Small schools championships: Nanuet a surprise leader after Day 1
By Roderick Boone
The Journal News

PLEASANTVILLE - Aron Martin was nowhere to be found at the last year's Section 1 small- schools championships.

A number of things kept cropping up, leaving him with little time to dedicate himself the way he needed to. It seemed like it was something different each week.

There were those Saturday driver's education courses, which put a crimp in any chance Martin had to compete in the weekend wrestling tournaments. His rugby team was starting up, too, and Martin was committed to that as well.

Other obligations kept dotting his schedule, so all that forced Martin to turn in his Ardsley wrestling singlet much earlier than he anticipated.

"I just couldn't finish up the season," Martin said. "It wasn't feasible."

So Martin made his return this season and vowed to make his senior year a special one. And he's two more wins away from doing just that.

Martin, seeded sixth at 160 pounds, posted a pair of victories including a 16-13 upset of third-seeded Scott Weiss of Edgemont in the quarterfinals yesterday to cement his place in today's semifinal round.

"It's just exciting," Martin said. "I really want to go to states. It's kind of been a dream ever since I started wrestling. I'm halfway there."

Martin's effort wasn't enough to help defending champ Ardsley secure the team scoring lead after the first day of the two-day tournament, though. The Panthers are in third place with 53 points and trail surprising Nanuet (72) as well as Westlake (58 1/2 ).

Wrestling begins at 9:30 a.m. back here with the finals scheduled to begin sometime around 3:30 p.m. They will take place simultaneously with the large-schools championships.

Nanuet got a boost from several wrestlers including Sal Arena. The junior didn't even place a season ago, losing his first-round match and failing to make it to the final round of wrestlebacks.

But he advanced to the 171-pound semifinals by pinning Eastchester's Mike Todino in 3:01 and scored a 13-1 decision over Irvington's Sal Mastropolo in the quarters.

"It means a lot to me," said Arena, seeded sixth. "A section title is one of my goals this year. I've been fighting to do it. I've been lifting a lot this season and that's been a big part of my success."

Pleasantville's Michael Esteves has had tons success and yesterday was no different. The senior pinned Irvington's James Whang in 3:12 in their 125-pound quarterfinal, putting Esteves in prime position to win his third sectional title.

"I feel confident," Esteves said. "You have to be confident to win. If you don't have that then just forget about it. Mentally, I'm there. Physically, hopefully, I will wrestle the best I can and just finish it."

The last time Sleepy Hollow's Dennis Bencosme was here, he found himself in the 215-pound finale and appeared to be on the verge of staking his claim as a champion, despite wrestling three classes higher than he competed at during the regular season.

However, Bencosme lost to Ardsley's Chris Vingo and instead of euphoria, he left with an empty feeling in his stomach, one that he says remained.

"Right until today," Bencosme said. "I was that close to winning. I had him on his back and everything."

And that's fueled his desire to run through this tournament. Yesterday, the top seed decisioned Westlake's Jeff Miller in the quarterfinals, and hopes his hand is raised by a referee sometime later tonight.

"I got second last year and I'm not trying to take second again," Bencosme said. "I was really mad after I lost. So I guess it's motivation to get to the finals and actually win, and finish off the job."

Reach Roderick Boone at rodboone@lohud.com or 914-696-8531.

Team scoring and key: 1. Nanuet (N) 72; 2. Westlake (W) 58 1/2; 3. Ardsley (A) 53; 4. Dobbs Ferry (DF) 49; 5t. Edgemont (Ed) 47; Sleepy Hollow (SH) 47; 7t. Pleasantville (Pv) 46; Pearl River (PR) 46; 9t. Irvington (I) 40; Eastchester (E) 40; 11. Pawling (Pw) 37; 12. Putnam Valley (PV) 33; 13. Haldane (Hd) 23; 14. Croton (CH) 20; 15. Hastings (Hs) 12; 16. Woodlands (Wd) 7.

Quarterfinals

96 - Joey Paskalides (Ed) pin. Michael Kar (Pv), 1:11; Teddy Kyreakedes (DF) pin. Vinny Guido (CH), 1:24; John Tilles (A) pin. Jesse Rahimzadeh (N), :39; Anthony Battiato (PR) pin. Dave Massi (E), 3:09; 103 - Joe Lieberman (PR) pin. Andrew Balamaci (E), 3:25; Penn Gottfried (A) pin. Freddy Figueroa (I), :25; Andrew Nicholson (E) pin. Chris Lopez (SH), 3:53; Michael Kane (Pv) dec. Andrew Mancusi (W), 6-4; 112 - Corey Vitro (Pw) dec. Jay Concepcion (SH), 7-3; Genta Muryama (Ed) pin. Tyler Petrone (PR), :32; Kevin Chee (N) pin. Sean Whitaker (PV), :50; Harry Kyreakedes (DF) pin. Kyle Resnick (I), 1:46; 119 - Danny Manley (A) pin. Evan Kneur (PV), :22; Jeff Allison (PR) pin. Michael Tarucci (I), :23; Greg Caneparo (N) pin. Anthony Gathers, (Wd), 2:51; T.J. O'Brien (Pv) pin. Peter Delmonaco (SH), 2:33; 125 - Frank Tedesco (CH) dec. John Morato (N), 7-3; Michael Esteves (Pv) pin. James Whang (I), 3:12; Frank Chiastla (Pw) dec. Mark McCormack (Ed), 4-2; Vinny Todino (E) dec. Carlos Gomez (SH), 5-3; 130 - Rich Berkowitz (N) pin. Jamie Kiniard (Hd), :37; Alex Chin (DF) pin. Andrew Rosa (I), 2:53; Derrick Longo (A) pin. Kevin Bernaducci (Pv), 1:51; Jean Patino (SH) pin. Matt Kelly (PR), 1:19; 135 - Adam Beard (Hd) dec. John Thompson (PR), 4-1; Alex Pastena (Pv) pin. Joe Holbreche (W), 1:08; Charles Goldsmith (Pv) pin. Mike Robbins (E), :56; David Rice (Ed) dec. Ryan Tompkins (SH) 13-9; 140 - Rich Driscoll (A) pin. Ian Omaheney (CH), :25; Dan Romero (Pw) pin. Ryan Mee (DF), 1:25; Pete Jablonski (E) dec. Chris Marchese (N), 4-2; Scott Rogener (W) dec. Ron Buccci (SH), 3-1; 145 - Matt Ferrari (DF) dec. Ray Wang (Ed), 8-2; Cody Sharp (PV) dec. Peter Fountain (A), 9-2; Dylan Simonetti (Pw) pin. Peter Talesnik (Pv), 1:40; John Coffey (PR) pin. Tom Murphy (Hs), 1:10; 152 - Ed Mezger (W) dec. Chris Orlando (PV), 6-1; Anthony Raimone (PR) dec. Eddie Sanchez (E), 8-0; Steve Boulos (CH) pin. Rob Schmitt (Pw), 2:43; Ryan Pastore (I) pin. Nick Mertens (N), 1:44; 160 2- Aron Martin (A) dec. Scott Weiss (Ed), 16-13; Karl Lange (PV) dec. Dan Albrecht (PR), 9-0; John Zink (DF) pin. Nick Galluzzo (N), :50; Chris Miller (W) pin. Steve Simonetti (Pw), 4:47; 171 - Raf Tigre (Pv) dec. Mike Xenakis (Hs), 6-2; Sal Arena (N) dec. Sal Mastropolo (I), 13-1; Andy Piehler (PV) pin. Christos Zousias (Hd), 5:20; Dennis Bencosme (SH) dec. Jeff Miller (W), 10-5; 189 - Dan Contrastano (Hs) pin. Nick Gizzo (E), 1:38; Connor Tompkins (SH) pin. Brendan O'Donnell (CH), 1:18; Matt Lee (Ed) pin. Edgar Remotti (DF), 3:31; Bobby Whiting (PR) pin. Jordan Cruz (Pw), 3:40; 215 - Bill Smith (N) pin. Joe Riehm (I), 4:54; Pat Koch (CH) dec. Steve Burchard (W), 6-2; Collin Lemon (Hd) pin. Dave Olivera (Pw), :25; Chris Vingo (A) pin. Jesse Corcoran (PR), :13; 275 - Craig Smith (Wd) pin. Jimmy Emsworth (PR), :29; Max Nau (N) pin. Ron Maio (W), 1:13.

First round

112 - Vitro (Pw) pin. Mike Taino (Pv), 3:57; Kyreakedes (DF) pin. Mubasher Malik (W), 5:30; Chee (N) dec. Dan Potts (CH), 8-4; 119 - Manley (A) pin. Chris Freyer (CH), :45; Allison (PR) tech. fall Dan Drake (W), 16-0; Caneparo (N) pin. A.J. Eppolitto (E), 1:07; 125 - Gomez (SH) dec. Dan Gorman (PV), 8-6; McCormack (E) pin. Ian Dunning (W), 4:16; 130 - Kelly (PR) pin. Adam Gabrielson (CH), 1:24; Longo (A) pin. Addison Huff (E), 1:05; Andrew Rosa (I) dec. Chuck Vollmoeller (E), 6-5; Kiniard (Hd) pin. Ryan Johnson (W), 3:16; 135 - Tompkins (SH) pin. Vinny Patalano (CH), 1:22; Goldsmith (PV) pin. Luke Janos (I), 1:50; Beard (Hd) pin. Matt Gonos (N), 3:11; Rice (E) dec. Ryan Bundback (A), 15-1; Thompson (PR) pin. Frank Oleszico (DF), 2:25; Joe Holbeche (W) pin. Jean Claudechin (Wd), 2:58; 140 - Mee (DF) pin. John Alvarez (Pv), 3:55; Rogener (W) tech. fall Kenny Rodriguez (PV), 16-0; Marchese (N) pin. Joe Riccardi (E), 1:12; 145 - Fountain (A) dec. Will Carter (W), 10-8; Coffey (PR) tech. fall Kenneth Beauzile (Wd), 18-2; Ray Wang (Ed) pin. Joe Negro (E), 1:43; Peter Talesnik (Pv) pin. Cory Crosbie-Foote (CH), 1:48; Matt Ferrari (DF) dec. John Bannano (SH), 12-0; Simonetti (Pw) pin. Nick Cerbone (I), 1:27; 152 - Mezger (W) pin. Mike Marrone (Pv), 3:14; Boulos (CH) pin. Matt Burke (DF), 1:15; Schmitt (Pw) pin. Stephan Cargill (Wd), 1:51; Mertens (N) pin. Stevin Macca (A), 1:22; Pastore (I) pin. Stephen Braunstein (Ed), 3:29; Raimone (PR) dec. Gilli Bauer-Moshi (SH), 10-2; 160 - Zink (DF) pin. Kyle Warren (SH), :21; Martin (A) pin. Henrique DaSilva (E), 3:56; Lange (PV) pin. Andrew Pezzuto (Hs), 4:34; Weiss (Ed) dec. Sean Degnan (I), 10-0; Simonetti (Pw) pin. Darwin Ortiz (Wd), 1:23; Galluzzo (N) pin. Nick D'Agostino (Pv), 1:47; 171 - Jeff Miller (W) pin. Ryan Bostic (Ed), 1:09; Zousias (Hd) pin. Tony Ambrogio (CH), 2:44; Piehler (PV) dec. Sean Paul (DF), 6-4; Mastropolo (I) pin. Blake Balick (A), 3:03; Tigre (Pv) pin. Jon Hubert (Pw), 1:34; Sal Arena (N) pin. Mike Todino (E), 3:01; 189 - Gizzo (E) pin. Ethan Lakota (Hd), 2:57; Whiting (PR) dec. Adam Bello (W), 8-4; Tompkins (SH) pin. Dan Cohen (N), 4:43; Lee (Ed) pin. Greg Ballinga (A), 5:39; 215 - Burchard (W) pin. Deepak McLeary (DF), 1:51; Smith (N) dec. Kris Castro (PV), 5-0.