State wild cards weren’t supposed to be known until tomorrow. How surprised was I to find them sitting in my email inbox a minute ago.
Section 1 has been awarded six big-school wild cards and two small-school wild cards. That 6-2 ratio is roughly equal to the ratio of big- to small-school programs (37 to 12) in the section. There are 120 wild cards given out state-wide—four per class; 30 classes in all—so Section 1 got 1/15 of them. There are 11 sections in New York State.
The lucky winners from Division I are:
96 Sam Speno Fox Lane
119 Henry Stauber John Jay
135 Udit Thakur Nyack
145 Ryan Tompkins Beacon
171 Sal Marchese Nyack
285 Eric LaPorta Yorktown
From Division II:
125 Michael Kane Pleasantville
152 Chris Orlando Putnam Valley
Many people expected Stauber to get one after taking state runner-up Justis Flamio to ultimate tiebreak. It’s good to see at least one John Jay kid up at states. The Indians put four kids in finals and didn’t come away with any winners despite very close calls by Stauber and Pat Sweeney. They still finished second in team points.
Thakur was another predictable choice. He was the only sectional champ to not repeat.
Tompkins hung in there with Luke Speno, a two-time champion, only losing 3-1. Sam Speno dropped a 5-4 decision to Asher Kramer in the final. He gives Fox Lane a fourth representative at states. Marchese and LaPorta went down more decisively than the other guys, but both were excellent all season.
In Division II, Chris Orlando makes sense because, although he lost 16-4 to Will Carter, Carter was the MOW. Carter would have had a shot at the DI title. To lose to him wasn’t that bad.
The other DII choice, Michael Kane, is confusing. Kane didn’t even make the final. He finished third at 125 behind Greg Caneparo and Mark McCormack. Furthermore, McCormack wrestled a very tight match before dropping a 4-3 decision. Why did he get bypassed? Is he hurt? If so, why wouldn’t a second-place finisher in another weight get the wild card? I’m going to see if I can find out.
40 Comments
Hi Jake
I have enjoyed your articles. I also appreciate the efforts you made in becoming more involved with wrestling. To that end,please realize that the wild cards are based on a formula of points based on win/loss and previous section/state placement. So Stauber match with Flamio had nothing to do with his recieving a wild card. Nor did anyone elses performance in a particular match
Good picks for division 1
I’m especially glad for the seniors !
cya
Technically speaking, Jake didn’t state that was the case, he only said it was of peoples opinion that Stauber was expected to get one…
Many people expected Stauber to get one after taking state runner-up Justis Flamio to ultimate tiebreak.
Sorry for nit picking
cya
PS…You are right though, he could have corrected the assumption !
cya
Not totally accurate…I’m an idiot. I actually just learned about that wild card formula recently. Previously I had always believed it was by committee judgement. But after learning about the formula I completely forgot it. Because I’m an idiot.
I guess it makes some sense now why Kane got the nod despite finishing third.
Jake..again you do a great job …seeinig this was a surprise to me as well .. On another note ..Two other guys from Putnam Valley make sense to go Cisco Reyes was runner up last year to Dan manley (5-3) and then again this year to Longo. Reyes is only two years on varsity. And Dan O’Gorman loss was 4-2 with the final 13 seconds very close to a turning P Telesnik. O’G had 31 wins this season and placed 4 last year. And yeah jake how about that food that Ng spoke of !!!
One more thing if not mistaken O’G has face McCormick the last three years and is 3-0 . All very tough matches
Your certianly not an idiot. I looke foward to your continued coverage of high school wrestling.
I give you an {out} and you disdain it :p
cya !1
KANE?!?!?!?
Are you kidding me? Someone needs to check their calculations! Whatever formula they are using doesn’t seem to make much sense at all…
hey jake you should update you pole to a question like….who has the best shot at winning states: and have evry 1 who qualified listed.
If KANE isn’t ABLE, then who is ?
Something like that :p
cya !1
wrestler…Was just about to.
The formula for wild cards is posted on of the other blog entries, not sure which one you guys can look if that interested. There is a win-loss differential for points 35-5 =30 pts, then pts for placing at states where the points go down each year ago it was. then points for winning or placing in the section.
So you could win Eastern States and it will only be good for win-loss differential, you could lose in 4OT’s and its the same as getting pinned its -1 on W/L differential and you still place the same. This might not be completely accurate, but then again what is ??? eh Jake ? haha
Winning at Eastern states might directly affect the wild card
situation by giving you a +4 to win loss differential,
while at the same time lowering the point count {of won loss differential} to possible competitors for the same wild card spot you may be vying for.
That is only a hypothetical situation, but lets face it, winning Eastern States can’t hurt
cya
Just to clarify why Michael Kane received a wildcard when he finished in 3rd place. The wildcard is based on win loss differential and sectional placefinishes during you high school career. Michael placed in the sectionals all four years so he accumulated points toward the wildcard. In addition since he did not wrestle McCormack in the sectional tournament he was able to jump over him.
Did I ever tell you guys how much I like this wild card thing!!!!! Congratulation to all who are going to states. Now let’s work hard gets *@!# hard wear!!
hey just a second thought …. That Mark McCormick is very tough guy and class act … which very much Exemplifies the whole Edgmont team and their coaches. Class act all the way around every year. Same for Nanuet!
Booch can have I told you how much I JUST LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the wild card !!!!! this coming from a wrestler who in 11th grade had placed in sectionals 3 years in a row, 2nd twice, and had about a +30 win differential at heavyweight, so if you couldnt sense the sarcasm in the first sentence you can now….. lol
I actually do like the wild card though, why have byes at states, yeah its not perfect, some kids miss out but at least 4 kids get that chance they just missed out on. Good luck to the wild cards make the most of it…..
leave kane alone he has beat some solid guys in his career. He deserves to make it to states.
Marchese and LaPorta are surprises but good for both of them, as they are seniors.
LaPorta, time to step it up again,
Marchese, could be another shot at those diners.
“dinners”
It depends on if you are going to a diner to have dinner, or
if you plan to dine at home. !
cya
yes but what about takeout from a diner? then its just dinner ?
Did any former section champs miss out on wildcards?
Occhipinti is one in the small schools.
SECTION ONE WILL PLACE IN THE TOP 5 THIS YEAR GUYS. WE HAVE A HELL OF A TEAM GOING UP THERS. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK??
SECTION ONE WILL HAVE 5 DIFFERENT WRESTLERS IN THE FINALS!! BRUNDAGE, FLAMIO, LENZI,REALBUTO AND RODRIGUEZ!
lenzi is not a section 1 wrestler
Replace him with Grippi then :p
cya
Jeff Miller was a section winner last year and he did not get a wildcard @ 189
How does LaPorta get a wild card. Protano is much better, he should get the wild card. LaPorta has never come close to beating Protano, yet he gets a wild card.
That is just stupid.
I cannot wait for Harrison-Rye.
Why all the nonsense about Kane? He has had a wonderful wrestling record and deserved the wild card just as much as anyone else. Everyone needs to just sit back and relax and enjoy the ending of the season. Let’s be happy for the kids who made it to states and wish everyone luck. Coach Bernarducci has done a wonderful job with his team and it is very nice to have two of his boys up at states. Good Luck to everyone.
Mrs. D.
Harrison Fan, thats just a dopey comment. the wildcard system was constructed so that people like you don’t decide a spot based on who you think deserves it. Samething with Kane. There is a formula, and its pretty simple. Perhaps Protano should have advanced to the finals and not lost to an unseeded kid, or perhaps he shouldn’t have lost to Cecaj in the consi finals. oh well.
Any well said. I was ready to go off but u said ever thing I would of said and better.
One
HarrisonFan…you make us look bad, Protano is my son. He was sick that day and didn’t bring his A game but you shouldn’t have said that about Eric never coming close to beating him, actually they have had three matches where it went to over time….in my opinion, they’re equal. We’re happy for Eric and wish him good luck.
Mr. and Ms. Portano you both are class acts. Thank you for your support.
One
I agree with Janet but I think beef deserved the spot, being that he beat eric several times througout the season. He walked right into that lat-drop on friday and that cost him the spot.
Now the kids who are going are going, end of story, suck it up and support them not bash them
Seems they both walked into that lat drop.
Oh well, what’s done is done.
Good luck to Eric this weekend, he will need it.
As for Harrison fan, just another in a long line of them.