2011 NHSCA national tournaments        
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Complete brackets
2011 NHSCA Senior Nationals
2011 NHSCA Junior Nationals
2011 NHSCA Sophomore Nationals
2011 NHSCA Freshman Nationals

2011 NHSCA Middle School Nationals
2011 NHSCA Elementary Nationals

Event information
2011 5th Elementary and Middle School Nationals
2011 5th annual Freshman Nationals
2011 6th annual Sophomore Nationals
2011 7th annual Junior Nationals
2011 22nd annual Senior Nationals

All-Americans
Senior Nationals
Patrick Gillen, Shelton (215), 2nd
Andrew Chase, Bristol Eastern (103), 3rd

Junior Nationals
Devon Carrillo, Middletown (171), 7th
Joe DeMichele, Hand (285), 7th

Sophomore Nationals
Miguel Calixto, Windham (130), 3rd

Freshman Nationals
None

Middle School Nationals


Connecticut wrestlers results
NHSCA Freshman Nationals
Chris Byrant, 103, Danbury, 2-2
Kevin Jack, 103, Danbury, 2-2
Joseph Martone, 103, Branford, 0-2
Austin O'Brien, 103, Bacon Academy, 0-2
Steve Beckham, 112, Danbury, 1-2
Jake Caskey, 112, Montville, 0-2
Howie Kilpatrick, 112, Bacon Academy, 2-2
Brendan Quinn, 125, Bacon Academy, 0-2
Austin Holroyd, 125, Bacon Academy, 0-2
David Colvin, 125, 0-2
Alex Martin, 135, Southington, 0-2
Steven Persson, 140, Oxford, 0-2
John D’Agostino, 145, Nonnewaug, 0-2
Tristian Jakobson, 152, Danbury, 1-2

NHSCA Sophomore Nationals
Dylan Martel, 103, Griswold, 2-2
Michael Ruffino, 103, Windham High, 0-2
Kareen Small, 103, East Lyme, 2-2
Zach Tepper, 112, Danbury, 0-2
Pharoah Eaton, 119, Fairfield Warde, 1-2
Miguel Calixto, 125, Windham High, 6-1, 3rd
Joshua Fontanez, 125, Portland, 0-2
Heath Hartley, 125, Old Saybrook/Westbrook, 2-2
Craig Sassu, 130, Bristol Eastern 1-2
Shane Jennings, 135, Danbury, 0-2
Jake Savoca, 135, Hand, 2-2
Tim Homan, 152, Cheshire, 0-2
Chris Chorzepa, 152, Newington, 3-2
Lucas Muntz, 152, Conard, 0-2
Devyn Pesta, 152, Windham High, 1-2
Matt Tulba, 160, Waterford, 2-2
Spencer Hill, 171, Windham High, 0-2
Kyle Wing, 171, Griswold, 0-2
Joseph Peterson, 189, Danbury, 0-2
Randy Shook, 215, Danbury, 1-2
Mike Covello, 285, Windham High, 0-2
Travis Daly, 285, Southington, 1-2
Julius Feniola, 285, East Haven, 0-2
Ryan Murtha, 285, Montville, 1-2

NHSCAJunior Nationals
Conor Kirkegard, 103, New Milford, 1-2
Tyler Mirando, 103, Southington, 0-2
Drew Carignan, 112, Middletown, 2-2
Nick Perrotta, 112, Fitch, 1-2
Dylan Bryant, 119, Danbury, 1-2
Dustin Falco, 119, Griswold, 0-2
Taylor Grauer, 119, Windham, 3-2
Eric Manuel, 119, Old Saybrook/Westbrook, 0-2
Hayden Joeckel, 119, 0-2
Nick Devanney, 125, Plainfield, 0-2
Eric DiMalanta, 125, NFA
Austin Hodges, 125, Nonnewaug
Brandon Walsh, 130, Griswold, 2-2
Justin DePerry, 130, 0-2
Anthony Cote, 135, Danbury, 0-2
Anthony Terlizzi, 135, New Milford, 4-2
Dan Kurasz, 152, Montville, 1-2
Stefen VonDassel, 152, Old Saybrook/Westbrook, 0-2
Alex Cusano, 160, East Lyme, 0-2
Ryan Peterson, 160, Danbury, 0-2
Wesley Spears, Danbury, 160, 0-2
Devon Carrillo, 171, Middletown, 4-2, 7th
Tyler Dufour, 171, Bacon Academy, 0-2
Aaron Wing, 171, Griswold, 2-2
William Jack, 189, Danbury, 0-2
Tyler Hancock, 189, Danbury, 0-2
Eddie Garcia III, 215, Danbury, 0-2
Eric Tucker, 215, Masuk, 1-2
Joe DeMichele, 285, Hand, 4-2, 7th
Alfred Giangrande, 285, Old Saybrook/Westbrook, 0-2
Jevon Pegues, 285, Danbury, 1-2

NHSCA Senior Nationals
Andrew Chase, 103, Bristol Eastern, 2-1
Josh Dess, 119, Bristol Eastern, 0-2
Evan Fraser, 125, Fairfield Warde, 0-2
Sean McAllister, 125, Bacon Academy, 1-2
Tyler Tilbe, 125, Nonnewaug, 3-2
Eddie Carroll, 130, Hand, 3-2
Andrew Golden, 130, New Milford, 0-2
Dean Gilbert, 145, Ledyard,
Nick Cipriano, 152, NFA, 0-2
Brandon McNeil, 152, Griswold, 0-2
Mateusz Mikunda, 171, 0-2
Aren Norman, 189, Bacon Academy,0-2
Pat Gillen, 215, Shelton, 4-1
Ted Kostopoulos, 215, Jonathan Law, 0-2
Dylan Kniska, 285, Bacon Academy, 0-2
Tim Zeitler, 285, Northwestern Regional, 0-2

Shelton's Gillen finishes 2nd at 215
VIRGINIA BEACH, April 3 – Nick Gwiazdowski of Duanesburg, N.Y., denied Shelton’s Pat Gillen in the championship match of the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) tournament on Sunday night. Gwiazdowski won the 215 pound championship by pinning Gillen in 4:57.

It was the first loss of the season Gillen (53-1), a four-time NHSCA All-American, who finishes with a career record of 204-15. Gwiazdowski, who will attend Binghamton University in the fall, was named the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler. He has 47 pins on the season and finishes at 55-0.
You Tube VIDEO: Gillen vs. Gwiazdowski

Gillen earns spot
in NHSCA finals
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., April 2 – Shelton High senior Patrick Gillen scored nine unanswered points in the second period to beat Darren Haskins of Virginia, 15-7 in the semifinals at 215 pounds and earn a spot in the championship match of the National High School Coaches Association’s Senior National tournament Saturday. Gillen will face New York’s Nick Gwiadowski in the finals on Sunday at 5 p.m.

Gillen (53-0, 204-14 career) has won four matches in the tournament. He beat California’s Gerrardo Aguirre, 11-3 in the third round, pinned Kansas’ Blake Bean in 2:41 in the quarterfinals and rallied from a 4-3 deficit after one period to beat Hawkins in the semifinals.

Nonnewaug’s Tyler Tilbe (125) and Hand’s Eddie Carroll (130) each went 3-2 in the tournament, both finishing two wins shy of All-American honors.

Bristol Eastern's Andrew Chase (103) finished third with a pair of wins in the consolation bracket. He beat Adam Rodgriguez of West Virginia in the consolation semifinals, 8-7 before topping West Virginia's Justin Riggs, 5-2 to take third.

Windham's Miguel Calixto (130) takes third at NHSCA Sophomore Nationals with Middletown's Devon Carrillo (171) and Hand's Joe DeMichele (285) each finishing 7th at NHSCA Junior Nationals.

Gillen, a four-time NHSCA All-American, is looking to become the first Connecticut wrestler to win a NHSCA Senior National title. Only two other state wrestlers have earned a spot in the senior finals – Windham High’s James Poulin at 275 pounds in 1991 and Hand’s Jim Guzzio at 130 in 1992. Both finished second.

Ledyard’s T.J. Hepburn is the only Connecticut wrestler to win a NHSCA national championship when he won a Junior National title at 135 pounds in 2006.

In the Junior National tournament, New Milford’s Anthony Terlizzi (145) went 4-2 and fell one win shy of All-American honors. Windham’s Tayler Grauer (119) went 3-2 with three straight wins in the consolation bracket but fell two wins shy of earning All-American honors. Middletown’s Drew Carignan (112), Griswold’s Brendan Walsh and Aaron Wing (171) each had two wins in the tournament.

At the Sophomore Nationals, Hand’s Jake Savoca (135) went 2-2 and fell one win shy of All-American honors. Southington’s Travis Daly (285) was also one win away from finishing in the top eight. Newington’s Chris Chorzepa (152) went 3-2 and was two wins
away from All-American honors.

Griswold’s Dylan Martel (103), East Lyme’s Kareem Small (103) and Waterford’s Matt Tulba (160) each had two wins in the tournament.

In the Freshman National tournament, Danbury’s Tristan Jakobsen (160) finished one win away from All-American status while teammate Kevin Jacke (103) went 3-2 and was two wins shy. Bacon Academy’s Howie Kilpatrick (112) and Danbury’s Chris Bryant (103) earned two wins in the tournament.

Three state wrestlers earn All-American honors
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., March 31 – Three Connecticut wrestlers earned All-American status by finishing in the top eight of their respective weight class at the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) wrestling tournaments Thursday.

In the Junior National tournament, Middletown’s Devon Carrillo (171) and Hand’s Joe DeMichele (285) earned All-American honors. Carrillo advanced as far as the quarterfinals before dropped a 3-1 decision. He’ll be in the consolation quarterfinals on Friday. DeMichele is in the consolation semifinals.

Windham’s Miguel Calixto (130) earned All-American honors in the Sophomore National tournament. Calixto won four straight bouts before losing a 3-2 decision to Maryland’s Daniel Sanchez in the semifinals. Calixto will be in the consolation semifinals today.

Nearly 80 wrestlers
at NHSCA nationals VIRGINA BEACH, Va., March 30 – Wrestling began today in three of the National High School Coaches Association’s (NHSCA) national wrestling tournaments. Competition began in the freshman, sophomore and junior tournaments. Wrestling continues today through Saturday. Wrestling in the senior national tournament begins on Thursday. Seventy-seven Connecticut wrestlers are competing in the respective tournaments.

Connecticut wrestlers who participated in the respective tournaments.

Zboray takes 7th in Junior freeestyle tournament
FARGO, N.D., July 19 -- Manchester's Taylor Zboray earned All-American honors at the 2011 Cadet/Junior Nationals by taking seventh in the Junior Women's Freestyle competition at 112 pounds. Athletes in grades 9-12 compete in the Junior tournaments.

18 state wrestlers at nationals in Fargo
FARGO, N.D., July 17 – Eighteen Connecticut wrestlers are competing on 20-person Team Connecticut this week at the ASICS/Vaughan U.S. amateur wrestling junior and cadet national championship tournament at the Fargodome. Two of the team members are from Rhode Island.

Greco-Roman cadet matches began Sunday, with the championship finals slated for Monday, while the junior matches start Monday with the finals Tuesday. Cadet freestyle contests begins Wednesday, followed by junior freestyle Thursday. The cadet freestyle national championship is Friday, followed by Saturday's junior freestyle finals. Wrestlers born in 1995 and 1996 are eligible for the Cadet division. Wrestlers born September 1, 1991 or after and currently enrolled in grades 9-12 during the 2011 spring semester compete in the Junior tournaments.

Team Connecticut: Will Crisco, Hand; Dylan Martel, Griswold; Jake Eliades, Berlin; Miquel Calixto, Windham; Elliott Antler, Xavier; Taylor Zboray, Manchester; Tucker MacGregor, Hand; Taylor Grauer, Windham; Robert Ruiz, Hartford (Salisbury School); Ryan Butler, Xavier; Ben Anderson, Trumbull; Colton Dempsey, Greenwich (Phillips Academy); Brandon Walsh, Griswold; Tyler Cunningham, Xavier; Max Kim, Greenwich; Eric Tucker, Masuk; R.J. LaBeef, Pomfret School; Patrick Gillen, Shelton; Ralph Schmeider, Warwick Vets (RI); Mike Meyers, Warwick Vets (RI)
Tournament results and information

Gilbert's Smyth earns All-American honors
WINSTED -- Winsted’s Brigitte Smyth, co-captain of the Gilbert School wrestling team earned All-American honors by finishing third at the United States Girls Wrestling Association (USGWA) national championship meet in Michigan.

Less than a month earlier, she won the New England title at 115 pounds. This came after she gave up her spot in the varsity lineup at 112 pounds in the Class S tournament to teammate Josh Hoxie, who won his second straight state title.

Litchfield County Sports, July 12: Gilbert's Bridgit Smyth is an All-American wrestler