2008 Connecticut
All-Americans
National High School Coaches Association national championships
At Virginia Beach, Va.
Senior Nationals
Tyler Banks, Griswold (130), 8th
Freshman Nationals
Pat Gillen, Shelton (189), 3rd
National Academic All-American
Pat Gillen, Shelton (189)
U.S. Girls Wrestling Association national championships
At Livonia, Mich.
High Schools
Stephanie Marino, Middletown (128), 6th
Amelia Munson, Windsor (98), 5th
Elementary
Breana Lohbusch, Lebanon (66), 1st
Siarra Harrington, Lebanon (66), 2nd
Olivia Satti, New London (63), 2nd
Emme Cronin, Ledyard (61), 3rd
Kailey MarcAurele, Salem (67), 3rd
Kaely Quijano, Avon (59), 3rd
Kiely Quijano, Avon (63), 5th
USA Wrestling girls folkstyle national championship
At Oklahoma City, Okla.
High school
Amelia Munson, Windsor (95), 2nd
Stephanie Marino, Middletown (130), 7th
Elementary
Breana Lohbusch, Lebanon (66), 2nd
2008 Connecticut wrestlers
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The Senior Nationals are open to any senior who has been a state tournament finalist while the remaining three tournaments are open events. The following Connecticut wrestlers register to compete.
Seniors
Rob West, East Windsor, 112
George Madkour, Danbury, 125
Jake Miller, East Windsor, 125
Antonio Torres, Windsor, 125
Tyler Banks, Griswold, 130
Nick Marouski, Windham, 130
Andrew Blain, Windham, 135
Brock Coutu, Griswold, 135
Aashen Arango, Hartford Public, 140
C.J. Satti, Ledyard, 140
Jon Goncalves, Danbury, 145
Derek Fish, Hand, 145
Jon Fiorillo, Berlin, 160
Ryan Thiel, Middletown, 171
Julian Hightower, Ledyard, 189
Richard Perry, Middletown, 215
Juniors
Ryan Quinn, Bacon Academy, 119
John Gouveia, Newtown, 125
Curtis Watkins, Fairfield Warde, 125
Kevin Moss, Berlin, 135
Ryan Clarke, East Lyme 140
Tucker Schaefer, Danbury, 140
Ethan Berube, Berlin, 145
Shane Duplice, Waterford, 171
Lucas Bowman, East Lyme, 215
Tim Chambers, Bristol Central, 285
Humphrey Swift, Danbury, 285
Sophomores
Brian Jennings, Danbury, 103
J.D. Damici, Danbury, 112
Charlie Costanzo, Danbury, 119
Mac Deer, Waterford, 119
Ryan Bisson, Berlin, 125
Zac Deer, Waterford, 135
Dan Thompson, Bacon Academy, 152
Shane Battista, Waterford, 189
Dylan Hancock, Danbury, 189
Luke Wiggins, Waterford, 189
Freshmen
Reggie Allen, Waterford, 103
Nick Dodge, Bacon Academy, 103
Steve German, Coventry, 103
Sean McAllister, Bacon Academy, 103
Tom Porzillo, Pomperaug, 103
Jake Alderman, Lyman Memorial, 112
Evan Fraser, Fairfield Warde, 112
James Porzillo, Pomperaug, 112
Nick Manzella, Nonnewaug, 119
Tyler Tilbe, Nonnewaug, 119
Duncan MacKinnon, Bacon Academy, 135
Kyle Emery, Bacon Academy, 140
Patrick Gillen, Shelton, 189
Griswold's Banks finishes eighth
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., March 30 – Griswold’s Tyler Banks reached the quarterfinals of the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) senior national tournament with three straight wins and won a consolation round match on a tiebreaker to earn All-American status. Banks beat Cody Forbes of New Jersey, 2-1 on a tiebreaker to earn a spot in the consolation round quarterfinals. But he dropped a 3-0 decision to Derek Valenti of New Jersey and finished eighth after a 7-0 loss to Luke Grassi of New Jersey. The top eight wrestlers in each class earn All-American honors.
Banks (4-3) was the only Connecticut wrestler to place and one of two New England wrestlers to win a medal. A Maine wrestler finished sixth at 103 pounds. Banks was one of 18 state wrestlers in the tournament that attracted 635 wrestlers including 74 at 130 pounds.
Only 18 Connecticut wrestlers have earned All-American honors at the Senior Nationals.
Ledyard’s C.J Satti (140) and Hand’s Derek Fish (145) were the only other state wrestlers to win two matches. Satti and Fish both finished 2-2. Danbury’s George Madkour (125), Windham’s Nick Marouski (130), Ledyard’s Julian Hightower (189), Middletown’s Richard Perry (215) and Stamford’s Erialy Pierre-Saint (145) each won a bout. Connecticut was 33rd in the tournament.
Ten state girls earn
All-American honors
Lebanon's Lohbusch wins national title
LIVONIA, Mich., March 29 – Ten girls from Connecticut earned All-American honors at the 11th annual U.S. Girls Wrestling Association national championship tournament. Middletown’s Stephanie Marino (128) and Windsor’s Amelia Munson (98) earned All-American honors with Marino finishing sixth and Munson taking fifth in the high school division. Both earned All-American honors at the recent USA Wrestling girls folkstyle national tournament in Oklahoma earlier in the month. Montville’s Jessica Bennett (103) finished 10th.
In the elementary division. Breana Lohbusch (66) of Lebanon won a national championship with a victory over teammate Siarra Harrington. New London’s Olivia Satti (63) finished second. Ledyard’s Emme Cronin (61), Salem’s Kailey MarcAurele (67) and Avon’s Kaely Quijano (59) each finished third. Quijano’s twin sister Kiely (63) finished fifth.
Gillen finishes third at freshman tournament
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., March 29 – Freshman Pat Gillen of Shelton won a pair of matches Saturday to finish third at 189 pounds in the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) freshman national tournament. After losing in the semifinals by three to Pennsylvania’s David Quackenbos, Gillen pinned Thomas Hall of New York in 1:26 and slipped past Harrison Honeycutt of North Carolina, 1-0 to finish third and earn All-American honors. The top eight wrestlers in each weight class earn All-American honors. Gillen (48-5) also was recognized as a national Academic All-American.
Shelton's Gillen earns All-American honors at NHSCA
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., March 28 – Shelton freshman Patrick Gillen (189) has earned All-American honors at the National High School Coaches Association’s national championship tournaments. Gillen won a pair of matches to advance into the semifinals before losing to Pennsylvania’s David Quackenbos, 9-6. Gillen will wrestle next in the consolation semifinals. The only other Connecticut freshman to win more than one match was Bacon Academy’s Nick Dodge, who was 2-2 at 103 pounds.
In the sophomore nationals, Danbury’s Charlie Costanzo (119) won four straight bouts in the consolation round but fell one win shy of All-American honors finishing with a 4-2 record. Waterford’s Zac Deer (135) and Shane Battista (189) were the only other state wrestlers to win more than one match. Each went 2-2.
At the junior national tournament, Bristol Central’s Tim Chambers (285) dropped a one-point decision in his opening match of the tournament but rallied to win four in a row in the consolation round, including a 4-2 win over Danbury’s Humphrey Swift. But Chambers also finished one win shy of All-American honors. Danbury’s Tucker Schaefer (140) and East Lyme’s Lucas Bowman (215) were each 2-2.
The senior national tournament begins on Friday with 16 Connecticut wrestlers registered.
50 state wrestlers signed up for nationals
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., March 24 – Fifty Connecticut wrestlers will be competing this week in the National High School Coaches Association’s national championship wrestling tournaments beginning Wednesday and running through Sunday, March 30. Sixteen Connecticut seniors will be competing in 10 different weight classes in the 19th annual Senior National tournament. There are 10 wrestlers from Connecticut in the Junior National and Sophomore National tournament with 13 Nutmeg athletes in the freshman tournament.
The Senior Nationals are open to any senior who has been a state tournament finalist while the remaining three tournaments are open events.
LaBeef to wrestle at Pomfret
WOODSTOCK, March 24 – Freshman R.J. LaBeef (103) who won a State Open championship at Woodstock Academy will wrestle at Pomfret School next fall where his father, Ron, is an assistant coach with the Griffins. LaBeef won also won the ECC and Class L title.
Three girls earn
All-American honors
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, March 16 – Three Connecticut wrestlers earned All-American honors at the first-ever USA Wrestling girls folkstyle national championship tournament. Windsor’s Amelia Munson (95 pounds) finished second while Middletown’s Stephanie Marino (130) finished seventh. Breana Lohbusch (66 pounds) finished second in the elementary division (grades 1-5). Over 184 athletes from 30 states competed in the meet.
Munson, who wrestled for Windsor High this winter, dropped an 11-0 decision to New York’s Carlene Sluberski in the championship match. Marino, who wrestled for Class L champion Middletown, pinned Jody Martinez of Texas in 1:09 to take seventh. The next major event for girls in the U.S. Girls Wrestling Association’s 10th annual national championship tournament is Saturday, March 29 in Livonia, Michigan.
