LoHud Wrestling Blog

Here is a press releasing announcing that recently retired Fox Lane coach Joe Amuso has been named the New York State Coach of the Year. He was also named The Journal News Westchester/Putnam Coach of the Year:

Fox Lane High School Wrestling Coach, Joe Amuso, has been named the 2011-2012 New York State Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.   Coach Amuso is the first coach in Section One to be given this honor.  .  Coach Amuso will be recognized for this award at the 2012-2013 New York State Wrestling Championships in Albany. New York State NWCA Representatives Rich Romeo and Dick Farfaglia will be presenting the award on Behalf of the National Wrestling Coaches Association along with the support of the NYSPHSAA.

For the past 42 years, Coach Amuso has served Fox Lane High School and the New York State Wrestling Association as a coach and role model for thousands of students. Among the student athletes coached by Joe Amuso are: 35 sectional champion wrestlers; 236 All League wrestlers; 125  All Section wrestlers; 23 All State Wrestlers and One State Champion

Athletic Director Beth Staropoli said “Coach Amuso is a legend in the sport of Wrestling and here at the Bedford Central School District. The impact he has had on the wrestling communities of Fox Lane, Section One and New York State will be felt for many years to come.”

State Runner Up, Fox Lane Senior Sam Speno stated, “Since 8th grade I have been in the wrestling room, he knows how to push me to my limits and to get me to wrestle hard. I don’t think Fox Lane Wrestling or I would have been as successful without him. He has done so much for me in and out of the Wrestling Room.”

In Coach Amuso’s mind, the wins, losses and awards pale in comparison to the impact that the Student Athletes have had on his life and all the lessons that he has learned from them.  Coach Amuso has retired as of the 2011-2012 season and he will be greatly missed.

This was sent to me by (recently retired) New Rochelle coach Jim Guccione. Coaches, if you have any offseason tournaments/workouts going on that you’d like me to post, just send me an email (vmercoglia@lohud.com).

Place: New Rochelle High School, 265 Clove Rd. New Rochelle, NY 10801

Date: Saturday, May 19^th, 2012

Participants: Open to all – ages 10 and under through high school

Entry Fee: $20.00 if received by May 11, 2012. $30.00 (cash) for late registrations and walk-ins are welcome. There is a maximum of 300 wrestling participants. Please make check payable to: New Rochelle Wrestling G.O. and send to:

Jim Guccione
New Rochelle High School
265 Clove Road
New Rochelle, N.Y., 10801

Weigh Ins: Staggered See Below. We reserve the right to eliminate and create new weight classes if necessary. There will be a skin check.

Rules: Folk style, every attempt will be made to give everyone minimum two matches. Time periods: Elementary -MS  1-1-1, High School 2-1-1. Proof of age may be required.

Awards: 1^st – 3^rd place medals

If you have any questions regarding the tournament please feel free to call Jim Guccione (914) 576-4577 (Day) or Ed Ortiz  (914) 275-8432

This is a USA Sanctioned Event Membership cards are available by going to TheMat.com and clicking under membership. No cards at the door. PLEASE PRESENT YOUR USA CARD AGE is determined as of 5/19/2012

10 AND UNDER, 11-12 YR.OLD, MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL WEIGH-IN AND REGISTER 7-8 AM  (MADISON WEIGHTS) AND BEGIN WRESTLING AT 8:45

HIGH SCHOOL weight +3 ie 106= 109 Weigh Ins 9-10A.M. Wrestling Begins 11:00 A.M

Sign, detach and return with check payable to: NEW ROCHELLE WRESTLING G.O.

$20.00 if paid by May 11, 2012. $30.00 for late registration. CASH ONLY

Wrestler’s Name__

Date of Birth: Age Group/Grade_

Phone Number:

Address:_

City:_ State: Zip_

School:__

Current USA Card #_ In consideration of this entry being accepted, I hereby for my child, waiver and release any and all rights and claims for damages I may have against the New Rochelle Huguenot Wrestling Club, The New Rochelle City School District, and USA Wrestling, their agents, representatives, officials, volunteers, and assigns for any and all injuries suffered by my child at said tournament. I take full responsibility for my child’s participation in this tournament.

Signature of Parent:_ Date:__

Name of Wrestler___

The course of Fox Lane grad Steven Rodrigues has not exactly gone according to plan since he capped his stellar high school career with a New York state title last year. The 2011 Journal News Westchester/Putnam co-wrestler of the year was originally supposed to wrestle for Rutgers, but an unexpected turn of events landed him on the campus of the University of Illinois. Due to the transfer process, S-Rod was forced to go months without competing, which put him at a disadvantage when he finally began to start practicing with the Fighting Illini. Knowing how much he loves this sport, it was clear that this was a very difficult time for Rodrigues.

But on April 14, he finally had his hard work validated. With his title at the FILA Junior National Freestyle Championships in Madison, Wis., S-Rod put his name back on the national map. Along with Somers senior Brian Realbuto, Rodrigues will now be competing tomorrow in FILA World Team Trials in Colorado Springs for the chance to represent the U.S. For the full story, here is the link.

Photo by Peter Carr/The Journal News

Fox Lane grad and University of Illinois freshman Steven Rodrigues captured a FILA Junior National freestyle championship over the weekend in Madison, Wis. at 138.75 pounds. The 2011 New York state champ won five matches, winning a title with a decision Jameson Oster of Wildcat Wrestling Club. Click here to find video of S-Rod in the finals.

Somers senior and Journal News Westchester/Putnam Wrestler of the Year Brian Realbuto went 2-2 over the weekend. For full results, click here.

In my mind, the two choices for Wrestler of the Year on each side of the river were pretty clear. In Westchester/Putnam, there was no way to deny arguably the greatest wrestler in Section 1 history, which made Somers senior Brian Realbuto the choice for the third time. And in Rockland, North Rockland senior Mike Caputo made tremendous strides this season, becoming the only wrestler in the county to place at states. That was the easy part.

Things got a bit trickier when it came to making up the full all-star teams for each edition. Generally speaking, I went with whichever wrestler finished the season stronger (placed higher at states, won a section title, etc.), but there were a few cases where I had to use my better judgment. I’m sure you all will let me hear it about where you think I went wrong, and I’ll be glad to defend my choices.

We’ll start with Westchester/Putnam, where Realbuto became a three-time Journal News Wrestler of the Year after capturing his third state title. Here is the link to my story on what fuels him, how he fits in the conversation for best all-time, and what’s next:

Coach of the year — Joe Amuso, Fox Lane: In his final season after 41 years at the helm, Section 1’s all-time coaching wins leader led the Foxes to their fourth Division 1 section title in five years. He also had three wrestlers place in the top five at states.

99
First-team: Nick Barbaria, Soph., New Rochelle
Second-team: Tyler Aslanian, Soph., Edgemont
Honorable mention: Kevin Rodriguez, Jr., Port Chester; Jon Errico, Fr., Byram Hills.

106
First-team: Mike Parise, Sr., Brewster
Second-team: Bryan Ferrandi, Sr., New Rochelle

113
First-team: Dylan Realbuto, Jr., Somers
Second team: Trey Aslanian, Jr., Edgemont
Honorable mention: Alex Delacruz, Soph., Ossining

120
First-team: Liam Erickson, Soph., Brewster
Second-team: AJ Barbaria, Sr., New Rochelle
Honorable mention: DJ Frederich, Sr., Croton-Harmon

126
First-team: Sam Speno, Sr., Fox Lane
Second-team: Drew Longo, Jr., Ardsley
Honorable mention: Juan Pablo Loja, Sr., Sleepy Hollow

132
First-team: Danny Ventura, Sr., Fox Lane
Second-team: Justin Seim, Sr., Hackley
Honorable mention: David Occhipinti, Sr., Croton-Harmon; John Tambunting, Sr., Scarsdale

138
First-team: Tom Grippi, Jr., Fox Lane
Second-team: Jake Srednicki, Sr., Mahopac
Honorable mention: Dean Rogener, Sr., Westlake

145
First-team: Joe Mastro, Jr., Yorktown
Second-team: Brett Pastore, Jr., Irvington
Honorable mention: Giancarlo Morreale, Sr., Fox Lane

152
First-team: Brian Realbuto, Sr., Somers
Second-team: Kyle McAlpin, Sr., Brewster
Honorable mention: Ben Miller, Jr., Mamaroneck; Andrew Miller, Sr., RCDS

160
First-team: Matt Pasqualini, Sr., Fox Lane
Second-team: Phil Siegel, Sr., Hen Hud
Honorable mention: Mike Boyle, Sr., Dobbs Ferry; Dion Duran, Jr., Mamaroneck

170
First-team: Steven Sabella, Jr., Yorktown
Second-team: Aaron Butler, Sr., New Rochelle
Honorable mention: Jack Braun, Sr., Scarsdale; John Messinger, Jr., Putnam Valley

182
First-team: Jacob Berkowitz, Sr., Scarsdale
Second-team: Thomas Murray, Sr., Yorktown
Honorable mention: Will Johnson, Sr., Hackley

195
First-team: Mike Spinelli, Sr., Mahopac
Second-team: Scott Wymbs, Jr., Horace Greeley

220
First-team: Dom DeVita, Sr., Somers
Second-team: Tyler Lilly, Sr., New Rochelle
Honorable mention: Dan Clune, Sr., Fox Lane; Danny Kornberg, Sr., Edgemont

285
First-team: Sean Barry, Sr., Hen Hud
Second-team: Obum Anyichie, Sr., Pleasantville
Honorable mention: David Varian, Jr., Yorktown; Justin Douglas, Jr., New Rochelle

And here are all of the all-stars from Rockland. Click here to read about how Caputo’s rededication to the sport helped him reach new heights:

Coach of the year – Peter Dene, Tappan Zee: In just his third season as head coach, Dene saw his team emerge the second best in the county behind powerhouse North Rockland. The Dutchmen finished 13-4 in dual meets, only losing to the Red Raiders in the county, and they placed second at the Rockland County Championships after finishing fifth last season.

99
First-team: Joe Dillon, Soph., Nanuet
Second-team: Brian Hong, Soph., Clarkstown North
Honorable mention: Derek DiMarsico, Fr., North Rockland

106
First-team: Blaise Benderoth, Fr., North Rockland
Second-team: Alex Oliveto, Jr., Suffern
Honorable mention: Vinny Skokos, Fr., Nanuet

113
First-team: John Muldoon, Soph., Pearl River
Secon-team: Troy Feniger, Jr., North Rockland

120
First-team: Jake DiMarsico, Jr., North Rockland
Second-team: Adit Thakur, Sr., Nyack
Honorable mention: Anthony Calvano, Jr., Nanuet

126
First-team: Matt Caputo, Soph., North Rockland
Second-team: Austin Fox, Jr., Clarkstown South

132
First-team: Colby Kash, Jr., Clarkstown North
Second-team: Matt Dillon, Jr., Nanuet

138
First-team: Charlie Garcia, Sr., Tappan Zee
Second-team: James Desimone, Jr., Suffern

145
First-team: Mike Caputo, Sr., North Rockland
Second-team: Ryan Becker, Sr., Clarkstown North
Honorable mention: Andrew Artrip, Sr., Suffern

152
First-team: Desmond Djekovic, Jr., Tappan Zee
Second-team: Nick Didio, Soph., North Rockland

160
First-team: Nick Giella, Sr., Suffern
Second-team: Matt Oliva, Sr., Clarkstown South

170
First-team: Valdon Djekovic, Sr., Tappan Zee
Second-team: Hassan Auwarter, Soph., Clarkstown South

182
First-team: Ryan Boyle, Sr., North Rockland
Second-team: Tome Marku, Sr., Clarkstown South

195
First-team: Dan Breit, Jr., Nanuet
Second-team: Paul Okeke, Jr., Clarkstown South

220
First-team: Bryan Burger, Sr., Suffern
Second-team: Jason Dorsainville, Jr., East Ramapo
Honorable mention: Chris McGann, Sr., Tappan Zee

285
First-team: Michael Manni, Soph., Tappan Zee
Second-team: Charles Francois, Jr., Nyack
Honorable mention: Conner Reigotti, Soph., North Rockland

Photo of Brian Realbuto by Seth Harrison/The Journal News. Photo of Mike Caputo by Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News.

When I first heard the news that Fox Lane coach Joe Amuso had announced his retired last Tuesday night, it sort of caught me off guard. With New Rochelle’s Jim Guccione and Carmel’s Bill Twardy officially announcing their retirements at the All-Section Brunch a few weeks back and no word from Amuso, I along with many others assumed that Amuso would be back for his 42nd season. In fact, I had even had a conversation with Amuso about his team’s outlook for next season.

This is apparently something that Amuso has considered for a few years now, and he said that he wasn’t completely sure of his decision until some point in the middle of the Fox Lane team dinner last Tuesday. He leaned over and told assistant coach Anthony Rodrigues, and then promptly made the announcement — similarly to how one might rip off a band-aid in one full swoop to limit the pain. I know this sport means everything to Amuso, which is why it was so hard for him to walk away.

Amuso’s place in history can be debated, but statistically, he’s the best coach in Section 1 history. He’s the all-time wins leader with 406 and coached five section championship teams. Incredibly, he’s only had one losing season in the last 36. He finished his career on a high-note, winning four of the last five Division 1 section titles. For the full story, here is the link.

The 2012 Flonationals tournament will be held this Saturday and Sunday at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa., and there are several Section 1 wrestlers who are slated to compete. I scoured through the list of registered wrestlers and picked out the familiar names that I found. For more information, visit http://www.flonationals.com/.

Here is the list of locals:

106 – Nick Barbaria (New Rochelle); Vinny Skokos (Nanuet); Mike Parise (Brewster)
113 – John Muldoon (Pearl River)
120 – Ben Ettlinger (Fox Lane); A.J. Barbaria (New Rochelle)
126 – Sam Speno (Fox Lane); Drew Longo (Ardsley)
138 – Colin Hopkins (Edgemont)
145 – Joe Koshakow (Scarsdale); Joe Mastro (Yorktown)
152 – Matt Pasqualini (Fox Lane)
160 – Angelo Revel (Somers)
170 – Steven Sabella (Yorktown)
182 – Thomas Murray (Yorktown); Jacob Berkowitz (Scarsdale)
195 – Scott Wymbs (Horace Greeley); Tyler Lilly (New Rochelle)
220 – Daniel Kornberg (Edgemont); Dan Clune (Fox Lane); Dom DeVita (Somers)
285 – David Varian (Yorktown)

As they announced at the Section 1 Coaches Brunch at Doral Arrowwood a couple of weeks ago, both New Rochelle coach Jim Guccione and Carmel coach Bill Twardy have coached their final seasons. Each longtime coach has been a fixture on the Section 1 wrestling scene for quite some time, and my story on the two appeared in today’s paper. Here is the link.

Guccione has been the head coach at New Rochelle since 1985. He wrestled for the Huguenots during his high school years—placing as high as third in the section—before going onto wrestle in college at Central Connecticut State. In 1980, Guccione took a job as the head coach at Blessed Sacrament, where he said he, “learned the hard way,” before eventually moving onto New Rochelle.

Guccione probably had his most successful decade in the past 10 years, as he continued to grow the program. The Huguenots placed second in the section twice in that span, including top three finishes in the past two seasons. In 2011, he coached Malcolm Allen to the first state title in program history.

“You can’t make every kid wrestle the same style,” Guccione said when I asked him about the most valuable lesson that he’s learned in his coaching career. “When I first started, I tried to make every kid wrestle like I did. You have to expose them to as many techniques as possible, and you have to be open-minded about other strategies.”

Twardy took over the Carmel program in 1994, and has been coaching in some capacity for 37 years. In high school, he wrestled for Lakeland, before going onto compete for Springfield College. He talked a lot about how proud he is to have some of his former wrestlers now coaching in the state—his son, Bill Jr., at Byram Hills, Mike DeBellis at Horace Greeley, and John Taylor at Cornwall.

“I guess I was most proud in 2006 when I was voted Section 1 Coach of the Year,” Twardy said. “We had won three league championships in a row and finished second in the section. I’m surrounded by so many great coaches, and it was a tremendous honor to be recognized by them.”

Both coaches have successors in place who they have groomed for several years. At New Rochelle, former section champ and current assistant Eddie Ortiz is expected to take over, while nine-year assistant Seth Harrison is in line to take Twardy’s place.

UPDATE: As I tweeted last night, I have confirmed the retirement of Fox Lane coach Joe Amuso. The winningest coach in Section 1 history reached the 400-win milestone this past season while guiding the Foxes to their second consecutive section title. He has had an historical career, and this announcement was somewhat unexpected. Everyone around the Fox Lane program seemed to think that Amuso had no intentions of leaving yet. I’ll have more on his decision in an upcoming story.

Top wrestlers from New York and New Jersey competed in a dual meet at the second annual NY/NJ Charity Challenge All Star Match on Sunday at Clarkstown South High School.

The event pitted 15 wrestlers from each state against each other with the proceeds going to charity. Team New York wrestled for Pinning Down Autism, a foundation that raises autism awareness and funds research. Team New Jersey wrestled for the Adam Frey Foundation, which raises money for cancer research.

The two local wrestlers in action lost in their respective matches.

Scarsdale’s Jacob Berkowitz (182 pounds) got majored, 10-2, and North Rockland’s Mike Caputo (145) lost a 11-5 decision.

Overall, Team New York defeated Team New Jersey, 27-23.

“You couldn’t have scripted a better event,” said New York Team Leader and event coordinator, John Laurenzi. “There was a lot of hype coming into the matches over which state was better.

“Watching these kids rooting for each other —and for a great cause — was fantastic.”

Elsewhere, Somers’ Brian Relabuto (152), wrestling for Team USA, won a 6-1 decision against Team Pennsylvania’s, previously undefeated Cody Copeland by a 6-1 decision at the 38th Annual Dapper Dan Classic at the University of Pittsburgh.

Croton-Harmon senior and three-time Division 2 section champ David Occhipinti has been accepted to SUNY Cortland, where he will wrestle beginning next season. Occhipinti is the all-time winningest wrestler in Croton-Harmon history, and won his most recent section title at 132 pounds.

If you’d like to report any other locals who have recently committed to wrestle in college, shoot me an email at vmercoglia@lohud.com

Here is the information I received from John Laurenzi on this weekend’s NY/NJ Cross State Dual Meet. There will be two Section 1 wrestlers competing — Scarsdale’s Jacob Berkowitz and North Rockland’s Mike Caputo:

Sunday, March 25th, 1:00 pm
Clarkstown South High School
31 Demarest Mill Road
West Nyack, NY, 10994

Come and watch the top high school wrestlers from NY and NJ square off in a feature dual meet, in support of two great wrestling charities. All event proceeds will benefit The Adam Frey Foundation, which provides resources and comfort to people battling cancer, and Pinning Down Autism, which provides resources and assistance to children with autism.

99 — Jay Rodriguez NY State Runner Up   vs  Kyle Bierdumpfel NJ Kids State Champion
106 — Nick Picininni NY State Champion   vs  Carl Butitta NJ State Runner Up
113 — Patrick Skinner NY 3rd Place   vs.  Brenden Calas 2x NJ State Champion
120 — Sean McCabe NY State Champion   vs  Michael Magaldo NJ State Champion
126 — Maverick Passaro NY State Champion  vs  Gary Dinmore NJ State Runner Up
132 — Nick Kelly NY State 3rd Place   vs  Scott Delvecchio NJ State Champion
138 — Anthony Finocchiaro NY State Runner Up  vs  BJ Clagon NJ State Champion
145 — Mike Caputo NY State 4th   vs  Alex Richardson NJ State Champion
152 — Dylan Palacio NY State Champion   vs  Raamiah Bethea NJ State Champion
160 — Rrok Ndokaj NY State 4th Place   vs  Johnny Sebastian NJ State Champion
170 — Zack Zupan NY State Champion   vs  Ryan Harrington 2x NJ State Champion
182 — Jacob Berkowitz NY State Runner Up  vs  Dallas Winston NJ State Champion
195 — Reggie Williams NY State Runner Up  vs  Eric McMullen NJ State Runner Up
220 — Patryk Kopcynski NY State 4th place  vs  Lex Knapp NJ State Runner Up
285 — Cole Lampman NY State 3rd place   vs  Jermiane Eleumunor NJ State Runner Up

Donation – Adults: $20.00
Students: $5:00

Food and refreshments will be available.

Updates will also be posted on www.adamfreywrestling.com

The race for Westchester/Putnam Coach of the Year is about as tight as it gets, with very strong cases that can be made for several different coaches. The Horace Greeley fans came out strong, adding Mike DeBellis to my list of choices and giving him 25 percent of the vote. Out of the four candidates who I put out there, Fox Lane’s Joe Amuso received the most votes with 16 percent. Based on how close the voting was, it’s clear that there are many deserving coaches this year, and no clear-cut right answer. I’ll have to weigh this decision in the coming weeks.

Now, I want your opinions on the Rockland Coach of the Year. In my mind, there are three candidates who I find very difficult to separate. I’ll list all three, and then let you guys have it out. Here they are:

• Peter Dene, Tappan Zee — While the Dutchmen may not have come as close to winning a section title as a few other teams in Rockland, I would make the argument that no team showed more improvement from last season to this one than TZ. Their only dual meet loss in the county came to a powerhouse North Rockland team, and there were wrestlers up and down the Tappan Zee lineup that made major strides this season under the passionate Dene. The Dutchmen placed five wrestlers in the finals at the county championships, with four taking titles. No team other than North Rockland can make that claim.


• Andy Guccione, North Rockland — The reigning TJN Rockland Coach of the Year added to his list of accomplishments on Sunday, when he was named the Section 1 Coach of the Year. The Red Raiders had probably their strongest season under Guccione, nearly overtaking Fox Lane for a Division 1 section title. Not only did Guccione guide Mike Caputo to a fourth place finish at states, but he also turned Jake DiMarsico into a surprise section champ. The overall depth of this program speaks to the job that Guccione has done, and he has them in prime position for a section title next season.


• Carmine Serra, Nanuet — There were many people who thought that the Golden Knights would be knocked off for a Division 2 section title by Edgemont this season, but Serra once again guided Nanuet to an overall team championship. He also won the first annual D2 Section 1 Dual Meet Championship. He has a loaded junior class, which likely means Nanuet will win another title next season, and his strong freshman class, led by section champ Vinny Skokos, speaks to how Serra has developed this program from top to bottom.

I just got back from the All-Section Wrestling Brunch at Doral Arrowwood, where several postseason honors were announced.

Somers senior Brian Realbuto was named the Division 1 Wrestler of the Year, while Edgemont junior Trey Aslanian was named the Division 2 Wrestler of the Year. North Rockland coach Andy Guccione was named the Section 1 Coach of the Year, and two other coaches announced their retirements. I had known about New Rochelle coach Jim Guccione, but it was also announced that Carmel coach Bill Twardy will not return next season. I’ll have more on those two in an upcoming story.

Here is the full 2011-12 All-section team. It consists of the top five place finishers in D1, and the top two in D2.

99
D1 — Nick Barbaria (New Rochelle); Kevin Rodriguez (Port Chester); Jon Errico (Byram Hills); Derek DiMarsico (North Rockland); Alfredo Olmedo (Arlington).
D2 — Tyler Aslanian (Edgemont); Joe Dillon (Nanuet).

106
D1 — Mike Parise (Brewster); Blaise Benderoth (North Rockland); Nick Tolli (Arlington); Alex Oliveto (Suffern); Bryan Ferrandi (New Rochelle).
D2 — Vinny Skokos (Nanuet); Jonah Gerstel (Ardsley).

113
D1 — Alex Delacruz (Ossining); John Muldoon (Pearl River); Dylan Realbuto (Somers); Troy Feniger (North Rockland); Zack Boker (Mahopac).
D2 — Trey Aslanian (Edgemont); Sky Korek (Edgemont).

120
D1 — Jake DiMarsico (North Rockland); Adit Thakur (Nyack); Liam Erickson (Brewster); Mark Settembrino (RC Ketcham); Jimmy Kaishian (Yorktown); A.J. Barbaria (New Rochelle).
D2 — Anthony Calvano (Nanuet); DJ Frederich (Croton-Harmon).

126
D1 — Sam Speno (Fox Lane); Matt Caputo (North Rockland); Juan Pablo Loja (Sleepy Hollow); Tommy Gonska (Brewster); Danny Murphy (RC Ketcham).
D2 — Drew Longo (Ardsley); Graham Williamson (Pleasantville).

132
D1 — Danny Ventura (Fox Lane); John Tambunting (Scarsdale); Colby Kash (Clarkstown North); Luke Minasi (John Jay-EF); Kevin McDermott (Hen Hud).
D2 — David Occhipinti (Croton-Harmon); Colin Hopkins (Edgemont).

138
D1 — Tom Grippi (Fox Lane); Jake Srednicki (Mahopac); Charlie Garcia (Tappan Zee); Max Bachmeier (Mahopac); Christian Wassweiler (Beacon).
D2 — Dean Rogener (Westlake); Matt Dillon (Nanuet).

145
D1 — Mike Caputo (North Rockland); Joe Mastro (Yorktown); Dale White (John Jay-EF); Giancarlo Morreale (Fox Lane); Ryan Becker (Clarkstown North).
D2 — Brett Pastore (Irvington); Jack McCormack (Edgemont).

152
D1 — Brian Realbuto (Somers); Kyle McAplin (Brewster); Brad Marvin (RC Ketcham); Ben Miller (Mamaroneck); Desmond Djekovic (Tappan Zee).
D2 — Scott Porter (Pawling); Anthony Gentile (Putnam Valley).

160
D1 — Matt Pasqualini (Fox Lane); Phil Siegel (Hen Hud); Nick Giella (Suffern); Dion Duran (Mamaroneck); Aaron Gallagher (Mahopac).
D2 — Mike Boyle (Dobbs Ferry); Mike Buhlmann (Nanuet).

170
D1 — Steven Sabella (Yorktown); Jack Braun (Scarsdale); Aaron Butler (New Rochelle); Brendan Nunziata (Arlington); Brett Perry (John Jay-EF).
D2 — John Messinger (Putnam Valley); Chris Kim (Edgemont).

182
D1 — Jacob Berkowitz (Scarsdale); Thomas Murray (Yorktown); Ryan Boyle (North Rockland); Tome Marku (Clarkstown South); Jonathan Stokes (New Rochelle).
D2 — Oliver Mold (Pawling); Kevin Brundage (Nanuet).

195
D1 — Mike Spinelli (Mahopac); Scott Wymbs (Horace Greeley); Deondre Pierce (Beacon); Trent Lofaro (Ossining); Paul Okeke (Clarkstown South).
D2 — Dan Breit (Nanuet); Chris Kraft (Croton-Harmon).

220
D1 — Dom DeVita (Somers); Tyler Lilly (New Rochelle); Dan Clune (Fox Lane); Bryan Burger (Suffern); Jason Dorsainville (East Ramapo).
D2 — Matt Acevedo (Pawling); Christopher Minnozi (Hastings).

285
D1 — David Varian (Yorktown); Justin Douglas (New Rochelle); Sean Barry (Hen Hud); Conner Reigotti (North Rockland); Michael Manni (Tappan Zee).
D2 — Obum Anyichie (Pleasantville); Anthony DiNardo (Irvington).

Now that we’ve had a week to process everything that happened at states, it’s time to start sorting out our postseason honors. To be completely honest, I feel like the Wrestler of the Year races for both Westchester/Putnam and Rockland are pretty cut and dry. I’m 99% positive who I’m picking for each, and I’m sure that most of you could come up with some educated guesses. So, I’m going to save that for later.

Determining the coaches of the year for each zone is far less obvious. There are several coaches who I could make arguments for, but here, I’m going to allow you all to do so. I’ve come up with who I believe are the top four candidates, but you can add your own in the poll. Leave your comments below.

• Joe Amuso, Fox Lane — The winningest coach in Section 1 history guided the Foxes to their fourth Division 1 section title in five years, and saw his team send four wrestlers to states — three of which placed. Because of Fox Lane’s consistency in the past decade, Amuso often goes overlooked for these types of awards, but consistency usually starts with the coaching staff. Not only did Amuso have four section champs, but he also had other wrestlers who showed dramatic improvements from last season to this one.


• Barney Foltman, Scarsdale — The long-time Raiders coach led his team to its most successful season in recent memory. Scarsdale finished in the top 10 at sectionals, and placed three wrestlers in the finals. Senior Jacob Berkowitz had a dominant season, upsetting the top seed at states, and making it all the way to the finals. Berkowitz was always quick to credit his coaching staff, and Foltman’s influence was obvious up-and-down the lineup.


• Tom Looby, Brewster — Under Looby, we’ve seen the Bears take steps forward each season, and this year was no different. Led by a stellar senior class that has been brought along by Looby, Brewster shocked Fox Lane to win the Section 1 Dual Meet Championships — arguably the highest honor of the season any program can achieve from a team standpoint. Led by Looby, the Bears have become known as one of the top programs in the section.


• John Tornambe, Yorktown — Since coming to Yorktown, the enthusiastic Tornambe has completely changed the culture. The commitment level of the entire team has become year round, and the fruits of their labors were on display this season. The ‘Huskers surprised everyone by placing fifth at sectionals, placing four wrestlers in the finals. Two won section titles, and all four will be back next season. Yorktown is on the up and up, and Tornambe is a major reason why.

As we always tend to do at this time of year, as soon as one season ends, we find ourselves immediately looking towards next season. Last year, I picked who I thought the top five teams would be for 2011-12 right after the season ended, and correctly named four of the teams that finished in the top five at sectionals. So, I’m going to give it another go this time around.

I’ll list each of the teams that I see in the top five next year, plus a few more that are on the fringe. I’ll give you the names of all of the returning wrestlers from each team who qualified for sectionals, and also those who qualified and will be graduating. One star (*) next to wrestler’s name indicates that he placed at sectionals this season, while two stars (**) signifies that he qualified for states.

I picked Fox Lane to repeat in Division 1 at this time last year, but I see the Foxes run of four out of the past five section titles coming to end. Here are my top five teams for 2012-13:

1. North Rockland
Key returners — Derek DiMarsico, Fr.*; Blaise Benderoth, Fr.*; Troy Feniger, Jr.*; Jake DiMarsico, Jr.**; Matt Caputo, Soph.**; Mike D’Agostino, Jr.; Nick Didio, Soph.; Conner Reigotti, Soph.*
Key losses — Jose Rodriguez, Mike Caputo**, Ryan Boyle*, Ekpenede Imasuen.
Thoughts — It’s difficult to view any team other than the Red Raiders as the favorite entering next season. After placing second to Fox Lane by just three points this year, North Rockland returns six wrestlers who placed (two of which qualified for states), and three who should enter the season as section title favorites in Benderoth, J. DiMarsico, and Caputo. The loss of Mike Caputo, who placed fourth in the state at 145 pounds, will hurt, but coach Andy Guccione has developed plenty of depth.

2. Yorktown
Key returners — Jimmy Kaishian, Jr.*; Kyle Santucci, Jr.; Joe Mastro, Jr.*; Steven Sabella, Jr.**; Thomas Murray, Jr.*; David Varian, Jr.**
Key losses — None.
Thoughts — Just as North Rockland looks like a pretty clear choice for a section title, the ‘Huskers look to be in strong position for second place. I mentioned several times this season that they have an incredible junior class, and those guys are just going to be one year better. All six wrestlers from Yorktown who qualified for sectional will be back, including five that placed, four that went to the finals, and two that won titles. If any team has a chance for more individual section titles than the Red Raiders, it’s the ‘Huskers with Mastro, Sabella, Murray and Varian.

3. Fox Lane
Key returners — Brandon Fay, Soph.*; Scott Rodrigues, 8th; Frank Surace, Soph.; Ben Ettlinger, Soph.*; Tom Grippi, Jr.**; Ari Faust, Jr.; Chris Manjuck, Jr.
Key losses — Matt Engert, Nick Engert, Warren Gabrillo, Sam Speno**, Danny Ventura**, Giancarlo Morreale*, Matt Pasqualini**, Dan Clune*, Andriy Lypchuk.
Thoughts — After winning four section titles in the past five years, I expect the Foxes to take a step back next season — but not completely fall off the map. Gone are three state place finishers, which I doubt that any team in the state outside of Section 11 could say. That’s a huge hit. Coach Joe Amuso does bring defending section champ Tom Grippi back, who will be the face of the program next season. The reason I still see Fox Lane in the top three is because of the young lightweights that they have coming up. They also seem to develop guys in the lower section of the lineup, and guys like Fay, Surace, and Ettlinger seemed to improve throughout the season. But a number of teams should be battling for this third spot.

4. John Jay-EF
Key returners — Jay Albis, Fr.; Manny Pragana, Soph.; Dominic Testa, Soph.; Luke Minasi, Jr.*; Dale White, Jr.**; Brett Perry, Jr.*
Key losses — Aaron Johnson*, Jonathan Leman, TJ Lyons.
Thoughts — The majority of the guys who did damage for the Patriots this season will be back, which I believe will catapult them into the top five. Other than state champ Dylan Realbuto, no returning D1 wrestler from Section 1 will have placed higher than White, who took fifth in the state at 145 pounds. JJEF brings back two others that placed, plus a strong group of underclassmen that are starting to make names for themselves.

5. Arlington
Key returners — Alfredo Olmedo, Soph.*; Nick Tolli, Soph.*; Travis Becker, Jr.*; Derrick Feliciano, Soph.; Brandon Badger, Soph.; Michael Peterson, Soph.; Robert Hanaburgh, Jr.
Key losses — Vinny Martin, Anthony Scott*, Brendan Nunziata*, Matt Day.
Thoughts — The Admirals are one of five teams that are returning seven or more section qualifiers, and three of them placed. Depending on what weight class he’s in, Tolli should at the very least be a finalist, and he leads a stellar sophomore (soon-to-be junior) class. They definitely lose some quality guys, but Arlington seems to be a perennial top 10 team, and with several powers taking a step back, I can easily see them in the top five.

On the fringe — New Rochelle, Tappan Zee, RC Ketcham.

In Division 2, my favorite once again has to be Nanuet. The Golden Knights have an outstanding junior class with Anthony Calvano, Matt Dillon, and Dan Breit, who will lead the team as seniors next year. Throw in underclassmen such as Joe Dillon and Vinny Skokos, and Nanuet’s top five wrestlers will all be back. The result should be a third straight D2 title.

Edgemont will be in the hunt for second, led by the Aslanian brothers, but the Panthers are losing more than Nanuet is. Also, don’t count out Putnam Valley. The Tigers also seem to have a late run in them.

The last thing I’ve done is put together a list of the top 10 wrestlers entering next season. I’ve tried to strike a balance between who I believe are the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the section, and who has the best shot of making noise at states next season. If you have your own list, feel free to drop it in the comments section. (NOTE: The year listed next to each wrestler is what they were this season.)

Top 10 Returning Wrestlers

1. Dylan Realbuto, Jr., Somers
2. Trey Aslanian, Jr., Edgemont
3. Dale White, Jr., John Jay-EF
4. Nick Barbaria, Soph., New Rochelle
5. Alex Delacruz, Soph., Ossining
6. Tom Grippi, Jr., Fox Lane
7. Steven Sabella, Jr. Yorktown
8. John Muldoon, Soph., Pearl River
9. Blaise Benderoth, Fr., North Rockland
10. Dan Breit, Jr., Nanuet

I’ll be back soon to start getting your opinions on some postseason awards…

There were so many emotions running through Somers junior Dylan Realbuto in the moments after he won his first ever state title on Saturday that it’s difficult to pinpoint one over the other. His reaction was the polar opposite of his brother Brian’s, who admitted afterwards that he was more excited about Dylan’s first title than his Section 1 record third.

“I hope it feels good for him,” Brian said. “He deserves it. Living with someone who is successful is really hard. Everyone expects him to win just because his last name is the same as mine. Well, boy, he showed them.”

Brian understood that Dylan’s win means much more than just being able to call himself a state champ. If you look at how things have played out for Dylan in the past year, you start to understand why this was so satisfying for him.

Last season, he lost in the state finals, which he called, “probably the worst feeling that I’ve ever had in my life.” Then, just two weeks ago, he was upset by Ossining sophomore Alex Delacruz in the sectional semifinals, which certainly brought on some doubts and criticism. And as Brian pointed out, Dylan seems to be more vulnerable to criticism specifically because his older brother is the most successful wrestler in Section 1 history, which had to make those losses even more difficult to swallow.

But still, Dylan remains thankful for his relationship with Brian, who is definitely his brother’s biggest fan.

“Brian pushes me everyday,” Dylan said. “Without him, I wouldn’t be the wrestler that I am today.”

Going into the state tournament, Dylan seemed to fly a bit under the radar. He came in as the seventh-seed at 113 pounds, but surely would have been higher if not for the loss to Delacruz. He had to scratch and claw his way through a match or two, specifically his 4-3 win over Amsterdam’s Brandon Lapi in the semis, but he never wavered in the finals.

He was losing in the match on four separate occasions, but always seemed to keep his cool and respond with points of his own. Going into the third period down 5-4, he allowed an escape to make it 6-4. With 36 seconds to go, he came up with a clutch takedown to tie it at 6-6, but quickly surrendered another escape point. A stalemate call with three seconds remaining turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because it gave D-Real one last chance to start in the center of the mat from his feet.

Admittedly, I wasn’t sure if three seconds was enough time to make a move and execute the takedown. Brian admitted the same thing, saying that he had picked up his back and started walking out of the arena. But Dylan was ready to pounce as soon as the whistle blew to resume the match, and the rest is history. There was a brief debate between the refs about whether Dylan was in position with Hilton’s Vincent DePrez on the mat before time expired, but with just about the entire Times Union Center yelling, “Two!”, they determined that the call stood.

After the match, Dylan talked about drawing some inspiration from 2011 state champ Malcolm Allen of New Rochelle. Like Dylan, Allen entered the state tournament as a wild card, and shocked everyone by winning a title.

“Everyone that I know reminded me of Malcolm Allen,” Dylan said. “It doesn’t matter how you get in, it’s how you finish.”

Amazingly, D-Real’s win overshadowed Brian becoming the first wrestler in Section 1 history to win three state titles. Brian probably had his most dominant state tournament, winning in the quarters by technical fall, in the semis by pin, and in the finals by major decision. He almost seemed like he was toying with Longwood’s Nicky Hall in the 152-pound final, taking him down with ease, and then letting him right back up so he could do it again.

After the match, B-Real said he wrestled, “like my best friend Steven Rodrigues.” S-Rod, who won a state title for Fox Lane last season and now wrestles for the University of Illinois, was notorious for racking up points and demoralizing his opponents by taking them down over and over again.

Brian didn’t really seemed phased by becoming the first wrestler in section history to win three championships, noting that, “someone could always win four.” He also talked about how it still burns him that he lost as a sophomore. But make no mistake, his career is one that won’t soon be forgotten.

It’s difficult to compare B-Real to wrestlers from other generations, because they wrestled less matches and had all schools combined into one division. Some might say that dilutes his all-time leading wins total, but I think it’s more important to consider where the section was before he came around. His first state title in 2009 broke an eight-year drought for Section 1, and since then the section has become a perennial top five finisher at the state level. He’s been the face of the section, and has continued to meet and exceed expectations. That’s probably what I’ll remember B-Real for, first and foremost.

A few other local wrestlers had great tournaments, but fell just short on Saturday.

It was hard not to feel for Fox Lane senior Sam Speno. After placing second in the state last season, he seemed destined to win a title this time around. He was brilliant throughout the tournament, outscoring his opponents 36-4 on his way to the finals. But the one guy near the top of his bracket who he hadn’t ever seen was second-seeded Maverick Passero of Eastport-South Manor.

It was clear that both were a bit unsure to begin the match, but Speno took the majority of shots throughout. He got in on Passero’s leg a few times, but couldn’t finish any shots. Passero finally came up with a takedown in the final period, and he was able to ride out Speno until the end to hold on for the 2-1 win.

Hopefully, Speno will be able to look past this loss eventually and look back on his great career with pride. On another loaded team of Foxes this season, he was the standout. He made such an impression that, at one point during the semis, Passero’s uncle somehow found me and told me how nervous he was because Speno looked like a force.

The other two Section 1 wrestlers to lose in the finals were Scarsdale senior Jacob Berkowitz (182 in D1), and Edgemont junior Trey Aslanian (113 in D2).

Berkowitz seemed to rally back and gain momentum when he tied the score at 6-6 in the third period of the finals, but he decided to cut John Glenn’s Nick Bellanza, and then overextended on his shot. That allowed Bellanza to seal the win by spinning around to Berkowitz’s back to make the score 9-6.

Overall, it was a great tournament for Berko, who knocked off the No. 1 seed along the way, and gave Section 1 four representatives in the D1 finals. As a section, Section placed fourth in D1.

For Trey, I’m sure his 5-0 loss to Midlakes’ Sean Peacock will burn for awhile, but I’d expect him to come back as a man on a mission next year as a senior. Taking second two years in a row will be plenty of motivation for the ultra-focused Aslanian.

His performance was really the one standout for Section 1 in D2, with the section placing 10th overall. There is some work to be done at that level, but the good news is that not many of the top competitors in D2 from Section 1 were seniors. I expect to see a lot of these state qualifiers improve between now and this time next year.

As promised, I uploaded all of my videos from yesterday once I got home. Here is all of the action that I recorded on Saturday (NOTE: For some reason, the file for Berkowitz’s final is refusing to upload. I’m going to keep trying it, but that’s why that video is missing):

Semis

• D1-99: Kyle Kelly (Chenango Forks) pins Nick Barbaria (New Rochelle)


• D1-113: D-Real defeats Brandon Lapi (Amsterdam), 4-3


• D1-126: Speno majors Alec Dierna (Webster Schroeder), 8-0


• D1-152: B-Real pins Steve Maier (Spencerport)


• D1-182: Berko defeats McZiggy Richards (Wingate), 3-1

• D2-113: Sean Peacock (Midlakes) defeats Trey, 5-0


• D1-113: D-Real defeats DePrez, 8-7 (The video picks up right after DePrez escaped to go up 7-6)


• D1-126: Passero defeats Speno, 2-1


• D1-152: B-Real majors Hall, 16-6

It’s been a long day, and I have a lot more uploading to do, but what a finish for Somers junior Dylan Realbuto. He and his brother Brian were the only two state champs from Section 1, and D-Real won his title with the most thrilling finish I’ve ever seen. A desperate takedown with no time remaining on the clock gave him an 8-7 victory, and luckily, I caught it on video. Click here to watch it.

There’s a lot more action to recap, including B-Real becoming the first three-time state champ in Section 1 history, which I’ll get to tomorrow. Once I get home and have a decent internet connection to work with, I have a lot more uploading to do. I got every semifinal and final featuring Section 1 wrestlers on video.

For now, here are the results from the finals:

Division 1

113 – D. Realbuto (Somers) dec. Vincent DePrez (Hilton), 8-7. 126 – Maverick Passero (Eastport-South Manor) dec. Speno (Fox Lane), 2-1. 152 – B. Realbuto (Somers) maj. dec. Nicky Hall (Longwood), 16-6. 182 – Nick Bellanza (John Glenn) dec. Berkowitz (Scarsdale), 9-6.

Division 2

113 – Sean Peacock (Midlakes) dec. Aslanian (Edgemont), 5-0.

For full results, visit www.nysphsaawrestling.com/results.php

Photo by Seth Harrison/The Journal News

We’re about an hour away from the finals here at the Times Union Center, so here’s what you need to know about what’s happened so far today.

We have five Section 1 wrestlers who advanced to the finals – four in D1, and one in D2. Somers junior Dylan Realbuto (113), Fox Lane senior Sam Speno (126), Somers senior Brian Realbuto (152), and Scarsdale senior Jacob Berkowitz (182) each made it from D1, while Edgemont junior Trey Aslanian (113) is the sole D2 representative from Section 1.

Berko might have had the biggest win of the bunch in the semis, taking out top-seeded McZiggy Richards of Wingate. The win wasn’t a total shocker considering the fact that Berko beat Richards in an offseason tourney in October, but it was notable nonetheless. Berko came out aggressive, notching a takedown in the first 20 seconds of the match. Perhaps more importantly, he did a great job on top of Richards in the second period not allowing him to escape and tie the score. That forced Richards to let Berko up in the third and desperately try for a takedown that would never come. Now, Berko will wrestle seventh-seeded Nick Bellanza of John Glenn (Section 11) in the finals.

D-Real is the lowest seeded Section 1 wrestler in the finals, having come in as the No. 7 seed. He made the finals with a nail-biting 4-3 win over Amsterdam’s Brandon Lapi (Lapi knocked Ossining’s Alex Delacruz out in the quarters yesterday). For the second year in a row, D-Real will be wrestling in the finals, where he’ll take on fourth-seeded Vincent DePrez of Hilton (Section 5).

The other three who advanced to the finals were no surprises.

B-Real made quick work of Spencerport’s Steve Maier with a second period pin, and now he’ll face second-seeded Nicky Hall of Longwood (Section 11) in the finals. He has already pinned Hall this season.

Despite being a bit shaken up from a head butt in the third period, Speno was completely in control throughout his semifinals match with Webster Schroeder’s Alec Dierna on his way to an 8-0 major decision. He’s been almost as dominant as B-Real in this tourney, which prompted a reporter from Section 11 to tell me that Speno looks like one of the best wrestlers in the state, period. He’ll face second-seeded Maverick Passero of Eastport-South Manor (Section 11) in the finals. Passero is the one guy in the top five who Speno hasn’t seen this season, so there is the unfamiliarity factor to consider.

And finally, Aslanian handled Warsaw’s Austin Keough in the D2 semis, 7-2. I know he was hoping to see top-seeded William Koll of Lansing in the finals, who pinned Trey in the 103-finals last season, but Koll was knocked out in the semis by fourth-seeded Sean Peacock of Midlakes (Section 5).

Two Section 1 wrestlers lost in the semifinals – New Rochelle sophomore Nick Barbaria (99), and North Rockland senior Mike Caputo (145).

Barbaria was pinned by top-seeded Kyle Kelly of Chenango Forks, who is a defending state champ and hasn’t lost in two seasons. He looked dominant.

Caputo took a 3-1 lead against second-seeded Corey Rasheed of Longwood into the second period, but Rasheed got offensive in the second to take a 5-3 lead. In the third, he did a great job of riding Caputo, who wasn’t able to escape.

Caputo was the only Section 1 wrestler to make it to the consolation finals, where he lost to Columbia’s Evan Wallace to take fourth place. Danny Ventura (132) and Matt Pasqualini (160) of Fox Lane each won in their fifth place matches, as did John Jay-EF’s Dale White (145). Pasqualini in particular did a great job of bouncing back in wrestlebacks after being pinned with a lead in the first round yesterday.

No D2 wrestlers from Section 1 made it to either the third or fifth place matches, which likely means D2 will finish in the bottom half of the section standings. In D1, Section 1 should finish somewhere between third and fifth, depending on how things shake out in the finals.

I took videos of every D1 semifinal featuring a Section 1 wrestler, but unfortunately the internet service in this building moves at pre-2000 speed – meaning extremely slow. I’ve been uploading since noon, and have managed to get only three full videos up. I’ll keep trying between now and the time that the finals start, but I’m going to have to pull the plug at 6 so that I can get the finals on video. Whatever I don’t get up today, I’ll be sure to post tomorrow.

Here are the videos that I’ve been able to upload so far:

• D1 99 semifinal: Kelly pins Barbaria.


• D1 113 semifinal: D-Real beats Lapi, 4-3.


• D1 126 semifinal: Speno majors Dierna.

Division 1

Fifth place

99 – Bryan Lantry (Wayne) pin Barbaria (New Rochelle).

132 – Danny Ventura (Fox Lane) dec. Nick Cegelski (Penfield), 3-1.

145 – Dale White (John Jay-EF) dec. Anthony Pistone (Sachem East), 8-7.

160 – Matt Pasqualini (Fox Lane) dec. Zak Mullen (Shoreham Wading River).

220 – Nick Lupi (Hutnington) dec. Dom DeVita (Somers), 2-1 2OT

Third place

145 – Evan Wallace (Columbia) dec. Caputo (North Rockland), 4-2.

NOTE: There were no Division 2 wrestlers from Section 1 who placed 3rd-6th.

For full results, visit http://www.nysphsaawrestling.com/results.php

Division 1

99 – Kyle Kelly (Chenango Forks) pin Nick Barbaria (New Rochelle), 4:58.

113 – Dylan Realbuto (Somers) dec. Brandon Lapi (Amsterdam), 4-3.

126 – Sam Speno (Fox Lane) maj. dec. Alec Dierna (Webster Schroeder), 8-0.

145 – Corey Rasheed (Longwood) dec. Mike Caputo (North Rockland), 5-3.

152 – Brian Realbuto (Somers) pin Steve Maier (Spencerport).

182 – Jacob Berkowitz (Scarsdale) dec. McZiggy Richards (Wingate), 3-1.

Division 2

113 – Trey Aslanian (Edgemont) dec. Austin Keough (Warsaw), 7-2.

For full results, visit http://www.nysphsaawrestling.com/results.php

Videos coming once I upload them. I got every match except for Trey’s…

After one crazy day of wrestling, only seven Section 1 competitors remain standing. In Division 1, that would be New Rochelle sophomore Nick Barbaria (99), Somers junior Dylan Realbuto (113), Fox Lane senior Sam Speno (126), North Rockland senior Mike Caputo (145), Somers senior Brian Realbuto (152), and Scarsdale senior Jacob Berkowitz (182). In Division 2, there is only one wrestler still alive, and it’s exactly who we thought it would be—Edgemont junior Trey Aslanian (113).

Unless something crazy happens tomorrow, it’s unlikely that Section 1 will duplicate the success it had last season. Less wrestlers advanced to the semis than last season, and only two of them are favorites for titles—Speno, and B-Real. (Although I’ve already predicted that I think Aslanian will win one, too.) Going into the semis, Section 1 is tied for fourth in D1 (D2 standings haven’t been posted yet).

I took some videos, but I wanted to recap a few intriguing matches first.

While six D1 wrestlers made the semis, it could have very easily been seven. I said going into the tournament that I liked Mahopac senior Mike Spinelli’s chances at 195 as a sleeper, and he came out ready to go. After a pin in the first round, he appeared to notch a takedown to take the lead in the second period of his quarterfinals match against third-seeded Jesse Kozub of Brockport. I was standing right there, and could have sworn that Spinelli took Kozub down in bounds. At first, the refs awarded him his two points, but then decided to take them away. You never want to see that on this stage, and it took Spinelli out of his rhythm. He ended up losing in OT, 3-1, but give the unseeded senior credit for knocking off the six-seed, and then nearly the third.

We also have to talk about the Foxes. While Speno was dominant, outscoring his opponents 28-4, Danny Ventura (132) and Matt Pasqualini (160) each suffered heartbreaking losses. Pasqualini had a 7-0 lead going into the third period in the first round, but got caught trying to take a shot, which resulted in him getting pinned. Ventura (pictured to the right) was down 4-0 in the quarters, but rallied back to take a 5-4 lead going into the third period. With about 30 seconds left, he tried taking a shot, but ended up getting taken down. After his opponent picked up three more near fall points, Ventura lost, 9-5. Afterwards, Fox Lane coach Joe Amuso talked about how each got caught being too aggressive with the lead. He emphasized being smart in those situations. Brewster senior Mike Parise (106) was also pinned in the first round when he had a lead.

In D1, 113 was an especially interesting weight class. I said going in that I liked D-Real’s chances to bounce back, and that’s exactly what he did, making the semis for the second year in a row. In the quarters, he gave up a 4-1 lead, but notched a takedown with 20 seconds left to win it. Unfortunately, we won’t get to see him wrestle Ossining sophomore Alex Delacruz in the semis after he was bounced in the quarters. Interestingly enough, both of the top two seeds at 113 lost in the first round, so D-Real is certainly in the mix for a title. When I spoke to him afterwards, he talked about being more relaxed on the mat after experiencing this environment last season.

The match that I know most of you were hoping to see came at 145. John Jay-EF junior Dale White got another shot at Caputo, and this match was much different than the first one. While they seemed to be feeling each other out in the section semis two weeks ago, this match was go, go, go. Caputo came out with two quick takedowns, and it was 6-3 by the end of the first period. White rallied back, and nearly tied it on a close call near the edge of the mat in the second period. He fought hard until the end, but Caputo was able to hold on for the 9-7 win.

Next up for Caputo is another shot at second-seeded Corey Rasheed of Longwood. The two split at Eastern States, with Caputo winning when they met in the quarters, and Rasheed winning when they met in the third place match. That will be a must watch.

Another Section 1 wrestler facing a familiar foe in the semis is Berkowitz (pictured to the left). He’ll be up against top-seeded McZiggy Richards of Wingate, who has developed a reputation as a physical freak. But as Berko informed me today, he beat Richards in an offseason tourney in October, 8-2, so we’d better be on upset alert.

Going back to D2, the guys who came closest to the semis other than Trey were Ardsley junior Drew Longo (126), and Nanuet junior Dan Breit (195). Both lost by only two points in the quarters, with Breit in particular just missing out of bounds on a late takedown attempt. The good news for D2 fans is that most of the wrestlers who performed well on Friday have at least another year, so we can probably expect more locals to make it to the semis next season.

Unfortunately, the few videos that I took are taking forever to upload. (The internet service around here has not been my friend for the past two years.) The one I made sure to get up first is the Caputo-White 145-quarterfinal. Here is the link.

Because there were so many Section 1 kids wrestling at the same time, I didn’t get to take as many videos as I wanted to today. But tomorrow, I intend to get every match in the semis and finals featuring Section 1 wrestlers. The semis are slated for 10 a.m., and the finals for 6 p.m., so I should have plenty of time to upload in between.

Thanks to all of you who followed me on Twitter today. I think they will attest to the fact that it’s the best way to track the action from home. If you’d like to do so tomorrow, follow me @vzmercogliano.

Goodnight everyone!

Photos by Seth Harrison/The Journal News

Division 1

99 – Barbaria (New Rochelle) dec. Bryan Lantry (Wayne), 2-1. 113 – Realbuto (Somers) dec. Jake Green (Chenango Forks), 6-4; Brandon Lapi (Amsterdam) dec. Delacruz (Ossining), 5-2. 126 – Speno (Fox Lane) tech. fall Isaiah Perry (Massena), 19-4. 132 – Dylan Cohen (Williamsville East) dec. Ventura (Fox Lane), 9-5. 138 – James Dekrone (John Glenn) tech. fall Grippi (Fox Lane), 16-0. 145 – Caputo (North Rockland) dec. White (John Jay-EF), 9-7. 152 – Realbuto (Somers) tech. fall Luke Falzone (Williamsville South), 22-6. 170 – Dan Spurgeon (Plainedge) pin Sabella (Yorktown), 2:51. 182 – Berkowitz (Scarsdale) dec. Josh Reed (Webster Schroeder), 5-1. 195 – Jesse Kozub (Brockport) dec. Spinelli (Mahopac), 3-1 OT. 220 – Max Antone (Niagara Wheatfield) pin Lilly (New Rochelle).

Division 2

99 – Luis Weirbach (Hoosick Falls) dec. Aslanian (Edgemont), 4-1; Alex Herringshaw (Holland Patent) dec. Dillon (Nanuet), 5-0. 106 – Cheick Ndiaye (Brooklyn International) dec. Skokos (Nanuet), 10-3. 113 – Aslanian (Edgemont) dec. Cody McGregor (Tonawanda), 6-2. 126 – Dylan Rifenburg (Palmyra-Macedon) dec. Longo (Ardsley), 6-2. 160 – Chris Nevinger (Letchworth) tech. fall Boyle (Dobbs Ferry), 17-1. 195 – Ben Perry (Saranac) dec. Breit (Nanuet), 3-1.

For full results, visit http://www.nysphsaawrestling.com/results.php

Division 1

99 – Nick Barbaria (New Rochelle) dec. Joe Calderone (Walt Whitman), 6-3.

106 – Freddy Dunau (St. Anthony’s) pin Mike Parise (Brewster), 5:45.

113 – Alex Delacruz (Ossining) dec. Jesse Porter (Shenendehowa), 4-1; Dylan Realbuto (Somers) maj. dec. Thomas Hill (Fulton), 9-0.

120 – Steve Michel (Lancaster) dec. Jake DiMarsico (North Rockland), 11-5.

126 – Sam Speno (Fox Lane) maj. dec. Tom Murphy (Monroe-Woodbury), 9-0; Mike Lofrese (Garden City) dec. Matt Caputo (North Rockland), 9-6.

132 – Danny Ventura (Fox Lane) pin Curtis Barney (Canton), 1:13.

138 – Tom Grippi (Fox Lane) dec. Dave Almaviva (Shenendehowa), 4-1.

145 – Mike Caputo (North Rockland) dec. Mike Roman (Spencerport), 9-5; Dale White (John Jay-EF) tech. fall Bret Sauschuck (Port Jervis), 15-0.

152 – Brian Realbuto (Somers) inj. def. Thomas Carta (South Glens Falls).

160 – Zach Colgan (Johnson City) pin Matt Pasqualini (Fox Lane), 4:41.

170 – Steven Sabella (Yorktown) dec. Dillon Franco (Coming), 3-1 OT.

182 – Jacob Berkowitz (Scarsdale) dec. Joesef Carter (Brockport), 4-1.

195 – Mike Spinelli (Mahopac) pin Colton Kells (Fairport), 3:43.

220 – Tyler Lilly (New Rochelle) pin Alex Pontiff (Queensbury), 5:13; Nick Lupi (Huntington) dec. Dom DeVita, 3-2 2OT.

285 – Leon Gonzalez (Franklin D. Roosevelt) pin David Varian (Yorktown), 3:30.

Division 2

99 – Tyler Aslanian (Edgemont) maj. dec. Tanner Lapiene (Ogdensburg), 9-0; Joe Dillon (Nanuet) dec. Alexis Bleau (Schoharie), 7-0.

106 – Vinny Skokos (Nanuet) dec. Cody Carberry (Chittenango), 4-2.

113 – Trey Aslanian (Edgemont) dec. Jack Leguelaff (Oyster Bay), 7-0.

120 – Codie Gillette (Saranac) dec. Anthony Calvano (Nanuet), 7-4.

126 – Drew Longo (Ardsley) dec. Jordan Bushey (Peru), 9-4.

132 – Frank Garcia (Norwich) dec. David Occhipinti (Croton-Harmon), 5-1.

138 – Anthony Finnocchiaro (Canastota) tech. fall Dean Rogener (Westlake), 20-3; Quinton Murphy (Holley) tech. fall Matt Dillon (Nanuet), 16-1.

145 – Tyler Button (Phoenix) maj. dec. Brett Pastore (Irvington), 8-0.

152 – Conner Fox (Midlakes) dec. Scott Porter (Pawling), 5-0.

160 – Mike Boyle (Dobbs Ferry) maj. dec. Joe Massaro (Mineola), 13-2.

170 – Zack Zupan (Canastota) pin John Messinger (Putnam Valley), 2:53.

182 – Oliver Mold (Pawling) dec. Dylan Rankin (Oyster Bay), 8-5.

195 – Dan Breit (Nanuet) pin Miguel Perez (Eagle Academy).

285 – Alex Soutiere (Ravena) dec. Obum Anyichie (Pleasantville), 5-1.

For full results, visit http://www.nysphsaawrestling.com/results.php.