Connecticut Wrestling Online

Lenhardt recognized, J&W takes 2nd at Ithaca Tournament

New England Wrestling Association

NEWA Wrestler of Week: Johnson and Wales 184 pounder Colin Lenhardt is the wrestler of the week. Lenhardt started right where he left off last year as he went 5-0 with 3 falls on his way to winning the Ithaca Invitational. Lenhardt was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament for his performance over the weekend which was highlighted with his win in the finals over Pat Sheehan of NYU who was ranked No. 8 in the country. Lenhardt currently ranked No. 4 nationally is a returning regional champ and All American.

NEWA Rookie Wrestler of Week: Springfield College 285 pounder Irakli Kakauridze. The Sophomore from Howell, NJ went 5-0 enroute to winning the Ithaca Invitational. Irakli won 4 matches by decision and had won pin on the day. In the finals he beat George Madosky of JWU by decision 6-0.

The University of Southern Maine started its year out strong with 3 convincing Dual wins on the weekend. The Huskies had 5 wrestlers record 3-0 days including Newbill at 125, Luth at 141, Del Gallo at 149, Duepree at 184, and Fagan at 197…

Bridgewater State University and Roger Williams University started the conference dual meet season off over the weekend. The Hawks won the dual 32-12. The Hawks won 8 of the 10 bouts and showed their depth as their lineup had a few new faces in it. Anthony D’Anton had a good win at 125 beating Andrew Gauthier, 5-3. Including that match there were five matches that were decided by decision. It looks like the BSU Bears are already making a big move up from last year competing with one of the best teams in the conference. The Bears were led by two pins on the day. At 285 they have Ricky Caruso back and he started his season off strong with a pin in 2:12. At 133 it was a battle of two great freshmen as Paul Sughrue of BSU pinned Pat LaCroix of RWU in 6:59. That is a great win for Sughrue as LaCroix took 3rd and won 6 matches the weekend before at the Monarch invitational. The Hawks got strong wins from David Welch at 197 and Dan Ressler at 174. Welch was wrestling up a weight class from the weekend before.

Three NEWA conference teams went out to the Ithaca Invitational to compete in the 8-team tournament. Although the tournament is not what it use to be as one of the premiere tournaments in the East during the first semester, with unlimited entries per weight and some top level teams there including 4 ranked in the top 30 it made for some great matches.

Johnson and Wales took home second place with 164.5 points, Springfield College was third with 159 points, and Norwich was 6th with 82.5 points. The Pride placed 11 wrestlers, had 4 finalists, and 2 champs. While JWU had 10 place winners, had 5 finalists, and 2 champs. Both teams showed great depth and top-level talent and Duals down the road should be highly contested between these two perennial powers.

Springfield got championships from Kakauridzke at 285 and returning national Qualifier Tommy Casper at 125. Eric Hamrick took 2nd at 157 losing to Desilits in the finals and freshman Will Henson took 2nd at 174. Dylan Foley up two weight classes at 165 took 3rd as did Jacob Strohman at 141. Casper looked dominating, going 4-0 with two major Decisions and a 5-0 win in the finals over Cabrera of Ithaca. Strohman went 6-1 on his way to taking 3rd with 3 pins. Hamrick went 3-1 with 3 pins. To reach the finals he got a pin over Kevin Collins from Ithaca in the semifinals. Collins had a great year for the Bombers last season at 149.

Johnson and Wales had 10 place winners to help them to a second place finish. The Wildcats were led by Lenhardt (NEWA Wrestler of the week) and Everet Desilets at 157 who both won Championships. They also had second place finishes from Mike Ferinde at 141, George Madosky at 285 and freshman Constantine Rissiotis at 197. The Wildcats also added three 4th place finishes, including Ethan Farrell who was 4th at 165 in a very strong weight class.

Ferinde has had a very good career for JWU and he started his season off strong going 3-1 enroute to reaching the finals. In the finals he lost to Dom Giacolone 3-1 in OT who is a returning NCAA qualifier. Madosky was also 3-1 with a pin while taking 2nd at 285. Rissiotis was 3-1 with two first period pins. In the finals he lost a close match to Booth of Ithaca 6-3. Norwich got strong performances from Pinto at 165, Burns at 174, and Maldonado at 285. Pinto went 4-1 with two falls in taking second place. He beat Sean Prell of JWU a New England place winner and region place winner in the semifinals. Will Burns went 3-1 at 174 to take 3rd and Steve Maldonado went 4-1 with two pins to take 3rd at 285.