Month: February 2016

Location
Times Union Center
51 South Pearl Street
Albany, NY

Dates
Friday 2/26 – Prelims & Quarters
Saturday 2/27 – Semis & Finals

D1 & D2 Brackets

Division 1 Preview 
Division 2 Preview 

Qualifying Tournament Results

Division 1

99 Pounds – The top 5 finishers from the 2016 Eastern States Classic are in this bracket! Section 11 sophomore Dylan Ryder was the ESC champion at this weight and has to be considered one of the favorites here.  Ryder’s ESC finals opponent was Section 5’s Greg Diakomihalis who will be looking to avenge his 3-2 loss to Ryder.  Middletown’s Oscar Lainez defeated Section 2’s Trent Svigala and finished 3rd at the ESC and is perhaps the most dangerous wrestler in the weight.  PSAL’s Brandon Nunez can factor here as well as Sectio 11 wildcards Anthony Sciotto and Preston Maucere.

106 Pounds – No mystery here…Section 11’s Adam Busiello is ranked #1 in the nation by InterMat and FloWrestling and is the clear favorite here.  Busiello was last year’s 99 pound NYS champ and  is undefeated this season including a dominating performance at the Eastern States Classic.  Even without Busiello, this would be a great weight and it will be hotly contested for top 6 placement.  Last year’s NYS #3 at 99 is Mitch Seaver from Section 6 and he will definitely be in the hunt here as well as ESC placers Justin Lopez (S1), Michael Gonyea (S2), Kevin Meloni (S11), and Alex Samson (S5).  Let’s not forget about the Section 9 champ from Minisink Valley, Tyler Lynch, who beat Lopez at ESC as well as Monroe Woodbury freshman Marco Vespa who earned a wildcard and notched a win over Lynch earlier in the year.

113 Pounds – This weight boasts 3 wrestlers who have held national rankings this year.  Section 11’s Tommy Cox finished 3rd in NYS last season and was an ESC finalist this year.  Anthony Cirillo, also from Suffolk County, placed 3rd at ESC by defeating Section 3 champ Kellan McKenna.  McKenna is a former NYS champ. Minisink Valley’s Connor Greiner finished 4th at ESC and has a good chance at medaling as well as well at Section 1’s Anthony Sulla who finished 6th at ESC.  113 also has two wrestlers who finished the season undefeated in Section 2’s Trent Nadeau (45-0) and Section 8’s Justin Vines (39-0).  Section 9 has a second entry here as Monroe senior Anthony Stramiello grabbed one of the at large bids!

120 Pounds – Year after year, the 120 pound weight class is loaded – this year is no exception.  Section 11’s Anthony Sparacio will be the top seed and has finished the season undefeated.  In the S11 finals Sparacio defeated 2015 state finalist Jake Silverstein.  Other returning state placewinners at 120 include Tito Colom (CHSAA), Austin Hertel (S5), Anthony Argentieri (S5), and Kyle Mosher (S8).  Randy Earl from Section 1 placed at ESC this year and Section 9 is well represented by a very scrappy Jarred Greiner from Minisink Valley. Long Beach (S8) has two entries here in Matt Maquet and Josh Bourne – both can contend for a medal in Albany.

126 Pounds – 2X NYS champ from Section 8 Jacori Teemer is the favorite here – but not by much!  This weight is loaded!  Section 11 champ John Arceri was the NYS champ at 113 last year and, like Teemer, is undefeated this season. Section 8 wildcard Alex Vargas is tough as nails and will also contend for a title here as will ESC placers Ben Tepperman (S11),  Matt Seitz (C), Mike Venosa (S5), and Monroe Woodbury’s Kevin Kelly.  Kelly saw limited action this year due to a preseason injury however the Section 9 senior seems to be peaking at the right time!

132 Pounds – This weight has 2 nationally ranked wrestlers and they are both from Section 8!  2X NYS champion Vito Arujau from Syosset is ranked 2nd in the nation by Intermat and would have to be considered the heavy favorite here.  Peter Pappas lost to Arujau in the S8 finals and he is currently ranked 20th in the nation by Intermat.  An all Section 8 final is likely here. Catholic school champ Hector Colom is as dangerous as they come and should do very well in Albany. Section 9 is represented by Minisink Valley sophomore Dom Vetrano. Vetrano only started wrestling last year and is loaded with talent.  His lack of experience may put him at a disadvantage up at states but his raw athleticism may surprise an opponent.  This will be a great experience for him.

138 Pounds – One name will do – Yianni!  Yianni Diakomihalis from Section 5 is a 3X NYS champion and is currently the #1 ranked 138 pound wrestler in the country.  There are definitely some very tough wrestlers in this bracket but if

Yianni doesn’t win it will make national headlines.  Perhaps his toughest competition will come from Section 1 stud Matt Grippi.  Grippi’s only loss this season has been Yianni at ESC.  Section 5 wildcard Parker Kropman is also a returning NYS placewinner and will make noise here.  Section 9 is very well represented at 138 in Charlie Johnson from Warwick.  Johnson is a transfer from PA where he placed 5th in the AA tournament last year.  A few others to watch here include Section 11 champ Brett Brice and Section 4’s Isaiah Colgan.

145 Pounds – Returning NYS champion Frankie Gissendanner from Section 5 is nationally ranked and is definitely the favorite at 145 … he will not have a cakewalk though!  Section 1 champ Brady Robin took Gissendanner to OT at the Eastern States and is definitely ready for a rematch!  Section 1 also has another contender at 145 in Connor Melbourne who lost a hotly contested 8-7 decision to Robin in their state qualifying tournament. Section 11 has two studs entered here in John Busiello (S11 champ) and Jack Taddeo (wildcard).  One of Busiello’s losses this season was to Section 9 champ Evan Barczak from Monroe Woodbury.  Barczak is looking to improve upon his 6th place NYS finish from last year.

152 Pounds – Section 9 Champion Ryan Ferro finished 3rd in NYS last year and is definitely one of the favorites here at 152. Ferro, a 3 sport athlete, took 2nd at this year’s ESC  is usually just hitting his wrestling “stride” in February.  He has three losses this year and none of the losses are to a wrestler from this bracket. Section 11 champ Chris Mauriello was a NYS champ two years ago and placed 6th at 160 last year.  He will be a force at 152.  Section 1’s Grant Cuomo is as tough as anyone and will contend here. Justin Klein (S5), Tristan Almeter (S6), and Tyrese Byron (S8) are a few others to watch at this weight.

160 Pounds – This is another weight where a Section 9 wrestler has a legitimate chance to capture a state title.  Minisink Valley senior AJ Aeberli placed 5th at this weight last year and came in 4th at this year’s ESC.  However, in order to get to the top step of the medal stand Aeberli will have to defeat a few very tough wrestlers.  Adam Santoro (C) was this year’s ESC champ and defeated Aeberli along the way to his title, plus we have Ricky Stamm from Section 8 who has split decisions with Aeberli this season.  Section 5 champ Tristan Ierlan is an awesome athlete and has only been defeated once this year – he will definitely contend for a title.

170 Pounds – Four of the top six finishers from this year’s Eastern States Classic are in this bracket but the heavy favorite to win here is definitely Hilton junior Louis Deprez (S5).  Deprez is a returning NYS champion and is currently ranked #8 in the nation by InterMat.  Tyler Barnes (S2), Nunzio Crowley (S1), and Marcus Bisono (S11) are all very tough and will likely find their way to the medal stand.  Section 9 will be represented by Wallkill junior Mike Fekishazy who is 39-1 this season and his only loss came at 182 pounds.  Fekishazy is a grinder and we should not be surprised if we see him on the medal stand on Saturday.

182 Pounds – The 182 pound weight class is as deep as it has ever been for the NYS tournament.  There is a clear favorite in nationally ranked, Princeton bound Kevin Parker (InterMat # 14) from S2, but there are several wrestlers in the bracket that will definitely give him a handful.  Two of those who will be looking to take down Parker are from Section 1 in Alex Melikian and Evan Frank.  Section 5 also has two entries here and both have the potential to place.  Mike Spallina from Hilton was the Section 5 champ and Cam Calderelli from Brockport received a wildcard.  Section 9 champion Kendall Elfstrum should not be overlooked here!  The Monroe Woodbury junior has had a great season including a 7th place finish at the ESC where he defeated Tyreek Bromley (S8) while Section 4 champ Tom Mackay placed 5th at the ESC and will definitely be in the medal hunt here as well.

195 Pounds – At the 195 pound weight class we have another Princeton-bound, nationally-ranked, returning state champion as the favorite in Section 11’s Christian Araneo.  He is ranked #6 in the nation by Intermat and has finished the season at a perfect 38-0.  One of Araneo’s biggest challenges this year came at the ESC when he defeated Section 1 champ Mike Dinardo by a 5-3 margin.  A rematch in Albany could possibly be the state final! Another undefeated wrestler, Dylan Dubuque from Section 2, as well as Section 5 champ Jacob Sweet will definitely contend for medals.  Section 9 is once again very well represented in Wallkill senior Garrett Betcher.  He, along with Paul Brachfield from S8, are definitely worth keeping an eye on!

220 Pounds – Our second to last weight class is very solid this year and Section 9 has two entries here that could be in the mix for the top prize!  S9 champ Nick McShea from Monroe Woodbury finished 2nd in NYS last year at 195 but has decided to bump up to 220 this year for the post season.  McShea has split decisions this season with Goshen junior Ryan Ellefsen who seems to get bigger, stronger, and better every time he steps onto the mat!  McShea’s other loss this season came at ESC to Section 11 champ Terron Robinson who is the top seed here.  Section 5 champ William Bolia is 40-1 this season and should definitely place high in Albany.  Section 2 also has two very capable wrestlers at 220 in former NYS placer Joe Messare and 2016 ESC placer Garreck Golish. Section 8’s Arjuna Bello is also an ESC placer and could make some noise here.

285 Pounds – Section 11 champ Edwin Rubio finished 2nd in NYS last season at this weight and he is currently ranked #10 in the nation by InterMat.  While certainly the favorite on paper, few people expect the undefeated Rubio to run away with the crown here.  Section 5 champ Cameron Rohr is also undefeated and has been dominating this season recording 24 first period pins! One of Rubio’s closest wins came over Section 8 champ Michael Curiel at ESC where Rubio squeaked out a 3-2 win.  Section 9 champ Joe Humphrey from Middletown pushed Curiel to the limit at ESC eventually dropping a 3-1 sv decision.  Section 1 champ Mike Larm notched a win over Humphrey at Eastern States and will also be in the mix here as well!

Divsion 2

99 Pounds – This should prove to be an exciting, wide open weight class in Albany!  Perhaps the most intriguing entry here is Section 5 7th-grader Ethan Ferro from Pal-Mac.  Ferro only has two losses at 99 this season and they both came at Eastern States to the 1st and 4th place finishers.  A few others to keep an eye on here include Jon Charles from Section 3, John Worthing from Section 4, and the Section 2 entry Matt LaPorte.  Section 9 is represented by returning champ Wade Harris from Red Hook who is 21-11 this year.

106 Pounds – This weight class is loaded but we will start with looking at Section 2 champ Orion Anderson.  A state finalist last year, Anderson’s only loss this year was in the ESC finals to the nation’s top 106 pound wrestler Adam Busiello.  The wrestler who defeated Anderson, AJ Burkhart from S4, is is in this bracket and hopes to make it back-to-back titles.  Drew Schafer from S5 is a returning state placewinner and Cahal Donovan from S3 is an ESC placewinner.  Luke Bokina from S11 and Kevin Spann from S3 will also be in the hunt while Section 9’s Luke Jones from Eldred Liberty Sullivan West has been improving all season!

113 Pounds – This weight class has 6 returning state medalists in the bracket!  Section 4 champ Chris Cirigliano is undefeated this season and is probably the favorite going into the weekend.  In order to reach the top step of the podium however Cirigliano will need to top 2015 NYS placers AJ Putt (S6), Trey LaFlamme (S3), Jack Bokina (S11), Carson Dobozy (S7), and S3 wildcard Austin O’Reilly. Section 5 has 3 very good entries here in Connor Wilkins, Matt Caccamise, and Nick Young. Section 9 is represented by Chester’s Nick Conetta who has been very impressive this season sporting a 19-3 record heading into states!

120 Pounds – Division 2 120 pounds is stacked – it’s that simple!  Jonathan Gomez (S8), Dane Heberlein (S5), and Theo Powers (S3) are all former state champions!  Dillian Palaszewski (S2), Jacob Nolan (S7), CJ Walz (S5), and Dean Raymond (S4) are all former state placewinners.  Ryan Hetrick (S6) placed at ESC this year and S1 champ Satoshi Abe and S3 wildcard Derrick Spann are as tough as nails.  New Paltz junior Chris Massaro is the Section 9 entry at 120.  He is 25-9 this season against a very good schedule – he might notch a win or two here!

126 Pounds – How about a second straight weight class with three former state champions in the bracket! Matteo Devincenzo (S11), Hunter Dusold (S8), and Derrick Spann (S3) have all made the top step of the medal stand in Albany.  With his 2016 Eastern States title and victory over nationally ranked Jack Davis from Wyoming Seminary we have to consider Devincenzo the favorite here. Section 5 has three entries here and two of them, Nick Gaiser and Joe Sliwoski, have placed in NYS previously.  We should also keep an eye on Ty Rifanburg (S4), Zach Burke (S3), and Noah Kelvas (S1).  Rondout Valley sophomore Ian Houck is the Section 9 represntative here and he has a 29-7 record heading into states.

132 Pounds – There are three undefeated wrestlers in this bracket and none of them are the favorite at 132.  Kellen Devlin from Section 6 is a 2X NYS champion and his only loss this year was a 4-1 decision to national #2 Vito Arujau in the ESC finals. The unbeaten wrestlers here are Ryan O’Rourke (S3), Brandon Gould (S4), and Brett Frole (S11).  All three will be incontention for a medal while we must also keep an eye on Emerson Block (S5) and Zach Lawrence (S2).  Highland senior Mark Castellano is the Section 9 representative here.  He is making his first trip to the state tournament and sports a 24-7 record this season.

138 Pounds – This is shaping up to be a wide open weight!  Section 1 champ Jake Kurzhalz was a state finalists last year and Brad Bihler (S6) and Brad Dietz (S3) are also returning placewinners.  Dietz needed a wildcard to get to the state tournament after dropping a decision in the S3 finals to Tanner Cook.  Adam Wagner from S5 has only one loss this year and Section 4 champ Dylan Wood is tough as nails.  Section 9’s entry shouldn’t be overlooked either.  Onteora sophomore Dillon Ross is 30-9 this year but has been getting better every week of the season!

145 Pounds – Section 3 champion Hunter Richard was the state champion at 138 last year and he is having another great season.  All three of his losses came at the ESC where he finished 6th – none of the losses where to anyone in this bracket. Section 4 champ Nate Grubham is 40-1 this season  with his only loss coming at the hands of Richard.  Section 9 has a great chance to medal here with Taylor Benson from Red Hook taking the mat.  Benson has looked very tough all season and is 29-5 on the year.  Others to keep an eye at 145 include former placewinner Joey Bush (S10), Austin Trombley (S7), Jordan Kayes (S6), and Damian Marchetti (S5).

152 Pounds – Section 4 senior Kobe Garrehy caught everyone’s attention when he captured the 2016 Eastern States Classic title with wins over D1 studs Chris Mauriello and Ryan Ferro.  Garrehy has finished the regular season undefeated and is definitely considered the favorite here.  This is by no means a race for second place though as wrestlers such as Noah Grover (S5), Dakota Gardner (S6), Zack Beirfelt (S6), and Madison Hoover (S4) will be right in the mix.  Let’s not forget about Section 9 champ Noah Curreri from Eldred Liberty Sullivan West!  Curreri is 37-3 on the season and has only lost to Garrehy from this bracket.  Still only a junior, Curreri could definitely place here!

160 Pounds – This weight will very competitive with a couple of wrestlers having a legitimate shot at capturing the title.  Section 2 champ Jason Hoffman is no stranger to the medal stand in Albany and he placed 2nd at this year’s ESC.  Section 6’s Cameron Swick is a perfect 31-0 this season and will definitely challenge here as will Hammond Raes (S5) and Austin Carr (S4).  Section 9’s rep at 160 is Liam Heslin from Chester.  This is his second trip to the state tournament and has had a very impressive year thus far posting a 20-5 record.

170 Pounds – West Point bound Alex Herringshaw, the Section 3 champ, is a returning state champ and is definitely the favorite at D2 170.  Herringshaw is 42-2 thsi year with both of his losses coming at the ESC.  James Hoeg from S11 and Will Marcil from S7 are both top notch and will definitely challenge Herringshaw as will S1 champ Clifton Wand and S2’s Tyler Green. Section 9 is reresented by New Paltz junior Ben Cuppett who is not making his first trip to Albany!  Cuppett is scrappy and could contend for a medal here!

182 Pounds – With six wrestlers with two or fewer losses, 182 D2 can prove to be one of the most hotly contested weights in the tournament.  Section 5 champ Aaron Paddock is no stranger to the state tournament – I’m guessing he’s either been competing in the tournament himself, or cheering on one of his brothers, for about the last 10 years or so!  Paddock is 46-2 this year and one of his losses is to one of the other wrestlers in the bracket – Jake Peru from Section 6! Peru’s only loss this season has been to PA hammer Dakota Geer who is ranked #2 in the nation at 182. Others to watch here are Ian Chedzoy (S4), Joe Hennessey (S3), Davis Ingrahan (S2), and Jordan Artrope (S1).  New Paltz senior Theo Chazkel is 22-8 on the season and will represent S9 at D2 182.

195 Pounds – A case can be made for a few different wrestlers here but Section 3 champ Jack Buell has to be considered the favorite.  He finished 3rd in NYS last year, 3rd in ESC this year and his only loss was to an out of state wrestler (at ESC) which he avenged in the medal round!  Luke MacIntoch (S5), Jake Kubala (S6), Kevin Digney (S8), Joe Benedict (S3), and Tyler Zagarino (S11) all have impressive records and will be in medal contention.  Also in the hunt for place on the medal stand will be Section 9 champ Kevin Morgans.  Morgans is making his 3rd trip to the state tournament and was one win away from placing last year!

220 Pounds – Another very solid weight with two Eastern States Classic and one NYS placewinners in the bracket.  Section 3 champ Riccardo Dawkins finished 3rd at ESC and placed 5th in NYS last season and is probably the favorite here.  Aaron Mann from Section 5 finished 6th at ESC and Garyn Huntley from S4 was 5th at this weight in NYS last year.  We should also keep an eye on Jacob Gregory from S2 who is 38-1 and Charles Beach from S6 who is 33-1.  The Section 9 representative at 220 D2 is Will Depaolo from Eldred Liberty Sullivan West.  He is making his first trip to the state tournament and has a 23-11 record on the season.

285 Pounds – The D2 heavyweight bracket is very solid this year!  There are two undefeated wrestlers in Keith Houghtaling (S2) and Jacob Cupp (S5).  Zach Gifford from Section 4 will be in the mix as will the S4 wildcard Kordell Huntley.  Laith Alsous from S6 and Jacob Beckwith from S3 have both had great years and will contend here.  The wrestler that Alsous defeated in the S6 finals, Nick Jones, placed at this weight last year – he is in this year’s tournament via wildcard. Section 9 is represented by Red Hook senior Travis Coon who is 31-6 this season.  Coon has the potential to place in Albany.

D2 Is Sending a Very Solid Team To Albany!!!

Congratulations on the below wrestlers for punching their tickets to the NYSPHAA Wrestling Championships held at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY on February 26 and 27.  With the experience and the hard work that they have put into their improvement, I will not be at all surprised if we see a couple of them on the medal stand in Albany this year! We should also extend congratulations to Red Hook for taking home the team title!!

2016 Section 9 D2 Championships Brackets         Team Scores

Champions
99:  Wade Harris (Red Hook)
106:  Luke Jones (Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West)
113:  Nick Connetta (Chester)
120:  Chris Massaro (New Paltz)
126:  Ian Houck (Rondout Valley)
132:  Mark Castellanos (Highland)
138:  Dillon Ross (Onteora)
145: Taylor Benson (Red Hook)
152: Noah Curreri (Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West)
160:  Liam Heslin (Chester)
170: Ben Cuppett (New Paltz)
182: Theo Chazkel (New Paltz)
195: Kevin Morgans (Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West)
220:  Will Depaolo (Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West)
285:  Travis Coon (Red Hook)

Wrestling fans were treated to two days of excitement, emotion, and great wrestling at the 2016 Section 9 Division 1 Wrestling Championships.  With their 8 finalists and 5 champions, Minisink Valley took the team title over nationally ranked Monroe Woodbury by a 30 point margin 302.5 to 272.5.  The Crusaders had 7 finalists and crowned 4 champions.  Wallkill had two champions and finished 3rd in the team race with 175 points. Warwick (2 champs) and Middletown (2 champs) rounded off the top 5 in team scoring.

Congratulations to all of the Section 9 champions.  You are now part of the team that will represent Section 9 at the NYSPHAA Wrestling Championships in two weeks at the Times Union Center in Albany.  There is also a good chance that a few of our wrestlers will receive “At Large” or “Wildcard” bids and will be able to compete at the state tournament.  Let’s take a look at each weight and see who may be in line for a wildcard!

2016 Section 9 D1 Championships Brackets

99 – Oscar Lainez (Midd) 14-1 maj. dec. Dylan Earl (MW)
The Middletown senior left no doubt here jumping out to a 7-0 first period lead and never looking back.  Lainez finished 3rd at this year’s Eastern States and is hoping to finish even higher on the medal stand in Albany in two weeks.  Valley Central 8th grader finished 3rd by topping Pine Bush’s Kevin Urena 6-0 in the 3rd place match.  Warwick’s Hunter Brown topped Middletown 8th grader Justin Morales for 5th.  This is a weight where Section 9 has a legitimate chance at a wildcard in Dylan Earl!

106 – Tyler Lych (MV) 10-5 dec. Marco Vespa (MW)
In one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, the Minisink Valley junior avenged his early season loss to Vespa with a last second TD and backs!  Vespa who was the champ at 99 pounds last year is almost guaranteed to receive one of the wildcard bids. Wallkill 8th grader James Faison took 3rd here with an exciting 4-2 win over Goshen sophomore Frank Fea.  NFA’s Greg Fischer took 5th by defeating Port Jervis’ Carson Sauschuck.

113 – Connor Greiner (MV) 8-4 dec. Anthony Stramiello (MW)
The Minisink Valley sophomore is now a 2X Section 9 champion and he has his sights set on the medal stand in Albany.  Runner-up Stramiello was also 2nd at 113 last year and was the 99 pound champ in 2014 so he sits in a great position to receive a wildcard bid. NFA freshman Brandon Delarosa finished 3rd by beating Goshen’s Austin Brock while Wallkill’s Avery Ellison defeated Middletown’s Boubacar Bah for 5th.

120 – Jarred Greiner (MV) maj. dec. Robert Satriano (VC) 11-2
The Minisink Vallet senior made it 3 in a row for Minisink Valley and punched his ticket to Albany with his win over Satriano.  Wallkill’s Andrew Davis defeated MW junior Cameron Wernicki for 3rd and Pine Bush freshman Nick Florin beat Kingston’s Chris Bouton to place 5th.

126 – Kevin Kelly (MW) wbf 1:52 Brad Bonner (Wallkill)
The MW senior may have been the most dominating wrestler of the tournament.  His other two wins were by tech fall and by 1st period pin.  Minisink Valley sophomore finished 3rd by beating Washingtonville’s Giovanni Perez while Cornwall freshman Steve Gazzillo took 5th by beating Warwick’s Paul Ginley.

132 – Dom Vetrano (MV) 5-2 dec. Nick Ferriera (Warwick)
Not to shabby for the Minisink Valley sophomore considering he just started wrestling last year!  Ferriera punched his ticket to the finals with an exciting 3-2 win over top-seeded MW senior Anthony Eckerson in the semis.  Eckerson wrestled back and took 3rd by majoring Wallkill’s Gus Formato and NFA freshman Tyler Serafini took 5th by defeating Middletown’s Tyler Matos in their medal match.

138 – Charlie Johnson (Warwick) wbf 1:59 Ben Ulrich (Mont)
The Warwick senior recorded 3 pins and a 15-0 technical fall on his way to the title.  Johnson is a transfer from PA where he finished 5th in the state last year. He is peaking at the right time … expect to see him on the medal stand in Albany!  Andrew Neidnig (MV), Tom Fini (MW), Ryan Vizethan (Cornwall), and Colin Cummings (Valley Central) finished 3rd through 6th respectively.

145 – Evan Barczak (MW) 5-1 dec. Brandon Bobe (Wash)
The Monroe Woodbury junior picked up his 3rd Section 9 title with a workman like performance over a very tough Bobe.  Barczak placed 6th last year and has his sights set higher this year!  VC,s Dan Romano topped MV’s Tim Ganuncio for 3rd and Warwick’s Lucas Wightman defeated Goshen’s Mike Kubik for 5th.

152 – Ryan Ferro (Warwick) 20-4 tech fall Brian Bucci (Saug)
Ferro, who was pinned by Bucci earlier this season, came out like a ball of fire and never looked back.  His dominating performance earned him MOW honors.  With his two sectional placings, great record, and aforementioned win over Ferro (3rd in NYS last year) may have racked up enough points to get into the wildcard conversation!  NFA’s Mike DeCapua pinned MV’s Nick Perdomo for 3rd and MW’s Jonathan Vargas defeated Monticello’s Justyn Kelly for 5th.

160 – AJ Aeberli (MV) 7-0 dec. Ryan Sebesta (Wallkill)
The Minisink Valley senior punched his second ticket to Albany and is now poised to improve upon his 5th place finish from last year.  PJ’s Nate Cohen defeated VC’s Mark Ohanian for 3rd place honors and Nijee Nobe from Kingston beat MW’s John Minnies 8-4 to finish 5th.

170 – Mike Fekishazy (Wall) wbf 5:34 Adonis Morano (Midd)
The Wallkill junior, a finalist at 182 last year, has been awesome since his cut to 170 and Morano, only a sophomore, has a bright future.  Maxx Decapua, the 8th grade sensation from NFA, defeated #2 seed Chris Martin from Washingtonville to take 3rd. MV junion Demetrios Moore decisioned Kingston’s Connor Amato for 5th.

182 – Kendall Elfstum (MW) 9-3 dec. Joey Yanis (MV)
The Monroe Woodbury junior earns his second trip to the state tournament and he plans on stepping on the podium this year!  All five of his losses this year have been to studs. Yanis is only a sophomore and definitely has a bright future.  Washingtonville’s Henricus Van Heemstede Obelt took 3rd over Wallkill’s Billy Kras and Goshen’s Tom Kearns pinned Warwick’s Tom  Kersting for 5th.

195 – Garrett Betcher (Wallkill) 6-2 dec. Andrew Covais (MV)
The Wallkill senior was impressive in each of his wins and hopes to carry this momentum to Albany.  Covais went from JV wrestler to varsity Section 9 finalist in 12 months…not bad!!! Washingtonville junior Alex Leonty avenged a quarterfinal loss to MW’s Samson Perez by beating him 3-1 for 3rd place.  VC’s Tyler Bohenka bested Middletown’s Horace Duke 6-3 for 5th place.

220 – Nick McShea (MW) 4-3 dec. Ryan Ellefsen (Goshen)
Wow….what a match!  McShea, who finished 2nd in NYS at 195 last year, was pinned by Ellefsen earlier in the season.  This match had it all and it was deservedly voted the Most Exciting Match of the finals!  Ellefsen is in a good shape for a wildcard bid.  Both wrestlers can place high in the NYS tournament!  Middletown’s Raul Martinez pinned Port’s Scyler Phillips for 3rd and MV junior took 5th over NFA’s William McCartney.

285 – Joe Humphrey (Middletown) wbf :41 Andrew Fenner (MV)
After suffering an injury late last season which hampered his chances at winning the sections, the Middletown senior punched his ticket to Albany in convincing fashion this year.  Humphrey is a legitimate title contender.  Fenner is only a sophomore and will definitely be a major contended at 285 for the next few years!  Middletown’s Norris Gipson, Monticello’s Frank Smith, VC’s Bryce Moore, and Washingtonville’s Max Kissack finished 3-6 respectively.

In a very exciting round of wrestling Minisink Valley sends 8 wrestlers into the finals and extends their lead over Monroe Woodbury to 24 points!  The Crusaders have 7 in the finals and 6 still alive in the consies.  Minisink also has 6 alive in the consies.  Every #1 seed advanced to the finals with the exception of 132 where Warwick’s #4 seeded Nick Ferriera knocked off MW’s Anthony Eckerson. Every finalist from the bottom half is either a 2 or 3 seed. Also of note is at 138 where Ben Ulrich becomes Monticello’s first finalist since 2005 when Ulrich’s coach, Anthony Ng, made it to the finals against Goshen’s Dimitri Laurent.  Match by match updates of the finals will be done live here and on our Facebook page.

Finals Match-Ups
99: Oscar Lainez (Midd) 14-1 over Dylan Earl (MW)
106: Tyler Lynch (MV) 10-5 over Marco Vespa (MW)
113: Connor Greiner (MV) 8-4 over Anthony Stramiello (MW)
120: Jarred Greiner (MV) 11-2 over Robert Satriano (VC)
126: Kevin Kelly (MW) wbf 1:52 over Brad Bonner (Wall)
132: Dom Vetrano (MV) 5-2 over Nick Ferriera (War)
138: Charlie Johnson (War) wbf 1:59 Ben Ulrich (Mont)
145: Evan Barczak (MW) 5-2 over Brandon Bobe (Wash)
152: Ryan Ferro (War) 20-4 tech fall Brian Bucci (Saug)
160: AJ Aeberli (MV) 7-0 over Ryan Sebesta (Wall)
170: Mike Fekishazy (Wall) wbf 5:34 Adonis Morano (Midd)
182: Kendall Elfstrum (MW) 9-3 over Joey Yanis (MV)
195: Garrett Betcher (Wall) 6-2 over Andrew Covais (MV)
220: Nick McShea (MW) 4-3 over Ryan Ellefsen (Goshen)
285: Joe Humphrey (Midd) wbf :41 Andrew Fenner (MV)

Team Race:
1. Minisink Valley 302.5
2. Monroe Woodbury 272.5
3. Wallkill 175
4. Middletown 153.5
5. Warwick 133

MOW- Ryan Ferro (Warwick)
Terry Cody – Best 1st Year Varsity Wrestler – Dylan Earl
Most Exciting Match – 220 McShea vs Ellefsen

With very few major upsets at Day 1 of the Section 9 D1 wrestling championships fans can expect to see some great match-ups for Saturday’s semifinals and finals. Minisink Valley with their 12 semifinalists holds a slight edge over defending tournament champion Monroe Woodbury.  The Crusaders have 11 in the semis and a total of 16 wrestlers still alive while the Warriors had two wrestlers lose in the round of 16 so they only have 14 alive for Day 2.  Wallkill with their 9 semifinalists is in 3rd while Warwick and Middletown round off the top 5.  Wrestling will get underway at 10:30 tomorrow in the Monroe Woodbury High School.

Semifinal Match-Ups

99 – Lainez (Midd) vs Brown (War)
99 – Earl (MW) vs Romano (VC)
106 – Vespa (MW) vs Fea (Gosh)
106 – Lynch (MV) vs Faison (Wall)
113 – C. Greiner (MV) vs Brock (Gosh)
113 – Stramiello (MW) vs Ellison (Wall)
120 – J. Greiner (MV) vs Wernicki (MW)
120 – Satriano (VC) vs Davis (Wall)
126 – Kelly (MW) vs V. Vetrano (MV)
126 – Bonner (Wall) vs Ginley (War)
132 – Eckerson (MW) vs Ferriera (War)
132 – D. Vetrano (MV) vs Formato (Wall)
138 – Johnson (War) vs Fini (MW)
138 – Neidnig (MV) vs Ulrich (Mont)
145 – Barczak (MW) vs Ganuncio (MV)
145 – Bobe (Wash) vs Romano (VC)
152 – Bucci (Saug) vs Perdomo (MV)
152 – Ferro (War) vs DeCapua (NFA)
160 – Aeberli (MV) vs Cohen (PJ)
160 – Noble (King) vs Sebesta (Wall)
170 – Fekishazy (Wall) vs DeCapua (NFA)
170 – Morano (Midd) vs Martin (Wash)
182 – Elfstrum (MW) vs Kearns (Gosh)
182 – Yanis (MV) vs Kras (Wall)
195 – Betcher (Wall) vs Perez (MW)
195 – Covais (MV) vs Bohenka (VC)
220 – Ellefsen (Gosh) vs McCartney (NFA)
220 – McShea (MW) vs Martinez (Midd)
285 – Humphrey (Midd) vs Gipson (Midd)
285 – Fenner (MV) vs Kissack (Wash)

Top 10 Team Score – After Day 1
1. Minisink Valley – 134.5
2. Monroe Woodbury – 128.5
3. Wallkill – 89
4. Warwick – 70.5
5. Middletown – 66.5
6. Valley Central – 58
7. Goshen – 45
8. Washingtonville – 43
9. Newburgh – 35.5
10. Monticello – 31

The Section 9 D1 wrestling championships begin today, Friday, at Monroe Woodbury Senior High School.  Outbrackets will begin at 4:45 and the R16 will start at 5:45.  Quarterfinals will be wrestled tonight as well.  A complete summary of Day 1 will be posted here after action has completed.  For real time updates please like us and check us out on Facebook at sectionixwrestling.com or follow us on Twitter at @S9Wrestling.  Here we go!!!!

Post season is upon us so it’s time to take a look at the Section 9 Division 1 and Division 2 tournaments.  The D1 tourney takes place on Friday and Saturday at Monroe Woodbury High School while the D2 event will be held on Sunday at SUNY Ulster.  As always, both tournaments will provide some incredible action, hotly contested team races, and yes an occasional upset.  Seed will be posted here on Wednesday evening when they become official.

2016 Section 9 Tournament Schedules

Division 1 Seeds              Division 2 Seeds

99 Pounds
Division 1 – Middletown senior Oscar Lainez opened up eyes all from over the state with his 3rd place showing at this year’s Eastern States Classic.  Although definitely the favorite here, Lainez will be challenged!  MW’s Dylan Earl and VC’s Matthew Romano have had great season’s and are both legitimate title contenders.
Division 2 – Red Hook junior Wade Harris is the returning champ at this weight and has posted convincing victories this year over other contenders John Antonelli from Marlboro and Logan Linares from New Paltz.  Look for Harris to repeat.

106 Pounds
Division 1 – This is arguably the deepest weight class in the tournament!  Marco Vespa was the Section 9 champ at 99 pounds last year and has had a great year including a win over Minisink Valley’s Tyler Lynch earlier in the year while both were at 113.  Lynch has looked great since dropping to 106 including an impressive win over returning state place winner Justin Lopez from Section 1.  Wallkill’s James Faison keeps getting better and may be peeking at the right time.  He recently posted a 6-5 win over Section 11’s Kevin Meloni – a wrestler who pinned Vespa at ESC!  Let’s not forget about Goshen’s Frank Fea or NFA’s Greg Fischer; both wrestlers placed at 99 last year and have had great seasons.  This weight will be worth the price of admission!
Division 2 – Although 106 D2 doesn’t have the depth of D1 it definitely has a few hammers.  Onteora’s Nate Ross will face fellow 8th grader Luke Jones from Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West in the finals in a much anticipated showdown!

113 Pounds
Division 1 – Minisink Valley sophomore Connor Greiner has taken his game to the next level this year.  He has posted a 38-3 record with all three losses coming at ESC where Greiner finished 6th! His losses have to been to a former state champ (Kelan McKenna), a 2015 state finalist (Bennie Baker…who he beat earlier in the tournament), and to nationally ranked Tommy Cox!  One of Greiner’s closest decisions was a 4-2 win over Monroe Woodbury senior Anthony Stramiello.  Stramiello is a 2014 S9 champ at 99 and a runner up at this weight last year.
Division 2 – With his 16-3 record, Chester junior Nick Conetta is the favorite at 113 in D2.  Conetta was a runner up to Harris at 99 last year but has transitioned very nicely into his new weight class.  Conetta will likely receive his stiffest competition from New Paltz junior Chris Heisel who is 12-8 this year.

120 Pounds
Division 1 – This will be another very hotly contested weight on the D1 side with wrestlers like Jarred Greiner (MV), Robert Satriano (VC), Andrew Davis (Wallkill), Patrick Owens (Monticello) and Cameron Wernicki (MW) leading the way.  Greiner has wins over Satriano and Wernicki but has yet to face Davis.  Satriano beat Davis and Wernicki has only faced Greiner.
Division 2 – New Paltz junior Chris Massaro has to be considered the favorite here.  He is sporting a 22-9 record with nearly all of his losses coming top quality kids from both divisions.  Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West freshman Nicholas Curreri has had a good season and may see Massaro in the finals.

126 Pounds
Division 1 – Monroe Woodbury senior Kevin Kelly came within one win of finishing in the top 6 in NYS last year at this weight – he is the heavy favorite to make it to Albany again!  Expect Wallkill’s Brad Bonner, Warwick’s Paul Ginley, MV’s Vinny Vetrano, and Middletown’s Tyler Matos to all be in the hunt for a high placing here.
Division 2 – The small school division also has a heavy favorite at 126 in Ian Houck from Rondout Valley.  Houck sports a 27-7 record and has been dominating in most of his wins this year.

132 Pounds
Division 1 –  This could prove to be one of the more exciting weights on the D1 side with no real clear-cut favorite.  MW’s Anthony Eckerson has had a great season at 19-4 including a nice win over Shane Gibbons from Section 8.  Gus Formato from Wallkill is very game and we shouldn’t overlook Dominick Vetrano from MV, Warwick’s Nick Ferriera, or Eckerson’s teammate Andrew Sountis either!
Division 2 – 132 in the small schooldivision will likely end up in a showdown between Mark Castellanos from Highland and AJ Fazio from New Paltz.  These two wrestled last week with Castellanos taking the decision by a 7-5 margin.

138 Pounds
Division 1 – Warwick senior Charlie Johnson has really made his one year in Section 9 count!  The transfer finished 5th in PA last year and has every intention of finishing higher in NY this season!  To get there he’ll have to get past some tough customers from Section 9 though!  Andrew Neidnig from MV, Ben Ulrich and Michael LaRuffa from Monticello, and Tom Fini from MW have no intention of conceding the S9 title to anyone!
Division 2 – Onteora sophomore Dillon Ross is having a great season and is the odds on favorite here.  Ross is 27-9 on the season and made it to day 2 of the ESC.  He was also the S9 D2 champ at 120 last season.  Ross’s biggest challenge may come from his teammate and fellow sophomore Zach Chartrand who is 19-9 on the year.

145 Pounds
Division 1 – Monroe Woodbury junior Evan Barczak is without question the favorite at 145.  He is a 2X Section 9 champion and he placed 6th in NYS at 132 last year.  This year he is 37-4 and all 4 losses are to wrestlers who will likely place very high in Albany.  However, Barczak will not go untested at the S9 tournament!  Washingtonville junior Brandon Bobe is 28-4 and all 4 losses are to absolute studs – and they were all close matches!  We should also keep an eye on VC’s Dan Romano, Warwick’s Lucas Wightman, and MV’s Tim Ganuncio.
Division 2 – Red Hook junior Taylor Benson is no stranger to Albany.  He was the S9 champ at 126 last year and has his sights set on the podium this year.  He is 27-5 on the season and notched a great win at the Mid-Hudson over Section 8 stud Owen Bachelder.

152 Pounds
Division 1 – We can expect one of the most anticipated rematches of the season here!  Warwick junior Ryan Ferro finished 3rd in NYS at 145 last season and was considered by many to be a lock to repeat as S9 champ this year.  That all changed on December 15 when Brian Bucci from Saugerties pinned Ferro in the second period of their match at the S9 Duals!  Bucci has finished the regular season at 31-1 and has recorded 30 pins and 1 technical fall!  There are other tough kids at 152 but this is the rematch that everyone wants to see!
Division 2 – Few wrestlers worked as hard in the off season as Noah Curreri.  The Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West junior is a defending S9 champ and plans on visiting the medal stand in Albany this year.  Curreri is 34-3 this season and will likely receive his toughest challenge from Red Hook’s Tristen Schiafo.

160 Pounds
Division 1 – AJ Aeberli has separated himself as the most dominating wrestler at 160 in S9. He has a legitimate chance of winning a state title this year after placing 5th at this weight last year. 160 has several other tough customers in Ryan Sebesta (Wallkill), Nijee Noble (Kingston), Mark Ohanian (VC), and Nathaniel Cohen (PJ).
Division 2 – Chester senior Liam Heslin is the #1 seed and definite favorite here.  He was the champ at this weight last year while wrestling for Tuxedo.  Heslin is 17-5 on the year and could receive his toughest competition from New Paltz senior Tom Mihalics and Red Hook senior Kyle Torre.

170 Pounds
Division 1 – Wallkill junior Mike Fekishazy is 35 -1 this year with his lone loss coming at 182 to likely NYS placewinner Alex Melikian.  He finished 2nd at last year’s S9 tournament at 182 and is primed to bring home his 1st sectional title this weekend.  Fekishazy has some tough kids in his bracket though.  Let’s keep our eyes on Washingtonville’s Chris Martin and Middletown’s Adonis Moreno as those looking to pick-off Fekishazy.
Division 2 – New Paltz junior Ben Cuppett was the S9 D2 champ at 152 last year and is definitely the favorite to repeat in 2016.  He has a 24-7 record this year.  Cuppett will likely receive his stiffest competition from Red Hook’s Jeffrey Kiluba who finished 2nd at 145 last year.

182 Pounds
Division 1 – Monroe Woodbury junior Kendall Elfstrum is the defending champion at 182 and is the heavy favorite here.  Elfstrum has had another great season sporting a 35-5 record with all 5 losses coming to well-credentialed wrestlers.  Elfstrum’s toughest test may come from MV sophomore Joey Yanis who has been getting better every week and has notched a few impressive victories along the way.
Division 2 – New Paltz senior Theo Chazkel is the top seed here.  He has a 20-8 record this season and finished 3rd in D2 at 160 last year.  We should also keep our eye on Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West junior River Lounsbury who has put together a very nice season.

195 Pounds
Division 1 – The decision by Nick McShea to go 220 combined with the injury of ESC placer Justin McLee from Washingtonville has made the 195 pound weight class the most wide-open contest in the S9 D1 tournament.  Wallkill’s Garrett Betcher is definitely one of the favorites however there are several others in contention.  MV’s Andrew Covais, MW’s Samson Perez, Washingtonville’s Alex Leonty, and Middletown’s Horace Duke all in the running.
Division 2 – Kevin Morgans has been to the state tournament twice before and last year he was one win away from placing.  The senior from Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West is 30-5 this year and is a heavy favorite to make a third trip to our state capital.

220 Pounds
Division 1 – This is another weight that has all the makings for a much anticipated rematch!  MW senior Nick McShea was a state finalist last year at 195 and many of us expected that he would roll through the regular season this year and compete for a state title.  That all changed on December 15th when McShea was pinned by Goshen junior Ryan Ellefsen.  Both wrestlers have had great seasons and will likely meet up in the finals for one of the marquee match-ups of the evening!
Division 2 – Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West senior Will Depaolo is the top seed at D2 220 and he is the heavy favorite to win.  Depaolo came in 3rd at this weight last year and he is 21-11 this year including a win by fall over the #2 seed Angel Lemus from Onteora.

285 Pounds
Division 1 – Middletown senior Joe Humphrey is the top seed here and for good reason.  He has a 36-4 record and he avenged two of those losses later in the year; he has dominated the competition locally.  One wrestler he has yet to face is Minisink Valley sophomore Andrew Fenner who has not lost a match since the Eastern States Classic.  Saugerties Peter Lesar, who pinned Fenner earlier this season, is also one to watch for as is Washingtonville’s Max Kissak, Monticello’s Frank Smith, Middletown’s Norris Gipson, and MW freshman Preston Havison.
Division 2 –  Red Hook senior Travis Coon is having another great year! He has a 29-6 record and only one of his losses has come to a D2 wrestler.  His toughest competition from Section 9 will likely come from Ellenville senior John Avery who Coon pinned back in December.