For the seventh time in the 30-year history of the event, a wrestler representing a New York State based high school traveled to Delaware and emerged as an individual champion at the prestigious Beast of the East!!!
Doing "Blue Devil Nation" proud by becoming just the second Forks' student-athlete to win the BOE crown (Troy Nickerson went back-to-back in 2002 and 2023 at 112/119 pounds), 3x NYS finalist/2x defending titlist, Tyler Ferrara, compiled a 6-0 overall record between Saturday and Sunday, to be the last man standing in the 126-pound bracket!!
Commencing his journey to the top of the podium behind a fall in 5:06 over 2022 South Carolina State 4th, Caiden Saavedra, NYWN's #2 2023 prospect added victories by scores of 20-5 and 3-0 over opponents from South Carolina [Peyton Schrader] and Ohio [Jace Jett] to close out day #1...
Picking up right where he left off on Sunday morning, the future Cornell Big Red student-athlete locked up top-8 distinction when utilized an escape and takedown in the 2nd period to pitch a 3-0 quarterfinal shutout over 2022 Tennessee State champ/2022 NHSCA AA (6th), Jarvis Little!
Demonstrating his ability to score from any position on the mat, the big blow in his semifinal contest with returning NJ State 6th, Carson Walsh, came approximately a half-minute into the final period (trailing 1-0 following a 2nd period escape by the Garden Stater), as he exploded off bottom to earn a reversal to the back for 2 + a full set of swipes to transform a minor deficit into a comfortable 5-1 lead....A Walsh E1 with 1:13 remaining in duration made the final tally closer, but did not change the outcome!
Making one hell of a compelling argument to see his name in the national polls later this week, Ferrara completed the mission when he kicked free :13 into the second period and then converted a TD (duck into a high-C; head-wheel into a helicopter spin) in the last 30 ticks of the middle stanza to build a 3-0 edge en route to a 3-1 decision over #15 in the nation, Coleman Nogle (2x Prep National AA (4th in 2020, 6th in 2022); 4x Fargo All-American; 2021 BOE 4th)...Nogle's lone point came via an escape early in the 3rd period!
By virtue of his triumph, Ferrara now joins the company of the aforementioned Nickerson, as well as Josh Etu (Queensbury; 1997 @215), Matt Herrington (LaSalle; 2001 @171), Trevor Chinn (Canandaigua Academy; 2003 @145), and Stevo Poulin (Shenendehowa; 2019 @113)!!!
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Complementing Ferrara's individual glory was a trio of fellow Empire Staters that also successfully landed themselves a spot on podium---Cam Catrabone (3rd @144), Nolan Liess (7th @150), and Dunia Sibomana-Rodriguez (8th @106)...
Ranked 14th in the nation, the three-time NYS medalist/2x Super placer, Catrabone would go 7-1 this weekend (including ending on a four-match winning streak), highlighted by a 4-3 victory in the third place match over #12 in the nation, Colin Dupill (2022 TN State Champion/2x Virginia titlist; 2021 NHSCA National runner-up) to avenge his only blemish!!
Striking for the opening TD with approximately half a minute remaining in the 1st period, NYWN's #2 2024 prospect caught his opponent pushing forward and temporarily whipped him to his back before eventually just spinning behind to hold a 2-0 advantage after 1:00...
A pair of Catrabone escapes escapes (1:23 remaining; 0:38 to go), sandwiched around a Dupill takedown accounted for the scoring in the 2nd period, as the 3x NYS medalist headed to the final 120 seconds up 4-2...
Dupill cut the deficit to 4-3 when he escaped 24 ticks into the 3rd...He would push the pace down the stretch and certainly have his opportunity to steal the "w"...
But to the credit of Catrabone, he refused to crack, as he fended off multiple promising attacks to earn his vengeance!!!
Prior to getting his revenge, the future second-generation Michigan Wolverine posted wins in consolation matches against the likes of 2021 NJ State 4th, Joe Davi (4-2 sv); 3x NJSIAA State Qualifier, Mayson Harms (3-0); and 2022 Pennsylvania State 6th, Max Stein (fall in 2:10)!
Catrabone secured a berth into the quarterfinals when he pinned 2022 Virginia titlist, Owen Cherry, at the 2:58 mark to put a cap on day #1!!!
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The Patriot turned Blue Knight, Liess, was a 2022 NYS DI Qualifier for Penfield before opting to write the last chapter of his scholastic story at perennial powerhouse, Wyoming Seminary...
Making a strong impression on his new coach [Cornell Robinson] and teammates, the former three-time S5 medalist amassed a 6-2 resume, knocking off 3x Virginia medalist/2022 runner-up, Issac Hegg, 5-1 in the blood round, and then wrapping up a solid effort by shattering a 0-0 deadlock by converting a takedown :20 into sudden victory to upend NJ representative, Benjamin Garcia, 2-0, in the 7th place match!
Earlier in the festivities, he earned an 8-6 decision in the championship round of 32 over 2022 Florida State 5th, Michael Sainz!
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Sibomana-Rodriguez, the defending NYS DI State gold medalist out of Long Beach, split his six appearances (3-3), including an eight takedown display in his opening-round victory (19-5 major) over his NY brethren, Cooper Merli (Newburgh Free Academy) in a clash of the #1 ranked wrestler at 110 vs. #1 @102...
Like Ferrara and Catrabone, our top-rated 2026 in-state stud advanced to Sunday morning's quarterfinals after pinning 2x Virginia State runner-up, Nicholas Sanders, in the round of 16!
His last win of the tourney came in the blood round when a 2nd period reversal, coupled with a punishing 3rd period ride (induced a stall point) produced a 3-0 decision in a battle of cross-state heralded frosh versus NJ's Cole Hagerty!
The 8th place honor makes him the second member of his family to be a BOE medalist...In 2017, as a lead-up to eventual state title run, older brother, Elijah Rodriguez, was 5th at 195 pounds!
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Highlighted by three head-to-to-head clashes between ranked foes, the action on the Salem-Cambridge campus was fierce!!!
Leading the parade at 118 pounds was Glens Falls' senior, Avi Berg, who knocked off a pair of top-15 opponents in back-to-back rounds to act as the only individual titlist for the Indians....Ranked 11th in the DII polls, the 2020 NYSPHSAA Qualifier [Berg] punched his ticket into the finale when he earned an 11-8 decision in the semis over DI #9, Justin Mullis (Hudson Falls) in a clash of former and/or returning S2 silver medalists...He then preceded to pin 2022 NYS DI 8th place finisher/DI #8 ranked, Tyler Whiteley (Burnt Hills), with 14 ticks remaining in the 2nd period to notch one of the biggest wins of his varsity career!
215 witnessed a collision of the DII #2 vs. DI #11 in the persons of crowd favorite, Evan Day (Salem-Cambridge) and Jaydon Aquirre-Hamlin (Colonie)...Notching his third pin in as many attempts on Saturday, Day showed off those 2022 NYSPHSAA bronze medal-winning skills when he stuck the 2022 S2 runner-up/NYS DI Qualifier [Aquirre-Hamlin] in just 32 seconds!
Treating us to a proper main event at 285 were two giants that could/should meet up again in February on the grandest stage...Ranked 2nd and 5th in the DI polls, it was the 2x NYS medalist/2022 NHSCA 3rd/2022 Fargo Jr. GR 4th, #2 Stephan Monchery (Middletown), surprisingly making quick work of fifth-ranked/2022 NYS DI Qualifier, Will Hotaling, when he handed the Raiders' senior his first loss of 2022-2023 by way of a fall at the 1:06 mark...Surprisingly, the finals bout proved to be less dramatic than the semifinals, as Monchery needed a takedown in sudden victory to survive, 3-1, against unranked Kamdyn Dorchester (Carthage)...Hotaling doubled up fellow returning state participant/#9 Rahmiere Bradley ( also of Middletown), 6-3, on the bottom half of the bracket to split his two matches against the "Big Bear" elite!!!
Seven of the remaining 10 individual crowns were seized by representatives from either team champs, Carthage (3 gold, 6 total finalists), or runners-up, Burnt Hills (4-1 in finals bouts)...
At 102 and 132 pounds respectively, it was Ryan Munn and Shay Sinitiere (2022 S3 champion/2022 NYS Qualifier) knocking off Comet teammates, Jackson Wells and Logan Munn (2022 Sectional 3rd), by scores of 2-1 and 9-4...In the semis, Munn also came away with a 10-2 major decision over formerly top-15 ranked, Brody Dicaprio (Burnt Hills)!!
Junior, Landon Copley (4th in S3 last season), secured the third title of the day for Carthage when he beat the buzzer in the 2nd period to pin DII #14/2x S2 placer, Dom Doyle (Hudson Falls), with just :02 remaining in the middle stanza to hoist hardware at 126 pounds!
After seeing their friend, Whiteley, fall in his title bout, the murderer's row of Liam Carlin (2022 NYS DI 4th), Gabriel Goss (2022 NYS DI 7th), Colin Carlin (3x S2 medalist/2020 sectional runner-up), and Thomas Pawlinga (2022 State Qualifier), strung together victories in four straight weight classes, as they dominated the competition from 138-160!
Pinning his way into the finals with a pair of 1st period sticks, the first of the two Carlins (ranked 6th @132) finally went the distance in the championship contest, but was in full control nevertheless, as he racked up a 9-1 decision against 2x S9 medalist, Jayden Norris (Middletown)...
#6 Goss also recorded falls in the quarter and semifinal rounds before lighting up the scoreboard to the tune of a 21-6 technical fall in the 145-pound finals versus Ayden Grieve (Glens Falls)!
Carlin #2 (who is ranked 3rd) managed to outdo his brother, as he went pin from start to finish, culminated by a fall in 3:11 over Hudson Falls' Logan Staunton!
The only Spartan champion not to have a # next to his name, Pawlinga was determined to change that fact, as he compiled a 4-0 record that featured three pins, with the last of the hat trick coming at 1:44 in his title win over Hunter Sanderson (Carthage)...
Vincent Mastrianni (110), Jesse Mullis (172), and Bryson Tibbs (189) rounded out our champions list...
An 11-0 winner in his quarterfinal match over Dylan Keech (South Glens Falls), the 2022 S2 5th [Mastrianni] wrapped up his journey by besting back-to-back members of the Dill family, shutting out Henry (sectional 6th in 2022), 9-0, and then prevailing 8-1 over Angie (2021 UWW U17 World Women's Bronze Medalist) to put Colonie on the scoreboard!
DI #13 Mullis (Hudson Falls), 3rd in S2 in 2022, never saw the third period in any of his appearances, as his quickest mat slap occurred in the 172-pound finals, when he stuck Sean Heaney (Hudson Falls) in 20 ticks!
DI sixth-ranked Tibbs (Middletown) displayed the form that made him a 2022 S9 runner-up/NYS DI Qualifier, as he never was extended beyond the 1st period, stockpiling falls in all three of his outings...In the championship match (his shortest appearance), Tibbs needed just :37 to put away Nathan Phipps of Glens Falls!
Finals
102: Ryan Munn (Carthage) dec. Jackson Wells (Carthage) 2-1
110: Vincent Mastrianni (Colonie) dec. Angie Dill (Salem-Cambridge) 8-1
118: Avi Berg (Glens Falls) pinned Tyler Whiteley (Burnt Hills) 3:46
126: Landon Copley (Carthage) pinned Dom Doyle (Hudson Falls) 3:58
132: Shay Sinitiere (Carthage) dec Logan Munn (Carthage) 9-4
138: Liam Carlin (Burnt Hills) maj dec Jayden Norris (Middletown) 9-1
145: Gabriel Goss (Burnt Hills) TF Ayden Grieve (Glens Falls) 21-6
152: Colin Carlin (Burnt Hills) pinned Logan Staunton (Hudson Falls) 3:11
160: Thomas Pawlinga (Burnt Hills) pinned Hunter Sanderson (Carthage) 1:44
172: Jesse Mullis (Hudson Falls) pinned Sean Heaney (Hudson Falls) :20
189: Bryson Tibbs (Middletown) pinned Nathan Phipps (Glens Falls) :37
215: Evan Day (Salem-Cambridge) pinned Jaydon Aquirre-Hamlin (Colonie) :32
285: Stephan Monchery (Middletown) pinned Will Hotaling (Colonie) 1:05
Still not operating at full capacity while they await the return of defending Small School State Champion, Ousmane Duncanson, 2022 DII state runner-up, Caden Bellis, and state Qualifier, Drew Macumber, to the line-up, Tioga Tiger Nation gave the Evil Empire a glimpse into the kind of carnage it can inflict, as it posted a 3-0 record in finals bouts and placed five additional reps on the podium to cruise to a nearly 30-point win (over runner-up Walton-Delaware Academy) at the Doane...
Leaning on 2022 State medalists---Jayden Duncanson (126), Gianni Silvestri (132). and Tyler Roe (138), the juggernaut out of section 4 peeled earned brass rings in three consecutive classes to lead all participating schools in terms of total titlists...
Duncanson, a bronze medalist in Albany last February, stepped on the mat ranked 5th in the DII polls, but is sure to be moving up following a 3-1 victory in the 126-pound finale agains third-ranked/2020 NYS DII State 7th, Joey Florance (BGAH)...The fab freshman for the Tigers posted an identical score in the semis, as he upended 2022 S3 4th place finisher, Hunter Lines (Homer)...Florance reached the ship with a fall in 1:45 over returning S4 gold medalist, Kaeden Hubbard (Chenango Valley); The Bear senior also emerged with a 2-1 decision over DII 15th-ranked Deakon Bailey (Tioga), in the quarters!!
3x State medalist/2x DII Champion, Silvesti (currently ranked 2nd at 132), won his gold when he administered a 3-0 goose-egging over #4 ranked/2x State 5th, Trevor Cortright (Chenango Valley), in a battle of multiple-time state placers...The victory over Cortright was the only time all day that NYWN's #4 2024 prospect [Silvestri] went the distance, as he pinned his two earlier foes, including a stick in 1:54 over 2022 S9 5th, Logan Pennell (Pine Bush)...Cortright locked up his spot via a fall at the 5:22 mark over 3x Sectional 4th, Jose Bivar (BGAH)...
Third-ranked/2022 DII State 5th, Roe, had both the busiest and the most relaxing day of the trifecta, as he compiled a 4-0 record (all pins), which he culminated via a mat slap with :20 remaining in the 1st period versus 2022 S4 6th, Mathew Boyce (Windsor)!...To the credit of Boyce, he propelled himself into the money round when he knocked off 11th ranked Ethan Randis (Chenango Valley) in the semis...
While our reigning DII team champs were rolling as a collective unit, it was a pair of individual 2022 NYS DII kings also thriving, as Darren Florance (110) and Sam Sorenson (215) both kept their perfect seasons intact by punishing anyone that dare step on the mat with them!
The former [Florance], who sits in the top-spot of the DII charts at 110 pounds, left no mystery as to why he has been a state finalist the past two years and is heavily favored to hoist hardware for a second straight year in 2023, as he cruised to an 8-1 decision in the title match over fifth-ranked/2022 NYS 8th, Anthony Valls (Chenango Valley...The commanding decision over Valls came on the heels of an equally statement-making triumph for the #15 in the nation (per Flo), as the Bear junior previously piled up points in a 16-0 TF over #10 (in the state), Owen Clark (Lansing)...Valls' path to the finals also took him through a fellow top-15, as he shutout #15 Logan Bellis (Tioga), 3-0, in the bottom half of the bracket!
The future West Point Black Knight, Sorenson, is well on his way to another undefeated campaign (has not lost a HS match since his freshman year in 2020 as part of a 5th place showing at the NYS tourney)...Pitted against rival, #3 Garrett Bidwell (6th at the 2022 DII State tournament on behalf of Windor), the two-time defending titlist/2x NHSCA AA/2022 Fargo Jr. GR AA hailing from Section III Homer put away his foe with a fall at the 1:43 mark!!! The pin was the third of the day in as many attempts for the Trojan thoroughbred!...The finale not going his way, Bidwell still had reason to hold his head high, as he recorded a 9-1 major decision in he semis over ninth-ranked/2022 NYS DII 7th, Matthew Oosterom (Port Jervis)!
In the last remaining finals bout involving a head-to-head between ranked oppositions, it was 12th-ranked @152/2022 State Qualifier, Owen Emmick (Lansing), dropping down to 145 pounds to claim a punishing 11-0 major decision over the #11-ranked man in the weight class/2x S4 placer, Noah Sovocoll (Walton-Delaware Academy)...
Top-15s winning 11 of 13 crowns, it was Charlie Wylie (102) and Braydon Pennell (189) delivering gold to Section 9, Aiden Shufelt & Trevor Harrington (172) adding to the section 4 title haul, and Landon Andrade closing the show by winning S3's second straight title (Sorenson at 215)...
Returning DII State Qualifer/defending S9 champ, Wylie, the 18th-ranked woman in the USA Wrestling Girls National polls/#3 in NYS DII rankings, recorded falls in her first two bouts before utilizing a 10-0 major decision (over Aiden Branigan) and a 3-0 decision (against Hayden Robinson) in the semis and finals versus a pair of reps from the host school (Walton-Delaware Academy)!
Pennell, 13th in the DI rankings, pinned his way through the 189-pound bracket. His final victim, Kamrin Stanton (Walton-Delaware Academy), succumbed at 1:28!!
DII #7 Shufelt, who took 5th in the state last season, barely broke a sweat, as a pair of sub-1:00 pins got him into the championship match, and then a 9-0 major decision over Justin Somers (Walton-Delaware Academy) completed the objective!
Harrington, the 2022 NYS Qualifier, who presently occupies the #10 spot in the DII charts, was very generous during the holidays, as he provided free tours of the gymnasium lights to all three of his opponents, including sticking 2022 Section 4 5th, Isaac Allen (Groton) with 10 ticks to go in the 2nd period!
After finishing 6th last year in the S3 championships, ninth-ranked Andrade has been unbeatable thus far in 2022-2023, as he picked up his third tournament win (Clyde Cole, Penfield-Hunter) by going 3-for-3 in pins over his opponents...Not seeing the 2nd period of any of his outings, the Marauder super sophomore needed just 94 seconds to pin Homer's Sean Brown, for the prize at 285 pounds!
Sam Parkison (Deposit-Hancock) notched a signature win at 160 pounds when he pinned DII #9/2022 State Qualifier, Anthony McMillen of Lansing in the finals...
Peyton Tweedie (Walton-Delaware Academy) made certain that the host Warriors did not go without a reason to celebrate, as his 5-4 decision at 152 over Pine Bush's Ethan Conrow, put his school in the champions category!
Finals
102: Charlie Wylie (Port Jervis) dec. Hayden Robinson (Walton-Delaware Academy) 3-0
110: Darren Florance (BGAH) dec. Anthony Valls (Chenango Valley) 8-1
118: Aidan Shufelt (Groton) Maj dec. Justin Somers (Walton-Delaware Academy) 9-0
126: Jayden Duncanson (Tioga) dec. Joey Florance (BGAH) 3-1
132: Gianni Silvestri (Tioga) dec. Trevor Cortright (Chenango Valley) 3-0
138: Tyler Roe (Tioga) pinned Mathew Boyce (Windsor) 1:40
145: Owen Emmick (Lansing) Maj dec. Noah Sovocool (Walton-Delaware Academy) 10-0
152: Peyton Tweedie (Walton-Delaware Academy) dec. Ethan Conrow (Pine Bush) 5-4
160: Sam Parkison (Deposit-Hancock) pinned Anthony McMillen (Lansing) 4:44
172 : Trevor Harrington (Sidney) pinned Isaac Allen (Groton) 3:50
189: Braydon Pennell (Pine Bush) pinned Kamrin Stanton (Walton-Delaware Acad.) 1:28
215: Sam Sorenson (Homer) pinned Garrett Bidwell (Windsor) 1:43
285 :Landon Andrade (Sherburne-Earlville) pinned Sean Brown (Homer) 1:34
What a weekend it was for the 9th-ranked (DI) Cadet squad out of Hilton!!
Claiming the team title at the Monroe County Championships for the first time since 2018, East Avenue was abuzz on Saturday night thanks in large part to the contributions of a tournament-leading four individual titlists (11 total placers)!!!!
Winning their crowns at 102, 160, 189, and 215 pounds---Jonathan Testa, Landon Lazarek, Elijah Diakomihalis, and Nate Kasper, were nothing short of spectacular in returning their school to the top of the proverbial Section 5 mountaintop!!!
#13 (DI) Testa, who moved up from 6th at this event last year to the top step of the podium, was utterly dominant, recording bonus points in all four of his matches, including a five-takedown affair in the finals that surged him to an 11-2 major decision over Pittsford's Adam Gerby...
Lazarek, who stepped on the mat ranked 11th, was the victor in a clash of top-15s, as he exploded for an escape and a pair of takedowns in the 3rd period to emerge with a 5-2 decision against fifth-ranked/2x Sectional 4th, Coy Raines (Churchville-Chili)...In his previous outing, he secured the berth to the ship via a fall in 1:23 versus 2022 S5 6th, Joseph Caudle of Brockport!
#3 (DI) Diakomihalis, who defended the crown he won last year at this weight in emphatic fashion, added to the legacy of his name by winning the clan's NINTH brass ring....With the exception of 2019, a Diakomihalis brother has won gold every year from 2013-current, with Yianni winning in 2013, 2014, and 2015; and Greg finishing 1st in 2015-2018 (no tournament in 2020)....The 2022 NYS DI bronze medalist [Elijah D.] wrapped up a four-pin weekend when he stuck returning sectional 5, Mason Depew (Canandaigua Academy) in 1:13!
His teammates already firmly in the polls, perhaps the biggest win of Saturday came courtesy of Kasper, who entered unranked, but should have a number decorating his name pretty soon following a performance that witnessed him upend the the 7th and 10th rated gentlemen in his weight class...Putting on a master class from the top position in his semifinal and final matches, he turned #10/2022 S5 3rd, Wyatt Kauffman (Attica-Batavia) on four separate occasions between the 1st and 2nd periods, and then added a 3rd period reversal en route to an 18-2 technical fall to advance to the ship...In the 215-pound finale, he capitalized off of a 1st period reversal + NF to do all of his scoring in a 4-3 decision against #7/2022 NYS Qualifier, Jackson Burns (Spencerport)...Burns has now been a bridesmaid in back-to-back years at this tourney!
In addition to the aforementioned Diakomihalis, three other studs would repeat the feat from 2021, as Christopher Noto (110), Casper Stewart (152), and Ty Rader (285) all did that top line of the bracket proudly...
2022 NYS DII State bronze winner, #3 (DII) Noto (HFL), who like the Diakomihalis family, is no stranger to collecting Monroe County gold (older brother Anthony was a 3x titlist in 2016, 2017, and 2019), kept his perfect freshman year intact when he used one TD apiece in each of the first two periods as the foundation of a 5-0 decision over lifelong friend, #13 (DI) Ryan Cielinski (Spencerport)!
DI #1 @145, Stewart (Attica Batavia), NWN's #2 prospect on the 2024 Big Board, won the crown for the third time in four attempts (runner-up in 2019), bumped up to 152 and did not skip a beat, as the 2x NYS medalist/2x NHSCA AA/2x Fargo AA blitzed the field to the tune of a 5-0 record, including 1st period falls in each of his last three bouts...His shortest stint on the mat occurring in the championship contest, he required a mere 22 ticks to glue Rush-Henrietta's Kenny Blowers!
10th-ranked (DI) Rader (Victor), a 2022 Sectional bronze medalist, saw gold for the second time in his scholastic career at the Monroe behind a 48-second sticking of #13 (DI) Jackson Nixon (Pittsford)...His finals win considerably more relaxing and less taxing than his prior appearance, Rader literally had to sweat it out in the semis, as he needed a takedown with :32 remaining in sudden victory to survive, 3-1, over Greece's Connor Coughlin!...To boot, his quarterfinal was quite tense, as he trailed 5-4 at the start of the 3rd period and did not retake the lead until approximately 32 ricks remaining in regulation in his war with Tyler Beatzold (Attica Batavia)!
After a two-year absence, Spencerport's Cal Russo returned to the top step of the podium (previously won in 2019) at 138 pounds, as the current DI #6/2x Sectional 5 titlist, broke a 3-3 tie in the 3rd period when he struck for his second TD of the match in the last 54 ticks to emerge with a 5-3 decision over DII #5/2022 NYS DII 7th, Jazz Spaulding (HFL)...Spaulding was a defending champion at this this event, having won it all at 118 a season ago!
Patience was a virtue and the wait finally came to an end for a pair of #1s at 145 and 172, as Nicholas Noto joined his younger brother in bringing fame to HFL, while Brady Unger got registered the lone crown for Fairport!!!
A runner-up to [Casper] Stewart in 2021, our top-ranked DII 145-pounder/3x NYS medalist, Noto, punctuated the "Monroe County" chapter of his decorated tenure as a Cougar when he pinned Rush-Henrietta's Jackson Koppers (DI #9 @138) at the 1:37 mark in a clash of 2022 Section 5 gold medalists....The dub over Koppers was the second of a pair that Noto notched over a fellow ranked nemesis, as earlier, he recorded takedowns in each of the three periods to defeat DI #11 @138/2022 NYS Qualifier, Dino Battisti (Brockport), 7-1, in the semis!...Koopers, who fell in the finals for the third straight attempt, reached the title match via a 3-2 decision on the bottom half of the bracket over #6 (DI)/2x S5 placer, Jacob Mendola, (Webster Thomas)!
The third time truly was the charm for 2022 NYS DI 3rd, Unger, who after silver medal displays in 2019 (132) and 2021 (160), earned the right to rejoice when he tore through the 172-pound bracket...Stockpiling falls from opening whistle to final buzzer, the future Buffalo Bull never went beyond 2:00, as he reached his destination via a 1:11 pin of 9th-ranked (DI)/2x sectional medalist, #9 (DI) Sam Ricci (Victor)!...Splitting the rivalry with Fairport, Ricci punched his ticket to the money match when he bested Unger's teammate, #11 (DI)/2022 S5 4th, JT Hohman, 10-2!....Note: Former Monroe gold medalist/#4 ranked, Jake Aina (Spencerport), was in the bracket, but forfeited out of the event after winning his initial bout!
Playing second fiddle to no man by emerging in two of the most loaded brackets of the weekend were Kiernan Magee (Penfield) & Zach Gerby (Pittsford) who struck it rich at 118 and 132 pounds respectively...
Magee, a 2021 Journeymen State 6th, who presently sits in the #3 spot of the DI polls, won the battle of unbeatens in the finals when he scored a takedown with :20 remaining in sudden victory to knock off 2022 S5 runner-up/current DI #9, Richard Wood (Brockport), 4-2...One round earlier, he collected an equally banner triumph in the form of a 6-3 doubling-up of 2022 NYS DII 4th/DII #5 ranked, Jacob McVige (HFL)...
#13 (DI) @138, Gerby, cut to 132 and the decision was rewarded handsomely, as he conquered a pair of top-15s in his last two appearances, scoring TDs in the 1st and 3rd periods (sandwiched around a 2nd period reversal) to beat #12 (DII) Waylan Winseman (2022 S5 3rd) of HFL, 6-2, in the semis...Trailing 2-1 as the clock dipped below half-a-minute to go, he'd earn a reversal in the last 20 seconds to steal a 3-2 decision against Hilton's #13 (DI) Tyler Simons (2022 S5 3rd)...While he may have come up a bit short in the end, Simons has ever reason to be "chin up", as he posted a 5-3 sv decision in the top half of the bracket versus DI #4/2022 NYS Qualifier, Cael Raines (Churchville-Chili)!
Pittsford's Samson Mckissick-Stale was the only non-ranked wrestler to win a title on Saturday...Pitted in the 126-pound finals against Fairport's #13 (DI) Phillip Provenzano (3rd in the S5 championships in 2022), Mckissick-Stale shocked the crowd when he stuck his opponent 33 seconds into the 3rd period....Earlier in the festivities, he collected back-to-back major decisions (13-0, 8-0) in the quarter and semifinal rounds over returning S5 4th place finishers---Paul Rose (Brockport) & Makhare Rogers (Rush-Henrietta)...Provenzano fought out of a 6-2 hole at the end of the 1st period to eventually beat 2022 NYS DII runner-up/DII #5 ranked, Andrew Spaulding (HFL), 9-7, in sudden victory to reach the finale!
Finals
102: Jon Testa (Hilton) Maj Dec. Adam Gerby (Pittsford), 11-2
110: Christopher Noto (HFL) dec. Ryan Cieslinski (Spencerport), 5-0
118: Kiernan Magee (Penfield) dec. Richard Wood (Brockport), 4-2 sv
126: Samson Mckissick-Staley (Pittsford) pinned Philly Provenzano (Fairport) 4:33
132: Zach Gerby (Pittsford) dec. Tyler Simons (Hilton), 3-2
138: Cal Russo (Spencerport) dec. Jazz Spaulding (HFL), 5-3
145: Nicholas Noto (HFL) pinned Jackson Koppers (Rush Henrietta) 1:37
152: Casper Stewart (Attica Batavia) pinned Kenny Blowers (Rush- Henrietta) 0:22
160: Landon Lazarek (Hilton) dec. Coy Raines (Churchville-Chili), 5-2
172: Brady Unger (Fairport) pinned Sam Ricci (Victor) 1:11
189: Elijah Diakomihalis (Hilton) pinned Mason Depew (Canandaigua Acad.) 1:13
215: Nate Kasper (Hilton) dec. Jackson Burns (Spencerport), 4-3
285: Ty Rader (Victor) pinned Jackson Nixon (Pittsford) 0:48
At the start of the week, a team that was not even listed among the participants when we were writing our weekend preview, given the amount of titles they headed home with, I am sure many of their section 6 rivals had wished that (DI) #2 Starpoint had taken a pass on the 2022 rendition of Knuutila Memorial!!..
Responsible and/or accounting for nearly 40% all gold medals, of the 15 student-athletes that the Spartans brought with them to the campus of Niagara County Community College, FIVE exited with hardware under their arms, and an additional seven were place-winners)!!!
Getting the party on behalf of the quintet was 118-pound senior, #4 (DI) ranked James Leuer Jr. (2021 Journeymen State 5th), who for the second year in a row, knocked off Hamburg-Eden's Ken Schmitz (2022 State Qualifier), in the finals of the tournament...One of the greatest on-going rivalries in the Buffalo area this season, it seems that anytime there is a major crown to be won in this territory, it is these two individuals fighting it out for top honors...Almost always a nail-biter that is decided by a minimal margin, the 2022 renewal proved no different as Leuer won a 4-3 decision...One of four victories between Friday and Saturday for the senior, Leuer also notched a huge win in the quarterfinals, scoring bonus points in a 12-1 major decision over 2022 S6 titlist, Eian Peterson (Niagara Falls)....Schmitz reached the finals by upending returning tournament champ/#9 (DII) ranked/2022 NYS DII 6th, Carmine Calimeri (Southwestern), 11-5, in his semifinal bout!
A third-place finisher a season ago, (DI) #3/2022 DI State 5th, Griff LaPlante, earned his first Knuutila crown at 138 pounds, as he came out on top of a 3-1 decision in the finals over (DI) #14/2022 State Qualifier, Tremell Mathews (Niagara Wheatfield)...Before meeting up for the title, both LaPlante and Mathews posted significant victories in the semifinals, as the former took down the returning tournament runner-up/2x S6 medalist, #14 (DII) Xander Kirsch (Pioneer), 7-2, while the latter was a 3-2 winner over 2020 NYS 5th, #6 (DII) Martin Ohlsson (Chautauqua Lake)!
After a brief pause to allow their counterparts to share in the enjoyment of a title, it was Christopher Uptegrove & Gage LaPlante banking titles #3 and #4 for the Spartans when they went back-to-back in the 152 and 160-pound brackets!!
Uptegrove (Multiple-time S6 medalist), the only unranked wrestler among the five to win his weight class, claimed his prize by way of a 7-0 shutout over returning S6 bronze medalist/current (DII) #12 John Watson (Chautauqua Lake)...Watson reached the title bout with a 6-3 win over multiple sectional medalist, #14 (DI ) @145 Carter Tadusz (Lancaster)!
[Gage] LaPlante, doubled his family's gold allotment on Saturday afternoon, as he joined Leuer Jr. as a repeat champ...Squaring off with teammate, Zach Caldwell (5th at the 2022 S6 championships), in the finals, LaPlante did not fool around, winning by fall in 48 seconds...Seeded 6th, even if he did not go home as a gold medalist, it was still one heck of a day for Caldwell, who beat 2022 S6 3rd, #14 (DII) Neves Hoose (Southwestern), 6-3, in the quarterfinals, and then complemented it with a 10-8 sudden victory conquering of 2022 NYS DII Qualifier, Cameron Millender (Sweet Home)!
Going the distance and then some in order to deliver a fifth title to Mapleton Road was senior 215-pounder, (DI) #9 Matthew Caldwell (2022 S6 3rd) who jumped from fifth in 2021 to the top step when emerged as a 2-1 victor in the ultimate tiebreaker over top-seeded/2022 NYS Qualifier, #11 (DI) @189 Casey Robinson (Niagara Wheatfield), in a top-10 collision...Caldwell's path to the "precious" also featured a 9-4 decision in the semis over returning sectional 4th, Ison Shirley (Chautauqua Lake); Robinson advanced to the ship by shutting out #12 (DII) @285 Luke Matheis (Pioneer), 4-0, in his semifinal!....: #8 (DII) Devyn Morrison (Falconer-Cassadaga Valley) also appeared in the bracket, but was pinned by Shirley (1:50) in the quarterfinal round!
Like Leuer Jr. and LaPlante, for a second straight year, it was #10 (DI) Te'Shaun Mathews (Niagara Wheatfield) landing on the throne, as he was the last man standing at 145...Going toe-to-toe with #12 (DII) Austin Chase (Falconer-Cassadaga Valley) in a battle of multiple-time sectional placers, it was the 2022 NYS DI State qualifier [Mathews] seizing the title in convincing fashion by way of a 9-1 major decision...The "w" over Chase was the only occasion in which the Falcons' junior did not win by fall, as he previously pinned Joseph Senkoh Jr. (Williamsville North-East), Colton Hamilton (Chautauqua Lake), Vincenzo Falsetti (Niagara Falls), and Charlie Reichenbach (Falconer) in times of 2:53, 0:25, 1:09, and 3:13!
Bridesmaids no more were the likes of Amarfio Reynolds (132) and Brady Heckathorn (172), who shook off their 2021 title-match defeats to rewrite their personal legacies at the Knuutila!
One of the deepest fields from top to bottom, the returning NYS DI 7th, #7 (DI) Reynolds (Niagara Falls), took the prize by bettering 3x state medalist/(DII) #2 Aidan Gillings (Newfane), 5-3, in the 132-pound finals...The win over the Panther sophomore [Gillings] was second of a pair of former/returning Knuutila champs that he navigated his way past on Saturday, Reynolds advanced to the finals when 2019 titlist/3x S6 champion, #8 (DI) Collin Coughenour (Niagara Wheatfield) was forced to medical default late in the 3rd period of their semifinal showdown...Reynolds also stuck 2x S6 medalist, Riley Kirst (Amherst) in a time of 2:58 during the quarterfinals...Gillings was impressive in his semifinal dub, as he hung on for a 1-0 decision over his training partner/teammate, (DII) #2 @138/2021 NYS 7th, Ayden Buttery!
Heckathorn (Pioneer), a 2022 NYS Qualifier after placing 2nd in the S6 Championships, did not just win, but also cruised in his finals both with defending S6 gold medalist/top-seeded Michael Syposs (Niagara Falls), winning a 12-4 major decision in a contest of respective top-10 ranked competitors (#9 DII vs. #10 DI)...Like Reynolds above, Heckathorn advanced to the finals in a way that we are sure he did not prefer, as he received a medical forfeit in the semis over the highest-ranked person in the field, (D1) #4/3x S6 top-3 placer/former sectional gold medalist, Michael Schaefer (Lancaster)!...Syposs doubled up (DI) #15/2x sectional placer, Luke Smeader (Hamburg-Eden) in the top half of the bracket!
An event where there was no shallow end to the pool or easy treks to glory, similar to the standouts above, our remaining titlists at 102 (Brayden Kellison-Neglia), 110 (Kenji Walters), 126 (Jaden Crumpler), 189 (Tavio Hoose), and 285 (Thomas Carlsen) all passed tests with their brethren in the top-15 to be standing high!
#2 (DII) Kellison-Neglia, who finished 6th here last year and later went on to be a sectional bronze medalist, continued to amaze us more with each subsequent outing, as he outscored his final two opponents by a margin of 13-2 to emerge with a pair of comfortable decisions...In the semis versus 2021 Knuutila 3rd, Trevor DellaPenta (Hamburg-Eden), he won 6-1; he then closed out his journey in an even more mind-blowing manner, beating 2022 S6 4th, (DI) #14 Jaron Barrientos (Starpoint), 7-1...Barrientos had two ranked wins during the weekend, as he pinned #9 (DII) Gavin Burchanowski (Chautauqua Lake) in 3:51 on Friday night, and then added a 10-4 decision in the semis over #4 (DII) Dylan Newman (Falconer-Cassadaga Valley)
At 110 pounds, Southwestern's #12 (DII) Walters (2022 NYS Qualifier) received a victory by medical forfeit over returning NYS 7th, #10 (DII) Dominick Callara (Medina)...Callara had beaten #14 (DII)/2022 sectional 5th, Karsen Lundgren (Falconer-Cassadaga Valley), 11-4, in the semis; so we are not sure if the decision to forgo the bout was precautionary...The only other ranked person in the bracket, #15 (DII) Ryder Reichert (Alexander), dropped a 6-5 quarterfinal decision to 2022 S6 5th, Peyton Mack (Amherst)...Mack then fell, 11-0 to the eventual champ in the semis!
After losing 4-2 in sudden victory in the semis of the 2021 Knuutila, it was 2022 NYS DI runner-up, #5 (DI) Crumpler (Niagara Falls) getting his revenge over 2022 NYS Qualifier/(DII) #4 Jordan Joslyn (Chautauqua Lake), via an 11-8 decision...While Crumpler and Joslyn were the only two ranked wrestlers in the bracket, the field was by no means devoid of talent, as Crumpler also had a competitive (8-3 decision) match in the semifinals with returning sectional 3rd, Caden Barrientos (Starpoint), while Joslyn pinned 2022 S6 champ, Bryce DellaPenta (Hamburg-Eden) in 2:38 in the semis after previously sticking a pair of sectional 4th---Aidan Senear (Jamestown) and Wyatt Opferbeck (Pioneer) in earlier round matches!!
189 was a bracket that separated the men from the boys as 3/4s of our semifinals were top-15 caliber studs...Hence, reflecting on the strength/depth of the entry list, what #2 ranked (DII) @172 freshman, Hoose (Southwestern), accomplished in the finals was in a word, PHENOMENAL!...Engaged in a head-to-head with #7 (DI) Jack MacDonald (Orchard Park) in a clash of 2022 sectional finalists/champs and/or 2022 NYS Qualifiers, it was the Trojan 9th grader racking up 15 points en route to a 12-3 major decision over his highly-touted foe!....On his way to the brass ring, Hoose also posted an 11-6 decision over returning S5 5th, Harrison Aquirre (McQuaid) in the semis...MacDonald emerged from the quadrant of of death, as he pinned consecutive ranked opponents in the quarters and semis---#15 (DII) Mason Maring (Chautauqua Lake) & 2022 NYS Qualifier, #12 (DI) Evan Stencel (Lancaster)---in times of 1:01 and 5:28!
#12 (DI) Carlsen (Lancaster) was a perfect 4-for-4 in hearing the pounding of the mat...Facing 2022 NYS Qualifier/#7 (DII) Ryan Carpenter (Randolph), one round sooner than we expected (semis), he prevailed via a :40 fall to advance to the finals...In the title bout, he pinned Cinderella story, Bryce Hawes (Clarence), who made the finals from the #6 line on the bracket...#11 (DII) Sam Doolan (Lyndonville) dropped an 8-2 decision in the quarterfinals to unseeded Herman Wooten (Sweet Home) in the quarters...Hawes then pinned Wooten in 3:08!
Finals
102: Brayden Kellison-Neglia (Newfane) dec. Jaron Barrientos (Starpoint), 7-1
110: Kenji Walters (Southwestern) won by medical forfeit over Dominick Callara (Medina)
118: James Leuer Jr. (Starpoint) dec. Ken Schmitz (Hamburg-Eden), 4-3
126: Jaden Crumpler (Niagara Falls) dec. Jordan Joslyn (Chautauqua Lake), 11-8
132: Amarfio Reynolds (Niagara Falls) dec. Aidan Gillings (Newfane), 5-3
138: Griffin LaPlante (Starpoint) dec. Tremell Mathews (Niagara Wheatfield), 3-1
145: Te`Shaun Mathews (Niagara Wheatfield) Maj Dec. Austin Chase (Falconer), 9-1
152: Christopher Uptegrove (Starpoint) dec. John Watson (Chautauqua Lake), 7-0
160: Gage LaPlante (Starpoint) pinned Zach Caldwell (Starpoint) 0:48
172: Brady Heckathorn (Pioneer) Maj Dec. Michael Syposs (Niagara Falls), 12-4
189: Tavio Hoose (Southwestern) Maj Dec. Jack MacDonald (Orchard Park), 15-3
215: Matt Caldwell (Starpoint) dec. Casey Robinson (Niagara Wheatfield), 2-1 UTB
285: Thomas Carlsen (Lancaster) pinned Bryce Hawes (Clarence) Fall 3:52
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