LoHud Wrestling Blog

After years of coming close, Dean Rogener finished off his career in Section 1 on top with his 3-2 win over Nanuet’s Matt Dillon in the finals. Rogener had placed second as a sophomore, and third as a junior. He missed a portion of the season due to injury, but rallied back to claim his first title by edging out Dillon. Rogener will be the only wrestler representing the Wildcats at states.

Here are Dean’s responses:

Year: Senior

Weight class: 138 in D2

How many years have you been wrestling for? Eight years.

Is this your first section title? This was my first.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: I felt like all of my hard work finally paid off; I had reached my goal.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? I had to get through a few injuries this season. They kept me out for a good portion of the season, but luckily I was able to bounce back.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? I think that I improved on my feet.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? Eating, lifting, and hanging out with Sam Speno.

What is your favorite food? Chicken parm pizza.

Favorite professional athlete? Oguchi Onyewu of the U.S. National Soccer team.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I have been to 10 different countries.

Photo by Ricky Flores/The Journal News

It’s 6:30 p.m., and we’re one hour away from our live LoHud Wrestling Chat! I’ll be hosting the chat beginning at 7:30, and you can log in by visiting the LoHud Wrestling Blog, or by going to our homepage at lohud.com.

With all of the Section 1 champions being crowned and the state tournament just three days away, there should be plenty to talk about! Come ready with questions and comments, and we should have another great conversation!

In a feature story that I wrote for today’s paper, I detailed the unique bond that is shared between the four sets of brothers from Section 1 who will each be making the trip to Albany for this weekend’s state championships. As many of you know, there are several prominent wrestling families throughout the section, and I thought that was exemplified based on how many sets of brothers qualified for states this season.

In Division 1, we have the Realbutos of Somers (Dylan and Brian), and the Caputos of North Rockland (Matt and Mike). In Division 2, we have the Aslanians of Edgemont (Tyler and Trey), and the Dillons of Nanuet (Joe and Matt). There are interesting dynamics between each set of brothers, and each that I spoke with talked about how they’ve learned each others tendencies—both on and off the mat—in large part due to the relationship that they’ve developed through wrestling.

Not only do these brothers train with each other and motivate each other, but they also know when to back off. In some cases where you have an older brother who has accomplished more at this stage of his career, the elder often talks about it meaning more to see his brother achieve his goals. They can almost feel what the other is going through on the mat. For the full story, here is the link.

After placing second in the section last season, Obum Anyichie came back stronger than ever this year. He got his revenge when he defeated Irvington’s Chris DiNardo late this season, and then beat DiNardo’s brother Anthony in the section finals by decision, 3-1. Anyichie has to be considered among the best super heavyweights in the section after defeating D1 champ David Varian of Yorktown during the regular season.

Here are Obum’s responses:

Year: Senior

Weight class: 285 in D2

How many years have you been wrestling for? Five years.

Is this your first section title? Yes.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: I finally did it. All of the hard work in the offseason paid off.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? Coming back from last season’s disappointing loss in the section finals.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? I feel that I’ve most improved in my conditioning, and being able to score from scramble positions.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? Taking naps, and watching TV.

What is your favorite food? I love all food as long as it tastes good.

Favorite professional athlete? Osi Umenyiora.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I lived in Nigeria for five years.

Photo by Matthew Brown/The Journal News

John Messinger comes from a wrestling family, and he became the first Messinger to win a section title this season. His older brother Ray seemed destined for a title himself, but injuries derailed his season before sectionals twice. That made John’s victory on Sunday all the more sweeter for the Messinger family. Messinger also helped propel the Tigers to a third place finish at sectionals, surpassing a few teams that most had penciled in ahead of them.

Here are John’s responses:

Year: Junior

Weight class: 170 in D2

How many years have you been wrestling for? This is my fifth. I started as a seventh grader on the modified team.

Is this your first section title? Yes.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: So many things… The hard work I put in to prepare for the tournament, and maybe even more so, I thought about my family and older brother Ray. He was injured as a junior and senior (seeded No. 2 as a junior, and No. 1 as a senior) for sectionals, so to win it not only for him, but for my younger brother Willie as well, who is just a freshmen this year.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? At the beginning of the year a couple days before our first match, I re-injured my knee while wrestling live at practice. The rehab took more than a month and a half (the majority of my season), but thanks to my coaches, I was able to get back in time for sectionals.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? My positioning on my shots has improved greatly since last year, and I’m really starting to find more set-ups. I’m taking less and less dive shots the more that time goes on, which had seemed to be the one piece of my game I really needed to solidify.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? Relaxing is one of my favorite things to do, and my favorite place to really relax is when I’m out doing something like golfing. My dad will bring me out on the course sometimes, and it’s always really nice.

What is your favorite food? Sandwiches are the perfect food.

Favorite professional athlete? Right now, it would have to be Jordan Burroughs because he has the most dominate double-leg takedown in the world!

Photo by Brian O’Gorman

To get everyone set for the state tournament this weekend, I’ll be hosting another CoverItLive LoHud Wrestling Chat tomorrow night at 7:30. We’ll be discussing how things played out at sectionals, how Section 1 is preparing as a team for states, and which wrestlers have the best shot of making noise up in Albany.

At this point, I think most of you know the drill. You can log into the chat by either coming to the blog shortly before it begins, or simply going to the LoHud homepage. Come ready with questions and comments, and spread the word!

It’s difficult to believe that this was Danny Ventura’s first section title, but in fact it was. He’d come close before, before finally getting it done with a first period pin of Scarsdale’s John Tambunting on Sunday. Ventura is regarded as one of the best wrestlers in Section 1 after placing second in the state last season at 119 pounds. After receiving a top seed for this year’s state tournament, Ventura should be right in the mix for a state title, which would really send him out with a bang.

Here are Danny’s responses:

Year: Senior

Weight class: 132 in D1

How many years have you been wrestling for? Six years. I started in seventh grade with the modified program at Fox Lane.

Is this your first section title? This is my first, but I was a runner-up twice.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: It didn’t mean as much because I was expected to win, unlike in past years. I think the fact that it was expected it took away from the celebration. It would have been nicer to win one of the past two when I wasn’t the favorite.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? The hardest thing was staying healthy. I have a torn labrum and a partially torn rotator cuff, and it made me a little more hesitant because I was afraid to completely tear my rotator cuff and not be able to finish the season. I also got sick mid-season, and that lasted for almost two weeks. I had to miss some matches for that. So, staying healthy was difficult.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season?  I am able to wrestle more calm now, recognize a position, and adapt to it quicker.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? Swimming.

What is your favorite food? Chocolate chip pancakes with chocolate syrup and whip cream. It’s the best breakfast you can have.

Favorite professional athlete? Amar’e Stoudemire.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I plan to study psychology.

Photo by Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News

David Occhipinti has become one of the faces of Division 2 wrestling, and he took another step towards cementing his legacy with his third section title on Sunday. Over the course of his time at Croton, he’s seen the program improve every season, combining with coach Sam Occhipinti to form the most lethal father-son duo in the section. Occhipinti pinned Edgemont’s Colin Hopkins in the third period of the finals, and will now look to see if he can place at the state level for the first time.

Here are David’s responses:

Year: Senior

Weight class: 132 in D2

How many years have you been wrestling for? Eight years.

Is this your first section title? This is my third. I also won in 2008 (96 lbs.), and in 2011 (125 lbs.).

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: All of the hard work has paid off.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? The most difficult obstacle has been wrestling through sickness.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? I am wrestling better from my feet. I feel a lot more confident now.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? I like hanging out with friends, weight lifting, and playing sports.

What is your favorite food? Peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches.

Favorite professional athlete? LeBron James.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I listen to, ‘Three Days Grace,’ before most of my matches.

Photo by Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News

As a fifth seed entering the tournament, Steven Sabella was one of the more unlikely champs of the weekend—but we probably should have seen it coming. Sabella had an outstanding regular season in which he suffered only two losses, and he capped it with a stellar sectional tournament. After defeating defending section champ Aaron Butler of New Rochelle in the semis, Sabella held off Scarsdale’s Jack Braun in an exciting overtime final. He’s a huge part of an up-and-coming Yorktown program, and was one of two ‘Huskers to breakthrough with a section title this season.

Here are Steven’s responses:

Year: Junior

Weight class: 170 in D1

How many years have you been wrestling for? This is currently my eighth year wrestling.

Is this your first section title? This was my first.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: The moment my hand was raised I felt a feeling of accomplishment. I’ve had my eye on winning a title for years, and actually living in that moment was a feeling like no other. I’ll never forget it.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? My biggest challenge this year was mentally bouncing back from last year when I wrestled at 145. I crashed at the end of the year from cutting way too much, and having a handful of injuries, leaving me not even qualifying for sectionals. This year, I wanted gold more than anything, and I couldn’t have a repeat of the past, so I worked harder than ever before.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? I feel like I’ve improved the most mentally and physically. My mind was focused day in and out, and I kept my body healthy and in top shape throughout the whole winter.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? Outside of wrestling, I love to fish, eat, and go hard when it comes to frisbee. Once spring comes around I’m outside literally all of the time; it’s the best. Music is also a hobby of mine. Find me a piano and I’ll be glued to it.

What is your favorite food? Well, all food is good food, but sushi is the clear favorite. I don’t care what kind or what’s in it, I’ll eat it. Then again, that also goes for 90% of all other foods; it’s too hard to say no.

Favorite professional athlete? Ray Lewis. He is a SAVAGE. By far the most dangerous man in the NFL. Love his work ethic, and he always seems to take it to the next level. Truly an inspiration.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: My celebrity crush is Emma Watson.

Photo by Ricky Flores/The Journal News

The tentative seeds for the NYSPHSAA state championships are up, and there were three Section 1 wrestlers who received top seeds (all in Division 1). Two-time state champ Brian Realbuto of Somers is the No. 1 seed at 152 pounds, with Sam Speno (126) and Danny Ventura (132) of Fox Lane also taking the top spots in their respective weight classes. Speno (112) and Ventura (119) each placed second in the state last season.

North Rockland senior Mike Caputo grabbed the third seed at 145 pounds, Somers senior Dom DeVita is No. 3 at 220, and Scarsdale senior Jacob Berkowitz is seeded fourth at 182.

Edgemont junior Trey Aslanian is highest seeded Section 1 wrestler in Division 2, claiming the second spot at 113 pounds. Ardsley junior Drew Longo is seeded third at 126, Nanuet junior Dan Breit is the fourth seed at 195, and Pleasantville senior Obum Anyichie is seeded fourth at 285.

Here is the full D1 bracket.

And here is the full D2 bracket.

Just two weeks after losing by seven points to Mahopac’s Jake Srednicki in the Super 16 finals, Tom Grippi bounced back with arguably the most impressive individual performance of any section final. Grippi did not allow Srednicki to score on his way to a convincing 8-0 major decision. His win proved to be critical from a team standpoint, as the Foxes were able to hold off North Rockland by just 3.5 points. After winning his title, Grippi talked about having the opportunity to become a two-time champ next season like his older brother Joey.

Here are Tom’s responses:

Year: Junior

Weight class: 138 in D1

How many years have you been wrestling for? Nine years (since third grade).

Is this your first section title? This is my first.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: It felt great. I wasn’t surprised.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? Getting the respect I deserved.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? Bottom position. I used to be terrible at bottom, but now I can get up with little trouble.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? I play baseball on a travel team.

What is your favorite food? Mashed potatoes.

Favorite professional athlete? Rajon Rondo.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I’m from New York, but I like the Minnesota Vikings, and Boston Celtics. And I don’t stop eating outside of wrestling.

Photo by Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News

After flying a bit under the radar to win a section title last season, no one was sleeping on Jacob Berkowitz this time around. The Binghamton-bound senior had a dominant season, which was capped on Sunday with a 7-2 win over Yorktown’s Thomas Murray in the finals. The Raiders have garnered more respect this season across the section, in large part due to the presence of a standout like Berkowitz. Scarsdale placed in the top 10 at sectionals, with three wrestlers appearing the finals. After speaking with Berko at the Section 1 team practice yesterday, he seems to be pretty confident about his chances of placing at the state level this season. He’ll get his opportunity next weekend.

Here are Jacob’s responses:

Year: Senior

Weight class: 182 in D1

How many years have you been wrestling for? I started in eighth grade.

Is this your first section title? This is my second. I won last year at 171.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: I was excited for another chance at the State Tournament.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? I didn’t have many obstacles. I had a very good, supportive coaching staff and team.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? My mat work.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? Long walks on the beach.

What is your favorite food? Hamburger Helper.

Favorite professional athlete? John Benton of the U.S. Curling team.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I am an avid fan of ‘Glee.’

Photo by Ricky Flores/The Journal News

After a heartbreaking loss in last year’s 103-pound final to eventual state champ Jimmy Duckham, Mike Parise found himself on the winning end of a tight match in this year’s section final with a 3-2 win over North Rockland’s Blaise Benderoth. With his second career title, Parise is leaving quite the legacy behind at Brewster. He is the program’s all-time wins leader, and has seen the Bears’ program improve in every season during his five-year career. This season, Parise was apart of the Brewster team which upset mighty Fox Lane in the Section 1 Dual Meet championships. Next up, he’ll be looking to place at the state level for the second time in Albany.

Here are Mike’s responses:

Year: Senior

Weight class: 106 in D1

How many years have you been wrestling for? I began wrestling at age six. I have been wrestling for 11 years.

Is this your first section title? I won a section title in 2010 in the 96 lbs. weight class. I placed fifth in the state that year. In 2011, I was the sectional runner up and qualified for states.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: When the referee raised my hand after the finals I was relieved, and knew that my hard work had paid off.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? The most difficult obstacle that I had to overcome this season was keeping myself healthy and focused on my goal.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? I have improved most on bottom wrestling, especially after the Eastern States.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? Some of my favorite things outside of wrestling are fishing, hanging out with my friends, and eating .

What is your favorite food? My favorite food is my Dad’s mashed potatoes.

Favorite professional athlete? Derek Jeter.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I can make a mean guacamole dip.

Photo by Joe Larese/The Journal News

In many ways, Hackley senior Justin Seim’s 2011-12 season has been a quest for respect. As one of the top private school wrestlers in the state, Hackley coach Fran Stanek made a conscience effort this season to get Seim into as many tournaments with top public school wrestlers as possible. And while Seim (pictured above) knows a lot of different Section 1 wrestlers through different clubs that he’s attended, it’s safe to say that he made even more of an impression with his performance this year.

Seim has beaten the likes of Ardsley’s Drew Longo and Clarkstown North’s Colby Kash this season, and placed ahead of Longo and North Rockland’s Matt Caputo at the Eastern States Classic in January at 126 pounds. Last Saturday, he became the second wrestler in state history to win five private school state titles, capping the most successful career in Hackley wrestling history. He owns the school records for career wins (135-17), takedowns (312), pins (69), and reversals (66). He also holds the top marks for each of those categories in a single season.

For my story that appeared in today’s paper, I spoke with Seim about his career, his relationships with some of the top wrestlers in Section 1, and his prospects for the private school national tournament at Lehigh University on Feb. 24-25. With a top eight finish at 132 pounds, he will be an All-American for the first time in his career. He’ll be joined by teammate Will Johnson, who a his first state title last weekend at 182 pounds. For the full story, here is the link.

Photo by Xavier Mascareñas/The Journal News

For all that he’s accomplished in his career, Sam Speno seems to fly under the radar a bit sometimes. In a room filled with section champs and quality wrestlers, Speno may not always get his due for what he truly is—one of the top wrestlers in the state. Aside from two-time state champ Brian Realbuto, Speno is probably Section 1’s next best shot at a state title this season. He placed second in the state last year at 112 pounds, and has his sights set on a championship this time around. He beat North Rockland’s Matt Caputo in the finals on Sunday, 6-2, to cap an impressive career in Section 1.

Here are Sam’s responses:

Year: Senior

Weight class: 126 in D1

How many years have you been wrestling for? Since about fifth grade I was going to open mats at Fox Lane .

Is this your first section title? This is my third. I also won as a sophomore at 103 pounds, and as a junior at 112.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: I was thinking, ‘What is next step?’ And the next step is to win a state title.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? Staying focused throughout the whole season.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? My confidence.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? Fishing with Pat Argast and Henny Omar, hunting, and going to the beach .

What is your favorite food? Bacon cheeseburger.

Favorite professional athlete? Misty May (Olympic volleyball player).

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I go tanning at Beachbum Tanning.

Photo by Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News

I spent about two hours at John Jay Middle School with the complete Section 1 team of wrestlers that will be heading up to Albany for the state championships next weekend. Although a few were missing due to nagging injuries (nothing serious, don’t worry), the room was packed full of well-accomplished wrestlers from around the section. Most of the guys are friendly with each other, with many having worked together at various local clubs. It’s evident when you first walk in, as you can easily spot kids chatting it up and horsing around with one another.

I think a big part of that comes from John Jay coach Bill Swertfager and the rest of the coaches who are involved (there were plenty of them there). They make a point of stressing the fact that all of the wrestlers from Section 1 are now apart of one big team, and all of the kids seem to buy into it.

“It’s weird in that sense, but I think it’s good,” Edgemont junior Trey Aslanian (pictured to the right) said. “You go up to states by yourself, and there’s a lot of pressure, but there’s something about being in it together. That’s where you get that team aspect, and it’s really important. I think coach Swertfager does a really good job of preaching team.”

Practice began with a serious of warmups, led by Somers senior Brian Realbuto. As a two-time state champ, he seems to be the closest thing the group has a to captain, and it’s obvious that everyone in the room respects him. Although don’t think they won’t jump on an opportunity to razz him a little bit when they get a chance.

After the warmups, they go right into some basic, live partner drills, but they get more specific as the practice goes on. They’ll go for two or three minute clips at a time working on shots or wrist control, and then go right to the next thing, switching partners to change things up every so often. It’s very crisp and fast-paced.

“There’s a lot more live and conditioning here than at my normal team practices,” Scarsdale senior Jacob Berkowitz said. “At team practice, there’s a lot more inexperienced guys, so we’re working on technique and a lot of drilling to get that technique now. Here it’s not much drilling—it’s just go, go, go.”

After about 45 minutes of that, they do some conditioning before they take a break. Sprints from one end of the room to the other, and some suicides at the end. The practice only lasts about an hour and a half, but it’s pretty much a non-stop cardio workout the whole time. Obviously, these wrestlers are experienced enough so that the coaches don’t need to worry about technique. It’s more about staying sharp and well-conditioned.

“From here to states, you’re not really going to learn many new things,” Fox Lane senior Sam Speno (pictured to the left) said. “It’s more about working on your wind, getting your toughness up, and getting your mind ready for the state tournament.”

While the wrestlers definitely work hard, it’s also clearly important that they stay loose. The kids all joke around with each other, but you can see their competitive sides come out at times. It may seem as if two partners are going half speed, but as soon as one puts a move on the other, it can become heated very quickly (in a good, competitive way).

The coaches try make sure there is a good blend of seriousness and looseness. At one point Swertfager, who makes all of the commands during practice, quipped that the better looking wrestler take the bottom for the start of one particular drill. Some jumped right to their knees, while others looked around a little confused.

Swertfager finished practice by having all of the kids play dodge-ball against each other, which I thought was a nice twist at the end. There were smiles all around as wrestlers tried to pelt each other from across the room.

“I went down to Penn State, who won the nationals this past year,” Swertfager said. “I met a guy down there who told me that Penn State plays a game every day, and that blew me away. It’s totally anti what you’d think of when you think of wrestling and grinding and pounding – but he wants to be fun. I’ve kind of taken that and tried to incorporate that into what we do here.”

The practices have been run this way at John Jay for about five years now, and it’s probably no coincidence that Section 1 has improved its standing at the state level just about every year since.

“The way they used to run practices was very haphazard, and only half the kids would show up,” Swertfager said. “That’s when we had that real bad performance (in 2007), and we had to make a change.”

I’ll be working on a few stories based on what I saw and interviews that I did while I was at the practice. Look for those next week…

Photos by Seth Harrison/The Journal News

Nick Barbaria entered the season with high expectations, and never wavered on his way to one of the more dominant seasons in the section. In a relatively deep weight class, Barbaria was head and shoulders above the competition all year. He won multiple tournament titles along the way, most notably at home at New Rochelle’s Shoreline Invitational. He placed second at the Eastern States Classic, which has many people talking about Barbaria as someone who will be in the mix to place at states. He breezed through the competition on his way to a section title, defeating Port Chester’s Kevin Rodriguez by major decision in the finals.

Here are Nick’s responses:

Year: Sophomore

Weight class: 99 in D1

How many years have you been wrestling for? This is my third year on varsity. I began wrestling in fourth grade with the New Ro Kids program. .

Is this your first section title? This is my first section title. I placed third last year at 96 lbs. This year, I placed first at the Shoreline and Albany Big 10 tournaments.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: When my hand was raised, I felt proud and relieved. It was important to make eye contact with my brother (A.J.).

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? Maintaining my weight was the biggest obstacle. It stinks that wrestling season lasts from Thanksgiving, through Christmas and the Super Bowl.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? I’ve most improved with my movement and speed of finish.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? My favorite thing to do outside of wrestling is watching ESPN, drawing, and hanging out with friends.

What is your favorite food? My favorite food is anything my mom cooks.  However, a nice cheeseburger “all the way” from Five Guys also works.

Favorite professional athlete? Jordan Oliver.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I hold a black belt in kumite-ryu arnis jitsu.

Photo by Ricky Flores/The Journal News

I wanted to let everyone know that I’ll be heading up to John Jay Middle School today to observe all of the Section 1 qualifiers as they practice together in preparation for states. I’ll be pulling out several wrestlers to speak with, and also bringing a photographer to take some photos. I’ll be using the interviews for a few feature stories that I’ll be working on over the course of the next week, but I’ll also post some reaction on the blog later on. It should really be interesting to see how all of these wrestlers who have competed against each other all season now work together towards one common goal.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @vzmercogliano for my thoughts throughout my visit. Practice is scheduled to run from 4-5:30 p.m.

Not many champs had a road to a section title that was as difficult as Jake DiMarisco’s. He beat fifth-seeded Jimmy Kaishian of Yorktown, top-seeded Liam Erickson of Brewster, and third-seeded Adit Thakur of Nyack in succession—the three toughest wrestlers he could have seen in his weight class, in my opinion. DiMarsico exercised his demons against Thakur in the finals, who had beaten him twice during the regular season. One of the more surprising champs of the weekend, DiMarsico was a big reason why the Red Raiders nearly outlast Fox Lane for an overall team title.

Here are Jake’s responses:

Year: Junior

Weight class: 120 in D1

How many years have you been wrestling for? Three.

Is this your first section title? Yes.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: Happy, excited; I couldn’t believe I did it. It was like a dream.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? Starting the season at 132, and then at the halfway mark having to cut down to 120. The coach offered me the opportunity to wrestle down, and I accepted it.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? My endurance and my wrestling awareness—a lot of hard work in the wrestling room.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? Work out, and hang out with my friends.

What is your favorite food? Sushi.

Favorite professional athlete? Cam Newton.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: I had 200 stitches in my forehead.

Photo by Peter Carr/The Journal News

Yorktown’s David Varian was one of four ‘Huskers to reach the finals on Sunday, propelling the program to new heights with a fifth place finish in the team standings. Varian had some highs and lows this season, which culminated with a section title. He beat New Rochelle’s Justin Douglas, the Cinderella-story of the tournament, in overtime of the finals, 3-1.

Here are David’s responses:

Year: Junior

Weight class: 285 in D1

How many years have you been wrestling for? This is my third year wrestling. I focused on wrestling so much this offseason.

Is this your first section title? Yes.

Describe what was going through your head when the referee raised your hand after the finals: It was just absolutely amazing seeing months of work pay off and come together in one match. The most rewarding feeling ever.

What was the most difficult obstacle that you had to overcome this season? The hardest part was staying mentally and physically fresh, keeping my mind focused on a section title every single practice.

What area do you feel that you’ve improved in the most over the course of the season? I’d say I’ve improved on conditioning a lot, and seizing opportunities in matches when they’re present.

What are some of your favorite things to do outside of wrestling? I love football, chilling with friends, and any playing any sport.

What is your favorite food? Pulled pork and buffalo chicken pizza.

Favorite athlete? Probably Anderson Silva. He’s the best fighter I have ever seen. An absolute animal.

Name one thing that’s interesting about you that people may not know about: My brother Chris is on varsity wrestling as well. He’s a freshmen.

Photo by Peter Carr/The Journal News

I just received word on which Section 1 wrestlers have been selected as wild card entries for the New York State Championships on Feb. 24-25 at the Times Union Center in Albany. After receiving a total of 13 bids in D1 and D2 combined last season, Section 1 will only bring six extra wrestlers in this year. There are more alternates from Section 1 than there were last year (four in D1, and five in D2), but there are no guarantees that any of those guys get in.

I obviously overestimated how many guys Section 1 would get in, but as I said yesterday, I was simply trying to give you all the names of the wrestlers which I thought had the strongest cases. How things played out in other sections was the biggest factor, and I’m being told that there were a number of instances where guys who placed at the state level last year didn’t even win their own section this season, especially in Long Island. Those guys ate up a lot of the wild cards that Section 1 was hoping for.

It’s definitely disappointing for Section 1 to be sending less wrestlers to compete at states than it did last season after such a great showing, but it’s not set in stone just yet. Coaches have until 5 p.m. to appeal any of these wild card spots, so we may still see a change or two. Otherwise, the the alternates will need someone to drop out of the tournament in order to get in.

Next to each of the alternates, I’ve listed where they are currently ranked in the points system. The top four earned wild card berths, so someone ranked fifth has the next best chance to get in.

Division 1

Wild cards
113: Dylan Realbuto, Jr., Somers
126: Matt Caputo, Soph., North Rockland
145: Dale White, Jr., John Jay-EF
220: Tyler Lilly, Sr., New Rochelle

Alternates
106: Blaise Benderoth, Fr., North Rockland (No. 6 in his weight class)
132: John Tambunting, Sr., Scarsdale (No. 7)
160: Phil Siegel, Sr., Hen Hud (No. 5)
195: Scott Wymbs, Jr., Horace Greeley (No. 6)

Division 2

Wild cards
99: Joe Dillon, Soph., Nanuet
138: Matt Dillon, Jr., Nanuet

Alternates
99: Andrew Barsuch, Soph., Croton-Harmon (No. 6)
113: Sky Korek, Jr., Edgemont (No. 6)
120: DJ Frederich, Sr., Croton-Harmon (No. 6)
126: Graham Williamson, Sr., Pleasantville (No. 6)
220: Danny Kornberg, Sr., Edgemont (No. 5)

Next up in our “Meet the Champs” series is North Rockland’s Mike Caputo. After years of coming close, Caputo broke through with his first section title on Sunday. He seemed to progress rapidly this season, becoming the top standout on a team filled with quality wrestlers. A title at the Shoreline Invitational and a fourth place finish at the prestigious Eastern States Classic were some of the highlights from Caputo’s season, which was capped with a great run through one of the toughest fields at the sectional tournament. After edging out John Jay-EF’s Dale White, 3-2, in the semis, he defeated top-seeded Joe Mastro of Yorktown in the finals, 7-2.

Here are Mike’s responses: