The 2013 Journeymen Classic definitely lived up to the hype! Over 200 wrestlers from 24 states competed; some wrestlers made the trip from as far away as California and Arizona! Congratulations to tournament director Frank Popolizio on doing an outstanding job in running this incredible event. We are already looking forward to next year’s Classic!
Section 9 Results
Vinny Vespa (106) – The Monroe Woodbury junior finished the day 2-2. He began with a controlling 7-1 victory over 2X NJ youth champion freshman Gianni Ghione. In his next bout, Vespa dropped a 7-2 decision to NY state qualifier Josh Logiudice from Section 2 then rebounded with a workman-like 1-0 victory over NY D2 state placer Theo Powers from Section 3. In his final match of the day, a banged-up Vespa was pinned by Long Island wrestler Peter Pappas.
Evan Barczak (120) – With his 3-1 performance at the Journeymen, Barczak’s name is now on the state radar for NYS freshmen to watch! Barczak defeated two California wrestlers, Jacob Gardiner (10-1) and Mark Climaco (5-3 ot) and dominated Long Island freshman Hunter Dusold 6-0. His only setback of the day came to a much improved Jon Errico of Section 1 by a 11-0 margin.
Michael Raccioppi (135) – With the exception of 15 seconds….Raccioppi looked awesome! The Minisink Valley freshman started the day with a hard fought 5-3 overtime victory over PA state qualifier Kyle Lukowich. In his next match Raccioppi received a win by forfeit over NYS eighth grade phenom Frankie Gissendanner who was injured in his first match. Raccioppi beat Gissendanner at last year’s Eastern States Classic. In his final bout of the day, Raccioppi was in control and beating FL state place winner Elijah Cleary by 2 points with about 15 seconds left before being reversed and tilted putting him on the wrong side of a 6-4 decision.
Port Jervis wrestlers Dylan Booth and Dan Decarlo withdrew and did not wrestle.
Full Tournament Results
106 Champion – Matteo Devincenzo – The Long Island sophomore who placed 2nd in the state in D2 last year defeated Josh Loguidice 6-5 in the finals for the title.
113 Champion – Yianni Diakomihalis – The nationally ranked freshman (#7 @ 106) from Hilton HS in Section 5 cruised through the event with impressive victories over Kyle Lindner (11-0), Jonathan Haas (wbf 4:49) and Vito Arujau (6-1). He capped off his day with a 6-2 victory over Section 11’s Jesse Dellavecchia in the finals.
120 Champion – Nick Piccininni – Tournament MOW – Piccininni looked awesome! The Section 11 junior, ranked 4th in the nation by Flo, recorded victories over Cameron Kelly, Logan Griffin and Troy Gassaway before defeating Florida’s Radley Gillis in the finals by a 10-2 major decision.
125 Champion – Tommy Stokes – The PA state placer beat NC state champion Troy Gregor 4-3 in the finals for the title. Stokes defeated NJ placer Ryan Pomrinca, Prep National champ Mason Smith from MI, and multiple time GA state placer Caleb Mariakis in pool competition.
130 Champion – Travis Passaro – The Hofstra bound senior from Section 11’s Eastport South Manor navigated through an extremely tough 130 pound weight class for the title. Passaro notched victories over Mike D’Angelo, Zach Valley (PA placer), and Jacob Grigg (NC state champ) in pool competition. He defeated multiple time NC placer Payton Shuford in the finals 6-0.
135 Champion – Chase Zemenak – State placer from PA recorded victories over Sal Profaci (NJ), Connor Caffery (CT), Hunter Mandley (VA) and fellow PA place winner Kent Lane in the finals.
140 Champion – Clay Walker – South Carolina stud beats Dane Robbins (VA), Joe Oliva (NJ), and Joe Ghione (NJ) before beating NY’s Sam Ward in the finals by a 6-1 margin.
145 Champion – Gary Dinmore – 145 was crazy… New Jersey’s Dinmore (#16 FloRanked) actually lost in pool competition to Section 1’s Blaise Benderoth yet still won the title! Dinmore beats Carrozza (PA), Carrozza beats Benderoth, Dinmore beats Parker (NY), Dinmore beats Restrepo (NY) ot in finals, Carrozza beats Lapi (NY), Lapi beats Palmer (PA), Palmer beats Parker…you get the idea. Great pools…great finals at 145!
152 Champion – Louis Hernandez – FloWrestling has Hernandez from Section 8 on Long Island as the 12th ranked 152 pounder in the nation. In pool matches he defeated fellow Islander Dennis Ferro, VT champ Nolan Viens, and MA stud Fritz Hoehn. In his final bout he bested Suffolk County state placer Thomas Dutton by a score of 7-3.
160 Champion – Corey Rasheed – FloRanked at # 9 for 160, Rasheed was dominating! He pinned NC’s Logan Farlowe and decisioned Jesse Porter (NY) and Andrew LaBrie (RI) in pool matches before defeating NJ All American Christian Stackhouse 7-2 in the finals.
170 Champion – Luke Fariano – The NJ All American scored wins over Brad Drover (MA), Nick Weldon (AL) and Logan Dean (VA) before eeking out a 3-2 victory over NY state place winner Steven Schneider. 170 was a very even weight class. Finalist Schneider lost a pool match to Beat the Street wrestler Adis Radoncic however advanced to the finals on criteria after Radonicic lost a pool match as well.
182 Champion – Joe Balboni – FloRanked at # 17, Balboni of Brearly , NJ rolled through the competition with convincing victories over Brett Perry (NY), Phil Woods (NJ), and Austin Price (VT).
195 Champion – Christian Dietrich – A 2X NYS place winner, Dietrich is the #15 ranked sophomore in the country according to FloWrestling. He breezed through pool matches with a pin, tech, and a 6-0 decision. In the finals he locked horns with Nicholas Costa, a state place winner from NJ power Brick Memorial. Although the final score was only 6-3, the outcome of the match was never in doubt…Dietrich was very impressive throughout the entire tournament.
220 Champion – Richard Sisti – FloWrestling ranks Sisti, a defending state champ, as the #15 220 pound wrestler in the nation. In his first two matches the Monsignor Farrell senior defeated both opponents (Jeff Velez, NJ and Yousiff Hemida, NY) by the same 9-2 score. In his final bout he downed multiple time New England place winner Ian Butterbrodt by a 8-3 margin.
285 Champion – Connor Calkins – In perhaps the biggest upset of the tournament, Calkins, who finished 5th in NYS D2 last year, defeated 2X defending high school national champion Jesse Webb of Vermont. Webb, FloRanked at #9 at 285, won the high school nationals in VA Beach as a freshman and a sophomore!