Author: Mike Carey

Minisink’s Bonneau Drops Decision To Nationally Ranked Opponent

Team New York is now 3-0 against Team New Jersey at the annual Pinning Down Autism All-Star Charity Challenge.  Like last year, this year’s dual was not decided until the last bout when Mike Hughes of Section 11 pinned his opponent to secure a 29-21 decision for Team NY!

Minisink Valley senior Josh Bonneau lost a 9-2 decision to Don Bosco’s Zach Chakonis.  Chakonis is ranked #13 in the country at 220 pounds according to Intermatwrestle.com.  Congratulations on your selection to the team and good luck at the Nationals Josh!!!

Full Article From New York Wrestling News

Congratulations to Port Jervis graduate JD Zitone for his second place finish at this year’s NCAA DIII tournament.  Zitone finals loss was to defending national champ and top-seeded Chad Johnson of Augsburg.  Click here for a link to the Centenary College website for the complete article about Zitone’s run to the finals.  Great job and great career JD!

Check out the information below…here are a few opportunities to sharpen your skills in the off season!

2013 DV Spring League                                        DV K-8 Duals

Minisink Senior Only The 2nd Section 9 Ever Wrestler Selected!

Congratulations to Minisink Valley’s Josh Bonneau for being only the second ever Section 9 wrestler selected to participate in the Pinning Down Autism All-Star Festival which takes place this weekend at West Orange HS in West Orange, NJ.  The event, now in its third year, has grown each year and is now a 3-day festival which features All-Star Dual Meets between team representing New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Michigan, and New England.        Event Flyer

After a Friday evening weigh-in, the wrestling will take place on Saturday and Sunday with the main event being a dual meet between Team New York and Team New Jersey on Sunday.  On Saturday Bonneau, who finished 4th in NYS, will be wrestling at 220 pounds for team NY in duals against MI, DE, and NE.  For Sunday’s dual against NJ, state champion Richard Sisti from Monsignor Farrell will be representing Team NY.  Bonneau joins fellow Minisink Valley Warrior Kyle Diesel as the only S9 wrestlers ever asked to participate in the event.

Below is Team NY’s Roster…Bonneau is in some very elite company!
99:  Yianni Diakomihalis – Section 5                       160:  Tyler Grimaldi – Section 11
106:  Kyle Quinn – Section 8                                     160:  Steven Schnieder – Section 8
113:  Nick Piccininni – Section 11                             170:  Adis Radoncic – PSAL
113:  Dillon Stowell – Section 10                               170:  John Vrasidas – CHSAA
120:  Alex Delacruz – Section 1                                 182:  Shayne Brady – Section 3
120:  Travis Passaro – Section 11                             195:  Dan Choi – Section 8
126:  TJ Fabian – Section 11                                      195:  Hunter Ayen – Section 10
126:  Keanu Thompson – PSAL                                220:  Richard Sisti – CHSAA
132:  Tristan Rifanburg – Section 4                         220:  Josh Bonneau – Section 9
132:  Sam Melikian – CHSAA                                   285:  Mike Hughes – Section 11
138:  Nick Tighe – Section 3
138:  Nick Kelley – Section 2
145:  Louis Hernandez – Section 8
152:  Corey Rasheed – Section 11
152:  Rowdy Prior – Section 3

Earns Another Chance at Nationals

http://www.centenarycyclones.com/news/2013/3/3/WREST_0303134453.aspx?path=wrestling

The Friends of Section 9 held their annual year-end banquet on Sunday.  Along with giving awards to the top placewinners from each weight class, special recognition was given to some very deserving people listed below.  The Friends of Section 9 is an all volunteer organization that is always looking for dedicated people who are interested in helping out our local wrestling community.  Anyone who is interested in helping out can contact me at sectionixwrestling@gmail.com.

Scorekeepers of the Year: Bridget Chartrand (Onteora)
Emma Paul (Wallkill)
Modified Coach of the Year: Jim Horton (Newburgh)
Coaches Wife of the Year: Jeanne Leggett (Newburgh)
Friends S9 Ref of the Year: Wayne Carroll
Orange/Sullivan Officials Sportsmanship Award:  Terrence Cheeks (Newburgh)
CPT Stephen Leslie Most Courageous Award: Vinny Vespa (Monroe Woodbury)
Friends S9 Presidents Team Award: Eldred Fallsburg
Special Recognition Award: Jim Corcoran
“Come-Back” of the Year: Jesse Corcoran (Eldred Fallsburg)
Special Recognition Award: Dicky Bouzakis
Most Improved Team of the Year: Wallkill
Assistant Coach of the Year: John Foley (Port Jervis)
Friends of Section 9 Coach of the Year:  Andre Lee (Washingtonville)
Fan of the Year:  Chris Sweeney
Frank Tschan Team of the Year – Monroe Woodbury
Friends of Section 9 Person of the Year: Kelly Nicholas
John Bell S9 Lifetime Achievement Awards: John Lennon (Liberty)
Rich Leggett (Newburgh)
Mark Faller Coach of the Year – Team Champions: Steve Fischbein (MW)
Parents of the Year:  Bob and Mo Voelker (Monroe Woodbury)
Troy Bouzakis Senior Wrestler of the Year: AJ Voelker (Monroe Woodbury)
D’Aliso Most Improved Wrestler: Frankie Hernandez (Minisink Valley)
D’Aliso Scholarship: Eric Januszkiewicz (New Paltz)
DeCapua Scholarships: Kevin Rivera (Highland)
Sal Mazzella (Highland)
Anthony Freyre (Monroe Woodbury)
Drake Barczak (Monroe Woodbury)
AJ Voelker (Monreo Woodbury)
Terrence Cheeks (NFA)
Eric Janszkiewicz (New Paltz)
Austin Weigel (Onteora)
Travis Edwards (Port Jervis)

Ruggirello and Wightman finish 3rd

Congratulations to Monroe Woodbury graduate Jamie Franco of Hofstra for winning the 133 pound title at the CAA tournament and securing his spot at this year’s NCAA Championships.  Franco began the day with a 6-0 victory over Josh Harlowe of Boston University before picking off top seeded Scott Festejo 3-2 in the semifinals.  Franco capped off his title run by defeating 3rd seeded Derek Steeley of Binghamton 8-4 in the finals.  Hofstra 149 pounder Cody Ruggirello (Valley Central) and Boston University 165 pounder Mitch Wightman (Warwick) both finished 3rd in the tournament and will have to hope for a wildcard for admission to the NCAAs.  Great job guys! 

This weekend we will be keeping tabs on both the PA and NJ state championship tournaments!

Pennsylvania:
Delaware Valley HS in Milford, PA has sent 4 wrestlers to Hershey, PA to compete in the toughest state tournament in the US….by a mile!         Brackets

Medal Matches:
132: Walker (North Hills) maj dec 10-0 Palmer (Del Val) …Palmer finished 8th
182: Nickelson (Belle Verne Area) maj dec 12-2 Strenk (Del Val) … Strenk finishes 6th

Consolation Semifinals:
Johnson (Gov Mif) wbf 1:20 Strenk (Del Val)…Strenk wrestling for 5th

Consolation Rd #3:
132:  Rizzolino (Easton) dec 1-0 Palmer (Del Val) …Jalen wrestles for 7th
182:  Strenk (Del Val) dec 3-2 Bolig (Owen Roberts) … Martin guaranteed top 6!

Consolation Rd #2:
132: Palmer (Del Val) dec 8-3 Gibson (McDowell)
182: Strenk (Del Val) dec 8-5 Dellar (Dallastown)
195: Rayhart (Big Spring) maj dec 13-0 Wagner (Del Val) … Wagner eliminated

Consolation Rd #1:
132:  Palmer (Del Val) dec 5-3 McStravick (Upper Perkiomen)
160:  Lee (Titusville) dec 10-3 Markowitz (Del Val) …. Markowitz is out
182:  Strenk (Del Val) dec 7-3 Shorter (Manheim Township)
195:  Wagner (Del Val) dec 4-2 tb Barnes (Altoona)

Round of 16:
132: Drew Walker (North Hills) dec 4-1 Jalen Palmer (Del Val)
160:  Chance Marsteller (Kennard Dale) wbf :42 Lucas Markowitz (Del Val)
** Marsteller, only a junior, has never lost a hs match…every wrestling publication on the planet considers him the best pound-for-pound high school wrestler in the nation**
182: Brett Harner (Norristown) wbf 1:51 Martin Strenk (Del Val)
195: Jacob Hart (Hampton) wbf 1:26 Matt Wagner (Del Val)

New Jersey:
The NJ championships, one of the few remaining single-division tournaments, takes place in Atlantic City and begins on Friday!  High Point Regional High School located in Sussex County NJ has 4 qualifiers for the state tournament.         Brackets

Semifinals:
195: Gross (Don Bosco Prep) dec 11-6 Stoll (High Point)

Quarterfinals:
132: Estevez (Livingston) dec 6-0 Derin (High Point)
145: Heilman (So Plain) dec 5-0 Gaccione (High Point)
195:  Stoll (High Point) dec 3-2 Smith (Morrestown) … Stoll in semis!!! 

132:  Michael Derin (High Point) dec 9-2 Wojtaszak (Brick)
145:  Jason Gaccione (High Point) dec 3-1 Soto (Bound Brook)
195:  Kyle Stoll (High Point) dec 3-2 Haddad (Gov. Livingston)
220: Schinder (Lacey) dec 8-3  Robert McDonnell (High Point)

Section 9 NY USAW had an all-time high
98 youth wrestlers compete at the USA Wrestling Youth Folkstyle State Championships on March 2^nd and 3^rd at Bay Shore, New York.  Eleven of those wrestlers made it to the Championship round and seven Section 9 wrestlers were crowned Youth State Champions!  Congratulations to everyone who competed!!!  Brackets –   2013 Youth Folkstyle USAW State Championships

Section 9’s Seven Champions:  Zak Ryder, Andrew Filip, Ethan Gallo, Preston Machado, David Strauss, Lucas Wightman, Dylan Green

Middletown High School will host a Mid Atlantic Wrestling Association (MAWA) preliminary district tournament on Saturday, April 6th.  Click on the link below for the tournament flyer.
                                    MAWA District Tournament – Middletown