graduate, I can look back and say I won states and nationals that year.  But two weeks after nationals, I moved on. I don’t reminisce too much.  I just think about what’s next.  The most important time for me is right now.”

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Corey Rasheed wanted to thank his brother, Malik, his uncle Greg, his mother and his family for their support.  He also wanted to thank coaches Mike Picozzi and Ethan Prifte for their huge influence on him over the years.  In addition, he mentioned the significant contributions of coaches Darren Goldstein, Steve Hromada, Nick Garone and Nick Hall.  He couldn’t name everyone, but thanked everyone who has helped him and supported him along the way.

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Working for #1: New York's Top Junior Nick Piccininni Looks to Add A National Championship to His Resume

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We have been discussing some of the top wrestlers in New York over the past few weeks.  We started with our #1 Junior High School grappler in the state, Penfield eighth grader Frankie Gissendanner (see link),then profiled top freshman Yianni Diakomihalis and discussed other ninth graders to watch.  Then, we wrote about the wrestler at the top of the Class of 2016 rankings – Christian Dietrich and additional tenth graders to watch. Now, here’s more about the #1 junior in New York, Nick Piccininni.

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It was the match that people were waiting to see. Even before the 2013-2013 season started, there was buzz about a possible clash of champions at 113 pounds at the state tournament.  Fans were excited about the possibility of watching 2012 gold medalist Nick Piccininni against the last wrestler to beat him in New York (in 2011) – two-time NYS title winner Kyle Kelly of Chenango Forks.

The matchup came to fruition and both Piccininni and Kelly were unbeaten entering the 2013 state final. But the Ward Melville star said he wasn’t thinking about simply winning the bout. He was determined to make a statement.

“I definitely wanted to dominate and show everybody that I was on another level,” Piccininni said.  “I was looking to come out and dominate right away.”

Photo by BV

He did. The Suffolk County grappler took control from the start and didn’t stop until the final whistle. In the end it was a 14-4 major and a second state crown.

And that was just the start of a string of big victories for Piccininni. He followed up with a second place showing at the FloNationals, dropping a 2-1 bout in the championship contest to Nathan Boston. However, on his way to the title match, he defeated some quality foes, including Oklahoma’s Markus Simmons [ranked 11th in the nation] in a match he trailed 4-0 early on before storming back for an 8-5 decision.

“The competition was tough during that whole tournament,” Piccininni said.  “I did pretty good up until the finals. Then I don’t know what happened. It was a tough match and I just slipped up a little.”

If he “slipped up”, he quickly rebounded. At the Disney Duals in Orlando, he earned “Gold” Status after sporting a perfect record against top-notch opposition. He and the New York Kong squad went all the way to the championship match of the prestigious event where they faced Young Guns, a team from Pennsylvania.  While the Keystone State group captured the dual, Piccininni stood out, registering a 7-5 victory over Luke Pletcher.  WIN Magazine called that victory the biggest win of the offseason at 113 pounds anywhere in the United States.

“I knew [Pletcher] was tough,” Piccininni said. “He was actually on my team the week before at the NHSCA National Duals, so we’re friends.  We were joking around about having to wrestle each other.  I knew going into the match that I was older and had more experience. I thought I had something over him in the match, even though he’s a national champ and I’m not yet.”

Piccininni continued to excel throughout the offseason with undefeated performances at the Waterway Duals and the Journeymen Classic. In fact, he took on another national champ, Florida’s Radley Gillis, for first place at the Journeymen event and cruised to a 10-2 major. He nabbed Outstanding Wrestler honors … and did it all at far less than 100 percent.

“It was tough because I actually strained my hamstring in my second match,” Piccininni said about his Journeymen Classic experience. “I wrestled uncomfortably in the rest of my matches.  I won, but I actually wish I did a little bit better.”

It’s hard to see how much better he can do, but he’ll have a chance at the Iron Horse Invitational in New Jersey and then at the Super 32 Challenge in North Carolina. The latter is an event Piccininni has waited to get another chance at after missing the podium by one win a year ago despite defeating the nation’s #1 ranked wrestler at the time, Zahid Valencia of California.  (The two met twice and split the bouts).

“My goal is to win Super 32 this year. That’s what I’m going there for,” he said. “I would like to face [the nation’s top ranked 120 pounder] Sean Russell again but I’m ready for anyone I’ll face there.” [Russell defeated Piccininni on the way to a runner up finish at the Super 32 last year].

Russell is one of many heralded grapplers registered for the Super 32. In fact, at least 10 of the top 20 120 pounders in the land are listed in the field, including, of course, #4 ranked Piccininni.

He relishes the competition, as do his favorite wrestlers – Matt McDonough, David Taylor, Tony Ramos, Logan Stieber, Kyle Dake and Jordan Burroughs.  Piccininni also said he admires Derek Jeter, who he calls a hard worker and a respectable person.

All those athletes have something in common – spending significant time at the top.  That’s something Piccininni is looking to accomplish on the national level after two consecutive undefeated state championship seasons in New York.

“I don’t think about the rankings much,” Piccininni said.  “But no one wants to be #4 or #2 or anything but #1.  I’m definitely working to get the #1 spot.  I’m going to keep doing everything I’ve been doing since eighth and ninth grade.  I’m keeping my work ethic up and I’m not stopping.  I want to be an undefeated state champ again and an undefeated national champ.”

State Champion Piccininni Looks to Continue His Winning Streak at the Super 32 Challenge

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Slowing Nick Piccininni down has proven to be a nearly impossible task for opposing wrestlers, especially in his string of undefeated tournaments over the past month.

In fact, there’s only thing that has come close to stopping him lately — sleep.

“At the Iron Horse, I had the wrong bout number for my next match,” he said.  “I thought I had time so I took a nap.  All of a sudden, I had this gut instinct and woke up, I don’t know why. I looked up and saw that my match was up and I just ran over and wrestled. I had no time to warm up or anything.  I would have wrestled much better if I was more ready.”

He was ready enough to earn a 1-0 victory over Bound Brook’s Craig DeLaCruz, who took fourth in New Jersey in 2012 and who was the champion of his bracket at the Journeymen Classic the previous week.

Photo by Boris V

It was a rare close match for Piccininni.  In his 45-0 state championship campaign as a freshman, he won all but six matches by bonus points.  More recently, he won the Super 32 Qualifier at 113 pounds in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania by a combined score of 46-3 and followed it up with a championship at the Journeymen Classic where his closest match was a 7-0 victory over New Jersey medalist Joe Trovato.  His latest triumph was a title at the Iron Horse (despite his nap).

He even went unbeaten at the Waterway Duals, including a victory over Pennsylvania state placer Zack Fuentes – while wrestling up a weight at 122 pounds.

So, what is Nick Piccininni hoping to conquer next?

For one thing, a national title.

While Piccininni specifically mentioned wanting to win the FloNationals championship next spring, he has another opportunity to make his mark at a big event this weekend when he travels to North Carolina for the Super 32 Challenge.  He said he competed at the tournament as an eighth grader but didn’t place.

However, he has made improvements since then, working with Olympian Brandon Escobar, who he calls a “brother figure who has grown closer and closer to me”, as well as coaches such as the Patrovich brothers, Chris Messina, Kurt Ferrara and Bill DeSario.  He also has spent significant time lifting and working with Eastport South Manor junior Travis Passaro.

“I’ve put in a lot of hard work and so many people have helped me,” he said. “I’m grateful for what I have and the people around me.  If not for my family and my coaches, I wouldn’t be as successful.”

His efforts are not only aimed toward showcasing himself against the nation’s best at the Super 32, but also at the Times Union Center in February on the biggest weekend of the high school season.  Before his state championship in 2012, he was third as an eighth grader.  In that tournament, Piccininni suffered a 6-4 loss in Albany in the semifinals to Kyle Kelly of Chenango Forks, who went on to win the first of his two state crowns. It’s a match the Suffolk County wrestler hasn’t forgotten.

“I definitely would like a rematch,” Piccininni said. “I would like to get revenge.  I was an inexperienced eighth grader in my first time at states.  He had been there before. Now I have a lot more experience and I have much better technique and strength than I did. I remember that match well.”

He remembers all of his varsity losses well, but that isn’t that difficult given how few there have been in his 95-3 career.  However, not included in that record is the “loss” he recalls that occurred when he never even got to step on the mat, all the way back in 2010.

“My school doesn’t allow seventh graders to wrestle on varsity,” he said. “But I went through the Board of Education and got permission to wrestle in tournaments.  I originally was allowed to wrestle at Leagues, but the day before Leagues they said I couldn’t go.  It was hard to watch.  The kid who won, I thought I could have beaten him.  It definitely put a fire underneath me.”

That fire helped lead him to the aforementioned third place finish in New York State the following year and his continued success since then.  It even has catapulted him into the national rankings – for a while at least.

“I think I was in the national rankings recently for about a day,” he said. “The next time I looked, I was out.  I’ve learned not to worry about them. They’re just one person’s perspective. But I still look at them; everyone does.  I just need to wrestle and be myself.”

The way he’s been wrestling, it’s hard to believe his name will be left out of the national rankings for long.

What Was It Like to Be an Olympian? Brandon Escobar Talks About His London Experience

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When we contacted Brandon Escobar, he was, not surprisingly, on his way to wrestling practice.  The 21-year old Suffolk County resident didn’t take much of a break after competing in the 2012 Olympics at 55 kg for Honduras. Now back in the United States, Escobar talks about stepping on the mat in London, sharing a meal with famous athletes and his plans for a long future in the sport.  For more on Escobar’s journey to make the Olympics, see here.

A big part of the Olympic experience is the Opening Ceremonies.  What was it like to be a part of that?

Brandon Escobar: It was really something else.  All of the hype about it made sense.  It was so exciting. I was taking it in, enjoying it.   But after that, it was all business. I wanted to enjoy my time, but I had my goal in mind.  I wanted to get a medal.

After the Opening Ceremonies, you had around two weeks until you competed.  What was your schedule like for that time?

Brandon Escobar: I stayed in London and trained with Team Cuba since I was the only wrestler from Honduras.  Cuba didn’t have anyone at my weight — they had mostly heavier guys so there was no issue with me working out with them.  It was great.  I felt that I was in great shape and ready to go.

Did you get a chance to see any of the other events during that time?

Brandon Escobar: I saw some of the events on TV.  My choice was to either go see an event or rest before my next practice. For me, it was easy to pick resting because I needed to be as ready for practice as possible. Wrestling is a sport where you need to be working harder than the next guy.  Hard work is a confidence booster for me – so to be able to work out 2-3 times a day made me feel better.  So I rested and watched the other sports and used it as downtime before the grind.  It was something I needed for myself.  I watched weightlifting, judo, a little basketball and soccer.  I really enjoyed watching the gymnastics – those girls are amazing.  Mostly, I had to stay focused on my own event.

Did you get to meet any other athletes or celebrities while you were there?

Brandon Escobar: I actually got to meet a lot of the USA men’s basketball team.  I was eating and found myself at the table with them.  I got to talk to LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, James Harding and Anthony Davis.   They were really cool people, good company.  It was cool to see people at that level be humble and just talk to everyone.  That really showed me something.  Even when they were eating, they were doing interviews and taking pictures with people.  They were so smooth about it, so nonchalant.  Everyone knows they’re great athletes but I saw that they were good people too.

After being in London for several weeks, you finally got to wrestle, against Mihran Jaburyan.  (The Armenian won in two periods).  What was it like to be on the mat at the Olympics?

Brandon Escobar: It was really interesting. At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I didn’t know if I should be worried or wrestle cautiously.  But right before I walked out there, I just felt relaxed.  I’ve been doing this for so many years and I thought it would just be doing the same thing on a much bigger stage.  I wanted to beat the guy in front of me and show what I could do.  I went out and attacked and it was definitely a good experience.  Now I know what it’s like to wrestle at that level on that stage.

What’s next for you?  Are you taking any time off from wrestling or are you already back on the mat?

Brandon Escobar: I think I took four days off.  After I finished wrestling, I went out and had a little fun in London.  Then, there was the Closing Ceremonies night and the flight back.  I was really tired.  But the next day, I was back into training.  I haven’t stopped working out.  Right now, I’m running in the mornings, wrestling in the afternoons and lifting in the evenings.  I’ve been wrestling at Rocky Point, Eastport South Manor and anywhere that’s open and has a place for me to roll around.  That’s my day, every day.  I’ll also be working out at the NYAC and might go out to Penn State to the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.

When do you next wrestle competitively?

Brandon Escobar: There are so many tournaments coming up. In a month, I’m going to Brazil for the first tournament. Then I’ll be in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Cuba, Europe – all over the place.  I’ll also be in Hondruas every once in a while to stay in touch.  I’ve gotten so much help in Honduras and I’d like to promote the sport of wrestling there and make it bigger.

You wrestled freestyle in the Olympics.  Will you be focusing just in freestyle going forward?

Brandon Escobar: No, I want to do freestyle and Greco.  I want to do both styles at the next Olympics.   My goal right now is to get a gold medal at both styles at every level – the Worlds, Olympics, Pan Americans.

My plan is to go for another 10 years – through the 2022 World Championships.  That gives me two more Olympic cycles and a bunch of Worlds.  In this sport, I’m considered really young (21).  An infant.  There weren’t too many guys my age in Olympic wrestling. I want to see it through, wrestle through my prime, have fun and on top of it all, I want to be #1 in the world.

I understand you got another souvenir to remember the Olympic experience – a tattoo of the Olympic rings.

Brandon Escobar: I got it on my ribs about a week ago. I wanted it there because I knew it would hurt and I wanted it to be something that I remember.  It’s a pain I’m not going to forget just like I won’t forget my first Olympics.

Looking back, what was the best part of the Olympic experience?

Brandon Escobar: I would have to say just being there and being around amazing athletes and seeing the level that they are at.  I got to know what the unknown is a little bit.  I’m familiar with the environment and it will help me out in the future.  I can go the tournaments now with a chip on my shoulder and a new level of confidence.  I know where I have to be to get what I want.  I want to be the guy, to show what I can do.  I’m so fired up right now just thinking about it.

The Power of Two: Fatherhood, Wrestling, Nick and Nicky Hall

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Nick and Nicky Hall at the Section XI tournament

In honor of Father’s Day, we will bring a few stories about wrestling fathers and sons in New York. The first is about Nick Hall Sr. and his son Nicky Hall.

On his way to the state finals in 2012, Longwood junior Nicky Hall was very stingy defensively, giving up more than two points in only four of his 38 bouts.  That wasn’t an accident.

“From an early age I tried to teach my son the mentality I had in wrestling, which was not to get scored on,” said Nick Hall Sr., who was an All-American heavyweight in college.  “I used to tell him I’d rather he win 1-0 than 7-2 because it’s better not to give up points.  I’d say [Nicky] and I are very similar in style.  We aren’t flashy wrestlers but we take a lot of pride in being hard to score on and just getting the job done.”

That includes getting the job done in the postseason, as both earned two Sectional crowns for the Lions – the first father-son combination to achieve that feat in Suffolk County.

For Nicky, who has competed for the varsity squad since seventh grade, it wasn’t hard to find the motivation to stand on top of the podium for Longwood.

“There were huge expectations for me from the beginning,” he said. “My father’s name is on the wall in the wrestling room.  There’s a picture of him right outside the window.  I stared at those things every day.  It was almost haunting me everywhere I looked. I wanted people to think of both of us when they hear Nick Hall. I wanted to make a name for myself, not just live in his shadow.”

His performance on the mat has achieved that, including fourth and second place medals at the New York state tournament the past two campaigns.

Success is nothing new for Nicky – he has been winning since he began taking the sport seriously around 10 years old.  His exposure to wrestling goes back further, however, to the time he attended some of his father’s practices and matches at Old Dominion. That early involvement was significant to Nick Sr.

“Wrestling helped me get into college and get my college degree,” Nick Sr. said. “Wrestling builds character and sets you up to be successful later in life. They say that once you’ve wrestled, everything in life is easy.  I really believe that. It’s so near and dear to my heart that it was important for me to introduce him to wresting when he was young.”

From the start, Nicky said his father was there to coach him and help him in his development.  He considers himself lucky to have had his father’s support and guidance in the room although it occasionally brought about some painful lessons.

“One time I asked him to wrestle me, but about 10 minutes later I was wondering what I was thinking,” Nicky said. “He has a lot of weight on me and is too strong; too tough. My chin was bleeding and so was my nose and lip.  It was definitely a one-sided battle.”

Nick Sr. had a lot of one-sided battles in high school, where he finished his career at Longwood as a state champion at 215 pounds. He picked up where he left off in college, earning a 115-18-3 record and a pair of CAA crowns in addition to All-American honors as a junior.

In his final campaign, he was among the contenders for an NCAA championship.  However, at the tournament, he ruptured the fifth and sixth discs in his spine, which not only forced him to default from nationals but also put an end to his wrestling career.

“That injury changed my whole path,” Nick Sr. said. “I was planning on winning the national title that year. Then I planned to be a graduate assistant coach, getting my graduate degree and becoming a psychologist.  But I didn’t have the opportunity to do that because of my injury.”

The turn of events shaped his thoughts for his son’s future.

“I’ve always told Nicky that there’s no professional wrestling,” he said. “I want him to excel in wrestling because it’s something he loves to do, but much more important is to use wrestling as a tool to go to a college that will allow him to be the most productive person he can be. Nicky has always embraced academics in a way that I didn’t until I got to college. My best advice to him is to seek an Ivy League University where he can come out with a degree that sets him up for life.”

The message is certainly one Nicky has taken to heart.

“My father always reminds me to never sell myself short – in wrestling, at school, in any situation,” Nicky said. “I have a stack of college letters in my room – more than 25.  He reminds me not to be satisfied, to know the kind of school I want to attend and not settle for anything less.”

When he does move away, whether it’s for college or for a possible prep school next year, both Nick Sr. and Nicky talk about the adjustments they’ll have to make.  But for now, they appreciate the time they have.

“We do everything together,” Nicky said.  “Hanging around the house, taking care of the yard, hanging out with my little brothers (Rocco, Jake and Tyler).  We sometimes sit and watch college wrestling on TV, rewind it and talk about what the guys did on the mat.  He’s my go-to person to hang out with.”

“[Nicky] has far exceeded what I ever expected to have in a child,” Nick Sr. added. “He’s a great role model to his brothers and his teammates.  He sets the bar very high academically and athletically. I can honestly say I’m honored and proud to have him as my child.  I didn’t grow up with a father, so it makes it that much more important for me to give him what I never had.  When his birthday comes around, I’m reading cards and crying because he’s the best kid you could have.”

In addition to birthdays, the Halls look forward to Father’s Day, an occasion that Nick Sr. said his son “goes all out” to celebrate.

“He’s very special to me because he’s done so much for me and my family,” Nicky said.  “I really appreciate him. When it comes to Father’s Day, I do it right because he deserves it.”

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Nick Hall Sr. was a two-time CAA Wrestler of the Year, who ranks fourth on the Old Dominion wins list and is tied for first in career pins.

Nicky Hall was a Section XI champion in 2011 and 2012 and the Division I State runner up at 152 pounds this season.