LoHud Wrestling Blog

With much of today’s focus on the football field, I’m trying something a little different to recap each of yesterday’s four divisional tournaments. I’ll highlight a few key happenings from each, and then be back with more reaction throughout the week. I’ve also included links to videos that I took from Mahopac.

I’m going to have a lot of good stuff coming your way this week, including new team power rankings, sectional predictions, and another live LoHud Wrestling Chat. Also, check back later for the seeds for the Division 2 sectional tournament, which I should have by the end of the night.

Here’s a few thoughts to hold you over from each of Saturday’s sectional qualifiers:

Division 1 at Harrison

Most impressive overall performance: Charles Francois, Nyack – The junior went from the fifth seed to first place in a field that featured a few notable super heavyweights. He pinned two ranked guys (Fox Lane’s Andriy Lypchuk and RC Ketcham’s Tyler Vanderlinde) along the way, proving he’s certainly right there in the conversation at 285 pounds once you get past Hen Hud’s Sean Barry and Yorktown’s David Varian.

Biggest statement win: RC Ketcham’s Mark Settembrino over Nyack’s Adit Thakur, 10-8 – With New Rochelle’s A.J. Barbaria out for sectionals at 120 pounds, Thakur was looking like a good bet for the finals. But Settembrino shook things up a bit in what should be a wide open weight class.

Biggest upset: John Jay’s Declan Myer over John Jay-EF’s Brett Perry, 3-1 – Myer is a name that has flown under the radar a bit this season, but he earned some attention on Saturday with a win over the ranked Perry at 170 pounds.

Team(s) with most section qualifiers: Fox Lane – 15.

Team with most first-place finishers: Fox Lane – 8 (Brandon Fay at 99, Nick Engert at 106, Frank Surace at 113, Sam Speno at 126, Danny Ventura at 132, Tom Grippi at 138, Matt Pasqualini at 160, and Dan Clune at 220)

Division 2 at Arlington

Most impressive overall performance: Kevin Rodriguez, Port Chester – In a field that was loaded with potential section placers at 99 pounds, the junior came out on top with a strong showing. He pinned Clarkstown North’s Brian Hong in less than a minute in the semis, then majored third-ranked Alfredo Olmedo of Arlington in the final. K-Rod established himself as New Rochelle’s Nick Barbaria’s biggest competition for a section title.

Biggest statement win: Brewster’s Mike Parise over Arlington’s Nick Tolli, 8-1 – The top-ranked Parise dispatched of the third-ranked Tolli in the 106-pound final, and did so in convincing fashion. In all likelihood, it’s just North Rockland’s Blaise Benderoth who stands in Parise’s way for a section title.

Biggest upset: Arlington’s Travis Becker over Clarkstown North’s Dean Guevarra via pin – The 113-pound weight class was completely turned on its head in this tournament. The sixth-seeded Becker won the whole thing with wins over Guevarra, East Ramapo’s Jon Alvarez, and Brewster’s Nick McGill. Guevarra upset top-seeded Brian McLiverity of Clarkstown South to get to the final.

Team(s) with most section qualifiers: Arlington and Clarkstown South – 11.

Team with most first-place finishers: Brewster – 4 (Parise at 106, Liam Erickson at 120, Kyle McAlpin at 152, and Bruno Albertassi at 182)

Division 3 at Horace Greeley (click here for Brian Heyman’s story)

Most impressive overall performance: Jacob Berkowitz, Scarsdale – The Binghamton-bound senior majored a ranked opponent in the semis (Beacon’s Michael Amato), and then teched Rockland county champ Ryan Boyle of North Rockland in the 182-pound final.

Biggest statement win: North Rockland’s Matt Caputo over Horace Greeley’s Jon Russo, 8-2 – The second-ranked Caputo asserted himself as biggest competition at 126 pounds for Fox Lane’s Sam Speno with a win over the third-ranked Russo.

Biggest upset: Horace Greeley’s Brent Lobien over Beacon’s Thomas Korzekwinski via pin – Lobien furthered complicated matters at 285 pounds with his pin of Korzekwinski in the semis. He went on to major North Rockland’s Conner Reigotti in the final. It’s anyone’s guess right now who should be ranked third at 285 (for the record, I would probably go with Tappan Zee’s Michael Manni).

Team(s) with most section qualifiers: New Rochelle and North Rockland – 13.

Team with most first-place finishers: North Rockland – 5 (Blaise Benderoth at 106, Jake DiMarsico at 120, Matt Caputo at 126, Mike Caputo at 145, and Nick Didio at 152)

Division 4 at Mahopac (click here for my story)

Most impressive overall performance: Mike Spinelli, Mahopac – After pinning Tappan Zee’s John Hartnett in the semis, the top-ranked Spinelli handled second-ranked Nick Giancaspro of Somers in the 195-pound final, 9-3. Spinelli did not allow Giancaspro to take him down, and has put some distance between himself and the rest of the field in his weight class.

Biggest statement win: Somers’ Dylan Realbuto over Pearl River’s John Muldoon, 8-3 – In his first-ever meeting with the third-ranked Muldoon, the top-ranked Realbuto took care of business. With wins over Muldoon and second-ranked Alex Delacruz of Ossining, the junior is in a strong position for another section title.

Biggest upset: Mahopac’s Max Bachmeier over Tappan Zee’s Charlie Garcia, 4-2 – Garcia had been looking like a contender at 138 pounds, but Bachmeier upset him in the semis to set up an all Mahopac final (against teammate Jake Srednicki). After Srednicki and Fox Lane’s Tom Grippi, this field is looking pretty much wide open.

Team(s) with most section qualifiers: Mahopac – 12.

Team with most first-place finishers: Yorktown – 4 (Jimmy Kaishian at 120, Joe Mastro at 145, Steven Sabella at 170, and Thomas Murray at 182)

Here are some videos that I took from Mahopac:

• Dylan Realbuto (Somers) beat John Muldoon (Pearl River) by decision, 8-3.


• Thomas Murray (Yorktown) beat AJ Alvarez (Carmel) by decision, 6-2 (my batteries died at the end of the second period).


• Mike Spinelli (Mahopac) beat Nick Giancaspro (Somers) by decision, 9-3.


• Sean Barry (Hen Hud) pinned David Varian (Yorktown).

Photo by Frank Becerra, Jr./The Journal News

 Print |  Email