Leading off today: Mount Sinai defended its title Saturday, earning the NYSPHSAA Division II dual-meet wrestling championship by ralling to a 37-34 victory over Central Valley Academy at SRC Arena on the Onondaga Community College campus.
Massapequa earned the Division I crown with a 41-29 triumph against Hilton. Massapequa trailed 26-18 before capturing five of the final six matches.
Massapequa and Hilton enetered the meet ranked first and second, respectively, in Division I by the New York State Sportswriters Association Mount Sinai and Central Valley Academy were first and second, respectively in Division II.
Mount Sinai recovered from a 31-12 deficit but still trailed Central Valley Academy by three points entering the match's final weight class, 182 pounds.
Mount Sinai's Adham Shata, a modest 14-12 on the mats this season, built a 5-0 lead through two periods, then rode Jacob Lawrence into the mat and used a half-nelson for a pin in 4:45 to give Mount Sinai the championship.
"Greatest feeling ever to win the state title for my team, for my school," Shata told Newsday.
His big moment was set up by series of big wins that allowed the Mustangsto climb out of a 19-point hole. Matt Campo decisioned former state champ Hunter Shaut 4-2 in overtime at 152. Joe Goodrich followed with a pin in 16 seconds to knot the score at 31-31 after 160 pounds.
CVA's Michael Dihrberg decisioned Vin Valente 7-5 at 170 pounds to set up the pivotal final match.
Heavyweight Marco Musso and 99-pound freshman Anthony Connetta gave Massapequa a nice early boost with decisions that helped build an 18-6 lead.
"Marco lost earlier in the day and was able to put it behind him and focus on the Hilton match," coach Ron Serrano said. "He's of the mindset like the rest of the team, that when we lose a match, we move on, make adjustments and come back stronger."
Hilton roared back to a 26-18 advantage. Mike Blando got Massapequa back on track with a decision at 138, and the Chiefs owned a 30-29 lead heading into the final two matches, where John Casamassina (170) won by technical fall and Thomas Greenblatt (182) clinched with a quick pin to complete 4-0 days on the mats.
"It's a long day for the guys that go four bouts," Serrano said. "It takes a real team with a strong mindset. The dual meet tournament is grueling, and you need a strong bench and guys that are willing to sacrifice for the team."
Championship summaries
Massapequa 41, Hilton 29
195 - Sam DePrez (H) p. Frank Kempton (M) 1:07; 220 - Angelo Petrakis (M) p. Jacob Cretelle (H) 1:09;
285 - Marco Musso (M) d. Collin Burns (H) 6-4; 99 - Anthony Conetta (M) d. Gregor McNeil (H) 10-5; 106 - Chase Liardi (M) p. Landon Lazarek (H) :21; 113 - Rocco Camillaci (H) p. Sal Minichiello (M) 1:13; 120 - Greg Diakomihalis (H) tf. Kyle Donohue (M) 26-10; 126 - Nate Lee (H) d. Jack Kirschbaum (M) 7-5; 132 - Ryan Burgos (H) p. Will Piatti (M) 2:18; 138 - Mike Blando (M) d. Ryan Hinman (H) 8-1; 145 - Jeremy Scutellaro (M) d. Nate Eccleston (H) 2-0; 152 - Garrett Gibbons (M) p. Jacob Soricone (H) Fall 2:16; 160 - Mike Fronzak (H) d. Dan Kasin (M) 6-4; 170 - John Casamassina (M) tf. Aydin Agaie (H) 15-0; 182 - Thomas Greenblatt (M) p. Alex Fronczak (H) :53.
Mount Sinai 37, Central Valley Academy 34
195 - Mike Sabella (MS) p. Bryson Youngs (CVA) 1:39; 220 - Riley Brewer (CVA) p. Mike Ruggieri (MS) 3:23; 285 - David Mazzella (MS) p. Malachi Farr (CVA) 3:13; 99 - Sixx Cook (CVA) d. Brayden Fahrbach (MS) 12-0; 106 - Kace Cook (CVA) p. Shawn Wells (MS) 1:44; 113 - Mason Bush (CVA) p. Jack Tyrell (MS) :48; 120 - Dawson Mower (CVA) d. Brenden Goodrich (MS) 5-4; 126 - Marek Bush (CVA) p. Joe Sabella (MS) :37; 132 - Mike O`Brien (MS) d. Trevor Grogan (CVA) 7-3; 138 - Joe O`Brien (MS) d. Anderson Klosner (CVA) 11-3; 145 - Ryan Shanian (MS) d. Kye Cook (CVA) 14-9; 152 - Matt Campo (MS) d. Hunter Shaut (CVA) 4-2; 160 - Joe Goodrich (MS) p. Christian Cacciatore (CVA) :16; 170 - Michael Dihrberg (CVA) d. Vincent Valente (MS) 7-5; 182 - Adham Shata (MS) p. Jacob Lawrence (CVA) 4:45.
Massapequa had improved to 3-0 for the day with a 42-28 win over Fulton in the semifinals. Hilton advanced by dispatching Niagara-Wheatfield 63-23.
The Cadets were never in danger, picking up pins by Alex Fronczak (182 pounds) and Jake Cretelle (195) before a forfeit victory at 220 and then having Collin Burns extend the lead to 24-0 with a pin in the heavyweight match.
In the Division II semifinals, Central Valley Academy downed Falconer 48-24 to set up a championship match with Mount Sinai, a 34-27 winner over Tioga in the day's last semifinal.
Mount Sinai had edged Tioga 34-32 in the 2018 semifinals.
Division I semifinals
Hilton 62, Niagara-Wheatfield 23
182 - Alex Fronczak (H) p. Caleb Nawotniak (N-W) 1:56; 195 - Jacob Cretelle (H) p. J.T. Hamby (N-W), :54; 220 - Sam DePrez (H) by forfeit; 285 - Collin Burns (H) p. Kevin Halford (N-W), 3:50; 99 - Te`Shaun Mathews (N-W) tf. Landon Lazarek (H) 17-0; 106 - Gregor McNeil (H) p. Mark Kuhn (N-W) 1:16; 113 - Rocco Camillaci (H) p. Anthony Kuhn Jr (N-W) 3:27; 120 - Greg Diakomihalis (H) p. Collin Coughenour (N-W) 1:36; 126 - Ryan Burgos (H) p. Kyle Jungier (N-W) :42; 132 - Justin McDougald (N-W) by forfeit; 138 - Ryan Hinman (H) def. Jacob DeWolf (N-W), injury 2:56; 145 - Warren McDougald (N-W) p. Jacob Soricone (H) 2:17; 152 - Nate Eccleston (H) d. Ali Assaf (N-W) 9-5; 160 - Mike Fronzak (H) p. Jacob Thibeault (N-W) :55;
170 - Joshua Thibeault (N-W) p. Aydin Agaie (H), :53.
Massapequa 42, Fulton 28
182 - Thomas Greenblatt (M) d. Ian Bogardus (F) 5-2; 195 - Angelo Petrakis (M) tf. Cameron Lugo (F) 16-1; 220 - Dylan DeMauro (F) def. Marco Musso (M), disq.; 285 - Ryan Bacigalupo (M) p. Zachary Hobby (F) 1:37; 99 - Anthony Conetta (M) tf. Dominick Hofmann (F) 16-0; 106 - Sal Minichiello (M) tf. Dylan Waldron (F) 22-4; 113 - Chase Liardi (M) p. Samuel Waldron (F) :47; 120 - Thomas Hughes (F) d. Alex Giuliani (M) 12-2; 126 - Andru Walts (F) d. Jack Kirschbaum (M) 9-3; 132 - Kaleb Carreon (F) d. Will Piatti (M) 2-1; 138 - Mike Blando (M) p. Cole French (F) :35; 145 - Jeremy Scutellaro (M) d. Samuel May (F) 10-5; 152 - Dan Kasin (M) d. Jeshua Lopez (F) Dec 3-0; 160 - Camrin Galvin (F) by forfeit; 170 - Nicholas Noel (F) by forfeit.
