Connecticut Wrestling Online

NHSCA Senior Nationals

Hepburn, Williamson finish with victories

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., April 1 – Ledyard’s T.J. Hepburn (140) and Greenwich’s Brandon Williamson (215) earned All-American honors by finishing in the top eight of their respective weight classes at the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) senior national tournament Sunday.

Hepburn rebounded from his first loss of the year in Saturday’s semifinals with a pair of victories Sunday to finish third. He beat a pair of Michigan wrestlers on Sunday, including David Cheza, 7-2 to take third. Hepburn was 6-1 in the tournament.

Williamson lost in the consolation quarterfinals in overtime but rebounded to beat John Hernandez of California, 7-0 to finish seventh. Williamson was 5-2 in the tournament and he wrestled his final five matches with broken ribs.

It’s the first time since 1995 that Connecticut has had two All-American wrestlers in the same year. In 1995, Middletown’s Orville Palmer (171) was seventh and New Canaan’s Brett Wilderman (189) was fourth. Hepburn’s third place finish is the best finish for a Connecticut wrestler in the senior tournament since Hand’s Jim Guzzio (130) finished second in 1992.

n Senior National Results

n VIDEO: National semifinal --

T.J. Hepburn vs. Jamal Parks (Oklahoma)

Hepburn in green ankle wraps

NHSCA Senior Nationals

Hepburn loses semi

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., March 31 – Ledyard’s T.J. Hepburn (140) won twice on Saturday before suffering his first loss of the year in the semifinals of the National High School Coaches Association’s national wrestling championships. Hepburn lost to Oklahoma’s Jamal Parks in the semifinals, 11-5 and will next wrestle in the consolation semifinals. Greenwich’s Brandon Williamson (215) lost his second round match due to injury but rebounded to win two straight consolation round bouts to earn a spot in the consolation quarterfinals.

NHSCA Senior Nationals

Hepburn, Howe impressive on day 1

VIRGINIA BEACH, March 30 – Ledyard’s T.J. Hepburn won twice while Danbury’s Tyler Howe won three bouts in the first day of wrestling at the National High School Coaches Association’s (NHSCA) senior national tournament.

Hepburn (140) is now in the third round while Howe (152) has advanced to the quarterfinals. Greenwich’s Brandon Williamson (215) won a bout and is still alive in the winner’s bracket. Fitch’s Adrian Gonzalez (152) also won a bout but lost in the second round.

At the Junior National tournament, Griswold's Tyler Banks (130) led all Connecticut with three wins in five bouts. At the Sophomore National tournament, Platt High's West Johnson (103) went 3-3 in the tournament and earned All-American honors by finishing eighth.

n VIDEO: Griswold's Tyler Banks vs. Nebraska's Tyler Sackett

Connecticut results

2007 Senior Nationals

At Virginia Beach

112: John Bailey CO dec. Casey Lesile, Middletown, 7-0; Jesse Knott MO dec. Lesile, 1-0

119: John Hagan KS dec. Chris Lombardi, Bristol Central, 4-2; Warren Murray NY dec. Lombardi, 3-0

130: Ben Carning VA dec. Nelson Gonzalez, Platt, 13-5; Zeke Rowan IL pin Gonzalez, 2:21

135: Michael Kessler MI pin Shane Day, Berlin, 4:54; Elliott Dennis CA dec. Day, 3-1

140: T.J. Hepburn, Ledyard tech fall Tyler Cook, MI, 15-0, 4:26; Hepburn dec. Blaine Woszczak, NJ, 7-4; Hepburn dec. Justin Hickey VA, 7-0; Quarterfinals – Hepburn dec. Aaron Senzee MO, 5-2; Semifinals – Jamal Parks OK dec. Hepburn, 11-5; Consolation semifinals -- Hepburn dec. J.J. Johnson MI, 7-1; Consolation final -- Hepburn dec. David Cheza, 7-2

145: John Dack NJ dec. Jon Torres, Windham, 3-2; Dusty Hermes OH dec. Torres, 2-1

152: Adrian Gonzalez, Fitch dec. Chris Vigliotti NY, 8-6; Stratton Havlik SD dec. Gonzalez, 7-1

152: Tyler Howe, Danbury dec. Tyler Dietrich ID 7-3; Howe dec. Jack Wilson NC, 4-2; Howe dec. Josh Bain MN, 8-6; Quarterfinals -- Lester France MI dec. Howe, 7-6; Gavin Ludwig CA dec. Howe, 4-0

171: Michael Schmitz MN dec. Ryan Roddy, Amity, 3-0; Sanderson UT dec. Roddy, 8-2

215: Brandon Williamson, Greenwich dec. Matt Lethier TN, 5-2; John Hernandez CA dec. Williamson, injury default; Williamson dec. Steve Nijoka TX 4-0; Williamson pin Jake Kleusch WI 3:30; Williamson dec. Tyler Hemmesch, MN 5-1; Consolation QF -- Macie Jochym NY dec. Williamson, 4-2, OT; 7th place bout -- Williamson dec. John Hernandez, CA, 7-0

215: Tyler Hemmesch MN pin Platon Koukides, Norwalk, 3:48; Bill Romasseur NY pin Koukides, 3:45

Team results (before finals)

1. California 203.5, 2. New Jersey 194, 3. Ohio 174.5, 4. New York 162.5, 5. Pennsylvania 143

New England scores -- 20. Massachusetts 57, 26. New Hampshire 40, 28. Connecticut 36.5, 44, Maine 4, 46. Vermont 2

2007 Junior Nationals

At Virginia Beach, Va.

Team results – 1. Pennsylvania 218, 2. New York 195.5, 3. Ohio 188.5, 4. New Jersey 156, 5. California and Utah 133.5

New England results – 24. Massachusetts 43, 37. Connecticut and Kentucky 19, 40. New Hampshire 16, 45. Maine 7

Connecticut results

119: Nick Paraso UT dec. Mike Battinelli, Stamford, 10-0; Battinelli dec. Jesse Wipf DE, 2-1; Pedram Rahmatal NC dec. Battinelli, 4-0

119: Jared Solosky dec. Nick Marouski, Windham High, 9-8; Chris Kochinsky PA pin Marouski, 1:26

125: Nick DeJong UT dec. Ronnie Waters, Cheshire, 9-3; James Coulter OH dec. Waters, 8-6

130: Tyler Banks, Griswold pin Chris Houghtaling PA, 3:39; Banks pin Quin Leith IA, 4-3; Tyler Sackett, NE dec. Banks, 10-2; Banks dec. Chris Stinneff, 4-2; Matt Mincey, MN dec. Banks, 2-1

130: Chase Skonieczyny OH pin Antonio Torres CT, 2:10; Mike Vanvliet PA dec. Torres, 5-0

130: Tim Boone CA dec. Brock Coutu, Griswold, 12-3; Bristol Benton WY dec. Coutu, 7-4

140: Matthew Hill CT dec. Tim Crooks NC, 5-4; Austin Cordova TX dec. Hill, 7-0; John Donaldson NY dec. Hill, 5-1

145: Jorge Benzaquen FL dec. Ryan Thiel, Middletown, 4-2; T.J. Polacek PA dec. Thiel, 7-5

145: Ron Majerus NY dec. Dean Smith, Danbury, 8-3; Smith dec. Logan Hubbard UT 8-1; Smith dec. Joshua Peel VA 4-1; Dawson Reidy OH dec. Smith, 3-1, OT

152: Kyle Muenzer CT dec. Mike Cordray KY 11-9; Austin Alpaugh tech fall Muenzner, 17-1, 4:02; Clynt Hadley KS pin Muenzer, 2:07

171: J.D. Smyers OH dec. Sean Burgess CT, 9-3; Paul Cabbage NY dec. Burgess, 3-1

189: Andrew Pennee NY dec. Julian Hightower, Ledyard, 10-8; Hightower dec. Brandon Tressler, FL 6-1; Cody Reed WV dec. Hightower, 3-2

2007 Sophomore Nationals

At Virginia Beach, Va.

Team results – 1. New York 259.5, 2. Pennsylvania 185.5, 3. New Jersey 176.5, 4. Ohio 154.5, 5. California 123.5

New England results – 33. Connecticut 9, 35. Maine 6

Connecticut results

103: Garrett Gitterman CT dec. William James, SC, 7-2; Pawloer Belete GA dec. Gitterman, 7-2; Andrew Hewitt NJ dec. Gitterman, 3-0

103: West Johnson, Platt dec. John Hellinger FL, 8-2; Johnson dec. Matt Peters, NY 7-5; lost Tyler Stokes, KS, 18-6; def. Scott Manuta, MD, 4-2; Lost Estevan Cabanas CA, 14-2; Seventh place – Raymond Borja VA dec. Johnson, 2-0

112: Matt O’Donnell NJ dec. Ryan Quinn CT, 7-2; Riki Reynolds OH dec. Quinn, 10-2

119: Mike Garafalo VA pin Joseph Falco CT, 0:44; Jake Henson AL pin Falco, 1:45

125: Seth Honl OR dec. Kevin Moss CT, 17-1; Jordan Deady OR pin Moss, 1:32

135: Jordan Krulik IN dec. Tucker Schaefer, Danbury, 6-2; Mike Tischler OR dec. Schaefer, 8-7

135: Cody Coomes OH dec. Ryan Vujs, CT, 8-3; Vujs dec. Joshua Small, AL, 8-2; Logan Crawford VA dec. Vujs, 6-2

171: Andrew Hampton NJ dec. Nick Murillo, Windham, 7-5; Weston Keleher, MO dec. Murillo, 11-0

2007 Freshman Nationals

At Virginia Beach, Va.

Team results – 1. New York 203.5, 2. Ohio 179, 3. Pennsylvania 171, 4. New Jersey 149, 5. Virginia 92.5

New England results – 26. Maine 14, 29. Connecticut 9, 32. Massachusetts 5

Connecticut results

103: Joey Bonaduce PA pin Robert Ruiz CT, 0:52; Josh Brown TX dec. Ruiz, 8-2

103: Skyler Moore AK dec. Brian Jennings CT 5-0; Anthony Bruno AL dec. Jennings, 9-1

112: Nestor Rivera, CT dec. Cordale Risk NC, 5-0; Rivera dec. Sean Scerbo, PA, 14-6; A.J. Juarez, Jr., IL pin Rivera, 4:37; B.J. Young NJ dec. Rivera, 7-0

112: Alexander Parasci FL pin Erik Francks, CT, 2:08; Joseph Locksmith FL pin Francks, 3:05

119: Vin Digravio NY dec. Charlie Costanzo, CT, 3-1; Costanzo dec. Kyle Moran, PA, 5-0; Costanzo dec. David Church PA, 8-2; Costanzo dec. Marco Gualietri, PA, 2-0; Nick Wooden NV dec. Costanzo, 3-0