Section 9 D1 Recap, Final Brackets… Plus Some Wildcard Talk!

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.