It’s safe to say that we are all going through some pretty crazy time right now. With hope of providing a healthy distraction, every day or so I will be posting a decade-by-decade history of our Section 9 Championships which will include every Section 9 Champion as well as an All-Decade Team. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to our Section 9 Chairman Jeff Cuilty who has provided me with a large percentage of the information that will be used in these posts. Any omissions or corrections can be emailed to me at sectionixwrestling@gmail.com.
Let’s take a look at sectionixwrestling.com’s All-Decade Team from the years 1963 through 1969. For those of you who are relative newcomers to the sport here are a few things to keep in mind and perhaps avoid some confusion. Rockland County was part of Section 9 through 1984 – starting in 1985 they joined Section 1. Also, our current two division system which separates small schools and large schools did not begin until 2008.
The 1960’s All-Decade Team
95: Ron Lewis (Liberty)
103: Lee Klepper (Suffern)
112: Eric Watts (Suffern)
120: John Scanlon (Pearl River)
127: Art Trovei (Port Jervis)
133: Mike Steckler (Clarkstown)
138: Al Favata (Newburgh)
145: Kevin McClintock (Suffern)
154: Mark Faller (Port Jervis)
165: William Sweet (Pearl River)
175: Alex Montgomery (Nyack)
HWT: Joe Radivoy (Middletown)
UNL: Paul Ciccone (Suffern)
1963
95 Eric Watts (Suffern, 10)
103 Ralph Sherry (Clarkstown, 12)
112 John Wallach (Suffern, 12)
120 Peter Brennan (Suffern, 12)
127 Howie McMillan (Suffern, 10)
133 Richard Johnson (Suffern, 12)
138 Tom Human (Haverstraw, 12) – 2nd NYS
145 Al Askew (Nyack, 12) – 3rd NYS
154 John Harvey (Nyack, 11)
165 William Hampton (Clarkstown, 12)
180 Bruce Rich (Middletown, 12)
215 Joe Radivoy (Middletown, 12) – 3rd NYS
1964
95 Ray Aherns (Pearl River, 10)
103 Eric Watts (Suffern, 11)
112 Ramon Rodriguez (Haverstraw, 12)
120 Craig Ketchum (Haverstraw, 11)
127 Howie McMillan (Suffern, 11) – 3rd NYS
133 Jerry Leo (Nanuet, 12)
138 Tom Bayer (Port Jervis, 12)
145 Tom Lewis (Liberty, 12) – 3rd NYS
154 John Harvey (Nyack, 12)
165 Dick Sullivan (Haverstraw, 12)
175 Tom Reed (Liberty, 12)
215 Roger Preisch (Spring Valley, 12) – 4th NYS
UNL Tom Meyers (Liberty, 12)
1965
95 Robert Johnston (Suffern)
103 Burt Royce (Suffern, 12) – 4th NYS
112 Eric Watts (Suffern, 12) – NYS Champion
120 Craig Ketchum (Havestraw, 12)
127 Mike Drapala (Port Jervis, 12)
133 Howie McMillan (Suffern, 12)
138 John Eng (Suffern, 11)
145 Paul Salierno (Pearl River, 10)
154 Steve Klein (Liberty)
165 John Todoverto (Monroe Woodbury)
180 Mark Baretz (Spring Valley)
235 Ken Johnson (Newburgh)
UNL Ed Girodoakus (Havestraw)
1966
95 George Davis (Nyack, 12)
103 John Scanlon (Pearl River, 9) – 4th NYS
112 Ray Aherns (Pearl River, 12)
120 Burt Royce (Suffern, 12)
127 Tony Ptak (Middletown, 11) – 3rd NYS
133 Doug Stewart (Pearl River, 12)
138 John Watts (Suffern, 11)
145 John Eng (Suffern, 12)
154 Mark Faller (Port Jervis, 12) – 4th NYS
165 Roman Fediuk (Middletown,12)
175 George Petermen (Clarkstown)
215 Rick Schumacher (Suffern)
UNL Drew Kumechi (Haverstraw)
1967
95 Ron Lewis (Liberty, 12)
103 Marshall Stanton (Pearl River, 12)
112 John Scanlon (Pearl River, 10)
120 Mike Steckler (Clarkstown, 11)
127 Sal Favata (Newburgh, 12) – 4th NYS
133 Tony Ptak (Middletown, 12)
138 Al Favata (Newburgh, 10) – 4th NYS
145 Bill Ogden (Middletown, 12)
154 Paul Salierno (Pearl River, 12)
165 William Sweet (Pearl River, 12) – 4th NYS
175 Alex Montgomery (Nyack, 12)
215 Howard Broadhead (Middletown, 12)
UNL Paul Ciccone (Suffern, 9)
1968
95 Lee Klepper (Suffern, 11) – NYS Champion
103 Skip Cuomo (Suffern, 12)
112 Steve Keys (Port Jervis, 12) – 4th NYS
120 John Scanlon (Pearl River, 11) – 4th NYS
127 Paul Paquin Sr. (Cornwall, 12)
133 Mike Steckler (Clarkstown, 12) – 2nd NYS
138 Al Favata (Newburgh, 11) – NYS Champion
145 Ted Lewis (Liberty, 10)
154 John Hassler (Nanuet, 12)
165 William Sweet (Pearl River, 12) – NYS Champion
175 Charlie Kwiecinski (Clarkstown, 12)
215 John Kavanaugh (Clarkstown, 12)
UNL Paul Ciccone (Suffern, 10)
1969
95 Rich Keener (Middletown, 12)
103 Lee Klepper (Suffern, 12) – NYS Champion
112 Art Kahn (Suffern, 12)
120 John Scanlon (Pearl River, 12) – 2nd NYS
127 Art Trovei (Port Jervis, 12) – 2nd NYS
133 Bill Anderson (Suffern, 12) – 4th NYS
138 Al Favata (Newburgh, 12)
145 Kevin McClintock (Suffern, 12) – 3th NYS
154 T.A. Kolvenbach (Port Jervis, 12)
165 Mike Gould (Port Jervis, 12)
175 John Hohmann (Pearl River, 12)
215 Gary Lake (Middletown, 12)
UNL Paul Ciccone (Suffern, 11)
Howie McMillan at 133.
I originally went with Anderson but I switched to Steckler from Clarkstown who was a state finalist!
Thanks Mike, this is good stuff. Hope you plan on doing one for every decade. Even better if you can come up with an all-time section 9 team. Maybe you could use the current weight classes and put wrestlers in that were close to those weights. I love the fact that their was an unlimited weight class! Imagine that nowadays, we would see some 300lb plus wrestlers going at it.
That’s exactly what I will be doing! 1970’s will post today. I’m glad you are enjoying it!
Wrestler from MV is Dodd WESTER not Dodd WEBSTER.
Great job with a big under taking!!
Thanks Coach…nice catch…I’ll edit now…MC
Hi Coach/ Great Work to put this together!
1972
98 lb
The last name is Sclafani / not Scalfani
Alex Montgomery on dream team was from Nyack not Pearl River although we would love to have had him
Got it Coach…nice catch…thank you!
Thank you for all of this MC! Love reading about this history.
Tony Ptak, 1966, my cousin! ?
It’s JOE Radivoy…not TOM Radivoy from Middleton! Tom was his Dad.
Thank you…I just corrected the post!
05/30/2020–first time i’ve seen this. saw coach art gage’s name and clicked on it in curiosity and what a surprise.
Any chance you have records on the top 4 finishers for the section tournaments from the 60’s, 70’s, and eighties? I am a coach at Clarkstown North doing some research on place finishers and my records are incomplete for those years. I’d love to get any top 4 for Clarkstown and Clarkstown North.
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Tony Mellino
Clarkstown North Wrestling
Unfortunately I do not…sorry Coach!
No worries Mike. I enjoyed reading all this history. Although I coach in Clarkwood I live in Cornwall.
Hi-Noticed a few corrections (minor).
1963- 103- Ralph Sherry-11th grade
145-Al Askew-11th grade
1964- 112-Roman Rodriguez-11th grade
1965-Burt Royce-11th grade
1966-138-Gary Watts