Murillo takes 2nd
in two national tournaments
FARGO, N.D., July 26 – For the second straight year, Southington’s Zach Murillo has earned All-American honors at the USA Wrestling national championship meet at the Fargo Dome. Murillo finished second in the junior (ages 16-18) freestyle competition and the junior Greco Roman competition, each at 100 pounds.
In both tournaments, he lost to California’s Randon Miranda by technical fall. Miranda was one of two wrestlers to win three USA Wrestling national titles this year. Miranda swept the freestyle and Greco Roman titles in Fargo and won the junior folkstyle national championship in Iowa earlier this year.
Last year, Murillo was second in the Cadet (ages 15-16) freestyle competition at 88 pounds.
Two other Connecticut wrestlers earned All-American honors. Groton’s Jarod Kosman was fourth in the cadet freestyle tournament at 88 pounds while New London’s Alejandro Paulino took fifth at 120 pounds.
NHSCA Nationals
Garcia finishes 2nd; Eight wrestlers earn All-American status
VIRGINA BEACH, March 30 -- Danbury junior Juan Garcia fell one point shy of a national championship Sunday night. Ohio’s Ben Schram beat Garcia, 3-2, in the finals at 170 pounds in the National High School Coaches Association’s (NHSCA) Junior National tournament. Garcia had won five consecutive matches and was looking to become the second wrestler in state history to win a NHSCA national championship.
Seven other Connecticut wrestlers earned All-American status. Danbury’s Kevin Jack (126) took third in the Senior National tournament while New Milford’s Kyle Lindner (113) was fifth in the Junior National tournament.
In the Sophomore Nationals, St. Bernard/Norwich Tech’s Matthew Dowler (106) and New Milford’s Brett Leonard (145) each took eighth. East Granby’s William Versallis, who wrestles at Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania, took sixth at 132 pounds. In the Freshman National tournament, Newtown’s Anthony Falbo (152) was fourth along with New Fairfield native Anthony Shay (120).
In the middle school division, Danbury's Jakob Camacho (90 pounds) finished first. Our story has additional details on Connecticut wrestlers in all four tournaments.
Cammisa named head coach at Bridgewater
DANBURY, Sept. 30 – Two-time State Open champion Frank Cammisa of Danbury has been named as the 12th head coach for the Bridgewater State University wrestling team. Cammisa won three New England Wrestling Association titles and qualified for four NCAA Division III tournaments while competing with BSU. He’s been an assistant with the Bears for four years.
Cannone wins national summer tournament in N.J.
Trumbull’s Cross Cannone (138) won at the National United Wrestling Association for Youth (NUWAY) summer national championship in New Jersey on August 2. More details and results
Goodwin stepping down at Simsbury
SIMSBURY, May 30 -- Simsbury High’s wresting program is looking for a new head coach. Ernie Goodwin, a physical education and health teacher at the high school, has stepped down after eight seasons. Goodwin has accepted the position of athletic director in the Amity Regional school district beginning on July 1.
NCAA Division I tournament
PSU's McIntosh eliminates Perry
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, March 21 – A successful collegiate wrestling career came to an end Friday night for former Middletown High wrestler Richard Perry of Bloomsburg University at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships.
Sophomore Morgan McIntosh of Penn State, the No 3 seed at 197 pounds, outlasted Perry in a third round consolation bout, 6-4 to end Perry’s season. Both wrestlers suffered one-point losses in the second round on Thursday night.
McIntosh led 3-2 after one period with a takedown and an escape. Perry had a reversal. Perry (33-3) tied the bout at 3-3 with a second period escape but McIntosh took a 5-3 lead with a takedown with 31 seconds left in the second period. A Perry escape in the final seconds cut the lead to one, 5-4. In the third period, McIntosh escaped with 1:54 left and held Perry at bay for the remainder of the bout.
Perry and Malone were the only two Connecticut-born wrestlers in the tournament.
NCAA Division III tournament
Chorzepa takes 3rd at Div. 3 nationals
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, March 15 – Williams College’s Chris Chorzepa, a freshman from Newington, earned All-American honors at the NCAA Division III national championships by finishing third at 194 pounds on Saturday. Coast Guard’s Nate Giorgio (133) also earned All-American status by finishing eighth.
Chorzepa (21-5) rallied from a four-point deficit with under a minute left in the third period to beat No. 8 seed Josh Thomson of Messiah College (PA) in the consolation final, 11-10.
Chorzepa advanced to Saturday’s semifinals with a pair of victories Friday. He beat No. 4 David Welch of Roger Williams (RI), 10-3, and No. 5 Jeff Hulm of Olivet College (MI), 9-4. “Chris wrestled out of his shoes,” Williams coach Scott Honecker said. In the semifinals, top-seeded Riley Lefever of Wasbash College (IN) beat Chorzepa, 9-2. But Chorzepa quickly rallied with an 11-0 decision over Ryan Sheldon of Coe College (Iowa) in the consolation semifinals.
Giorgio, a junior, earned All-American honors for the third straight year. At the NCAA Division II tournament in Cleveland, senior Brock Coutu of Nebraska-Kearney (141) went 1-2 in the tournament, winning his first consolation round match.
Division III wrestling
NEWA hands out post-season awards
Two wrestlers from Williams College were named as the Wrestler of the Year and Rookie of the Year by the New England Wrestling Association in their year-end balloting by the league coaches. Sophomore Jorge Lopez, who finished third in the nation at the NCAA DIvision III national championships at 157, was named wrestler of the year while freshman Chris Chorzepa (184) of Newington was named rookie of the year. Johnson and Wales swept the coach of the year and assistant coach of the year awards while Johnson and Wales' Colin Lenhardt was named Scholar Athlete of the Year and won the award for most pins. The league also released its All-NEWA teams for the 2013-14 campaign.
News roundup
Editor to receive Art McGinley Award at Gold Key banquet
Gerry deSimas, Jr., the editor and founder of Connecticut Wrestling Online, has been selected as the 2014 winner of the Art McGinley Award from the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance. The award recognizes notable contributions to the Alliance and journalism in the state of Connecticut. DeSimas will be recognized at the Alliance’s 73rd annual Gold Key dinner on Sunday, April 27, at 4 p.m. at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. … Ledyard’s Devon MarcAurele was named at the New London Day’s wrestler of the year. MarcAurele (45-2) won his second Class M title in three years and was a State Open finalist. He was 95-11 in his career. … Bacon Academy’s Howard Kilpatrick, the outstanding wrestler at the State Open, was selected as wrestler of the year by the Norwich Bulletin. … Windham High coach Pat Risley was the Bulletin’s wrestling coach of the year. … Seven Bristol Eastern wrestlers were named to the Bristol Press’ All-Bristol wrestling team while Terryville had five wrestlers on the team.
Saturday March 8
Jack wins 2nd New England title; Thomas brings home a title
PROVIDENCE, March 8 – Danbury’s Kevin Jack won his second straight New England championship with a dominating win over Trumbull’s Cross Cannone at 126 pounds while Suffield/Windsor Locks/East Granby’s Khamri Thomas won his first New England title at 182 pounds Saturday. Danbury finished second with a state-record 108 points to Mt. Anthony, Vt., who won for the second straight year. Jack was named the tournament's outstanding wrestler.
Danbury’s Paulo Freitas (106) and Juan Garcia (170) finished second along with Fairfield Warde’s Ahmed Houranin (285). New Milford’s Kyle Linder (113), Bacon Academy’s Howard Kilpatrick (145) and Newtown freshman Anthony Falbo (152) each finished third.
Danbury voted as the state's No. 1 team
Danbury was voted as the No. 1 team in the state in the final high school coaches top 10 poll released Monday by the Norwich Bulletin. Danbury, which won the State Open Saturday, received 10 first place votes. Newtown, which won the Class LL title, received three first place votes and finished third. New Milford, the Class L champion and second place team at the State Open was ranked second. Class S champion Windham was ranked ninth with Class M champion Ledyard at No. 10.
Saturday, March 1
Danbury wins another State Open title
With four individual champions and five medalists, Danbury became the first team in state history to win a State Open championship without winning a Class LL, L, M or S state championship a week earlier, pulling away from New Milford, 141-114½. Danbury’s Kevin Jack became just the 12th wrestler in state history to win three State Open titles.
Saturday, February 22
Newtown wins first state title; Ledyard, New Milford, Windham defend championships
With two individual champions, Newtown beat Xavier by six points to win its first state championship, 213-207 in Class LL. Danbury finished third with 200½ points. … New Milford won its third Class L championship in four years with a solid 215½ to 188 win over Fairfield Warde. The Green Wave had one individual champion and four finalists. … In Class M, Ledyard won for the third straight year with a 25-point win over ECC rival Waterford. The Colonials had two individual champions. … In Class S, Windham High won two matches in the finals to beat Terryville by 10 points. … The top six finishers in each weight class qualify for the upcoming State Open championship in New Haven.
Jack selected to receive Dave Schultz Excellence award
DANBURY, May 7 -- Danbury senior Kevin Jack (126), a two-time New England champion and a three-time National High School Coaches Association All-American, was selected as the Connecticut winner of the Dave Schultz Excellence award, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame announced. The award recognizes excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship and community service.
Jack (52-2) won his second straight New England title and was named the outstanding wrestler of the tournament. He finished third at the NHSCA Senior Nationals, advancing as far as the semifinals. He also won his third straight State Open championship. Jack will attend North Carolina State in the fall.
Two wrestlers receive scholarships from state chapter
The Connecticut chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame recently awarded $500 scholarships to two deserving athletes. Danbury’s Kevin Jack received the Career Achievement scholarship while Bacon Academy’s Howard Kilpatrick was honored with the Scholar Athlete scholarship.
Jack is one of just 12 wrestlers in Connecticut history to have won three State Open championships. He went 52-2 as a senior this year and won his second straight New England championship, where he was named the outstanding wrestler of the tournament. Jack will attend North Carolina State in the fall.
Kilpatrick went 87-5 over the past two seasons and won consecutive Class M and State Open championships. A member of the National Honor Society, Kilpatrick earned a 3.87 GPA and was a two-time NSCHA Academic All-America selection. He will be studying at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Hall's Cole Souza wins Kolinsky scholarship
WEST HARTFORD -- Hall High’s Cole Souza, who won the Class L championship at 220 pounds with a last-second takedown in February, was selected as the 2014 winner of the Bo Kolinsky Team Player Scholarship from the Hartford Courant. Souza, who was captain of wrestling, football and lacrosse teams at Hall, received $1,000. He will attend St. Joseph’s University. Kolinsky was the high school sports editor at the Courant before passing away in 2003.
Norman medals again at Ohio TOC
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 26 -- After missing the entire wrestling season with Tifflin (Ohio) University with a back injury sustained last October, former Bacon Academy wrestler Aren Norman is back on the mat. Norman finished third in the Open Division for the second time in three years at the recent Ohio Tournament of Champions. He opened the tournament at 285 pounds with a 2-0 OT loss to Kentucky’s Mike Clark but rallied to win four straight bouts. He beat Michigan’s Chris Alayan, 6-0, Devoun Fletcher, 3-1 and Clark, 8-2. In the consolation final, Norman beat Ohio’s Josh Leniz, 4-2 to finish third. Norman was third at 220 a year ago and was first at 220 in 2012.
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