2005NationalHSChampionships4-3-05

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

103- Matt McNaughton(Illinois, 85-6) pinned Dan Earley(Ohio, 126-19) 3:02.
112- Brian Moreno(California, 209-18) dec. Josh Statum(Alabama, 108-6) 7-2.
119- Franklin Gomez(Florida, 92-2) dec. Ross Gitomer(New Jersey, 118-37) 3-2.
125- Troy Nickerson(New York, 219-6) dec. Jayson Ness(Minnesota, 166-15) 6-4.
130- Adam Frey(New Jersey, 125-5) dec. Joey Slaton(Iowa, 147-12) 10-5.
135- Brandon Rader(WVirginia, 166-12) tech fall Charlie Ettelson(Iowa, 143-7) 21-4.
140- Cyler Sanderson(Utah, 173-8) dec. Clay Tucker(Ohio, 168-10) 10-9.
145- Dustin Schlatter(Ohio, 160-4) dec. Brent Metcalf(Michigan, 233-1) 4-3.
152- Matt Coughlin(Indiana, 183-4) dec. Ryan Morningstar(Iowa, 169-5) 3-1 ot.
160- Travis Hammons(Illinois, 116-4) dec. Alton Lucas(New York, 160-6) 3-3, 3-0 double ot.
171- Chance Litton(WVirginia, 163-8) dec. Philip Keddy(Utah, 158-23) 5-4.
189- Mike Pucillo(Ohio, 167-23) dec. Jake Varner(California, 162-11) 6-3.
215- Deshawn Barrett(Maryland, 69-2) dec. Jason Marshall(Ohio, 138-19) 6-3.
275- Drake McCoy(Georgia, 165-7) dec. Brady Wilson(Minnesota, 112-34) 7-1.

   TEAM SCORES:
        1. New York...........222
        2. Ohio...................210.5
        3. California............186
        4. New Jersey.........180
        5. Iowa...................148
        6. Kansas................137
        7. Minnesota............122
        8. Illinois.................120.5
        9. Michigan..............118.5
       10. Utah.....................116

MAT NOTES...
   New York State won their first National HS Seniors Championship as they tallied 222 points to defeat defending team champion Ohio who finished with 210.5 points. The Empire State crowned one National HS Champion, Troy Nickerson(Chenango Forks) and had one runner-up Alton Lucas(West Babylon). NYS finished with a record 15 HS All-Americans. Islip's Tom Magnani was pinned in his opening bout and then reeled off five consecutive victories, including a dramatic 10-8 ot match over John Olanowski (Virginia) to finish in seventh place at 119 pounds, he finished with 6 wins and two losses over the gruelling three-day tournament. Other Long Islanders that earned All-American status were Peppy Cabrera (Brentwood) who pinned fellow New Yorker Dan Morreale in 1:26 at 103 pounds, the aforementioned Magnani, Alton Lucas who finished as a national finalist and Floyd's John Barone who decisioned Rick Loera(Illinois), 9-4, to finish in fifth place at 171 pounds. Cyler Sanderson(Utah) is the younger brother of the famed four-time NCAA champion Cael, who won this tournament at Duquense University, PA in 1995. Sanderson showed his poise as he posted an exciting 10-9 victory over Clay Tucker(Ohio) to claimed the 140-pound title. Gregor Gillespie, two-time NYS champion battled with Michigan's unbeaten Brent Metcalf(233-0), before dropping a 6-3 decision. Gillespie (239-12) edged Joseph Carnejo(Kansas), 1-0 overtime to finished in third place at 145 pounds. Metcalf, a four-time Michigan state champion dropped a close 4-3 decision to Ohio four-time state champion, Dustin Schlatter, for his only defeat in his spectacular career in the 145-pound final. Metcalf had defeated Schlatter in overtime during the season. Minnesota bound Schlatter(160-4) was voted the tournament's outstanding wrestler. Metcalf(233-1) won the Most Pins Award with four falls in the aggregate time of 7:56. The tournament was run smoothly by the NHSCA and the efforts of both Bob and Jeanne Ferraro, along with Joe Boardwine, the Asst.Tournament Director and announcer, Sandy Stevens, and head scorer Gary "Gimp" Brownell was evident as wrestlers, coaches, officials and the spectators enjoyed the intense competition of the tournament. Perhaps one of the most improved states is Florida, who finished in 15th place and crowned one champion, Franklin Gomez at 119 pounds, much of this development is the work of Florida area coach, Chris Doherty( a former NYS runner-up from Berner HS). There were 802 entries and 46 states were represented, Hawaii and Maine did not send teams and both Arkansas and Mississippi do not have any state wrestling programs. In the inaugural Junior Nationals, there were 33 states represented and Ohio won with 269 points, followed by New Jersey(107) and New York tallied 98.5 points for a third place team finish. Winning an individual title for the Empire State was Josh Patterson(Wayne) who won the 160-pound crown and two-time state champion Lou Ruggirello finished second as he dropped a 4-1 decision to Minnesota's Terrance Young in the 112-pound final. Ruggirello won the Most Falls Award with 3 falls in 3:51. New York finished with seven Junior HS All-Americans, including three from Suffolk County, Jared Rueda(5th at 119), from Mt. Sinai, East Islip's David Ingram(5th at 130) and Dillon Yanson(5th at 275) from Northport...

April 3, 2005