Written By Matt Diano
This weekend, February 24^th-25^th, Empire State wrestling aficionados will flock to the Times Union Center in Albany to attend the two-day “religious” ritual known as the New York State Public School Athletic Association Wrestling tournament.  Spread out over two equally talented divisions, 480 of the most committed and self-driven student-athletes will go to battle against one another with only 30 earning the right to call themselves a 2012 NYS Champion.   As in most years, the number of side angles and story lines is infinite. Whether it be demonstrations of courage on and off the mat, family rivalry for bragging rights, or a purple haired future Hoosier attempting to make history, this year’s edition of the state tournament offers a little something for everybody.  What follows below is only a sampling of the festivities that one can expect to encounter as the state capital is transformed into a proverbial war zone once again:

• Nick Mauriello: From Fighting For his Life to Fighting for the 132-Pound DI title---This time last year, while many of his highly regarded wrestler peers had their minds focused on winning their respective sections and qualifying for the NYS tournament, the Hauppauge native had much more serious matters to tend to.   Diagnosed in early February of 2011 with two potentially fatal bacterial infections, MRSA and Lemierre’s Syndrome, all of a sudden, the world’s oldest and greatest sport (to quote Mike Chapman) was forced to take a backseat for perhaps the first time in Mauriello’s life.  Gone were thoughts of hoisting hardware in Albany; replaced by concerns of whether or not he would survive.  To his credit, not only did the then 16-year-old beat the two infections, he also fulfilled a vow he made to himself to make a successful return to the mat for his senior campaign.  Working tirelessly during the off-season with fellow 2012 NYS qualifier, Maverick Passaro (#2 seed at 126) of Eastport-South Manor, Mauriello not only brought his goal to fruition, he did in impressive fashion, posting a 30+ win season that included a runner-up finish at the Eastern States Classic, as well as his first Suffolk County/Section XI title, Mauriello is already both a hero and a champion, regardless of what he happens to do this weekend.  Seeded 7^th in the 132-pound division I bracket, it goes without saying that through his sheer courage, Mauriello finds himself in the role of sentimental favorite.  If you were to ask a bipartisan group of fans what is the one thing they hope to see this weekend, an overwhelming response would be for Mauriello to put an emphatic cap on his story by going all the way and claiming the state title that he never got the chance to win in 2011...Placed on the same side of the bracket as arguably the two top competitors in the field (major head scratcher as to how the consensus three main challengers can all end up on the bottom half of the bracket), Mauriello’s real life Rocky story starts with an opening round match-up against Columbia (section II) senior, Brendan Morgan, who was a wildcard selection after placing third at his sectional tournament.  Should Mauriello win, a rematch with the Section II Champion, #2 seed Nick Kelley, of Shenendehowa, should await him.  A 4^th place finisher at last year’s state tournament, Kelley brings an unblemished 41-0 record into the state tournament.  The champion at the aforementioned Eastern States Classic, Kelley defeated Mauriello 10-4 in the finals....Awaiting the winner of this epic (and seemingly unjustified) quarterfinal will likely be 3x Catholic State Champion, Jamel Hudson of St. Anthony’s.  A 5^th place finisher in 2011, Hudson enters the tournament ranked 18^th in the nation by certain publications.  Known as the “Renaissance Man” because of his diverse plethora of talents that include singing, dancing, comedy, acting, etc, Hudson’s stock exploded during the off-season when he finished 4^th at the prestigious Super-32 tournament.  With his only loss this season coming to Central Dauphin’s (PA) Shyheim Brown, Hudson has been the pick by many to win it all...Should Mauriello’s magical run advance all the way to the title bout, his shot at glory could very well run through 2011 state runner-up, Danny Ventura, the Section I champion out of the perennially strong Fox Lane program.  The top-seed in the bracket despite four losses on his 2012 resume, Ventura has always done his best wrestling on the biggest stage; 2012 should prove no different....Another name to watch at this weight class is #4 seed Jimmy Porteus of Brockport, the 2012 Section V Champion who has posted a nearly perfect 21-1 record this season, with the lone defeat coming at the hands of Kelley, 5-0 in early January.  

 

• Future Indiana Wrestler, Murphy, Goes for 4---Regarded as the #2 overall senior in NYS, if there is one thing that Holley’s Quinton Murphy knows how to do, it is win.  Compiling an overall record of 298-11 in his varsity career, Murphy knows how to get the job done, having won titles as an 8^th-grader, sophomore, and junior.  In fact, as impressive as four titles may be, had it not been for a finals’ loss in 2009 (4-0 to Matt Peter of East Aurora; currently a sophomore on the Virginia Tech wrestling team), Murphy would be well on his way to putting himself in an elite class of 5x NYS champion, an honor that currently belongs to only former Chenango Forks/Cornell University star, Troy Nickerson...Immaculate in his senior season (55-0), while nothing is ever for certain, the general belief is that Murphy should breeze to the finals yet again where his opponent is expected to be future Brown University wrestler, Anthony Finocchiaro of Canastota (Section III).  Seeded 2^nd in the 138-pound DII bracket, Finocchiaro’s career has been defined more by what he has done on the national level than his past in-state success.  With a 2011 3^rd place finish as his only previous spot on the podium, Finocchiaro is a three-time NHSCA grade level All-American, including a runner-up finish at junior nationals in Virginia Beach last March....Note: having placed 6^th in 2007 as a 7^th-grader, Murphy will not only add his 300^th career win to his resume, but also his sixth All-State honor (6^th, 1^st, 2^nd, 1^st, 1^st,?).  While Finocchiaro is considered his main competition, other highly seeded wrestlers who will look to play the role of spoiler include a pair of section VI’s finest, #3 seed Jude Gardner from Fredonia and fourth-seeded Dan Reagan of Lewiston-Porter/Sec. VI (finished 6^th in NYS in ’11). Gardner pinned Reagan in 5:55 of the sectional finals two weeks ago. 

 

• It’s All Relative: Brothers, nephews, Sons of Past NYS Greats Look to Add to the Family Name---While it is certainly not uncommon for young men to follow their family members into a particular sport, never was this more true than in the sport of wrestling.  Thinking back to yesteryear, we remember legendary names like Banach, Capone, Jantzen, and Ruggirello just to name a few of the families that have left their imprint on the NYS wrestling history books.  The notion of brother following brother, son following father, and to a certain extent, nephew following uncle is something of a rite of passage in the world of amateur wrestling.  There is no real thought to the decision; it’s just assumed; as natural a process as there exists in this world.  For this reason, it is hardly considered major news when a few familiar names pop up in the brackets.  What makes 2012 unique is not the presence of these multiple generational competitors; it is the quantity to which they are appearing.  If you ever doubted that old adage about apples not falling fall from trees, you need only look at the brackets for both divisions.  Everywhere you look, there is some variety of connection.  In the DI ranks, you have a pair of returning state place-winning cousins representing section VIII at 106 and 113 pounds respectively in the persons of 2011 5^th place finisher Krishna Sewkumar and returning state runner-up Mark Raghunandan (both of Long Beach High School)...At that same 113-pound weight class you have the first member of Somers’ (Section I) dynamic brother duo, Dylan Realbuto.  A 2011 NYS runner-up, as well as the 2012 Eastern States runner-up (lost in the finals to Raghunandan), Dylan will join older brother, Brian (the top-seed at 152-pounds who is seeking his third NYS DI title) in the quest to double-up this weekend.  Seeded 7^th, the younger Realbuto will have a tough path to prosperity, but absolutely possesses the skill to embrace and conquer the challenge...Another set of brothers who have multiple titles on their minds are the Caputo siblings of North Rockland (also in Section I), Matt (126) and Mike (145). While Matt comes in unseeded and will have to go through the 2,3,and 6 seeds to make the finals, Mike finds himself in a much better position, having earned the 3^rd seed in his bracket.  However, with 2x NYS finalist/2011 Champion, Jimmy Kloc of Iroquis (Sec. VI) waiting at the top of the bracket and second seeded Corey Rasheed (Section XI; older brother Malik is the #2 seed at 138) the odds on favorite to oppose him in the semis, it goes without saying that neither Caputo has a walk in the park this weekend...Speaking of Malik and 138, this weight class provides us with our first uncle/nephew connection as 8^th seeded Angelo DeAngelis who be primed to add a third state title to the family trophy case following his uncle, Frank’s back-to-back title performances in the ’74 and ’75...152 features a father-son combo that share a name and after this weekend will hopefully share the title of NYS Champion.  Nick Hall Jr. (Longwood; Section XI) who finished 4^th at this tournament finds himself on the very bottom of the bracket, seeded 2^nd (behind only Realbuto).  While the cards are stacked against him (having to unseat a 2x champion ranked in the top-10 in the nation is never the optimal path), should Hall pull off the feat, he would be the second generation of his family to do so, as dear old dad, Nick Sr. won the 215-pound weight class in 1991...160 features multiple family ties as top-seeded Dylan Palacio (Long Beach; finished 3^rd in 2011), the only wrestler to beat Realbuto this season before bumping up to 160-pounds for the postseason will look to close out his scholastic career by claiming the title that has alluded him the past two seasons.  Should he be successful, he would become the second member of his family to win NYS gold on behalf of his high school.  His uncle, Al (’79, ’81, and ’82) was a three-time champion and a four-time place-winner, finishing with the bronze as a sophomore.  It should be acknowledged that his other uncle, Luis (3^rd in 1984) was not too shabby either....Returning NYS Champion, Connor Sutton (La Salle Institute; Section II) also has history on his side as his older brother, Steve, was a 4x NYS place-winner from 2000-2003, including a runner-up finish as a sophomore....An additional sibling rivalry  will be contested at 126 as Al Dierna (who transferred from Wayne to Webster Schroeder for his senior season) will look to not only etch his third all-state placement (finished 3^rd in 2011), but will also be hungry to match his older brother, Bobby (a former 5x all-state honoree; 2008 NYS Champion) in the state title column.  

 

If you thought that DI was crazy, then you really do not want to look at DII.  With so much lineage present, and a desire to spare your eyes any strain, it would suffice to say that the following family members will be competing together this weekend for their respective schools: Tyler (seeded 5^th @99) and John Ashlanian (seeded 2^nd at 113; returning state finalist) of Edgemont (Section I); unseeded Joe (99) and Matt (138) Dillon of Nanuet (Section I); a pair of potential finalists in the persons of the Recco brothers from Lyndonville (Section V); Tony is seeded 2^nd at 99, while returning state place-winner (6^th in 2011) Sam will be the top seed at 120-pounds; Nathan (#1 seed at 145) and Tyler Silverthorn (#4 at 160) of General Brown (Section III); Finally, returning place-winners for Whitehall, John (6^th in ’11) and his cousin Zach (3x all-state; 3^rd in 2011) enter the 2012 tournament as the #7 and #3 seeds at 138 and 195 respectively.  Zach’s father, Paul, was a 2x all-state wrestler for Whitehall back in the early 80s, winning the 1981 state crown at 167-pounds...While not competing with a family member this weekend, individuals such as William Koll (defending state champion; top seed at 113) and Corey Dake (3x all-state), both of Lansing (Sec. IV) have quite a strong tie to the Cornell wrestling program as Koll’s father, 1988 NCAA National Champion (for UNC) is the Head Coach of the Big Red, with Dake’s older brother (former 2x NYS Champion), Kyle looking to finish his junior year at the Ithaca based school with his third straight National title...No DII state tournament would be complete without a member of the Paddock family either.  A household name in NYS, the Paddock family has combined for 12 all-state finishes and five DII state titles among four siblings.  Older brothers, Paul (two) and Ian (three) have helped to put the Warsaw program on the mat; now it up to returning state runner-up, Burke (seeded 4^th at 170) to keep the tradition burning hot.  Only a sophomore, the third of the four brothers will have two additional cracks after this year to add to the collective hardware.  Youngest brother, Aaron, who joined Burke in placing last season, would have added further firepower to the family name had a severe accident during the off-season not prematurely ended his 2012 campaign....Another name on the tongues of all experts is Letchworth’s Chris Nevinger.  A two-time defending state champion, as well as a 2x NHSCA National Champion, the Buffalo bound Nevinger, seeded 1^st at 160 pounds is on pace to match older brother, Mike’s (currently ranked in the top-20 for Cornell) three titles.  Nevinger was the #3 overall senior in NYS this season but knows that with the likes of Silverthorn and 2012 Eastern States champion, Aaron Dudley (Hudson Falls; section II) in the field, he is going to have to earn every inch of that third title...Also expected to challenge Nevinger on the top half of the bracket is Greene’s Mike Beckwith. The young brother of former 2x State champion/4x NHSCA National Champion (1^st in history to accomplish this feat), Tyler Beckwith, Mike was lost for a few weeks earlier in the season following a car accident, but has seemingly made a full recovery, as evident by his title at the Section IV tournament.

 

•   Richards Becomes First PSAL Wrestler to Earn Top-Seed ---If you look at past sectional results, it would not be inaccurate to say that for the majority of time, the New York City Public School Athletic League has struggled to remain competitive with their sectional counterparts.  In fact, perhaps more blunt would be the fact that until recently, many considered drawing a PSAL opponent to be the equivalent of receiving a bye into the next round....THOSE DAYS ARE OVER NOW !  Thanks in large part to the efforts of programs such as the Beat the Streets Organization and dedicated men like Mike Torriero (former 2x NYS finalist/1x Champion for Rocky Point; Section XI), the state’s greatest untapped resource has finally sprung a leak and is now headed well into a period of prosperity and success.  While in past years there have been individuals who made noise and gave the fans a preview of what was to come, never has there been a student-athlete like Wingate senior 182-pounder McZiggy Richards, who just exploded onto the senior with a refusal to look back.  A two-sport athlete (also plays goalkeeper for the soccer team), Richards was a 2011 NYS qualifier, but failed to place.  As good as “Ziggy” was, it seemed to be the opinion of those in the know that if anyone was going to carry the flag of the PSAL in 2012, it would be Grand Street senior, Jorje Jimenez (who despite being unseeded should still be considered as dangerous as ever fresh off back-to-back seasons where he came one win short of placing).   All of this changed in a heartbeat when Richards was a double champion in the international styles at the NYS Jr. tournament.  I am not sure Richards has looked back since, as week after week his confidence grows and he has reason to believe that it is his destiny to sit atop the mountain.  Maybe the ultimate confidence booster occurred in the middle of January at the ESC when Richards, seeded 7^th, preceded to knock off returning NYS runner-up, Matt Lashway in the quarterfinal round.  He would follow that up by besting Keegan Cerwinski of Greene(seeded 2^nd in the DII tournament) one round later.  While Richards would eventually fall to Pioneer’s Tony Lock (the top-seeded 182-pounder in DII), his presence had already been announced with authority and overnight, he found himself as the man to beat up in Albany.   Now, in a bracket where Lashway (seeded 2^nd for Queensbury; Section II) is the only returning place-winner, Richards is in total control of his own fate.  A combination of power, quickness, and technique, if Richards wrestles up to his abilities, there is no reason why we should not get the rematch on Saturday night that everyone is looking forward to.  For Lashway, it’s about earning the title that escaped his grasp last season; to Richards, it has far more significance; it’s about elevating the hopes and dreams of an entire section.  If he breaks through the barrier, a whole generation of city youth will be inspired beyond words.
• Palacio Looks to Bury the Memories of Two Years Ago---For those who say that it is better to lose in the semifinals than in the finals because it hurts too much to be so close only to be denied, allow me to reintroduce you to Dylan Palacio.  In addition to the previously stated desire to add to his family’s storied legacy on the mat, one would be naive if they did not think that 2012 was also about righting a wrong for the nationally ranked two-sport star (like Richards, when he is not wrestling, Palacio excels on the soccer field).  In 2010, a then sophomore Palacio found himself on the cusp of being pulling perhaps the biggest upset of the season when he tilted returning state champion, Stephen Dutton (now a sophomore at Lehigh), to take the a narrow one point lead late in their semifinal bout...While no reason has every been requested or provided, with Palacio riding tough and looking completely in control, the decision was made to cut Dutton, thus tying the match.  Dutton would go on to score a quick takedown in sudden victory, ripping the glass slipper off the foot of Palacio at the drop of a dime.  If Dutton had gone on to lose later that night, the loss probably would not sting so much.  However, the total opposite happened as Dutton scored early and often in his finals match against the previous cited Kloc, taking home his second straight title via 16-1 technical fall...While it is absolutely impossible to say whether or not Palacio would have defeated Kloc had he advanced to the title bout (after all, Kloc won the state title in the same weight class that Palacio competed in last season, beating the guy who beat Palacio in the semis), the truth is that it is my own personal opinion that he would have.  There is something to be said about the momentum that is created when you slay the dragon.  It is a priceless feeling that has the power to propel you to amazing things....Now two years later and faced with his last shot at the pinnacle, Palacio knows what he has to do and is empowered by the knowledge that he has already beaten arguably the best wrestler in the state this season (Realbuto).  But alas, as is the case in all immense accomplishments, it is never rewarding unless you get tested along the way.  Those tests will come from the returning champion, Sutton, as well as the fellow Long Islanders, Tyler Grimaldi (seeded 2^nd out of Hills West in Section XI) and third-seeded Joe Cataldo, the wrestler that Palacio beat two weeks ago in the Nassau County/Section VII finals.  2012 ESC runner-up, Frank Affronti from Section V school, Wayne, is another one who possesses the skill set to play spoiler to Palacio’s happy ending.  Palacio has gone from the hunter to the hunted!

 

• Todd and Sauer Hope that Third Time’s The Charm--- In story point #5, I argued that perhaps it is better to lose in the finals than in the semifinals.  Two guys who might disagree because they know the agony of dropping the championship match all too well are a pair of DII big men, Lansing’s Ryan Todd and Holley’s Kacee Sauer.  The top seeded wrestlers at 195 and 285 respectively, these two young men share the title of being the best guys in the field to never have won it all.  Each two-time NYS DII runners-up, 2012 represents their last chance to climb that final step on the podium.  Todd, who lost by 11-2 major decision to Cato-Meridian’s Nick Lalone (currently a freshman at Binghamton) in 2011, was also an 10-8 loser in the title match as a sophomore to East Aurora’s Colin Palmer (wrestling for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy).  Listed as having a 28-1 overall record this season, Todd’s only loss came at the hands of a rival that he will not have to worry about this weekend, Cerwinski who will be down at 182.  Even without Cerwinski, Todd will have more than his fair share of things to worry about as the winner of the bottom half of the bracket, whether It be #2 seed Austyn Hayes of Section III Phoenix (6^th in 2011; 2012 ESC Runner-up), or #3 Diekel, will be more than ready to make him a three-time bridesmaid come Saturday night.  

 

For Sauer, 2012 hopefully serves as a year of justice as last season he dropped a rather controversial 2-1 decision to Hudson Falls’ Luke Albrecht in the championship match.  With the match all squared at 1-1 following the exchange of escapes in the second and third periods, it was a second stalling warning against Sauer that ultimately proved to be the deciding factor.  If you think it is tough to win a title in this fashion, you can only imagine what it must feel like to lose one this way.  Sauer would also lose a narrow one point decision in the finals as a sophomore, dropping a 3-2 bout to Gowanda’s Aaron Kroll who rallied from the six seed to claim the crown…The top seed in each of these previous attempts at the state title, the fact that he heads to Albany again atop the bracket is of little comfort to the Section V big man.   As history has taught him all too cruelly the past two years, being the top seed does not guarantee him anything…Expected to oppose him in the finals will be somewhat of a familiar face in the person of Hayden Head of Sec. VII’s Beekmantown.  Head has been a NYS qualifier the past two years, but has not enjoyed the same level of success as he has yet to place under the Times Union roof.   The owner of a 37-2 record in 2011, Head has not tasted defeat since the middle of December, riding a 27 match winning streak into the state capital.  

 

• Koll Poised to Repeat Despite Stacked 113-pound Bracket—It Is true that when you reach this high level competition, this is no such thing as an easy bracket, but I’d remiss if I did not say that the 113-pound DII bracket is taking tough to a whole new dimension.  By far the deepest weight class in the division II tournament, 113 features seven returning all-state wrestlers from last season, including both finalists from 103-pounds, won by fall by Lansing’s Koll in 2:48 over Aslanian from Edgemont.  Having led early in that match, Aslanian who was a 2011 Jr. freestyle All-American in Fargo (7^th) has been eying this rematch ever since he lost that 50/50 position that led to the pin and the win for the super sophomore, Koll…Representing the polar opposites of the bracket, with #1 Koll up top and second-seeded Aslanian on the bottom, as entertaining a rematch as this might be, there frankly is just too many other capable young men in the field to predict anything.  Leading the charge to throw a monkey wrench into the equation will be the #3 seed, Austin Keough of Warsaw.  A state runner-up in 2010 who had to settle for 4^th last season, Keough has posted a nearly 40-win season as a junior (39-3) and will come ready to play spoiler this weekend.  #4 seed Sean Peacock from Midlakes in Section V is another guy who can never be overlooked.  A 2011 NYS bronze medalist, Peacock has demonstrated that sophomore jinxes do not apply to him as he has rattled off a 45-2 record (one of those loses coming 3-2 to Keough)….2x NYS 3^rd place finisher, Gouverneur’s Dillon Stowell finds himself in the position of the #5 seed.  Holding an identical record as Keough, Stowell lost an 8-2 decision to Peacock in late January…The 7^th seed is returning all-state performer from last season, Tonawanda (section VI) freshman Cody McGregor who finished 4^th last season, getting pinned in :47 by Peacock in the medal round…Further testament to how stacked this weight class truly he, consider that unseeded Laken Cook (who Koll beat 9-3 in the first round of last year’s state tournament) is a 2x all-state wrestler, with 3^rd and 5^th place finishes respectively in 2010 and 2011.  He will be Keough’s opening round opponent in what is sure to be the highlight of the round of 16 for either tournament.  Windor sophomore, Nate Hayes, the only wrestler among the top-7 seeds to not be a returning all-state performer will be the sixth seed on the strength of his runner-up finish to Koll in the Section IV tournament.   

  

• Medina’s Hamner Eager to Spoil Epic Battle of Returning Champion vs. Former Champion at 152---As deep as the 113-pound weight class has been shown to be, even it cannot brag about the distinction of having the opportunity to pit champion against champion in the persons of 2010 titlist Derek Pfluger of Sandy Creek and defending champion Ben Haas of Salamanca.  Going a combined 78-1 in 2012, it was Haas (38-1) earning the top seed over the undefeated Pfluger, despite the latter being a 3x place-winner and a two-time finalist versus Haas’s one state title…On paper, this bout has to rank among the most anticipated in this year’s tournament.  But, fortunate for Medina senior, Tristan Hamner, tournaments are not wrestled on paper, making his as good a chance as any when it comes to the question of who ends up on top when the dust settles.  Having split with Hass this season, Hamner, who has improved his finish by two spots each of the past two seasons (5^th in 2010; 3^rd in ’11) already knows that should he successfully navigate the bottom half of the bracket, he should more than feel confident about the possibility of keeping the pattern going strong.  Yet, it need not be said that getting there might prove equally challenging as winning the title.  To beat a man who no one has beaten all season is quite the task.  Whether or not it happens is anyone’s guess, but there should be plenty of fireworks come Saturday morning when Hamner and Pfluger go head-to-head.  Of the three top contenders, Hamner has enjoyed the most success on the national level, with three straight grade level All-American finishes in Virginia Beach, highlighted by a national runner-up finish as a sophomore.

    

• Long Island Dominates DI 106-Pound Weight Class---New York Wrestling historians not think back very far to a time when only the respective sectional champions were afforded the opportunity to compete at the NYS tournament…Only in practice since the 2006-2007 season, the utilization of a wildcard system has served as a great equalizer for student-athletes competing in the more competitive sections.  For instance, if not for the incorporation of the at large bid, the fans would have been cheated out of last season’s all-Suffolk final at 125-pounds, as well as the clash of Section IX titans in the finals at 160-pounds…This trend of allowing the best of the best to settle their scores on the grandest stage instead of at some sectional tournament qualifier will again be in high gear as all signs point to a fourth showdown in the 106-pound semifinals between a pair of Nassau County gems, returning NYS place-winner (5^th) Sewkumar, and the young man who has gotten the best of him three times this season (including a 4-3 decision via late third period reversal in the Section VIII finals two weeks ago), Justin Cookey of Levittown-MacArthur…Cooksey, who got his first victory over Sewkumar at the Eastern States Classic en route to an eventual runner-up finish, has really arrived in 2012, improving upon a 4^th place finish in his own section last season to the #2 seed in the NYS in 2012.  With all three of their previous bouts have come down to the final moments, there is no reason to suspect that their impending faceoff this weekend will prove any different.  Barring an upset along the way, Nassau County looks good to have a finalist at 106.  With that having been said, the only question now is whether or not it will be an All-Long Island affair as top-seeded Nick Piccininni, who finished third here last season as an 8^th-grader will need to be on the top of his game to withstand the push he will get from one of three premier challengers in the top half of the bracket.  Going by the chalk, Piccininni’s opponent should be 2011 4^th place finisher, Anthony Orefice who dropped a 3-1 decision to his Suffolk opponent in the placement round.  Orefice, the #4 seed is no lock to even get his rematch with Piccininni has he must first go through the winner of the Mike Parise (Brewster; Section I)/Freddy Dunau (St. Anthony’s; CHSAA) 1^st round match.  Parise, who placed 5^th in 2010, but missed the podium as a junior last season, comes in as the #5 seed, but may have one of the most unlucky draws of any in this year’s state tournament.  Dunau, a 5^th place finisher in his freshman year in 2011 is not your typical unseeded wrestler.  In fact, when the brackets were released, the lack of a seed for Dunau (who is also from Long Island as St. Anthony’s is a member of the Nassau-Suffolk Catholic League) was the cause of much head scratching.  Parise was knocked out of the NYS tournament last season by a CHSAA wrestler (Kellenberg’s Pat Skinner who is unseeded at 113 this year); hence, could it be a case of déjà vu for him this weekend? The section I faithful certainly hope not, but cannot deny the feasibility of the opening round upset….Having pinned Dunau in the consolation semifinals last season, Orefice would have to be considered the favorite if they were to meet in the quarterfinals.  But, with an unorthodox wrestler like Dunau, who has adopted a style similar to former NCAA All-American/accomplished freestyle competitor, TJ Hill, reversals of fortune can and do happen….All of this having been said, don’t be surprised if come Saturday morning, the four remaining bodies in the championship bracket all call “Strong Island” home.  

 

• Shenendehowa and Gouverneur Early Favorites to Win Respective Divisional Team Titles---Anyone who knows me can vouch for the fact that I am the furthest thing from a mathematical whiz.  However, with eight and 10 NYS qualifiers respectively, it does not take an advanced degree to see that on sheer man power alone, these two perennial powers will be hard to defeat.  Leading the parade for the defending DI team Champions, Shenendehowa will be a trio of top-3 seeds in upperclassmen, Kelley (2^nd @ 132), Tony Fusco (1^st @195), and Cole Lampmann (3^rd @285).  All three returning NYS place-winners, with Kelley and Fusco having taken 4^th and Lampman 5^th, “Shen” has been a juggernaut all season In tournament play, finishing first in all but one event (finished 2^nd to Prep Powerhouse, Wyoming Seminary at Eastern States).  Complementing the big-3 will be  fifth seed David Almaviva (138), and a pair of six seeds at 99 (Kevin Parker) and 113 (Jesse Porter)….Countering with four less guys, but with three #2 seeds will be Longwood.  Holding the second seed at three consecutive weights (138-152), if the trio of the Rasheed brothers and Hall take care of business, things could get interesting.  Unseeded Dylen Seybolt, the 2012 Suffolk County Champion, should also not be counted out of placement, as evident by his impressive showing at the ESC…With six wrestlers total, but only two seeded (Hudson and 220-pounder Andrew Auriemma), the three-time Catholic team champ Friars from St. Anthony’s might have the quantity to put up a substantial team score, but will need to exceed expectations in order to contend for top team honors.  

 

On the DII scene, with such a heavy advantage in qualifiers, Gouverneur might have just enough to emerge with a team title.  However, much like St. Anthony’s cited above, what separates the Section X school from being considered a lock is the fact that the majority of their qualifiers are not highly seeded, and thus may find themselves in a position of having to do a much of their damage in the wrestleback brackets….A team with far less quantity, but perhaps more quality is a team that If you looked at their 2012 results you would easily dismiss, Lansing.  Built exclusively for this tournament, the section IV school only qualified four student-athletes, but all four are seeded in the top-4 of their respective weights.  Joining the previously cited top-seeds Koll and Todd, as well as the #4 seed Dake will be the fourth seed at 132-pounds, Connor Lapressi…A third team who has to be considered in the hunt for team glory is the Greene squad that bested Lansing in the section IV tournament.  Similar to their rivals, Greene only bolsters four qualifiers, but with top-seeded 220-pounder Kyle Stanton anchoring the team, and sixth seed @152 Dan Dickman joining Beckwith and Cerwinski, Greene demands a spot on the proverbial radar…Our final team that will be there in the end is the Mean Gene Mill led trio from Phoenix.  With each of their three entrants seeded in the top-2, Phoenix might just prove my theory that numbers rule the roost wrong.  Returning state champion, Nick Tighe (126) will be called upon to set the pace, while 2^nd seeds Tyler Button (who defeated Kloc earlier this season) and Hayes will be tasked with the responsibility of dropping the hammer on the competition.  The key to Phoenix’s success is going to be to hold serve and wrestle up to seed.  If they can put all three of their guys into the finals, you have to figure that advancement and placement points will propel them towards the top of the standings.