Anchored by two individual champions and six total place-winners (out of 10 entries), it was the Panthers of Newfane emerging as the best of the 33 programs in attendance at the 2021 Linda Knuutila Memorial Tournament on Saturday afternoon!
Winning crowns on behalf of NYWN’s #7 ranked DII school were Aidan Gillings (132) and Simon Lingle (189).
Gillings, a returning two-time NYS medalist, claimed his gold when he upended 2021 Journeymen State 6th, Xander Kirsch, by 9-6 decision. The victory over the Pioneer 11th grader was the only one of five for Gillings that went the distance. In his previous appearances, he notched nothing but falls, including a 5:35 stick in the semis over a 2021 S6 4th place performer, AJ Didas (Clarence).
Lingle, a bronze medalist at the 2021 Section 6 Championships last season, made his argument for “person to beat” status in February when he culminated his 5-0 weekend with a fall in extra time (6:29) against Clarence’s Rielly Popa...The pin in the finals for the fourth in two days for Lingle, who went the full six minutes just once, beating Ricky Hess of Iroquois, 3-0 in the semifinals!
Southwestern and Starpoint joined Newfane as the only schools to put multiple student-athletes on the top of the podium as Carmine Calimeri and Dante Hoose won it all at 102 and 215 respectively on behalf of the [Southwestern] Trojans, while James Leuer Jr. (110) and Gage LaPlante (145) brought home yellow medals for the Spartans!
Calimeri, who took 4th in S6 in 2021, posted a big 9-4 decision in the semifinals over returning sectional runner-up, Trevor DellaPenta (Eden), and then completed the mission via a 15-9 outcome over Cullen Edwards (Frontier) one round later in the finale!
Hoose, who was a NYS medalist (6th) in 2020 and currently sits atop the small school polls (@285), squeaked out a hard fought 3-2 decision in his finals bout against 2x Catholic State runner-up, Braydon Vandenberg (Canisius)...Prior to the dub in the title match, Hoose also pitched a 7-0 shutout in a clash of ranked foes versus #6 Trevor Barry (Iroquois)...
2021 Journeymen State 5th, Leuer, Jr., made a statement in his 11-1 major decision triumph in the semifinals over returning S6 bronze medalist, Payton Mack (Amherst)...As an encore, he bested defending sectional titlist, Ken Schmitz, of Hamburg, 9-4!
LaPlante, a 3x S6 medalist and former (2020) sectional champion, prevailed despite having to navigate a gauntlet that included back-to-back wins by fall in the quarters over a pair of 2021 S6 bronze medalists--- Jacob Clark (Falconer)/ Ethan Monin (Lancaster) in the quarter and semifinal rounds...For the brass ring, he “settled” for a 13-2 major decision over #8 ranked/fellow 2020 titlist, Ryan Sweeney (Iroquois)
Cameron Catrabone (Williamsville-North/East), who bumped up two weight classes from the 138 where he is currently ranked 2nd, literally turned in an “Outstanding” effort as he was the recipient of the O.W. award after pinning and/or teching his way through the 152-pound field...Advancing to the finals behind a 15-0 technical fall over 3x CHSAA State medalist, Liam Edwards (St. Francis), the nationally-ranked (#3 @132 per FloWrestling) standout cemented his immaculate two-day resume when he pinned 3x S6 runner-up/fifth-ranked Luke Tomlinson (Maple Grove) at the 1:12 mark!
At 118, 126, 138, 160, and 285, it was Jordan Joslyn (Chautauqua Lake), Daniel Kirsch (Pioneer), Te`Shaun Mathews (Niagara Wheatfield), Dakota Mascho (Portville), and Konrad Krzyszton (Frontier) all running the gauntlet...
Joslyn, a S6 silver medalist a season ago, hoisted hardware after beating a 2021 sectional champion, Jaden Crumpler (Niagara Falls), 6-4 in sudden victory in the semis and then adding an eye-opening 13-4 major over returning NYS medalist/top-ranked Travis Browning (Frontier) in the championship bout!
Kirsch, who bumped up a weight (#3 @118) showed why many consider him a strong candidate to repeat his feat as a NYS medalist (3rd at 2021 J-Men States), as he posted respective signature wins over 2x S6 finalist Myles Gronowski (Lancaster) and defending Section 6 champ, Amarfio Reynolds (Niagara Falls) by margins of 7-1 and 3-0
With Catrabone competing up, the road was clear for Mathews (2x medalist) to strike gold at 138, which he did behind respective wins over fellow multi-time sectional place-winners--- Trent Burchanowski (Chautauqua Lake; fall in 2:58) and Adam Huntington (Newfane; 6-4 decision in the finals)
The-time NYS placer, Mascho, rose to the occasion in a 3-1 sudden victory decision in the semifinals over 2020 Section 6 champ, Michael Schaefer (Lancaster), in a clash of the #2 and #6 rated wrestlers at 160...Having passed a huge test, he cruised to an 8-2 decision in the finals against 2021 sectional runner-up, Brady Heckathorn (Pioneer)
Securing four consecutive falls to punch his ticket into the finals, Krzyszton, a sectional runner-up in 2021, went the full duration, but came out on top of a 9-2 decision over 2021 S6 titlist, Stefaan Fearon (Lockport)...
Rounding out the champ list was Grand Island's 172-pound superstar, Brian Bielec....The 2021 NYS 8th entered ranked 1st in the state and left with that distinction still intact following a 5-match/5-pin demonstration that concluded via a mat slap in 3:13 versus Kyle Keefe (Falconer)!
Five programs would account for 10 of the 13 individual crowns at the Monroe County Championships on the campus of Webster-Schroeder this past Saturday!
Emerging with multiple champs would be eventual team title winners, Pittsford, as well as HFL, host school [Webster-Schroeder], Hilton, and Victor!
Putting 10 different student-athletes on the podium en route to the top team honors, the catalysts this past weekend for the Knights would be decorated veterans, Nick Sanko (160) and John Santowski (215)...Boasting a combined title of three NYSPHSAA placement, the former [Sanko], a two-time NYS medalist bound for the University of Virginia and the latter, a 2021 J-Men State 7th, were extended the distance just twice in eight total bouts!
Ranked 2nd in the NYWN polls, Sanko peeled off three straight first period falls to advance to the finals before notching a 19-12 decision in the title bout over 2021 NYS 7th/fifth-ranked Brady Unger (Fairport)!
Santowski followed a similar path, as he too had pins in his first three matches and then closed out his title effort by winning in convincing fashion (16-4 major decision) over Spencerport’s Jackson Burns!
Honeoye Falls-Lima seized titles at two of the first three weight classes as ½ of the Noto sibling tag team, Christopher, won at 102 pounds, and then two weights later, Jazz Spaulding, was "the man" at 118!
Ranked 7th in the latest polls, the youngest of the Noto brothers had his most competitive match in the first round, winning an 8-3 decision against Richard Wood (Brockport)...He would stick his next two opponents, including a fall in 5:27 versus Churchville-Chili's Evan Morse in the finals!
Spaulding, a 5th place performer at the 2020 S5 tournament, bested a pair of his place-winning peers to earn his gold...In the semis, he recorded a 5-2 decision over another returning 5th, Cael Raines (Churchville-Chili)...He polished off his immaculate appearance by winning a nail biting 3-1 decision over 2020 Sectional bronze medalist, Jackson Koppers (Rush-Henrietta)
The Cougars would have a shot at a third crown at 138 pounds, but it simply was not in the cards as Attica-Batavia's Casper Stewart (2020 NYS 3rd/2021 Fargo All-American) was victorious in one of the marquee match-ups of the weekend, pinning two-time Empire State medalist, Nicholas Noto, in 1:18 in a clash of a #1 (@145) vs. a #2!
Speaking of anticipated showdowns, it was Hilton’s fab freshman, Elijah Diakomihalis, living up to his family’s legacy and emphatically proclaiming that the “future is the present” when he won a 7-4 decision at 172 pounds over second-ranked/2021 NYS 8th, Jake Scherbyn (Spencerport)...This decision was the only time all tournament that the rookie sensation was challenged as he out-scored his other three oppositions by a tally of 50-5 on his way to three technical falls!
Whereas Diakomihalis’s title may have caught some people by surprise, the same cannot be said for his top-ranked 152-pound teammate, Rocco Camilaci, who showed why he is a mainstay in the national polls (#19 @138 by Flo)...The four-time NYS medalist/2021 runner-up headed to Princeton logged three falls in the lead-up to the finals and then poured it on to the tune of a 13-4 major decision over 2020 NYS 8th, Isaiah Rodriquez (Brockport)!
No discussion of Rochester area elite can be posed without a mention for University of North Carolina commit, Jayden Scott (Rush-Henrietta)...The 3x NYS medalist/2x state runner-up, who is #2 in the polls at 152, dropped down to 145 pounds and was punishing at the lower weight, pinning 2019 S5 blood rounder, Landon Lazarek (Hilton) in 2:26 in the semis before tossing up points in droves in the finals on his way to a 23-8 tech against 3x sectional placer/#8 in the NYWN charts, Dominic Vinci (Spencerport)!
Feasting in the confines of his home gymnasium, it was Joe Berenson picking up the first of two straight crowns for the mighty Warriors when he earned a 3-1 decision at 126 pounds in war of 2020 Section 5 champs over Cal Russo (Spencerport) in a bout of top-10 studs!
Feeding off the momentum created by his teammate, 2020 S5 5th, Cosmo Lucania, made it two in a row for Schroeder when he wrapped up a 4-for-4 weekend (4 matches/4 falls) by smothering Danny Hagreen of Fairport in 69 ticks!...None of Lucania's bout went longer than 1:57!
The Victor duo of lightweight, Dom Attardi, and big daddy, Ty Rader, both kept their perfect 2021-2022 seasons intact with wins at 110 and 285!
Attardi completed his title journey with a 5-1 decision against HFL's Andrew Spaulding; Rader mustered a 3-2 decison over returning sectional 4th, Bobby Foltz (Pittsford)....The pair (27-0 combined) have now won gold at the Byron Bergen, Attica-Batavis Christmas, and Monroe County events!
At 189 pounds, we expected to see a Spencerport rep claiming the "precious", but thought it might be #4 ranked Jake Aina....But alas, with his training partner not entered, it was 2020 Section 5 4th, Joe Marcello, filling those shoes, as his 3-2 decision over Pittsford's Nick Smith, sent him home with some treasure!
For the second weekend in a row, a small contingent from various parts of New York State went on the road to test themselves against the nation's elite...
This time around the block, the action took us to Newark, DE for the 2021 Beast of the East on the campus of the University of Delaware...
Lead by Wantagh senior/future West Point Black Knight, Benny Rogers, all four of the individuals representing NYS based programs posted at least one victory between Saturday and Sunday, with three of the four competitors either finishing in the top-8 of their coming respective weight classes or coming darn close to the podium!
Seeded 5th in the 152-pound bracket, the Warrior captain [Rogers], who enjoyed a banner 2021 campaign (3rd in NYS; runner-up at NHSCA Nationals), hit the forecast on the head, as he compiled a 6-2 overall record to land in 5th!
Advancing to the quarterfinals behind three straight wins over Reece Kuhns (2020 Virginia State 5th), Justin Hood (2020 Rhode Island State runner-up), and Garden Stater, Jake Slotnick, by scores of 12-1, 9-3, and 3-1, the Savage Wrestling Academy protege ended day #1 in ideal position to secure top-8 status.
His bid to win the gold (which would have made it two straight occasions an entry from a NY based school had reached the pinnacle; Stevo Poulin broke a 16-year drought with a title at 113 pounds in 2019) was dashed on Sunday morning as he suffered a loss to the eventual champ, Joe Sealey (2021 NC State Champ; 2021 S32 runner-up) in the quarterfinals...
Rogers would then proceed to shake off the bitter "punch to the gut" by responding with triumphs in three of his last four bouts, highlighted by bonus point outcomes in wins over 2021 PIAA 7th, Dominic Wheatley (10-2 MD) and a fall in 4:06 against 3x Prep National All-American, Joe Fisk, in his medal match!...His only other blemish was at the hands of #8 ranked Richard Fedalen, in the consolation semis!
Just missing giving NY a second 152-pounder on the podium was The Collegiate School's Sean Tansey (currently 3rd in the NYWN DII polls)...Getting his arm raised following wins against opponents from Maryland (Matty Walsh; 4-2 SV), Delaware (Caden Cope; 9-1 major), New Jersey (3-2 over Slotnick), and Virginia (8-3 against Brogan Teter), the 2020 Private/Independent State champ amassed a 4-2 resume, losing in the blood round...
Massapequa senior, Anthony Conetta, fell short of his goal at 145 pounds, but ought to definitely hold his chin high after turning in a tremendous effort and displaying immense grit and heart!
Dropping a pigtail round match to top-seed/eventual tournament runner-up, Cross Wasilewski (NJ), 1-0, where a 2nd period escape was the deciding factor, the 2019 NYS DI bronze medalist (presently #4 in the large school charts), fought back to string together wins in five consolation bouts before ultimately being eliminated two wins short of the medal stand...Of these five wins, four came in the form of pins as he stuck Thomier White (Delaware) in 1:12, Jordan Barry (PA) in 1:21, Christian Giltz (Ohio) in 4:40, and Chase Casey (NJ) at the 3:48 mark...He also registered a 5-1 decision against Alex Gavronsky (Massachusetts)!
James Carlock (Collegiate School) went 1-2 at 113 pounds to round out the performances of our OFFICIAL reps!
While it may not technically count, a trio of former NY attendee/remaining residents, added to the excitement as Leo DeLuca (Blair Academy), Carter Schubert (Wyoming Seminary), and Chris Crawford (Wyoming Seminary) placed 1st, 4th, and 8th at their chosen weights of 113/160/145!
DeLuca, who cut his teeth in the sport by doing his initial training at the Journeymen Wrestling Club, followed up a 4th place showing at the Walsh Ironman a week ago by buzz sawing his way through his bracket with four 1st period pins, a decisive 11-4 decision + one forfeit...The Bucs' freshman posted his most significant wins of the tourney on Sunday, pinning fellow top-50 2025 prospect/2021 Fargo FS All-American, Carson Walsh (NJ) in 69 seconds in the quarters, before wrapping up his body of work with the decision over 2x Prep Nats AA, Tommy Link (PA) in the semifinals, and a 1:44 stick in the finale over yet another heralded diaper dandy/2021 NHSCA MS National titlist/Multi-time Roller Series AA and/or champ, Tahir Parkins (PA)!
Schubert, the 2021 Journeymen State champ while donning the HFL colors, continued to raise his stock with each additional appearance!!! An 8th place finisher At Ironman, the Cougar turned Blue Knight vaulted his way into the semifinals when he rode out 3x Virginia State titlist/2021 NHSCA National Champion/2019 Fargo runner-up, Nicholas Vafiadis (#17 in the country), to win a 1-0 decision to close out his Saturday evening!...Last week, it was the Virginian that dealt NY's #1 ranked Zack Ryder (Minisink Valley) his only defeat in Ohio (Ironman)...
Schubert faltered in two of his last three matches, to the eventual 2nd (#6 @145 Simon Ruiz; NJ) and 3rd place ( #9 Lorenzo Norman) finishers, but did tack on a 4-1 decision in the consolation semis over 2021 NJ silver medalist/2021 Super 32 7th, Dakota Morris (NJ)...Earlier in the event (round of 16), the former Section V gem pitched a 3-0 shutout over 2021 National Prep Invitational AA (7th), Owen Quinn (PA) to further enhance his list of greatest hits!
After losing his 2nd round bout, Crawford, who took 5th in NYS as a freshman while at Beacon, strung together a run of five straight wins before dropping his last two outings...All in all, his 6-3 record was sufficient to put him in the money!
"AROUND THE STATE"
Section II: LEE VAN SLYKE MEMORIAL DUALS
Round-Robin Records:
Tioga-4: 5-0
Burnt Hills-2: 4-1
Central Valley Academy-3: 3-2
Uniondale-8: 3-2
Saratoga Springs-2: 0-5
Description
Despite losing key bouts at 126, 132 and 172 pounds, it was our top-ranked DII program from Tioga knocking off #3 (DI) Burnt Hills (on enemy territory) by a narrow 36-27 margin en route to a perfect 5-0 record and the team title at the Lee Van Slyke Memorial Duals...
Aided by forfeits at 102 (Logan Bellis) and Deakon Bailey (110), the Tigers also received huge wins in the crown-deciding dual from Caden Bellis (138) and Donavan Smith (152)!
Bellis (2020 NYS 4th), who currently holds the top billing in the small school polls, earned a 5-2 decision over two-time Section II medalist/2020 runner-up, Colin Carlin.
Smith (7th at 2021 Journeymen States), sitting in the #3 spot of his weight class, emerged with a 6-4 sudden victory decision over 2020 S2 medalist (6th), Joshua Warland!
In the losing effort for the Spartans, it was #10 Liam Carlin remained undefeated in 2021-2022 when he won a 3-1 sudden victory decision versus #1 ranked/2020 NYS Champion, Gianni Silvestri!
#5 Gabe Goss, the 2020 S2 runner-up, pitched the 1-0 shutout at 132 pounds over #4 Mason Welch (2020 State 8th)!
#4 Ryan Buthfer (2020 S2 5th) prevailed by a razor thin 3-1 margin over #3 (@160) Emmett Wood (2020 NYS 7th) in their bout at 172 pounds!
Other Notable Results:
110: #7 Gene Edwards (Central Valley Acad) dec. #10 ranked/2020 S2 4th, Tyler Whitely (Burnt Hills), 4-2
110: #6 Deakon Bailey (Tioga) pinned Edwards (Central Valley Acad.) 3:35
126: Liam Carlin (Burnt Hills) Majored #10 Cooper Reed (Central Valley Acad.), 12-2
126: Gianni Silvestri (Tioga) Majored Coopr Reed (Central Valley Acad), 9-0
138: Colin Carlin (Burnt Hills) TF 2020 Vermont State 3rd, Noah Powell (Essex)
138: Colin Carlin (Burnt Hills) pinned 2020 S2 5th, Kyle Griskowitz (Saratoga Springs) 3:01
138: Santino Curley (Central Valley Acad) Majored Noah Powell (Essex), 11-3
138: Noah Powell (Essex) pinned Kyle Griskowitz (Saratoga Springs) 1:02
138: Caden Bellis (Tioga) pinned Kyle Griskowitz (Saratoga Springs) 0:57
145: 2020 S2 Champion/#5 Tyler Rossini (Burnt Hills) dec. 2019 NYS 6th, Sixx Cook (Central Valley Acad), 6-5
152: Donovan Smith (Tioga) Majored 2x S3 medalist/#9 Kace Cook (Central Valley Acad)
172: 2x Vermont State runner-up, Gill Stawriski (Essex) Majored Ryan Buthfer (Burnt Hills), 11-1
189: 2020 Vermont Bronze medalist, Oliver Oruis (Essex) pinned 2020 S2 5th, Danny Casey (Burnt Hills)
189: Lorenzo Paleschi (Saratoga Springs) pinned Danny Casey (Burnt Hills) 5:34
189: 2020 S3 Champion/#3 Ethan Randall (Central Valley) pinned Oliver Oruius (Essex) 4:53
____________________________________________________________________________
Section VIII: DAVID C. BlOOM MEMORIAL DUALS
Description
In a clash of top-10 DI programs in Nassau County, the host Wantagh Warriors successfully defended their home turf against Hewlett, but the victory did not come easy...
Trailing at one point by a margin of 22-3 and without the services of their senior captain, Benny Rogers (who was competing at the Beast of the East; see above), the Paul Gillespie mentored squad dug deep and went on to get their respective arms raised in seven of the final eight bouts to pull off the remarkable 40-28 comeback to claim the crown at the Bloom Memorial Duals...
Getting the machine running were the dynamite Clem twins---#7 Anthony (2021 NYS 7th) and #4 Joe (2020 Section 8 runner-up) who registered back-to-back 1st period falls in sub-1:00 times...The latter’s [Joe] pin in 41 ticks came against 2020 S8 6th, Kirk Smith in a clash of the top-ranked 126-pounder vs. #3 @118 In the LIWA Nassau County polls!
At 132 pounds, Thomas Bonasera (who was state ranked earlier in the year) kept momentum rolling when he pitched a 6-0 shutout over 2020 Sectional silver medalist/#1 in Nassau @126, Ariel Waldman, to draw Wantagh within 22-18...
2020 S8 5th, Ryan Arbeit, squared the dual at 22 apiece when he earned a 13-0 major decision at 128 pounds against Diego Gonzalez...
The boys of Beltagh Avenue seized their first lead at 145 as 2019 County medalist (5th), Jesse Vanorden, needed a little more than half a minute (0:32) to stick Ben Sheerit!
Now up by 6 (28-22), the Black & Gold dynasty all but cemented the victory when a costly slam call against #2 @160 (in Nassau) Jonathon Zenny resulted in a disqualification victory for Matthew McCoy (#5 In Nassau) to create a 12pt separation with just two matches still to be contested.
State-ranked (#9) Josh Gendlin briefly maintained hope for the Bulldogs when he pinned Dean Roumbos in 5:21 at 160 pounds, but any fleeting chance of salvaging a tie was shattered when Luke Janosko (#7 in NYWN charts) secured the mat slap in 5:24 over Oleg Daniloff In the dual finale...This was Janosko’s lone appearance of the event; so he really picked his moment perfectly!
Hewlett was able to establish that early edge thanks to huge contributions from Jacob Maiorano (2021 NYS 5th; currently ranked 4th) and Eric Gendlin among others...
Maiorano pinned the #5 ranked (in Nassau), Nick Aldrino at the 1:45 mark, while Gendlin (#5 in S8 at 110) stuck Benjamin Burkhardt (#3 in Nassau @102) in 3:14!
Both Clems, as well as Arbeit, Bonasera, and Vanorden all accumulated immaculate 4-0 records as Wantagh also came away with team triumphs over Rhode Island powerhouse, Bishop Hendricken (48-22), East Meadow (54-16), and Locust Valley (63-9)
Other Notable Results:
126: 2020 Nassau Blood rounder, Nick Chimienti (East Meadow) Maj 2020 S8 4th, Evan Shriberg (Locust Valley), 14-0
126: Nick Chimienti (East Meadow) dec. Ariel Waldman (Hewlett), 5-4
126: Ariel Waldman (Hewlett) dec. Evan Shriberg (Locust Valley), 5-1
126: Joseph Clem (Wantagh) TF Nick Chimienti (East Meadow), 16-0
152: Jonathan Zenny (Hewlett) dec. 2021 RI State runner-up, Noah Sclama, 7-5
152: Matthew Rodriguez (East Meadow) pinned #5 (in Nassau) Matthew McCoy (Wantagh) 2:13
172: 2021 RI State 3rd, Spencer Fine (Bishop Hendricken) Major #1 @160 (in Nassau) Noah Corwin (Wantagh), 11-3
189: Caleb Sclama (Bishop Hendricken) pinned 2020 S8 3rd, Colby Zino (Locust Valley) 3:32
189: Steven Edwards (East Meadow) Maj. #4 (in Nassau) Ethan Merone (Wantagh), 13-2
189: Sean Roberts (Locust Valley) dec. Ethan Merone (Wantagh), 6-3
215: CJ Kelly (Locust Valley) pinned 2021 RI State 6th, Tyler Dellegemine (Bishop Hendricken) 2:24
285: 2x RI State Champion, Adolfo Betancur (Bishop Hendricken) pinned Jacob Maiorano (Hewlett) 3:26
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