Nanuet's Berkowitz wins fourth straight sectional title
By Anthony Malakian
The Journal News

PLEASANTVILLE - Back in October, Hastings' Dan Constrantano was more concerned with rehabbing his injured shoulder rather than worrying about whether he would get a chance to win his first sectional title.

After tearing his rotator cuff while playing football for the Yellow Jackets, it looked as though his wrestling days might be numbered. But in early January, his doctor said he might be able to make it back in time for the postseason.

That was all the motivation he would need.

Making good on his second chance, Constrantano returned to the mat and won the title in the 189-pound division at yesterday's Section 1 small-schools finals match held at Pace University.

For the Constrantano, who finished second last year at sectionals, going to states is the perfect way to cap his high school career.

"This is something I have been working for over the last five years," Constrantano said. "I came close last year, but this year was my time."

The Yellow Jacket defeated Edgemont's Matt Lee 11-3 in the finals. Constrantano, who wrestled his first match of the season in Friday's quarterfinals, said the most difficult part of coming back was getting back into wrestling shape.

"I have been running a lot and thinking, getting my mental game down," he said. "It's been tough. I just had to show heart and go out there and prove to everyone that I could do it."

It was Nanuet, led by now four-time section champion Rich Berkowitz, that took the team championship scoring 187 points.

Berkowitz, who was named the tournaments Most Outstanding Wrestler on his way to claiming the 130-pound championship, joined rarified air with his finals pin over Sleepy Hollow's Jean Patino.

He is only the ninth wrestler in Section 1 history to accomplish the feat.

"I'm very relaxed right now," Berkowitz said. "I had it when I needed it, and when I didn't have it - I didn't need it."

Now he will be setting his sights on a state championship after finishing second last season.

"I'm going to have my tapes dissected of the kids I know I will face up at states," he said, "and I am going to go out there and win it."

Teammate Max Lau claimed the title at 275, defeating Craig Smith of Woodlands by first period pin.

At 152, Ryan Pastore of Irvington got revenge on Croton-Harmon's Steven Boulos in their finals match.

Boulos had defeated Pastore twice this season, both times by a single point. With the score tied at two in the third period, Pastore hit a risky tilt from the standing position and pulled Boulos over his own body to get three near-fall points.

"I'm very thankful right now," said Pastore, who finished with a 5-3 victory. "Some of the guys told me not to do that tilt, but it seemed like it was a do or die thing. The Holy Spirit was with me and he really helped me to pull it off."

Alex Pastena became Putnam Valley's first ever section champion as he defeated Adam Beard of Haldane 12-7 in their 135 pound finals match.

After coming close in the past, Pastena is happy to represent the Tigers at states.

"It hasn't really hit me yet," he said. "After coming up short the past two years, this was my goal and I'm glad everything came together in my senior year."

Michael Esteves of Pleasantville claimed his third section title by defeating Croton-Harmon's Frank Tedesco 4-1 in the 125 final.

Ardsley, which finished second with 169 points, will have two wrestlers representing the Panthers at states.

At 103 Penn Gottfried defeated Eastchester's Andrew Nicholson by second period pin. Teammate Danny Manley was victorious over two-time section champ Jeff Allison at 119, winning 11-5.

Genta Murayama became Edgmont's second ever section champion by winning the 112 title. He defeated Harry Kyreakades of Dobbs Ferry 9-1.

Harry's brother, Teddy, won the 96 title with a major decision victory over Ardsley's John Tilles.

John Coffey of Pearl River tech falled Dylan Simonetti of Pawling to win at 145 and Dobbs Ferry's John Zink (160), Sleepy Hollow's Dennis Bencosme (171), and Haldane's Collin Lemon (215) were all victorious at their respective weight divisions.

Reach Anthony Malakian at amalakia@lohud.com or 914-696-8233.

Team standings and key - 1. Nanuet (N) 187; 2. Ardsley (Ard) 169; 3. Westlake (Ws) 137; 4. Dobbs Ferry (DF) 131; 5. Sleepy Hollow (SH) 129; 6. Pearl River (PR) 113.5; 7. Edgemont (Ed) 110; 8. Pleasantville (Pv) 101.5; 9. Pawling (Pw) 93.5; 10. Putnam Valley (PV) 91; 11. Irvington (Iv) 84; 12. Eastchester (Es) 81; 13t. Croton-Harmon (CH) 59; 13t. Haldane (Hd) 59; 15. Hastings (Hs) 31; 16. Woodland (Wd) 23.

Finals

96 - Teddy Kyreakades (Dobbs Ferry) maj dec. John Tilles (Ardsley), 14-1; 103 - Penn Gottfried (Ardsley) pin. Andrew Nicholson (Eastchester), 3:03; 112 - Genta Murayama (Edgemont) maj dec. Harry Kyreakades (Dobbs Ferry), 9-1;119 - Danny Manley (Ardsley) dec. Jeff Allison (Pearl River), 11-5; 125 - Michael Esteves (Pleasantville) dec. Frank Tedesco (Croton-Harmon), 4-1; 130 - Rich Berkowitz (Nanuet) pin. Jean Patino (Sleepy Hollow), 1:18; 135 - Alex Pastena (Putnam Valley) dec. Adam Beard (Haldane), 12-7; 140 - Dan Romero (Pawling) dec. Rich Driscoll (Ardsley), 7-6; 145 - John Coffey (Pearl River) tech fall. Dylan Simonetti (Pawling), 15-0; 152 - Ryan Pastore (Irvington) dec. Steven Boulos (Croton-Harmon), 5-3; 160 - John Zink (Dobbs Ferry) dec. Karl Lange (Putnam Valley), 4-3; 171 - Dennis Bencosme (Sleepy Hollow) dec. Sal Arena (Nanuet), 5-2; 189 - Dan Constratano (Hastings) dec. Matt Lee (Edgemont), 11-3; 215 - Collin Lemon (Haldane) pin. Chris Vingo (Ardsley), 3:27; 275 - Max Nau (Nanuet) pin. Craig Smith (Woodlands), 1:00.

3rd Place

96 - Anthony Battiato (PR) dec. Jesse Rahimzadeh (N), 9-6; 103 - Chris Lopez (SH) dec. Joe Lieberman (PR), 10-5; 112 - Kevin Chee (N) dec. Kyle Resnick (Iv), 6-4, OT; 119 - T.J. O'Brien (Pv) tech fall. Dave Caneparo (N), 17-0; 125 - Vinny Todino (Es) dec. Frank Chiastla (Pw), 3-1; 130 - Derrick Longo (Ard) pin. Alex Chin (DF), 4:10; 135 - Charles Goldsmith (Pv) dec. David Rice (Ed), 5-0; 140 - Scott Rogener (Ws) dec. Ron Bucci (SH), 6-3; 145 - Will Carter (Ws) dec. Matt Ferrari (DF), 5-2; 152 - Ed Mezger (Ws) pin. Anthony Raimone (PR), 3:50; 160 - Nick Galluzzo (N) dec. Scott Weiss (Ed), 4-2; 171 - Andy Piehler (PV) dec. Sean Paul (DF), 2-1; 189 - Adam Bello (Ws) pin. Dan Cohen (N), 1:38; 215 - Bill Smith (N) dec. Pat Koch (CH), 5-3; 275 - John Lopez (SH) pin. Luke Testa (Pw), :10.

5th Place

96 - Joey Paskalides (Ed) maj dec. Michael Kar (Pv), 13-5; 103 - Michael Kane (Pv) pin. Andrew Mancusi (Ws), 2:53; 112 - Jay Concepcion (SH) dec. Corey Vitro (Pw), 7-4;119 - Evan Kneur (PV) pin. Pete Delmonaco (SH), 4:43; 125 - James Whang (Iv) pin. Ian Dunning (Ws), 2:07; 130 - Andrew Rosa (Iv) won by forfeit over Chuck Vollmoeller (Es); 135 - Ryan Bundrick (Ard) dec. Ryan Tompkins (SH), 10-4, OT; 140 - Pete Jablonski (Ed) dec. Ryan Mee (DF), 4-1; 145 - Peter Fountain (Ard) pin. Cody Sharp (PV), 1:11; 152 - Eddie Sanchez (Es) maj dec. Chris Orlando (PV), 11-2; 160 - Chris Miller (Ws) won by forfeit over Aron Martin (Ard); 171 - Mike Todino (Es) pin. Raf Tigre (Pv), 2:04; 189 - Connor Tompkins (SH) pin. Bobby Whiting (PR), 1:47; 215 - Steve Burchard (Ws) pin. Joe Riehm (Iv), 3:43; 275 - Ron Maio (Ws) pin. Jimmy Emsworth (PR), :39.

Semifinals

96 - T. Kyreakades (DF) pin. Paskalides (ER), 4:34; Tilles (Ard) maj dec. Battiato (PR), 15-6; 103 -Gottfried (Ard) pin. Kane (Pv), 3:14; Nicholson (Es) maj dec. Lieberman (PR), 12-0; 112 - Murayama (Ed) pin. Vitro (Pw), 3:03; H. Kyreakedes (DF) maj dec. Chee (N), 15-4; 119 - Allison (PR) dec. O'Brien (Pv), 6-0; Manley (Ard) pin. Caneparo (N), 1:59 125 - Esteves (Pv) pin. Chiastla (Pw), :30; Tedesco (CH) dec. Todino (Es), 5-1; 130 - Berkowitz (N) pin. Chin (DF), 2:53; Patino (SH) dec. Longo (Ard), 15-13; 135 - Beard (Hal) dec. Goldsmith (Pv), 8-7; Pastena (PV) dec. Rice (Ed), 6-4; 140 - Romero (Pw) tech fall. Jablonski (Ed), 16-1; Driscoll (Ard) maj dec. Rogener (Ws), 14-3; 145 - Simonetti (Pw) pin. Ferrari (DF), 3:36; Coffey (PR) pin. Sharp (PV), 1:18; 152 -Boulos (CH) maj dec. Raimone (PR), 12-0; Pastore (Iv) maj dec. Mezger (Ws), 11-3; 160 - Lange (PV) pin. Martin (Ard), 5:33; Zink (DF) dec. Miller (Ws), 5-0; 171 - Arena (N) dec. Tigre (Pv), 7-2; Bencosme (SH) dec. Piehler (PV), 5-4; 189 - Constratano (Hs) dec. Whiting (PR), 5-0; Lee (Ed) dec. Tompkins (SH), 3-2; 215 - Lemon (Hal) pin. Smith (N), 3:21; Vingo (Ard) maj dec. Koch (CH), 14-3; 275 - Smith (Wd) pin. Lopez (SH), 3:40; Nau (N) pin. Testa (Pw), :16.

Consolation semifinals

96 - Battiato (PR) dec. Kar (Pv), 13-8; Rahimzadeh (N) dec. Paskalides (Ed), 6-2; 103 - Lieberman (PR) dec. Mancusi (Ws), 9-4; Lopez (SH) pin. Kane (Pv), 1:56; 112 - Resnick (Iv) dec. Vitro (Pw), 8-2; Chee (N) dec. Concepcion (SH), 9-4; 119 - Caneparo (N) dec. Delmonaco (SH), 4-1; O'Brien (Pv) dec. Kneur (PV), 11-0; 125 - Todino (Es) dec. Whang (Iv), 8-3; Chiastla (Pw) dec. Dunning (Ws), 5-2; 130 - Chin (DF) dec. Vollmoeller (Es), 8-4; Longo (Ard) pin. Rosa (Iv), 3:23; 135 - Rice (Ed) dec. Bundrick (Ard), 8-1; Goldsmith (Pv) dec. Tompkins (SH), 5-3; 140 - Bucci (SH) dec. Jablonski (Ed), 5-2; Rogener (Ws) tech fall. Mee (DF), 16-0; 145 - Ferrari (DF) dec. Fountain (Ard), 1-0, 2OT; Carter (Ws) pin. Sharp (PR), 3:40; 152 - Mezger (Ws) pin. Sanchez (Es), 2:55; Raimone (PR) dec. Orlando (PV), 9-7; 160 - Galluzzo (N) won by forfeit; Weiss (Ed) maj dec. Miller (Ws), 14-5; 171 - Paul (DF) maj dec. Tigre (Pv), 11-0; Piehler (PV) pin. Todino (Es), 2:28; 189 - Cohen (N) dec. Whiting (PR), 2-0; Bello (Ws) pin. Tompkins (SH), 2:10; 215 - Koch (CH) pin. Riehm (Iv), 1:54; Smith (N) dec. Burchard (Ws), 10-4; 275 - Testa (Pw) pin. Emsworth (PR), :46; Lopez (SH) dec. Maio (Ws), 6-1.