Budget cuts eliminate Hartford Public program
HARTFORD, Nov. 8 -- Budget cuts have eliminated Hartford Public's wrestling program for the upcoming season. However, the program has been an opportunity for many young men in the school to blossom and grow. Paul Meyers, who has coached at the school for 14 years, said he would be willing to coach for free if enough money can be raised to pay for the program. Lori Riley wrote an outstanding piece in the Hartford Courant explaining how the program has helped some young Public students. Can a last-minute push save the program?
Sacred Heart hosts season opener Sunday vs. Rutgers
FAIRFIELD, Nov. 2 – Sacred Heart University, Connecticut’s only Division I wrestling program, will host its home opener on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Fairfield when the Hearts take on Rutgers. There will be a meet-and-greet with the Heart wrestlers after the match for the fans. Five CT wrestlers on the roster including 125 pound senior Jessica Rea of Stratford.
Induction banquet on April 10
Six state men to be inducted in Hall of Fame
Six men from Connecticut have been selected for induction in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and will be honored in a banquet in April by the Connecticut chapter of the Oklahoma-based Hall of Fame and museum.
Former Holy Cross coach and athletic directorJames Cunningham, former Berlin High coach Jim Day, former Maloney High coach and long-time official Ray Mainville, former Danbury High coach and official Michael Morris and current Derby High coach Walter Jadach will be inducted and receive Lifetime Achievement awards. Retired Colonel Graylin Harris, a former wrestler at Holy Cross in Waterbury, will be inducted and honored as an Outstanding American.
The induction banquet will be held Saturday, April 10, 2010, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Grand Pequot Tower at Foxwoods Resort and Casino. Tickets are $75 each. Get your tickets at cwhof.ticketleap.com. The six inductees join 23 other Connecticut men previously inducted in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Parents fund Seymour program for 2nd season
SEYMOUR, Sept. 28 -- For the second straight year, a donation from parents has saved the Seymour High wrestling program. The Seymour Board of Education voted to accept a donation of $8,125 to field the team. Last September, parents donated $7,500 to keep the program alive. Seymour posted a record of 10-18.
Web site recognized for excellence
HAMDEN, May 21 -- Connecticut Wrestling Online, the state’s first and oldest high school wrestling Web site, was recently recognized by the Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists at its annual excellence in journalism award banquet. Connecticut Wrestling Online won first place in the General Excellence, Independent Web site category for its work in 2008.
Huge turnout for Battle in Valley tournament
FARMINGTON, May 24 -- Wrestlers representing seven states competed in the first Battle in the Valley tournament in Farmington Sunday. There were over 150 walk-in registrations for the tournament, which sponsored competition in elementary, middle school, high school and open divisions. Click on this link for the results.
NHSCA National Tournament
Gillen takes fourth,
Frick wins two bouts
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., April 4 – Shelton sophomore Patrick Gillen (215) finished fourth Friday in the NHSCA’s Sophomore Nationals. Gillen dropped a 5-0 decision to Brian Beattie of Pennsylvania in the semifinals but rebounded to beat New York’s Joe Bilello in the consolation semifinals, 7-0. In the consolation final, Brandon Clark of Pennsylvania beat Gillen, 7-0. Gillen was 3-2 in the tournament and finishes the year at 49-7 and 97-12 career.
At the Senior National tournament, Bristol Central’s Tim Chambers (285) and Danbury’s Humphrey Swift (285) were the only state wrestlers to earn first round wins. However, both lost in the second round to move into the consolation bracket.
In the consolation bracket, New Fairfield's Michael Frick (145) won twice and was the only Connecticut wrestler to win more than one match in the tournament. Bacon Academy's Ryan Quinn (130), Fairfield Warde's Curtis Watkins (135), Windham High's Travis Koch (215) each earned a consolation round victory. Connecticut finished 39th in the Senior Nationals with nine points.
NHSCA National Tournament
Gillen wins two, moves into semis
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., April 2 – Shelton sophomore Patrick Gillen (215) won two matches to earn a spot in the semifinals of the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals and earn All-American honors for the second straight year. Gillen beat New Mexico’s Michael Lamb, 4-1 and New York’s Jake Barnhart, 6-4, to earn a spot in the semifinals Friday morning against Brian Beattle of Pennsylvania.
Sean McAllister (112) of Bacon Academy won three straight matches in the consolation round at the Sophomore Nationals but fell one victory shy of earning All-American honors. He finished 3-2 in the tournament with a thrilling 4-2 OT win over Virginia’s Omar Maknassi on Thursday.
Alex Manwaring (140) of Ledyard went 3-2 in the Freshman Nationals with a win in his opening bout and two tight victories in the consolation round over New Jersey’s Tyler Miller, 5-3 and Georgia’s Hunter Gamble, 3-1 in OT. Windham’s Taylor Grauer (119) went 2-2 in the Freshman tournament.
At the Junior Nationals, Bristol Central’s Nick Cyr (130) was the only Connecticut wrestler to win at least two matches with a 4-0 and 3-2 victories in the consolation round. Danbury’s Charlie Costanzo (119), Waterford’s Zac Deer (140), Shane Battista (189), Sheehan’s Nick Giulietti (140) and Bacon Academy’s Danny Thompson (160) each earned one victory.
At the Freshman Nationals, Windham’s Taylor Grauer (119) and Danbury’s Kyle Westerfield (140) each earned victories while Fairfield Warde’s Evan Fraser (119) and Ledyard’s Dean Gilbert (145) earned wins at the Sophomore Nationals.
U.S. Girls Wrestling Association
Carden earns
All-American honors
YPSILANTI, Mich., March 19 – Branford High sophomore Cheyenne Carden finished fourth at the 2009 United States Girls Wrestling Association’s national championships at 128 pounds. After dropping her first match, Carden won three straight bouts with two pins and a forfeit before dropping a 10-9 decision to New York’s Tanya Kruse in the consolation final. Carden earned All-American honors for taking fourth. Cheney Tech’s Taylor Zboray (103) finished ninth at 103.
Thursday, Feb. 26
Jadach is No. 1 for wins in state history
DERBY, Feb. 26 – The record came quietly on a busy Saturday in Suffield. Buster Jadach’s Derby High wrestling team swept a five-team meet on February 7 beating Morgan, Suffield, Granby and Griswold to give the Raiders their seventh 20-plus win season (20-6). It also gave Jadach the state record for most career wins by a coach in wrestling.
Jadach, who is completing his 29th season with Derby, has 475 career victories, four better than NFA’s Carl Snitkin, who went 471-80-7 from 1975-99. Jadach (475-193-5) has led Derby to 24 winning seasons in 29 years, including a perfect 27-0 campaign in 2000. His Derby teams have won four Class S championships (1984, 2000, 2001, 2004) and finished in the top five 16 times.
Most wins as a coach
Coach
Years W-L-T
a-Buster Jadach, Derby 1981-09 475-193-5
Carl Snitkin, NFA 1975-99 471-80-7
a-Steve Konopka, E. Htfd./Penn. 75-09 464-307-6
Frank Chaves, Simsbury 1978-06 452-150-20
Jim Day, Berlin 1982-07 445-132-3
a-Active coaches
2009 New England championships
At New Haven
Team results – 1. Timberlane NH 110, 2. Cranston West RI 91½, 3. Cumberland RI 58, 4. Lowell, MA 56, 5. Concord NH 55, 6. Danbury 47, 7. Massabesic ME 46, 8. Greater Lawrence MA 44, 9. Framingham MA 37½, 10. Burlington MA, Pinkerton MA 37, 12. Haverhill MA 35½, 13. Tyngsboro MA 33½, 14. Franklin MA 32½, 15. Spaulding VT 32, 16. Warwick Vets RI 31½, 17. Bethel, Southington, Marshfield, MA, Springfield Central, St. Bernard, 31; 22. New Bedford MA 29, 23. Belfast ME 28½, 24. Nashua South NH 26, 25. Algonquin MA, East Greenwich RI, LaSalle MA 25; 28. Londonderry NH, Mt. Anthony VT, Quincy MA 24; 31. Simsbury 22½, 32. Goffstown NH, Noble ME, Somerset MA, Tewksbury, Waltham MA 22; 37. Hand-Madison, Somers, West Springfield, MA 20; 40. Bonny Eagle ME 19½; 41. Derring, North Attleboro MA, Shelton, St. John’s Prep MA 19; 45. Longmeadow MA, Newton MA 18; 47. Fairfield Warde 17. 48. Central Catholic MA, Greater Lowell, Jonathan Law, Lisbon, North Providence RI, South Kingston RI 16
Other Connecticut scores
62. East Lyme 12, 66. New Fairfield 9, 70, Bristol Central, Immaculate, Killingly, South Windsor 7; 85. Farmington, Middletown and Windham 6; 97. Amity 5½, 98. Berlin and Xavier 5; 106. East Hartford, Guilford and Platt High 4; 125. Cheshire 2
Individual results
103
Final: Shaidai Lariviere (Cumberland RI) dec. Zach Bridson (Timberlane NH) 8-2; Third: Sam Shames (Newton North MA) dec. Robert Lonergan (Jonathan Law) 3-0; Fifth: Chad Roberts (East Longmeadow MA) dec. Sami Baghdady (Belmont MA), 4-0
112
Final: Corey Melo (New Bedford MA) dec. Matt Buco (Greater Lawrence MA), 3-2; Third: Shonneil Lariviere (Cumberland RI) dec. Mike Bradley (Mt. Anthony VT), 15-5; Fifth: Bob Daniels (Concord NH) pin Steve Duran (Cranston West RI) 4:26
119
Final: Miguel Guzman (Greater Lawrence MA) dec. Charlie Costanzo (Danbury), 5-1; Third: Everette Desiletes (Cranston West RI) dec. Matt Morris (Timberlane NH), 8-1; Fifth: Kyle Edmunds (Spaulding VT) forfeit over Mike Sugermeyer (Minnechaug MA), injury
125
Final: Mike Meyers (Warwick Vets RI) dec. Ryan Toussaint (Deering ME) 10-0; Third: George Wilson (Springfield Central MA) dec. Joe Pronl (Marshfield MA), 10-0; Fifth: Josh Gerry (Quincy MA) dec. Rob Ferrante (Shelton), 12-1
130
Final: Alex Hayek (East Greenwich RI) dec. Nick O’Connell (Cranston West RI), 5-4; Third: Alex Smith (Timberlane NH) dec. Matt Sherman (Burlington MA), 4-2 OT; Fifth: Jordan Gray (Essex Junction VT) dec. Andrew Lischke (Bethel), 5-3 OT
135
Final: Shawn Giblin (Cranston West RI) pin Issac Melo (Somerset MA), 3:37; Third: Chris Deluca (Longmeadow MA) dec. Curtis Watkins (Fairfield Warde), 3-2; Fifth: David Clemens (Timberlane NH) dec. Eric Harrison (Weymouth MA), 12-2
140
Final: Dan Telhada (Franklin MA) dec. Peter Gilman (Massabesic ME), 6-3; Third: Colin Crowell (Pinkerton NH) dec. Walter Pope (Framingham MA), 3-2; Fifth: Kevin Barrucci (Burlington MA) dec. Jesse Broderick (New Fairfield), 4-2
145
Final: Victor DeJesus (Lowell) dec. Joey Eon (Massabesic ME), 9-1; Third: Brandon Fleming (Marshfield MA) dec. Ethan Farrell (Narragansett RI), 8-6 OT; Fifth: Tucker Schaefer (Danbury) forfeit over Jack DiBurro (Central Catholic MA), injury
152
Final: Cody Byrd (Londonderry NH) dec. Andrew Ford (Bethel), 5-3; Third: Matt Dehney (Dracut MA) dec. Brian Onofrio (Hand), 5-3, OT; Fifth: Matt Donohoe (Tyngsboro MA) pin Ryan Harding (St. John’s Prep MA), 4:21
160:
Final: Isaiah Williams (Haverhill MA) dec. Nick Bedard (Lowell MA), 11-2; Third: Derek Golder (Tyngsboro MA) dec. Corey Graham (Reading MA), 12-1; Fifth: Mike Monson (Southington) dec. Derek Bisson (Concord NH), 6-2
171
Final: Mike Wrin (Algonquin MA) dec. Tim Vollaro (Somers), 5-3; Third: Stephen Martin (Bonny Eagle ME) dec. Joel Altavesta (Tewksbury MA), 10-6; Fifth: Connor Nelson (South Kingston RI) dec. Matt Willey (Arlington MA) , 8-4
189
Final: Lucas Bowman (St. Bernard) dec. Travis Spencer (Belfast ME), 4-2; Third: Steve Saul (LaSalle RI) dec. Josh Maru (North Providence RI), 3-2, OT; Fifth: Steve Wrona (West Springfield MA) win by forfeit over Dillon Ritchie (Southington), injury
215
Final: Mike Grilakis (Nashua South NH) dec. Ricky Caruso (Waltham MA), 9-5; Third: Lawton Arnold (Simsbury) dec. Petros Hologitas (Rockland MA), 6-4; Fifth: Josh Boyd (Catholic Memorial MA) dec. Josh Wainwright (North Attleboro MA), 7-5
275:
Final: Dan Herrick (Concord NH) win by forfeit over Brian Nicol (Timberlane NH), injury; Third: Tom Foote (Goffstown NH) dec. Mike Gregory (Greater Lowell MA), 6-5; Fifth: Doug Vollaro (Springfield Cathedral MA) dec. Tim Chambers (Bristol Central), 11-1
Outstanding wrestler: Shawn Giblin, Cranston West RI (135)
Most outstanding final: 189 pounds, Bowman vs. Spencer
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