HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING: STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

By P.J. Harmer

Star photo by P.J. Harmer Unadilla Valley’s Trevor Franklin tries to break a hold by Pete Capone of Johnson City in their 125-pound Division I Section Four championship match Feb. 11 at the Broome County Arena. Franklin, a state champion in 2004, won, 15-4.

Staff Writer

A well-fed Trevor Franklin could spell trouble for a loaded 125-pound weight class this weekend at the Division I state wrestling tournament.

Unadilla Valley senior Franklin (20-1) chose to wrestle at 125 before the Feb. 11 Section Four Tournament at the Broome County Arena. Franklin is certified at 119 but decided he’d rather maintain a normal diet to keep his energy up for states, UV coach Paul DuVall said.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]"He’s one of the reasons the class is loaded," DuVall said. "We went back and forth between 119 and 125. The bottom line is he needs to eat good. … By being able to eat and practice hard, it will pay off."

Franklin is one of seven area wrestlers who will compete at the state championships this weekend at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale. All seven received first-round byes for the tournament, which begins at 1 p.m. today. Wrestling resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday, with the state championships scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Franklin won the 2004 Division II state title at 96 pounds and placed third at 112 in the 2005 Division I tournament. His experience could come in handy for UV teammates Shayne Wilcox (130 pounds) and Scott Fuller (160), who will make their state-tournament debuts this weekend.

In D-II, Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton’s Eric Decker (160) will go for his third straight state championship after winning consecutive 152-pound titles. Teammate Greg Conover (135) and Delhi’s Micci Mason (119) and Geoff Rosa (140) round out the area’s state representatives.

Franklin, who beat Johnson City’s Pete Capone, 15-4, in the Section Four championship, might have the toughest class of the bunch. He’ll open with a quarterfinal against Mahopac’s Dave Colagiovenni (31-2) or Valley Central’s Mike D’Amato (28-5). Should he advance to the semifinals, Franklin could face Shenendehowa freshman Austin Meys (33-1), the 103-pound D-I champion last season.

The other 125-pound bracket includes a first-round match between Shoreham-Wading River’s Cory Jantzen (42-0) and Long Beach’s P.J. Gillespie (31-0), who placed third at 103 last year. Jantzen finished fifth at 119 in D-II.

Mexico junior Kevin Smith (41-1), a state runner-up at 119 last year, is in the same bracket.

Junior Wilcox (27-7) meets Freeport’s Andra Harrison or Sachem North’s Chris Inrio (30-2) in the quarterfinals. Fuller (32-3) faces Bellmore JFK’s Nick Laurino or Carmel’s Larry Carara (36-4).

"He’s a ball of fire and I’m sure they haven’t wrestled someone like him all year," DuVall said of Fuller, who erased a four-point deficit in the final minute of his sectional final for an 11-10 victory over Maine-Endwell’s Jon Kolba.

"The thing with Scott is he never knows the time and score," DuVall continued. "There could be 10 seconds left and he’s up by three and he’ll still go out and try and throw you."

B-G/A’s Decker (38-2), the only six-time Section Four champion, meets Wheatley’s Alejandro Centreno (26-10) or Clifton Fine’s Cory Daniels (26-7) in the quarterfinals. Considering Decker has prepared for the state tournament every year since the seventh grade, don’t expect his approach to change too much.

"Same old, same old," B-G/A coach Brandon MacNaught said. "Nothing special, but he’s absolutely ready."

Conover (37-2) wrestles Beaver River’s Shane Roggie (48-0) or Medina’s Derrick Adams (36-3) in the quarterfinals. Although he won his first sectional championship Feb. 11, Conover seems at ease entering states.

"You’d never know he won the section or is going to states because he doesn’t add extra pressure," said MacNaught, who added that Conover seems more interested in winning the "Best Hair" category in the B-G yearbook. "It’s a pretty loaded weight, but there’s no sense in going up to do anything but win it."

MacNaught said Conover battled the flu last week and recently resumed practices.

Mason (28-4) and Rosa (33-1) will become the first Delhi wrestlers to compete in a state tournament today. Mason (119) faces Pleasantville’s Michael Esteves (31-0) or Fredonia’s Kenny Betts (43-7). Rosa meets Immaculate Heart’s Derek Brenon (36-3) or Eldred’s Steve Geiger (12-8).

"It’s territory we’ve never been involved in and we’re enjoying it," Delhi coach John Wake said. "When they walk into that building, it will sink in."

Wrestling Capsules

School, year: Unadilla Valley, senior

Weight class: 125

Record: 20-1

Varsity record: 94-15 (four seasons)

How he got here: Beat Johnson City’s Pete Capone, 15-4, in Section Four final.

Past Section Four championships: 2004 (96, Division II); 2005 (112, D-II).

Past state finishes: 96-pound D-II champion (2004); 112 D-I third place (2005).

First opponent: Bye, faces Section One’s Dave Colagiovenni (Mahopac, 31-2) or Section Nine’s Mike D’Amato (Valley Central, 28-5).

Notes: Missed first half of season with broken right hand. … Returned first week of January, won first match, and followed by cruising through Oneonta Rotary Tournament en route to a championship. … Fast, technical wrestler might overpower opponents. … Could face 2005 D-I 103-pound champion Austin Meys (Shenendehowa) in semifinals.

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SHAYNE WILCOX

School, year: Unadilla Valley, junior

Weight class: 130

Record: 27-7

Varsity record: 79-46 (four seasons)

How he got here: Beat Elmira’s Kain Franchi, 6-2, in Section Four final.

Past Section Four championships: None.

Past state finishes: None.

First opponent: Bye, faces Section Eight’s Andra Harrison (Freeport) or Section 11’s Chris Inrio (Sachem North, 30-2) in quarterfinals.

Notes: Late-season surge started with third-place finish at Windsor Tournament in late December. … "He’s really an underrated wrestler in the section," UV coach Paul DuVall said. "As the season goes on, he gets better and better."

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SCOTT FULLER

School, year: Unadilla Valley, senior

Weight class: 160

Record: 32-3

Varsity record: 66-23 (three seasons)

How he got here: Beat Maine-Endwell’s Jon Kolba, 11-10, in Section Four final.

Past Section Four championships: None.

Past state finishes: None.

First opponent: Bye, faces Section Eight’s Nick Laurino (Bellmore JFK) or Section One’s Larry Carara (Carmel, 36-4) in quarterfinals.

Notes: Non-stop competitor had back-to-back breath-takers at Section Four Tournament, beating Ithaca’s Bronco Rollins, 17-16, in semifinals before rallying from four points down in the final minute to beat Kolba in championship.

School, year: Delhi, junior

Weight class: 119

Record: 28-4

Varsity record: 83-16 (three seasons)

How he got here: Beat Dryden’s Anthony Jerome, 6-5, in Section Four final.

Past Section Four championships: None.

Past state finishes: None

First opponent: Bye, faces Section One’s Michael Esteves (Pleasantville, 31-0) or Section Six’s Kenny Betts (Fredonia, 43-7) in quarterfinals.

Notes: Became first Section Four champion in Delhi history when he beat Jerome. … Quick and agile, Mason has ability to score from his feet and from bottom position. … A risk-taker who isn’t afraid to attempt big moves.

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GREG CONOVER

School, year: Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton, senior

Weight class: 135

Record: 37-2

Varsity record: 104-54 (five seasons)

How he got here: Beat Norwich’s Brent Miller, 5-0, in Section Four final.

Past Section Four championships: None.

Past state finishes: None

First opponent: Bye, faces Section Three’s Shane Roggie (Beaver River, 48-0) or Section Six’s Derrick Adams (Medina, 36-3) in quarterfinals.

Notes: The two wrestlers who beat Conover this season — Duanesburg’s Carl Breittstein (42-1) and Peru’s Caleb Remillard (35-1) — are in the other 135-pound D-II state bracket. … Suffered both losses during Eastern States in January. ... Remillard’s only loss came against Conover in the Eastern States. Each has pinned the other.

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GEOFF ROSA

School, year: Delhi, senior

Weight class: 140

Record: 33-1

Varsity record: 103-56 (five seasons)

How he got here: Beat Windsor’s David Kohlback, 2-1, in Section Four Final.

Past Section Four championships: None.

Past state finishes: None.

First opponent: Bye, faces Section Three’s Derek Brenon (Immaculate Heart, 36-3) or Section Nine’s Steve Geiger (Eldred, 12-8) in quarterfinals.

Notes: One of three Delhi wrestlers to earn his 100th varsity victory this season. … Set a school record with 23 pins. … Has a takedown-first mentality and ability to ride out opponents. … Became second wrestler in Delhi history to win sectional title, four matches after teammate Micci Mason became the first. … Lone loss this season came in Midstate Athletic Conference finals, to Greene’s Tyler Beckwith.

———

ERIC DECKER

School, year: Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton, senior

Weight class: 160

Record: 38-2.

Varsity record: 228-16.

How he got here: Beat Elmira Notre Dame’s Caleb Norton, 11-0, in Section Four final.

Past Section Four championships: 2005 (152); 2004 (152); 2003 (135); 2002 (125); 2001 (103).

Past state finishes: 2005 state champion (152, D-II); 2004 state champion (152, D-II); fifth in 2002; fifth in 2003; did not place in 2001.

First opponent: Bye, faces Section Eight’s Alejandro Centeno (Wheatley, 26-10) or Section 10’s Cory Daniels (Clifton Fine, 26-7) in quarterfinals.

Notes: First six-time Section Four champion. … 2004 145-pound state champion Paul Paddock (Warsaw, 41-1) is in the opposite bracket. … Two losses this season have come to Islip’s Ryan Patrovich, the D-I 152-pound champion last year. He is D-I again this year.