Results of Connecticut wrestlers at the 2001 national tournament.

119
Preliminary: Christopher Thorne, Florida, dec. Kevin Egolf, Glastonbury, 10-7
Consolation: Chris Helgeson, Iowa, dec. Kevin Egolf, Glastonbury, 12-4
130
First round: Colt Jore, Montana dec. Chris Szczesiul, Fermi-Enfield, 13-6
Consolation: Jamie Andersh, South Dakota dec. Chris Szczesiul, Fermi-Enfield, 4-0
135
Preliminary: Tyson Biddle, Kansas, dec. Allyn Quibble, Ledyard, 8-3
Consolation: Allyn Quibble, Ledyard, tech. fall, Dennis Willette, Maine 18-1;2:55
Allyn Quibble, Ledyard, dec.Ryan LaRue, North Carolina, 3-0
Consolation preliminary: Elijah Brice, Florida, dec. Allyn Quibble, Ledyard, 7-6
140
First round: John-Thomas Young, Indiana, pin Jonathan Spivak, Staples-Westport, 1:49
Preliminary consolation: Nick Leet, Georgia, pin Jonathan Spivak, Staples-Westport, 2:18
145
First round: Matt Slate, New York pin Kenneth Gennett, Jonathan Law-Milford, 3:04
Consolation: Caleb Miller, Arizona, dec. Kenneth Gennett, Jonathan Law-Milford, 14-2
171
Preliminary: John Carr, Pennsylvania dec. Silver Oghayore, Bridgeport Central, 7-6
Consolation preliminary: Tyler Shovlin, Pennsylvania pin Silver Oghayore, Bridgeport Central, 1:29
189
Preliminary: Derek Daugherty, Oklahoma, dec. Dan Cook, Ridgefield, 5-4
Prelim consolation: Tomas Ovalle, Virginia, dec. Dan Cook, Ridgefield, 10-3

Connecticut Wrestling Online

This page was last updated on: September 5, 2001

Copyright 2001, Collinsville Publishing Company
Results of Connecticut wrestlers at the 2001 national tournament.

119
Preliminary: Christopher Thorne, Florida, dec. Kevin Egolf, Glastonbury, 10-7
Consolation: Chris Helgeson, Iowa, dec. Kevin Egolf, Glastonbury, 12-4
130
First round: Colt Jore, Montana dec. Chris Szczesiul, Fermi-Enfield, 13-6
Consolation: Jamie Andersh, South Dakota dec. Chris Szczesiul, Fermi-Enfield, 4-0
135
Preliminary: Tyson Biddle, Kansas, dec. Allyn Quibble, Ledyard, 8-3
Consolation: Allyn Quibble, Ledyard, tech. fall, Dennis Willette, Maine 18-1;2:55
Allyn Quibble, Ledyard, dec.Ryan LaRue, North Carolina, 3-0
Consolation preliminary: Elijah Brice, Florida, dec. Allyn Quibble, Ledyard, 7-6
140
First round: John-Thomas Young, Indiana, pin Jonathan Spivak, Staples-Westport, 1:49
Preliminary consolation: Nick Leet, Georgia, pin Jonathan Spivak, Staples-Westport, 2:18
145
First round: Matt Slate, New York pin Kenneth Gennett, Jonathan Law-Milford, 3:04
Consolation: Caleb Miller, Arizona, dec. Kenneth Gennett, Jonathan Law-Milford, 14-2
171
Preliminary: John Carr, Pennsylvania dec. Silver Oghayore, Bridgeport Central, 7-6
Consolation preliminary: Tyler Shovlin, Pennsylvania pin Silver Oghayore, Bridgeport Central, 1:29
189
Preliminary: Derek Daugherty, Oklahoma, dec. Dan Cook, Ridgefield, 5-4
Prelim consolation: Tomas Ovalle, Virginia, dec. Dan Cook, Ridgefield, 10-3

Connecticut finishes last in national tournament
Quibble is only state wrestler to win a match
The Mat.Com and staff reports
NEWARK, Del. -- Connecticut finished a disappointing 47th in the field of 47 teams at the recent 2001 National High School senior wrestling championships.

Only seven wrestlers from Connecticut even competed in the tournament. Ledyard's Allyn Quibble (135) was the only wrestler to earn a win, earning a pair of wins in the consolation bracket and going 2-2. Glastonbury's Kevin Egolf (119), Fermi's Chris Szczesiul (130), Staples' Jonathan Spivak (140), Jonathan Law's Kenneth Gennett (145), Bridgeport Central's Silver Oghayore (171) and Ridgefield's Dan Cook (189) competed for Connecticut.

Massachusetts was the top New England team in 26th spot while New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine each finished 37th, 39th and 40th, respectively. Only one New England wrestler, Essex Junction, Vermont's Sam Gray (103) earned All-American honors by finishing among the top eight. Gray finished fifth at 103.

California and New Jersey combined to take home half the championship hardware in the 12th annual event, hosted by the National High School Coaches Association of Easton, Pa, which ended April 8. The tournament attracted 708 entries from 47 states.

California, which led the field with 65 entries, scored 265.5 points to take home the state team trophy for the third straight year. California wrestlers claimed four titles, advanced nine to the finals, and grabbed a record 19 of the 112 All-American spots.

New Jersey finished a strong second with 228.5 points. Three of New Jersey's five finalists won titles and 14 became all-Americans. Between them, the two states claimed half the champions and finalists  seven of 14, 14 of 28  and 33 of the 112 All-Americans. Add Ohio's 13 All-Americans and Pennsylvania's 10 and fully half the total came from those four states. Ohio (185.5 points), Pennsylvania (172), and Kansas (161) rounded out the top five.

Steven Mocco of Blairstown, N.J. Blair Academy claimed the 275-pound title and also took home the tournament's two individual awards. Mocco claimed the Craig Wesner Memorial Award for the most falls in the least aggregate time with four in a combined 5 minutes, 16 seconds, and also was voted the winner of the Jeff Reese Memorial Award as the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler. Mocco is the first wrestler in the history of the event to receive both awards.

Mocco, the first wrestler in American high school history to win four state-level titles in the heavyweight class (actually, four National Prep titles in his case), pinned four of his five opponents in the tournament. The only match Mocco wrestled that went the distance was his 8-1 semifinal victory over the eventual third-place finisher, Indiana state champion Greg Wagner of Fort Wayne Snider.

The talent-stocked field included over 400 state champions, led by nine four-time state champions, a record 48 three-time champions, and 105 two-time champions. Those four-time champions, however, didn't last long. Phillip Simpson (135) of Nashville, Tenn. Montgomery Bell Academy was the only four-time champion besides Mocco to reach the finals. Simpson lost 4-2 in the title match to three-time California state champion Alex Tirapelle of Clovis High, who came down a weight from his state-tournament weight of 140.

All 14 champions were state or National Prep champions during their careers for the first time since 1992. They combined to win 28 titles in their careers. Only three non-state champions reached the finals, and all three lost their title matches  Tran Nguyen of San Diego, Calif. Mount Carmel (103), Dustin Manotti of Mifflinburg, Pa. High (140), and Philip Hard of Northampton, Pa. High (189).

Not only that, only one of the 14 National High School champions did not win a state title this year. That was the 103-pound champion, Orlando Galvan of Anaheim, Calif. Loara. Galvan finished seventh in the California state tournament at 112 pounds this year after winning the 103-pound state title as a junior.

Perhaps the best match of the finals came at 160 pounds, where Ken Cook of Fremont American High and Greg Smith of Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World High staged a rematch of their California state title match. Cook beat Smith, then the defending state champion, 10-8 in overtime for the state title and the National High School final was just as entertaining, with the two wrestlers trading scoring chances all match long before Cook escaped with a 11-8 victory.

Three wrestlers who came from behind to win titles were Joseph Dubuque (119) of Glen Ridge, N.J. High, Ryan Churella (140) of Novi, Mich, High, and Nathan McMillin (152) of Mount Zion, Ill. High. In an all-New Jersey final, Dubuque, the 119-pound state champion this year, scored two third-period takedowns, including the winner to break a 4-4 tie with less than 30 seconds remaining, for a 6-5 victory over the 125-pound state champion, Ricky LaForge of Oakland Indian Hills High.

Churella, son of 1970s University of Michigan three-time NCAA champion Mark Churella, withstood an early barrage that saw Manotti score three first-period takedowns for a 6-2 lead after two minutes. Churella rode Manotti out in the second period, then tied the score with two third-period takedowns of his own before winning just after the start of overtime.

McMillin, the third wrestler in Illinois history to win state championships in both Class A and AA, was taken down right off the opening whistle by two-time Ohio state champion Keith Cupp of Columbus Hamilton Township High, but came back to win 5-4 on two third-period takedowns.
In the semifinals, Dubuque scored a takedown in overtime to beat unbeaten four-time Michigan state champion Nick Simmons of Williamstown High 8-6.

Also winning titles were three-time Ohio champion Kyle Ott (112) of St. Paris Graham High; Steve Esparza (125) of Santa Ana, Calif. Calvary Chapel High; three-time Washington champion Tommy Owen (130) of Spokane University High; Mike Patrovich (145) of Islip, N.Y. High; two-time New Jersey champion Mike Massenzio (171) of Montvale St. Joseph Regional High; three-time Idaho champion Jake Rosholt (189) of Sandpoint High; and Matt Feast (215) of Schuylkill Haven, Pa. Blue Mountain High. Feast was the Class AAA state heavyweight champion in Pennsylvania, which does not use the 215-pound weight class.

This year's National Open High School Championships take place July 1-3 at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center in Birmingham, Ala.
12th annual National High School Seniors Wrestling Championships
At Bob Carpenter Center, Newark, Del.
Team Scores: 1. California 265.5, 2. New Jersey 228.5, 3. Ohio 185.5, 4. Pennsylvania 172, 5. Kansas 161, 6. New York 118, 7. Michigan 109.5, 8. Washington 96, 9. Tennessee 91, 10. Utah 80, 11. North Carolina 79, 12. Florida 73, 13. Arizona 70, 14. Indiana 68.5, 15. South Dakota 65.5, 16. Minnesota 60, Nevada 60, Virginia 60,
19. Oklahoma 59, 20. Colorado 56.5, New Mexico 56.5, 22. Delaware 55.5, 23. Illinois 54, 24. Maryland 49.5, 25. South Carolina 47, 26. Massachusetts 43, 27. Missouri 40,
28. Idaho 37.5, 29. Montana 30; 30. Texas 29, 31. Georgia 26.5. 32. Wyoming 25, 33. West Virginia 23, 34. North Dakota 22. 35. Iowa 20.5. 36. Hawaii 18.5, 37. Alabama 15
New Hampshire 15, 39. Vermont 13.5, 40. Maine 11,
Nebraska 11, 42. Oregon 10, Wisconsin 10, 44. Kentucky 4
Louisiana 4, Rhode Island 4, 47. Connecticut 3.5

Championship matches:
103: Orlando Galvan, Anaheim, Calif., p. Tran Nguyen, San Diego, Calif., 2:00.
112: Kyle Ott, Huber Heights, Ohio, m.d. Ryan McClester, Lugoff, S.C., 14-3.
119: Joseph Dubuque, Bloomfield, N.J., d. Ricky LaForge, Oakland, N.J., 6-5.
125: Steve Esparza, Aliso Viejo, Calif., d. Mike Welch, Middletown, Del., 4-3.
130: Tommy Owen, Spokane, Wash., p. Ed Gutnik, Iselin, N.J., 1:07.
135: Alex Tirapelle, Clovis, Calif., d. Phillip Simpson, Nashville, Tenn., 4-2.
140: Ryan Churella, Northville, Mich., d. Dustin Manotti, Mifflinburg, Pa., 9-7 OT.
145: Mike Patrovich, Bohemia, N.Y., m.d. Joe Johnston, Prairie Village, Kan., 14-5.
152: Nathan McMillin, Mount Zion, Ill., d. Keith Cupp, Columbus, Ohio, 5-4.
160: Ken Cook, Fremont, Calif., d. Greg Smith, Lake Arrowhead, Calif., 11-8.
171: Michael Massenzio, Totowa, N.J., d. Ryan Halsey, Oceanside, Calif., 4-2.
189: Jake Rosholt, Sandpoint, Idaho, d. Philip Hard, Bethlehem, Pa., 7-1.
215: Matt Feast, Cressona, Pa., d. Allen Kennett, Bellflower, Calif., 5:54.
HWT: Steven Mocco, North Bergen, N.J., d. Lionel Apineru, Barstow, Calif., 1:16.
Craig Wesner Memorial Award (Most Falls):  Mocco, 4 in 5 minutes, 16 seconds.
Jeff Reese Memorial Award (Outstanding Wrestler): Mocco.
Third-place matches:
103: Jeff Sato, Arroyo Grande, Calif., d. Brandon Harcum, Chesapeake, Va., 2-1.
112: Austin DeVoe, Columbus, Kan., d. Tyrone Hodge, Hillsborough, N.C., 7-1
119: Nick Simmons, Williamston, Mich., d. Nate Gallick, Tucson, Ariz., 5-3 OT.
125: Thomas Vargas, Highland, Calif., d. Tyler Moran, Temecula, Calif., 2-2 TB.
130: David Hoffman, Spring City, Pa., d. Mathias Bitz, Bismarck, N.D., 5-1.
135: Beau DeArmon, Tulsa, Okla., d. Rob Jiminez, Brick, N.J., 6-3.
140: John-Thomas Young, Bloomington, Ind., d. R.J. Paterniti, Erie, Pa., 4-2.
145: Christopher Bitetto, Hackensack, N.J., d. Miguel Gutierrez, Bakersfield, Calif., 7-6.
152: Jacob Klein, Valley Center, Kan., d. Kevin Ward, Hixson, Tenn., 3-2.
160: Anthony Magistrelli, Maple Heights, Ohio, d. Matthew Lebe, Jeannette, Pa., 4-1.
171: Willie Parks, Garden Grove, Calif., d. Jonathan Carlisle, Wallsburg, Utah, 9-3.
189: Ryan Bader, Verdi, Nev., d. Rusty Blackmon, Cleveland, Tenn., 6-4 OT.
215: Willie Breyer, Oxford, Mich., d. Tomas Rodriguez, Woodmere, Ohio, 6-3.
HWT: Gregory Wagner, Fort Wayne, Ind., d. Roger Miller, Dayton, Ohio, 3-1.
Fifth-place matches:
103: Sam Gray, Essex Junction, Vt., d. Jordan Henning, Sanibel, Fla., 7-0.
112: Aaron Graumann, Sioux Falls, S.D., d. Michael Mormile, Monroe, N.Y., 3-1.
119: Travis Lee, Honolulu, Hawaii, d. Shawn Bunch, Leavenworth, Kan., 7-1.
125: Skyler Woods, Mesquite, Nev., d. David Johnson, Raleigh, N.C., 10-8 OT.
130: Andy Kim, Poway, Calif., d. Matthew Murray, Colby, Kan., 6-4 OT.
135: Bryan Miller, Oberlin, Kan., d. Tyson Biddle, Winfield, Kan., 9-2.
140: Joey Bracamonte, Albuquerque, N.M., d. Mike Parsons, Lakeville, Ohio, 6-2.
145: Robb Maxwell, Sandy, Utah, d. Dustin Tillman, Fremont, Calif., 1-0.
152: Matt Kirspel, Livingston, N.J., d. Kevin Gabrielson, Chesapeake Beach, Md., 6-5.
160: Jared Deaguero, Thornton, Colo., d. Patrick Trabucco, Livingston, N.J., 10-3.
171: Daniel Pitsch, Tacoma, Wash., forf. Morgan Horner, Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.
189: Kyle Cerminara, Lewiston, N.Y., d. Chris Skretkowicz, Hamburg, N.J., 4-3.
215: Michael Moran, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, d. Daniel Garay, Rahway, N.J., 1-0.
HWT: Joshua Ingrim, Broomfield, Colo., d. Chase Gormley, Torrance, Calif., 2-1.
Seventh-place matches:
103: Daniel Morales, Tucson, Ariz., d. James Penn, Winston-Salem, N.C., 6-0.
112: Ash Gandee, Ravenswood, W.Va., d. James Phillips, Warren, Ohio, 1-0.
119: Jacob Palomino, San Jose, Calif., m.d. Drew Opfer, Sandusky, Ohio, 15-3.
125: Caleb Peters, Mesa, Ariz., d. Jarred Berger, Gering, Neb., 3-2.
130: Joshua Wooton, Urbana, Ohio, d. Johnny Cortez, Lawton, Okla., 5-2.
135: Jason Jones, Port Jervis, N.Y., d. Thad Benton, Claysburg, Pa., 2-1.
140: Dennis McSweeney, Lyndhurst, N.J., d. Rayes Gonzales, Las Vegas, Nev., 8-3.
145: Will Durkee, Pittsburgh, Pa., d. Matthew Markowski, Fort Myers, Fla., 2-1.
152: B.J. Mikeska, Derry, Pa., d. Nathaniel Augustson, Rio Rancho, N.M., 4-2.
160: Bobby Dysart, Dublin, Ohio, d. Chris Ressa, Andover, N.J., 5-3 OT.
171: Alex Camargo, Berea, Ohio, d. B.J. Padden, Buffalo, S.D., 6-4.
189: K.C. Walsh, Tacoma, Wash., forf. Joel Edwards, Upper Darby, Pa.
215: Aldo Campea, Hinckley, Ohio, d. Karl Person, Lawton, Okla., 3-2.
HWT: Joe Hennis, Mims, Fla., p. Peter Borba, Watsonville, Calif., 1:19.