I will begin with the small schools. After looking over the first-day results, it’s no surprise that Nanuet and Westlake are 1-2, respectively. They were the two best small-school teams during the regular season. It’s too bad that Conference III did not have the Conference III title match like it previously had. Nanuet and Westlake would have met in this match.
Nice job by Pleasantville, sitting third with Ardsley fourth.
Keep an eye on the finals tomorrow because that is where the team title will be decided.
In the large-school tournament, John Jay and Fox Lane sit 1-2, respectively, and each have seven semifinalists. This is going to be fun Sunday.
The story of the day was Brewster senior Mike Lopez upsetting top-seeded and undefeated Charlie Trumm of Rye, 5-2. Lopez tilted Trumm (3-point near fall) to open the third period and snap a 2-2 tie. Then, Udit Thakur of Nyack followed it with a pin of fourth-seeded Jeff Almodovar from Ossining, setting up a Lopez-Thakur semi. On the other side, third-seeded Joe Hauser of Lakeland/Panas meets second-seeded Chris Hernandez from Yonkers.
Rye’s Eamon Marley, who is a junior at Rye Neck High School, advanced to the 189-pound semifinals where he will face top-seeded John Swertfager of John Jay.
Four wrestlers reached the 100-win plateau – Harrison’s Al Volpe, Lakeland/Panas’ John Galea, John Jay’s Brian DiBetta and one of the Cabibbo brothers (Andrew or Frank) from R.C. Ketcham. I can’t remember which Cabibbo brother it was so I am calling on RCK coach Joe Warren to identify the correct Cabibbo. Thanks Coach Warren.
Kudos to Brian DiBetta. He suffered a severe knee injury earlier this year. When I was at John Jay for the North Rockland-Jay match, JJ coach Bill Swertfager said DiBetta was planning to return in time for the postseason. DiBetta did and he joins Kyle Friedman and Justin Delamothe in the 100-win club.
Here’s hoping Harrison senior Al Volpe is okay. Volpe injured his knee in his consi quarterfinal (first period) with Mamaroneck’s Femi Wheeler. Volpe could barely put weight on it, but continued to wrestle. In the third period, the pain was excruciating and etched on his face. Harrison coach Vin Nicita stopped the match.
You hate to see any wrestler get hurt, especially a senior who is wrestling in his final sectional championships with a chance to place. Al, hope everything is okay and you’re ready for lacrosse season.
If you thought we saw some great quarterfinal matches today on the large school side, I suggest you arrive at Pace bright and early Sunday, and you stay in your seats because we are looking at some great semifinals.
See everyone at Pace Sunday.
29 Comments
Tony, it was frank cabibbo thanks for the coverage
thanks, i feel so bad for trummy though
WHOS IN DA FINALS?
Tony…What was the official call at tne end of the Hauser vs Hernandez. Was it a stall or an illegal slam ? It happened out of the blue. Hauser was actually in the down position and didn’t even know he had won. The ref seemed to make a delayed call. Both wrestlers were confused. This did not go over well with the crowd. It was a great match 2-2 with about 13 seconds left in the second OT when the call was made.
Who else won?
Congrats to Dom Oddo, 4 time Section 1 Champ. Mahopac is proud of this young man. Go win the States big guy, you deserve to go out in true style. Columbia and an NCAA championship is on the horizon!
go Dom!!
congratulations to Sean Paul of Dobbs Ferry, getting his first section title in 171. He has an unbeleivable work ethic and deserved the title. Also congratulations to Sal Arena of Nanuet, he wrestled extremely hard and really impressed me
did justis win?
yes
ed mezger was such a sore loser. seriously.
no zekers headgear fling?
joe b:
The score was 4-4 before the call. it was still 3-3 at the end of the first 1 minute ot, then hauser scored the escape (4-3) at the end of the 30 second ot, then hernandez scored the escape (4-4) at the end of the 2nd 30 sec ot, then in the third 30 sec ot, i think the ref called the slam. and gave hauser the win 5-4
Watching the matches today at Pace, I was profoundly moved with a renewed respect for what it takes to win a Section championship. It takes courage and guts and the kind of willingness to endure pain and sacrifice that most of us admire but are never willing to endure ourselves. Every single one of the guys who competed in the sectionals, and especially those who placed in the top six, deserves our respect. For those guys whose passion overcame them, for those guys whose heart led them to make mistakes in the heat of the moment, work hard in life so that doesn’t overcome you next time. For the champions, congratulations. You have a lot to be proud of. For the rest of you, we’re all proud to watch you work so hard—it’s humbling to be a parent of a Section 1 wrestler. Thanks to all the atheletes for pouring your hearts and souls into a thrilling weekend of competition. You all deserve our support and respect.
Joe B. –
After each wrestler scored a point in the 30-second stanza, Hauser had choice for the decisive 30 seconds because he scored first. He got his feet and Hernandez had a double on up and had him in the air. Apparently, the official felt that Hernandez carried Hauser off the mat a bit too far, so Hauser was awarded a penalty point.
I didn’t get a full explanation but I thought I heard the ref said the point was awarded for “driving the wrestler off the mat.”
when will we get the results from Pace????????
Hauser was awarded a point by penalty for Hernandez committing an offensive fleeing of the mat by picking Hauser up when Hauser is attempting to escape and drove him well out of bounds. I personally think that a call like that should not be made to decide a semi final match of the sectionals and I was very dissapointed with that decision made by the ref.
In the hauser hernandez match Hernandez was hit for fleeing the mat for driving hauser out of bounds… except watch that sensational ref failed to realize is that driving him out of bounds ON A DOUBLE LEG is absolutely legal. He was driving hauser to the mat and ended up going out of bounds.. let the kids wrestle it out.. totally ruined one of the best matches of the day and completely stole the match from hernandez who i personally think would have finished riding hauser out. That ref also made a terrible call against dibetta and in the section final he didnt award coffey two points for a takedown that he clearly had in the first period… HE should be BANNEDDDD
cradler i agree, let them wrestle it out, but i disagree that hernandez would have finished it. he could not hold hauser down and i think hauser would have gotten the escape and won the match anyway.
Ok, let’s get down to what really happened during the 135 lb. semi-final match between Hauser and Hernandez. Did anyone witness what happened between the refs after Tom Cunngiham and Wayne Carol made that call??? The two refs proceeded to HIGH FIVE one another and Wayne slapped Tom on the ass as he walked off the mat. How inappropriate was that? This match was stolen away from Hernandez. Then they have the audacity to taunt him with that type of behavior? Completely INAPPROPRIATE!!! Why would these two refs be celebrating a call like that? They should be disciplined for that type of disgusting behavior.
Quagmire
I completely forgot about that.. You’re absolutely rite.. and hernandez would have dropped to that single leg all day.. well actually for only about 15 more seconds
It brought bad memories when CJ got robbed at the states and then to see the refs high five each other you have to ask yourself what were the refs celebrating about ? Were they happy that they just F the kid.
were we sitting in the same gym? I never saw the refs hi five or slap each others asses.
I heard from a very respected coach that the referee that made the call against Hernandez is not only a friend of Degl (who trains Hauser) but frequently goes to Degl and has worked out with Hauser. If you watch the tape it was an attrocious call and was set up by a phantom stall warning earlier in the match. Secion 1 needs to look into this.
As for the high fiving. If I was Hernandez Dad I would have had trouble restraining myself. They had just taken the opportunity of a lifetime from a young boy and they celebrated. Completely inappropriate.
Hey Beacon, i would love to know what “respected coach” told u that cuz i go to degl and i can tell u Hauser does not go there. if a coach told u that he should get his facts straight. maybe he is just jealous that his kids dont do as good as degl’s and maybe he should send them to degl instead.
yeah Beacon, whatever you heard from a respected coach is wrong. Hauser did once go to degls but didnt this past offseason, in fact Hernandez is the one who has actually gone a few times this year
I watched the Hernadez match and I thought it was the right call, however difficult to make in the semi’s of the sectionals in OT. I also DID NOT observe the ref’s high fiving each other. Finally, I know for a fact the ref does not work at Degl’s or is in any was associated with him.
Does Anyone have the results for the wrestle back quarter finals
Justafan
To avoid confusion. Get your OWN user name. I have had this one for a year.