Well as we all know by now, the 2020 Friends of Section 9 Banquet of Champions was cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak. This doesn’t mean, however, that we are not going to pay special recognition to all of the wrestlers, coaches, scorekeepers, parents, and fans that did so much to make 2019-2020 an incredible year for Section 9 wrestling! Congratulations to all of the winners!!!
Special Awards
FS9 Referee of the Year – John Scesa
Officials Sportsmanship Award – John Antonelli (Marlboro)
FS9 Presidents Award – Anthony Ng (Wallkill/SUNY Sullivan)
FS9 Special Recognition Award – Kristen Rummel (Newburgh)
Parent of the Year – Tara Landrigan (Middletown)
Coaches Wife of the Year – Lauren Gartiser (Monroe Woodbury)
Modified/Youth Coach of the Year – Doug Morse (Rondout Valley)
Scorekeeper of the Year – Madison Garcia (Washingtonville)
Scorekeeper of the Year – Riley Sauschuck (Port Jervis)
Scorekeeper of the Year – Alexis Greer (Pine Bush)
Scorekeeper of the Year – Maddie Noble (Newburgh)
Fan of the Year – Kjerstin DeCapua (Newburgh)
Assistant Coach of the Year – Will Parks (Newburgh)
Most Improved Team of the Year – Red Hook
Mark Faller Coach of the Year – Scott Hendershot (Minisink)
Frank Tschan Team of the Year – Minisink Valley
Dave Simmons Courageous Wrestler – Sean Savacool (Minisink)
Comeback Wrestler of the Year – JC Cabrera (Minisink)
FS9 Coach of the Year – Ryan Pullman (New Paltz)
FS9 Person of the Year – Sandy Strauss (Valley Central)
John Bell S9 Lifetime Achievement – Matt Urciuoli (Kingston)
Troy Bouzakis Sr. Wrestler of the Year – Tommy Askey (Pine Bush)
Scholarship Winners
Pat D’Aliso Scholarship – Josh Sam (Middletown)
DeCapua Scholarship – Jacob Chenier (Kingston)
DeCapua Scholarship – John Antonelli (Marlboro)
DeCapua Scholarship – Josh Sam (Middletown)
DeCapua Scholarship – Nick Picariello (Minisink Valley)
DeCapua Scholarship – Joe McGinty (Monroe Woodbury)
DeCapua Scholarship – Tommy Askey (Pine Bush)
DeCapua Scholarship – Joe Amato (Port Jervis)
DeCapua Scholarship – James Oosterom (Port Jervis)
DeCapua Scholarship – Matt Morris (Red Hook)
DeCapua Scholarship – Evan Gibbons (Warwick)
DeCapua Scholarship – Jeremy Mazzella (Warwick)
Awards Already Given Out At Sections
D1 MOW Section 9 Tournament – Tommy Askey (Pine Bush)
D2 MOW Section 9 Tournament – Nick Ross (Onteora)
MJD Most Exciting Match D1 Finals – Palanca (NP) vs Galarza (PB)
MJD Most Exciting Match D2 Finals – Amato (PJ) vs Antonelli (Marlboro)
Placewinners – Top 4 D1 & Top 2 D2
99 D1 Champ – Jordan Brown (Monroe Woodbury) *6th in NYS*
99 D1 Runner-Up – Alex Greco (Warwick) *8th in NYS*
99 D1 3rd Place – Mason Ketcham (Washingtonville)
99 D1 4th Place – Rocco Futia (Wallkill)
99 D2 Champ – Trevor Tufano (Port Jervis)
99 D2 Runner-Up – Isaiah Hockx (Saugerties)
106 D1 Champ – Justin Morales (Middletown) *6th in NYS*
106 D1 Runner-Up – Jackson Merli (NFA)
106 D1 3rd Place – Zak McKernan (Minisink Valley)
106 D1 4th Place – Sebastian Vidacovich (Valley Central)
106 D2 Champ – Rian Kirker (Red Hook)
106 D2 Runner-Up – Brandon McKay (Red Hook)
113 D1 Champ – Andrew Marchese (Washingtonville) *5th NYS*
113 D1 Runner-Up – Jaden Hansen (NFA)
113 D1 3rd Place – Gabe Giumarra (Cornwall)
113 D1 4th Place – Nico Riciutto (Valley Central)
113 D2 Champ – Ryan Ross (Port Jervis)
113 D2 Runner-Up – Peter Bender (Highland)
120 D1 Champ – Nick Picariello (Minisink Valley)
120 D1 Runner-Up – Santos Ocasio (Monroe Woodbury)
120 D1 3rd Place – Jacob Chenier (Kingston)
120 D1 4th Place – Jayden Norris (Middletown)
120 D2 Champ – Joey Curreri (Eldred)
120 D2 Runner-Up – Maddox McCormick (Port Jervis)
126 D1 Champ – Zack Ryder (Minisink Valley) *NYS Champion*
126 D1 Runner-Up – Moises Diaz (Middletown)
126 D1 3rd Place – Drew Greco (Warwick)
126 D1 4th Place – Mia Macaluso (Minisink Valley)
126 D2 Champ – Matt Morris (Red Hook) *8th NYS*
126 D2 Runner-Up – Caleb Harrison (Port Jervis)
132 D1 Champ – Jordan Suarez (Minisink Valley)
132 D1 Runner-Up – Matt Romano (Valley Central)
132 D1 3rd Place – Josh Sam (Middletown)
132 D1 4th Place – Travis Phillips (Valley Central)
132 D2 Champ – Joey Amato (Port Jervis)
132 D2 Runner-Up – John Antonelli (Marlboro)
138 D1 Champ – Sean Savacool (Minisink Valley)
138 D1 Runner-Up – Brian Lombardi (Minisink Valley)
138 D1 3rd Place – Dan Downs (Monroe Woodbury)
138 D1 4th Place – Liam Eberlein (Warwick)
138 D2 Champ – Alex Lopez (Red Hook)
138 D2 Runner-Up – Walter Evans (Ellenville)
145 D1 Champ – Ethan Palanca (New Paltz)
145 D1 Runner-Up – Gabe Galarza (Pine Bush)
145 D1 3rd Place – Jaccob Gonzalez (Minisink Valley)
145 D1 4th Place – Aiden Cuppett (New Paltz)
145 D2 Champ – Tyler Benincasa (Red Hook)
145 D2 Runner-Up – Logan Zehr (Highland)
152 D1 Champ – Tommy Askey (Pine Bush) *NYS Champ*
152 D1 Runner-Up – Andrew Filip (Minisink Valley)
152 D1 3rd Place – Mike Zrelak (Monroe Woodbury)
152 D1 4th Place – Myles Gordon (Kingston)
152 D2 Champ – Nick Ross (Onteora) *2nd NYS*
152 D2 Runner-Up – Logan Smith (Highland)
160 D1 Champ – Joe McGinty (Monroe Woodbury) *2nd NYS*
160 D1 Runner-Up – Jace Hirsch (Minisink Valley)
160 D1 3rd Place – Evan Gibbons (Warwick)
160 D1 4th Place – Luis Paulino (Monroe Woodbury)
160 D2 Champ – Patrick Ross (Onteora)
160 D2 Runner-Up – Bryce Horner (Port Jervis)
170 D1 Champ – Joe Velazquez (Middletown) *6th NYS*
170 D1 Runner-Up – Marcus Brown (Monroe Woodbury)
170 D1 3rd Place – Max Wernicki (Monroe Woodbury)
170 D1 4th Place – Nate Paterson (NFA)
170 D2 Champ – Nate Ross (Onteora)
170 D2 Runner-Up – Kwalin Gonzalez (Chester)
182 D1 Champ – Ethan Gallo (Minisink Valley) *6th NYS*
182 D1 Runner-Up – Darwin Banegas (NFA)
182 D1 3rd Place – Logan Michael (New Paltz)
182 D1 4th Place – Jeremy Mazzella (Warwick)
182 D2 Champ – Hayden Campolong (Red Hook)
182 D2 Runner-Up – Aiden Maduro (Highland)
195 D1 Champ – Brian Giacch (Middletown)
192 D1 Runner-Up – Joe Russell (NFA)
195 D1 3rd Place – Zavier Bennett (Kingston)
195 D1 4th Place – David Burgoa (NFA)
195 D2 Champ – Hunter Roberts (Eldred)
195 D2 Runner-Up – Connor Boyer (James I. O’Neil)
220 D1 Champ – JC Cabrera (Minisink Valley)
220 D1 Runner-Up – Armel Duke (Middletown)
220 D1 3rd Place – Maxx DeCapua (NFA)
220 D1 4th Place – Carson Henry (Minisink Valley)
220 D2 Champ – James Oosterom (Port Jervis) *3rd NYS*
220 D2 Runner-Up – Jacob Southard (Port Jervis)
285 D1 Champ – Adam Fenner (Minisink Valley) *3rd NYS*
285 D1 Runner-Up – Stephan Monchery (Middletown)
285 D1 3rd Place – Frankie Hernandez (Monroe Woodbury)
285 D1 4th Place – Fredy Garcia (Washingtonville)
285 D2 Champ – Devin McGovern (Chester)
285 D2 Runner-Up – Shammar Gittens (Highland)
Girls Champions
126 – Grace Pauls (Minisink Valley)
132 – Synaida Wheeler (Fallsburg)
138 – Carolyn Santiago (NFA)
145 – Alexa Ligouri (FDR)
152 – Eliyah Constant (Pine Bush)
170 – Jo Jo Tanzi (New Paltz)
2019-2020 Season Highlight & Interesting Facts
- Minisink Valley wins state duals and is #1 in NYS
- 13 state medalists in S9 – most ever
- Ryder (MV, 126) is the “heaviest” 8th grader to ever win state title
- MW has had multiple state medalists for 8 consecutive seasons
- Antonelli (Marlboro) 1st ever “shadow” wrestler to notch 100 wins
- MV had all 18 wrestlers place in S9 tournament
- 1st ever S9 Girls Tournament
- Mia Mac (MV) and Alyssa Reed (PJ) place in the boys tournament