Section 9’s Top Seniors for 2017 – 2018

Well it’s 4th of July weekend so what else is there to do other than put together a list of the top returning seniors in Section 9!  This season’s senior class may not have the accolades that we are accustomed to seeing, however there may be more depth than we’ve seen in the past!

Lightweights
Dylan Earl from Monroe Woodbury was the Section 9 Champion at 106 pounds and he finished 5th at the NYS tournament in Albany. He is the lone returning NYS place winner from Section 9.  His opponent in the Section 9 finals last year was Greg Fischer from NFA.  Greg was a wildcard entry in the NYS tournament last year where he went 0-2 however both of his losses were in sudden victory. Minisink Valley’s Connor Greiner is no stranger to the NYS tournament!  Connor missed most of last season due to an injury but was able to make it to the Section 9 finals.  He was the S9 champion, however, in 2016 and 2015.  Expect Greiner to come back with a vengeance this season!

Middleweights
Rondout Valley’s Ian Houck was the Division 2 Section 9 champ at 132 last season. He has put in a lot of extra work this off season and we could expect to see him place in Albany this coming season!  One of Houck’s losses last year was to the D1 S9 132 champion Vinny Vetrano from Minisink Valley who will be returning for his senior campaign.  Vinny’s twin bother, Dominic Vetrano, is a 2X S9 champion and is hoping to finish his career on the medal stand in Albany. Onteora’s Zach Chartrand was the D2 champ at 145 last year and should be primed for another great year, and we should expect Pine Bush’s Shaun Burgos to improve upon his runner-up finish at D1 145 last season. Chartrand’s teammate Dillon Ross was the D2 152 pound champion last season and he went 1-2 at states.  His losses however were 4-1 and 4-2 to the kids who finished 2nd and 4th in the state.  Expect Ross to get on the podium this year!  One of Ross’s toughest competitors last season was Red Hook’s Tristen Schiafo who should also have a monster season! Minisink Valley’s Tim Ganuncio was the S9 finalist at 160 pounds last year.  He lost 8 matches to NYS wrestlers last season – all 8 of those wrestlers were NYS place winners!

Heavyweights
Middletown’s Adonis Morano was the Section 9 champion at 170 last season and could definitely make some noise in Albany this season!  One of the wrestlers to defeat Morano last year was Minisink Valley’s Joey Yanis who finished 2nd at 182 last season.  Yanis received an at-large birth into the state tournament where he went 2-2 and was one win away from placing!  John Goodell from Eldred/Liberty/Sullivan West was the D2 S9 champ at 220 and should have a great senior season as should Minisink Valley 285 pounder Andrew Fenner who has finished 3rd and 2nd, respectively, the last two seasons at heavyweight!