Author: Mike Carey

Congratulations to Minisink Valley’s Mia Macaluso for taking home the gold medal and being recognized at the tournament’s MOW at this weekend’s Cadet Freestyle Pan-American Championships in Morelia, Mexico. Mia Mac absolutely dominated the competition at 61 kilograms notching four pins and one tech fall on her way to the top step of the podium. Mia, who recently took home the bronze at the Junior Freestyle Pan-Ams in Guatemala, is now ranked 3rd in the nation at 132 pounds.

Great job Mia Mac….Keep it rolling!!!! Let’s take a look at her match-by-match results!

Pool Matches
Mia Macaluso (USA) wbf 2:56 Makitha Bristol (Canada)
Mia Macaluso (USA) tf 12-2 Jezabel Ortega Munoz (Mexico)
Mia Macaluso (USA) wbf 1:10 Yajahira Ibarra Cedeno (Panama)

Semis
Mia Macaluso (USA) wbf :36 Bianca Marisol Cruz Zapata (Peru)

Finals
Mia Macaluso (USA) wbf 1:54 Makitha Bristol (Canada)

NewYorkWrestlingNews.com recently posted a list of the top-10 wrestlers in each weight class excluding the graduating seniors. The rankings were done based on the wrestler’s performance during this past season. Each wrestler was ranked at the weight class that he finished the 2018-2019 season. It goes without saying that vast majority of these wrestler will be competing at heavier weight classes during the upcoming season. Let’s see who from Section 9 made the list….

Division 1
99: #8 Andrew Marchese (Washingtonville)
106: #2 Zack Ryder (Minisink Valley)
120: #6 Nick Picariello (Minisink Valley)
132: #6 Matt Romano (Valley Central)
138: #10 Sean Savacool (Minisink Valley)
145: #2 Tommy Askey (Pine Bush)
152: #2 Joe McGinty (Monroe Woodbury)
160: #8 Ethan Gallo (Minisink Valley)
220: #2 Maxx DeCapua (NFA)
220: #10 Armel Duke (Middletown)
285: #3 Adam Fenner (Minisink Valley)

Division 2
113: #5 Matt Morris (Red Hook)
126: #5 Eric Tigue (Port Jervis)
138: #1 Nick Ross (Onteora)
152: #3 Nate Ross (Onteora)
160: #10 Bryce Horner (Port Jervis)
220: #3 James Oosterom (Port Jervis)
285: #7 Devin McGovern (Chester)
285: #9 Jacob Southard (Port Jervis)

Congratulations to Cornwall’s Will Leonard and Minisink Valley’s Nicolas Albornoz for being selected as OCIAA Scholar Athletes for their respective schools. Every year, the OCIAA selects one male and one female senior from each school and recognizes them as scholar athletes. These student athletes were honored at a breakfast sponsored by Varsity 845 on Tuesday morning.

Leonard capped of an incredible senior year at Cornwall by going undefeated and winning the 220 pound state title in Albany back in February. His undefeated streak technically started in the fall because Leonard was also part of the undefeated state championship football team for Cornwall! Will carries a 96.13 GPA which ranked 41st in his senior class. Leonard will attend the University of Buffalo this fall where he will major in Mechanical Engineering and wrestle for their Division 1 program. Will was also selected as the 2019 Varsity 845 Scholar-Athlete of the Year!

Albornoz was a captain and starting 145 pound wrestler for Minisink Valley, the 3rd ranked large school in NYS. He was a Section 9 finalist the past two seasons and received an at-large birth to wrestle in this year’s NYSPHSAA Championships in Albany. His season record was 37-8. In the classroom, Albornoz boasts a 98.6 GPA which ranks him 20th in the senior class at Minisink. He will be attending RIT in the fall and will major in Engineering!

Congratulations to both young men!

Congratulations to Section 9 alum Justin Signorelli for being named the Head Wrestling Coach at DIII Alfred State! Signorelli is 2009 graduate of Highland where he was a 3X Section 9 champion. He was also a captain of the football team and played lacrosse during his prep years. Signorelli was a four year wrestler for SUNY Cortland and was part of the 2013 Dragon team that finished 4th at the NWCA National Duals.

After graduating with a BA in Communications from Cortland, Signorelli served as Highland’s assistant wrestling coach for 3 years before taking the reigns at SUNY Ulster where he spent 2 years resurrecting a program that had been dormant since 1979. This past season he served as a graduate assistant for the Western New England University wrestling team where he helped coach the 184 pound DIII National Champion John Boyle! Congratulations Justin…Section 9 is proud to call you one of our own!!!

Alfred State Press Release

Follow along as we keep you up-to-date on Minisink Valley junior Mia Macaluso’s performance at the 2019 Junior Pan American Championships which are being held in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Mia Mac is competing at 59kg. Although only 16 years old and still technically a Cadet, Macaluso tested up and won a spot on the US Women’s Junior National team – she is the only Cadet eligible wrestler on the team. Let’s take a look at her draw! Round-by-round results will be updated throughout the tournament which begins on Thursday at 1:00 EST! Good luck Mia Mac!

Round 1: Macaluso wbf :56 Gonzalez (Guatemala)
Round 2: Parker (Canada) tf 12-2 Macaluso
Round 3: Cuero (Columbia) wbf 2:54 Macaluso
Round 4: bye
Round 5: Macaluso wbf Flores (Panama)

Congratulations to Mia Macaluso for taking home the Bronze and to Team USA for winning the team title! Great job ladies!!!

Let’s take a look at the all Section 9 team that Vision Wrestling is sending to Lake Placid this weekend for the 2019 Pop & Flo National Duals! Plus we can’t forget about Nick and Pat Ross from Onteora who are wrestling for Journeymen Black as well as Goshen native Frank Fea who is on Dark Knights! Round-by-round results will be posted here as well as on the S9Wrestling Facebook Page! Good luck boys!!!

Team Vision Wrestling
106 – Alex Greco (Warwick) – S9 5th
113 – Drew Marchese (Washingtonville) – S9 Champion
120/125 – Justin Morales (Middletown) – 2X NYS Qualifier
120/125 – Joey Curreri (Eldred) – S9 2nd & 3rd
130 – Drew Greco (Warwick) – S9 4th & 5th
135 – Joey Amato (Port Jervis)- S9 Finalist
140 – Eric Tigue (Port Jervis) – 2X S9 Champion
145 – Josh Sam (Middletown) – S9 Finalist
152 – Nick Curreri (Eldred) – S9 Champion
160 – Nate Ross (Onteora) – 3X S9 Champ; 5th NYS
160/170 – Evan Gibbons (Warwick) – S9 4th
170 – Nick Florin (Pine Bush) – S9 Finalist
182 – Steve Felice (Monroe Woodbury) – S9 3rd
195 – Elijah Babb (Middletown) – S9 3rd
220/285 – Armel Duke (Middletown) – 7th Eastern States Classic
220/285 – James Oosterom (Port Jervis) – 5th NYS

Dual Meet Results
Championship Rd 32 – Cobra Wrestling 49 Vision 16
Team Vision drew a tough first round opponent in Cobra Wrestling Academy from Western NY. Notching wins for Vision were Drew Marchese, Pat Ross and James Oosterom. Marchese picked up a solid 9-0 major decision while Ross and Oosterom recorded pins!

*Because they lost their opening round dual, Team Vision drops to the “B” Pool.

B Pool Rd 16 – Vision 71 Razor Red 0
Our local boys absolutely dominated Razor Red in their first B pool bracket dual. Razor forfeited 5 weight classes and Vision picked up pins from Drew Marchese, Joey Curreri, Eric Tigue, Nate Ross, and James Oosterom. Also notching wins for Vision were Alex Greco, Joey Amato, Josh Sam, Nick Florin and Steve Felice.

B Pool Rd 8 – Vision 52 Elite Wrestling White 18
Team Vision picks up another win in the B pool with an impressive 52-18 win over Elite Wrestling White from NJ. Notching wins for our local contingent were Marchese, J. Curreri, Tigue, Sam, N. Curreri, Ross, Florin, Felice, Babb, Duke, and Oosterom!

B Pool Semis – Vision 52 Superior Black 15
Vision won 11 of the 15 matches and advances to the B Pool final after taking out Superior Black 52-15. Team Vision picked up 5 forfeits and received wins from Marchese, J. Curreri, Tigue, N. Curreri, Ross, and Felice.

B Pool Finals – Vision vs White Buffalo WC
Vision Wrestling Barn wrapped up a great weekend by defeating White Buffalo WC 40-31 and winning the B Pool title! Vision finished 4-1 on the weekend! Notching wins for Vision against White Buffalo were Marchese, Amato, Tigue, Ross, Babb, Duke, and Oosterom.

The following wrestlers went undefeated for Vision Wrestling Barn:
113 – Drew Marchese (Washingtonville) 5-0
160 – Nate Ross (Onteora) 5-0
285 – James Oosterom (Port Jervis) 5-0

Other Section 9 Individual Results
Nick Ross (Onteora/Journeymen Black) – 145
Ross wbf 1:31 Zack Slayton (BWC)
Noah Castillo (FL) maj Ross – Castillo is ranked #12 in the nation
Ross dec 4-0 Dennis Robin (Empire Black)- Robin was 4th NYS
Ross maj 13-0 Gabe Jones (Elite Wrestling)
Ross maj 14-0 Nick Stanpoulos (Apex)

Patrick Ross (Onteora/Journeymen Black) – 152
Ross wbf :33 Holden Harrington (BWC)
Ross dec 3-0 James Lunt (Empire Black)
Ross dec 3-2 James Romaine (Elite Wrestling)

Frank Fea (Goshen/Dark Knights WC)
Fea wbf :49 John McElroy (Razor Red)
Fea maj 10-2 Aiden Poe (Cobra Wrestling)
Fea maj 17-4 Collins Colvetti (Apex)
Hunter Shaut (Superior) wbf Fea – Shaut is a 2X NYS Champ
Brian Soldano (Iron Horse) dec 5-2 Fea

Women World Team Trials
Congratulations to Minisink Valley junior Mia Macaluso for taking 3rd place in the Junior Division at 59kg and 2nd place in the Cadet Division at 61 kg. She made it to the semifinals on the Junior Division on Friday before suffering her only loss to eventual champion Michaela Beck from Iowa. In the Cadet Division, Mia made it to the finals where she lost the first two matches of the 2 out of 3 series to Kylie Walker from Wisconsin. Mia younger sister, Minisink Valley freshman Sofia Macaluso, also had a great weekend! Sofia went 5 and 2 finished in 5th place at 57kg in the Cadet Division. Minisink Valley junior Grace Pauls also competed hard and went 1-2 at 61kg in the Cadet Division. Congratulations to all 3 ladies!!!

Jeff Blatnick NYS Olympic Wrestling Tournament – Freestyle
Congratulations to Onteora sophomore Nick Ross for taking 1st place at 152 pounds in the Cadet Division! Ross teched his first three opponents before pinning fellow state placewinner Nick Sanko from Section 5 at 3:45 in the finals! Nick was not the only family member to shine this weekend! His twin brother Patrick took 2nd at 160 pounds in the Cadet Division while older brother Nate, a junior at Onteora, took 4th place at 160 in the Junior Division. Kingston junior Jacob Chenier had a great tournament and placed 2nd at 120 in the Junior Division while Red Hook junior Matt Morris finished 5th in the same weight class! NFA junior Maxx DeCapua made it all the way to the semis and finished 4th at 220 in the Junior Division! New Paltz sophomore Ethan Palanca went 5-1 on the day and took 3rd place at 138 in the Cadet Division! Monroe Woodbury sophomore Marcus Brown went 3-1 at 170 Cadet and finished in 3rd place!

The day is here! One of the most anticipated wrestling events of the year goes down tonight May 6th at Madison Square Garden! New York State wrestling will be very well represented at The Grapple at the Garden and there are even some “local ties” for a few of the competitors. The wrestlers in tonight’s lineup who prepped in the Empire State are Yianni Diakomihalis, Nick Gwiazdowski, Nick Piccininni, Adam Busiello, Elleny Seda, and Valentina Bailon.

Diakomihalis graduated from Hilton High School in Section 5 and was a 4X NYS champion – he did not wrestle his senior year due to elbow surgery. Yianni now wrestles for Cornell University where he is a true sophomore and a 2X NCAA champion at 141 pounds! Gwiazdowski graduated from Duanesburg High School in Section 2 where he notched 2 NYS titles. He wrestled at Binghamton for one season and then transferred to NC State where he finished his college career as a 4X All-American and a 2X NCAA champion. Piccininni graduated from Section 11 Ward Melville where he was a 4X NYS champion. Piccininni continued his wrestling career at Oklahoma State where he is currently a redshirt junior and a 3X All-American! Nick’s opponent at the Grapple is 2019 NCAA finalist Jack Mueller who wrestles for the University of Virginia and is coached by Middletown graduate Steve Garland! Adam Busiello just capped of his incredible high school wrestling career at Section 11 Eastport South Manor. Busiello was a 6X NYS finalist and a 5X NYS champion – he is one of only three 5X NYS champs! Busiello will continue his career at Arizona State next season! Busiello will be taking on JoJo Aragona who just capped off his high school career by winning a NJ state title for Pope John – however, Aragona resides in Dingmans Ferry, PA which is part of the Delaware Valley School District that borders Port Jervis. The final two NYS preps in the card are Elleny Seda and Valentina Bailon who both wrestle in NYC and are part of the fastest growing sport in the US – girls wrestling!!!

Let’s take a look at the line-up for tonight’s Beat the Street – Grapple at the Garden! Match-by-match results will be posted as they happen!

Match Order
1. Elleny Seda vs Valentina Bailon
2. Adam Busiello vs JoJo Aragona
3. Nick Piccininni vs Jack Mueller
4. Mallory Velte vs Linda Morais
5. James Green vs Anthony Ashnault
6. Kyle Snyder vs Nishan Randhawa
7. Nick Gwiazdowki vs Derek White
8. Becka Leathers vs Diana Weicker
9. Joe Colon vs Nick Suriano
10. Davis Taylor vs Drew Foster
11. J’Den Cox vs Patrick Brucki
12. Yianni Diakomihalis vs Bajrang Punia
13. Jordan Burroughs vs Ben Askren

With the Phil Portuese NE Regionals, Spartan Duals and MAWA Eastern Nationals taking place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Section 9 has several wrestlers competing this weekend! Match-by-match results will be posted below! Plus we can’t forget about the freestyle and Greco action on Sunday at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Middletown! The girls will be battling it out for the NYS Freestyle States and this tournament will serve as a qualifier for the National Championships in Fargo. The boys will have a youth freestyle and Greco tournament (Cadets and Juniors will wrestle next week in Binghamton.) Good luck boys and girls!!!

Friday 5/3 – Phil Portuese NE Regionals – East Stroudsburg, PA
Nikko Walsh (Rondout Valley, 16U 120 Freestyle)
Rd 32: Arrington (PA) tf 10-0 Walsh
Consi 16 #1: Walsh dec 13-6 Snyder (PA)
Consi 16 #2: Hanley (PA) 9-6 Walsh

Nick Fea (Goshen/Wyoming Seminary, 16U 120 Freestyle)
Rd 32: Fea tf 10-0 Ryerson (NJ)
Rd 16: Fea tf 10-0 Gaugler (PA)
Quarters: Fea dec 2-0 Rigal (NY)
Semis: Fea dec 6-3 Arrington (PA)
Finals: Fea wbf :25 Roth (PA)…Nicky is your champion!!!

Jacob Chenier (Kingston, Junior 120 Freestyle)
Rd 32: bye
Rd 16: Miller (PA) tf 12-2 Chenier
Consi 8 #1: Parker (VA) dec 10-0 Chenier

Mens Senior World Team Trial Qualifier
Evan Barczak (Monroe Woodbury/Drexel, 74kg Freestyle)
Rd 16: Barczak dec 10-2 Dailey
Quarters: Barczak tf 11-1 Schoemaker
Semis: Poklikuha dec 12-6 Barczak
Consi Semis: Barczak tf 14-3 Newberry
3rd/4th: Ruhnke tf 19-9 Barczak…Evan takes 4th!!!

Saturday 5/4 – Spartan Duals – Rutland, VT
Team Hudson Valley
99 – Nick Palso (Ballston Spa)
106 – Jaden Hansen (NFA)
113 – Jackson Merli (NFA)
120 – Anthony Molinaro (Don Bosco, NJ)
126 – Andrew Filip (Minisink Valley)
126 – Tyler Rossini (Burnt Hills)
132 – Brandon DeLaRosa (NFA)
138 – Ethan Palanca (New Paltz)
145 – Ohani Padilla (NFA)
152 – Kevin Urena (Pine Push)
160 – James Shaw (Burke)
170 – Nick Florin (Pine Bush)
182 – Lucas Pennell (Pine Bush)
195 – Daniel Casey (Burnt Hills)
220 – Maxx DeCapua (NFA)

Rd 1: Hudson Valley 54 Empire (B) 15
Recap: Hudson Valley begins the day with a dominating win over Empire B. Team HV received wins from Nick Palso (99), Jaden Hansen (113), Tyler Rossini (120), Brandon DeLaRosa (132), Ethan Palanca (138), Ohani Padilla (145), Nick Florin (160), Lucas Pennell (182), Dan Casey (195), and Maxx DeCapua (220).

Rd 2: Hudson Valley 57 Doughboy 16
Recap: Our local boys looked very sharp again! In this dual we received wins from Palso, Merli, Hansen, Rossini, DeLaRosa, Palanca, Padilla, Urena, Shaw, Florin, and DeCapua!

Rd 3: Hudson Valley 66 Spartan WC 15
Recap: Another dominating showing by Team Hudson Valley! In this dual the following wrestlers notched victories: Palso, Merli, Hansen, Molinaro, Rossini, DeLaRosa, Palanca, Padilla, Shaw, Florin, Casey, and DeCapua!

Rd 4: Hudson Valley 35 Journeymen 27
Recap: Team Hudson Valley runs their record to 4-0 with a hard fought win over Journeymen! Recording wins for Hudson Valley were Palso, Merli, Hansen, Molinaro, DeLaRosa, Palanca, Padilla, Florin and DeCapua!

Rd 5: Hudson Valley 61 Barre Wrestling Club 12
Recap: Hudson Valley runs the table…a perfect 5-0 in the Gold pool at the Spartan Duals!!! Wrestlers with a victory against Barre WC were Palso, Merli, Hansen, Rossini, Palanca, Padilla, Urena, Florin, Casey, and DeCapua.

**The following wrestlers went a perfect 5-0 for the tournament: Nick Palso, Jaden Hansen, Ethan Palanca, Ohani Padilla, Nick Florin, and Maxx DeCapua!!! Congrats boys!!!**

Sat/Sun 5/4&5 – MAWA Eastern Nationals – Salisbury, MD

Middletown
Bryson Tibbs (150, Intermediate)
R16: Tibbs loses by fall 3:50
Consi 8 #2: Tibbs loses by fall :43
Justin Morales (118, Elite)
R16: Morales wins 4-2
Quarters: Morales loses 3-0
Consi 8 #2: Morales won 3-1
Consi 4 #1: Morales loses by fall 2:06
7th/8th: Morales wins by fall 3:14…Justin takes 7th!!!
Joshua Sam (145, Elite)
Rd 16: bye
Quarters: Sam loses by tech fall 16-0
Consi 8 #2: Sam won 4-2
Consi 4: Sam loses 6-4
7th/8th: Sam wins by forfeit…Josh takes 7th!!!
Elijah Babb (220, Elite)
Rd 16: bye
Quarters: Babb loses 8-3
Consi 8 #2: Babb wins 9-8
Consi 4: Babb loses 6-2
7th/8th: Babb loses 3-1…Elijah takes 8th
Armel Duke (220, Elite)
R16: Duke loses by fall 2:54
Consi 8 #2: Duke loses 8-3

Minisink Valley
Adam Fenner (285, Advanced)
R16: bye
Quarters: Fenner wins by fall :42
Semis: Fenner wins by fall 4:07
Finals: Fenner wins 1-0…Adam is your champion!!!

Pine Bush
Brian Vaughn (142, Open)
R16: Vaughn loses by fall 2:41
Consi 8 #2: Vaughn loses 10-3
Shaun Burgos Jr. (167, Open)
R16: bye
Quarters: Burgos loses by fall 4:17
Consi 8 #2: Burgos wins 10-4
Consi 4: Burgos wins 7-4
Consi Semis: Burgos wins by forfeit
3rd/4th: Burgos wins 10-5…Shaun takes 3rd!!!

Monticello
Patrick Owens (135, Open)
Quarters: Owens loses by fall 3:29
Consi 4: Owens loses 5-1
7th/8th: Owens win by forfeit…Patrick finishes 7th

Sun 5/5 – Girls Freestyle States/Boys Youth Freestyle & Greco
Orange County Fairgrounds, Middletown, NY