2020 NEW YORK STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
By Jim and Tony Nordland
www.thematslap.org
Section Eight (Nassau County) won the Divisional I sectional team title as they edged perennial sectional power Section Eleven (Suffolk County), 224.5 points to 210. Defending team champion Section Five (Rochester area) finished third with 165. The green-clad contingent crowned one champion amongst their eight finalists at the 58th NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships before a near capacity crowd of 6,248 fans at the Timers-Union Center in Albany. The lone state winner was three-time state placer Matthew Rogers (4-5-1) of Wantagh who was 7th-seeded and claimed the gold medal in the loaded 182-pound class and finished the season with a 39-2 mark and a career ledger of 177-32, he will be at the US Naval Academy next year. In the final he edged top-seeded Brock Delsignore (Shenendehowa), with a pair of takedowns for a 6-4 verdict. State finalists for the Nassau team were two-time runners-up Chase Liardi (49-4,164-16) of Massapequa at 120 and Freeport's Myles Norris (30-3) at 285. Other silver medalists were freshman Joseph Manfredi (47-2) of Herricks at 99, Jeremiah Echeverria (41-5) of Long Beach at 113, sophomore George Oroudjov (50-1) of Syosset at 126, along with returning state placer Lee Mauras (30-1) of Hempstead and Farmingdale's Nicholas Franco (40-6) at 195 pounds.
Winning state titles for the Division I Suffolk squad were Elijah Rivera (37-3, 141-16) of Bay Shore who countered a single leg attempt and edged Tyler Ferrara (Chenango Forks), for a dramatic 6-4 overtime victory at 106, two-time state king and Iowa State-bound Zach Redding (50-0, 251-24) of ESM and Copiague's Malik Leftenant (40-5, 111-23) who rallied for an 8-6 decision at 220 pounds.
In the Division Two Tournament, Long Island wrestlers garnered four gold medals. Leading the way was nationally ranked and unbeaten junior, Jordan Titus (39-0, 162-6 career) of Center Moriches, who cruised to the 126-pound title, Gage DeNatale (32-3) of Locust Valley at 132, junior Christian Hansen (40-2) of Cold Spring Harbor at 152 and two-time state medalist Matt Campo (44-2, 202 wins) of Mt.Sinai who scored with a takedown in overtime for a exciting 4-2 victory against highly-touted Mikey Squires (Norwich) in the 170-pound class.
Earning silver medals were: freshman Max Gallagher (40-2, 104-10) of Bayport Blue-Point at 113 and Karl Bouyer (42-2) of Clarke at 220 pounds. The Division Two MOW was Anthony Noto (37-1,) of Honeye Falls-Lima at 120, he finished his spectacular career with winning four state titles and compiled an impressive 269-6 career mark. Another Division II standout was three-time winner Dante Geislinger (36-2, 149-16) of Norwich who captured the 113-pound crown.
The MOW Award went to five-time state champion and Cornell-bound Greg Diakomihalis (25-0, 217-2 career) of Hilton who returned to action after recovering from a torn ACL last March, he rolled to the state crown at 120 pounds. Diakomihails is the top 120-pounder in the nation and will join his brother Yianni next season for the Big Red.
Nationally ranked junior Stevo Poulin (47-0, 132-1) of Shenendehowa won his third state title, he posted two pins, a major decision and a 24-5 tech fall in the finals en route to the 113-pound crown. Other Division I winners that went unscathed during the season were 13-year old 7th-grade phenom Peter Duke (45-0) of Carmel at 99, who became the first 7th grader to win the state tournament. NC State prospect Tommy Askey
(41-0) of Pine Bush who upset
NASSAU COUNTY WINS THE NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS OVER SUFFOLK
Hilton's Greg Diakomihalis from Section Five finished 25-0 on the season and a stellar 217-2 career mark. Diakomihalis, a five-time state champion, was voted the OSW Award and is the top ranked 120 pounder in the nation. He will join his brother, Yianni, at Cornell University next season.
Wantagh's Matt Rogers (39-2) won the 182 pound New York State title and help lead Nassau County to the Sectional Team title, their first since 1987.
reigning champion Iona Prep's AJ Kovacs, 8-5, at 152, Cooper Kropman (42-0) of Penfield at 160 and Chenango Forks Lucas Scott (37-0, 24 pins, 109-14) in the 285-pound class. Another Iona Prep standout was Matt Kelly (47-3) who dominated the 195-pound bracket and didn't surrender a point in the entire tournament. He is proficient in the top position and outscored his four foes, 49-0, quite a performance for the Gael upperweight who will take his mat skills to Binghamton in the fall.
MAT NOTES:
The McDougald cousins; Justin (138) of Niagara Wheatfield and Willie (145) of Niagara Falls, claimed gold medals and both finished with identical 45-1 marks. Impressive 8th-grader, Zach Ryder (47-3), a returning state finalist, recorded a stunning fall in the 126-pound final for state dual meet champion Minisink Valley. Third-seeded Tyler Albis (42-3) of John Jay East Fishkill defeated Section One rival Quincy Downes for the 170-pound title.
Nassau County won their last sectional team title in 1987 (33 years ago) and now have captured 11 team titles, the state leading Suffolk County has 26 sectional team titles on their ledger and still leads the Empire State with 204 individual state champions, followed by Section Four (Binghamton area) with 164 and Nassau with 135 individual winners. Both LI sectional squads have a strong talent pool of underclassmen and should contend for the team title at the 2021 state meet.
Another defending state champion that was upset was Hauppauge's Danny Mauriello (18-1, 181-17), he lost a close semifinal decision and battled back winning four matches, including two one-point decisions and a solid pin for a gritty third place bronze medal at 170 pounds, he will play football in the fall at Stony Brook University. Three-time state place-winner Josiah Encarnacion (4-2-3) of Wantagh lost a heart breaking 2-1overtime decision to nemesis Chase Liardi (Massapequa) in the semifinals and claimed third place honors, he finished with a season record of 47-3 and tallied 206 career wins.
Due to the inaugural state format of awarding All-State honors to the top eight place-finishers, Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk) had a shattering record of 62 grapplers that earned All-State accolades. The CHSAA sectional squad had seven state place-winners and landed in eighth place with 87 points. Chaminade freshman Shane Meenaghan (106) became the first frosh since 2011 to be awarded All-State honors, the last was Freddie Dunau (5th at 96) for St. Anthony's. Meenaghan also became the first Flyer to place since 2010, when Troy Sampson finished in 5th place at 140 pounds. Special thanks to Matt Diano, CHSAA staff writer, for his contributions to the state meet article. The combined record of the Division I NYS champions was an unbelievable 630 victories and only 21 losses.
Division I:
1. Section Eight (244.5 points)
2. Section Eleven (210.0)
3. Section Five (165.5)
4. Section One (162.0)
5. Section Two (137.0
Individual Team Scores:
1. Hilton (75 points)
2. Shenendehowa (70)
3. Hauppauge (63)
4. Minisink Valley (55)
5. Wantagh (50.5)
2020
NYS DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS
99- Peter Duke (Carmel-1) tech fall Joseph Manfredi (Herricks-8) 23-8
106- Elijah Rivera (Bay Shore-11) dec. Tyler Ferrara (Chenango Forks-4) 6-4 OT
113- Stevo Poulin (Shenendehowa-2) tech fall Jeremiah Echeverria (Long Beach-8) 24-5
120- Greg Diakomihalis (Hilton-5) dec. Chase Liardi (Massapequa-8) 8-2
126- Zack Ryder (Minisink Valley-9) pinned George Oroudjov (Syosset-8) 4:35
132- Zach Redding (ESM-11) vs Jayden Scott (Rush-Henrietta-5) 4-2
138- Justin McDougald (Niagara-Wheatfield-6) dec. Ryan Burgos (Hilton-5) 3-1
145- Willie McDougald (Niagara Falls-6) dec.Lee Mauras (Hempstead-8) 8-2
152- Tommy Askey (Pine Bush-9) dec. AJ Kovacs (Iona Prep-C) 8-5
160- Cooper Kropman (Penfield-5) maj.dec. Joey McGinty (Mon-Woodbury-9) 11-3
170- Tyler Albis (John Jay-1) maj.dec. Quincy Downes (Fox Lane-1) 9-1
182- Matthew Rogers (Wantagh-8) dec. Brock Delsignore (Shen-2) 6-4
195- Matt Kelly (Iona Prep-C) maj.dec. Nicholas Franco (Farmingdale-8) 11-0
220- Malik Leftenant (Copiague-11) dec. Alex Semenko (McKee-SIsland-P) 8-6
285- Lucas Scott (Chenango Forks-4) dec. Myles Norris (Freeport-8) 5-1
DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS
99- Gianni Silvestri (Tioga-4) dec. Xavier DeJesus (Canisteo-Greenwood-5) 5-4
106- Jace Schafer (Pal-Mac-5) dec. Andy Lucinski (Newfane-6) 4-1
113- Dante Geislinger (Norwich-4) dec. Max Gallagher (Bayport Blue Point-11) 3-2
120- Anthony Noto (HFL-5) maj.dec Avery Leonard (Cooperstown-3)
126- Jordan Titus (Center Moriches-11) pinned Micah Roes (Lowville-3) 5:27
132- Gage DeNatale (Locust Valley-8) dec. Dean Shambo (Mexico-3) 6-5
138- Carter Baer (Gouverneur-10) dec. Brady Worthing (Tioga-4) 6-4
145- Bobby Treshock (Tamarac-2) dec. Ethan Ferro (Pal-Mac-5) 11-8
152- Christian Hansen (Cold Spring Harbor-8) dec. Nick Ross (Onteora-9) 6-2
160- Jacob Null (Dolgeville-3) dec. Giovanni Schifano (Eden-6) 7-3
170- Matt Campo (Mt. Sinai-11) dec. Mikey Squires (Norwich-4) 4-2 OT
182- Brock Conaway (Perry-5) dec. Ethan Cooper (Cobleskill-2) 6-4
195- Tyler Mousaw (South Jefferson-3) pinned Hudson Evingham (Bolivar-Richburg-5) :35
220- Jeff Crooks (Cobleskill-2) dec. Karl Bouyer (Clarke-8) 6-2
285- Jaden Heers (Newfane-6) dec. Mike Leibl (Canastota-3) 5-4
LONG ISLAND CROWNS EIGHT NYS CHAMPIONS:
Elijah Rivera (Bay Shore), Jordan Titus (Center Moriches), Zach Redding (Eastport South Manor), Gage DeNatale (Locust Valley), Christian Hansen (Cold Spring Harbor), Matt Campo (Mt. Sinai), Matthew Rogers (Wantagh) and Malik Leftenant (Copiague).
SECTIONAL TEAM SCORES:
Division II:
1. Section Three (222.0 points)
2. Section Five (219.5)
3. Section Four (200.5)
4. Section Two (165.5)
5. Section Six (163.0)
Individual Team Scores:
1. Tioga (73.5 points)
2. Palmyra-Macedon (70)
3. Mt. Sinai (64.5)
4. Newfane (63)
5. Norwich (63)
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