To be the man, the #6 2025 Big Boarder out of Midwood had to beat the man, as Gursoy became the lone "Main Event" titlist for the Evil Empire when he took out defending JFC champ, Shamus Regan (2024 Prep National Champion; 3x Fargo All-American/2x 16U FS National Champion; 2023 Super 32 5th), 6-3, in sudden victory to seize the 1119-pound hammer...
Holding a 3-0 advantage for much of the bout after converting a single-leg takedown with :44 remaining in the 1st period, the 3x NYSPHSAA DI medalist/2x finalist/2024 champ [Gursoy] was forced to refocus himself after he surrendered a bout-tying TD at the buzzer in the 3rd period...
Shooting in on a single, but initially getting rebuffed, the Columbia bound student-athletes showed tremendous conviction, as he built his way back up and eventually was able to come out the backdoor for the winning score with just :04 to go in the extra frame!!
The finale victory over the current #17 ranked wrestler in the land proved to be the second of two nail-biters that Gursoy survived, as two rounds earlier, he'd find himself trailing Michael Morris (3x Massachusetts All-State placer; 2x New England Championship placer/2024 3rd), 3-2, with less than 1:00 to go in regulation before rising to the occasion and notching the stealing TD with :39 on the clock to emerge with the 5-4 decision...
Dominant in his other three appearances on Sunday, Gursoy hit a pair of Petersons in the 1st (takedown) and 3rd periods (for 3+2), as well as locked up a cradle for a quick set of swipes during the opening 2:00 as the crux of an 11-0 major decision shutout in the semis over 2x CIF State placer/2x Fargo 16U FS AA, Sean Willcox!!
In the midst of pool-play, he registered wins by way of fall in 2:22 and 16-0 TF versus fellow NYer, Bennet Palmeri (2x Section V medalist for Fairport), & 3x NJSIAA Qualifier, James McGinty!
*William Soto (Newburgh; 3rd at 106)---The top-ranked NY-USAW 2027 Big Boarder posted a 4-1 overall record with key wins over the likes of Colton Schmiesing (2024 NYSPHSAA DII State 8th for Oyster Bay), Gabe Benyo (2024 PJW Junior High Bronze Medalist; 2024 NHSCA MS National Champion; 2023 Super 43 MS 6th), and Brock Humphrey (2024 West Virginia Middle School State Champion; Former Multiple-time USAW Kids FS/GR National Champion; 2023 Super 32 MS Bronze medalist).....The 2x NYS placer/defending gold medalist/2024 Double U15 Pan-Am finalist (FS champ)/2024 Fargo 16U FS AA out of S9 suffered his only blemish in the semifinals when he dropped a heartbreaker, 6-4, to Turner Ross (2024 Minnesota State Champion; 2x Fargo 16U FS Medalist/2023 runner-up)
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*Dunia Sibomana-Rodriguez (Long Beach; 2nd at 113)---Entering the weekend as the #5 ranked wrestler in the country following a Double All-American/FS stop sign claiming outing in Fargo this past July, the 3x NYS medalist/2x finalist/2022 titlist hailing from Nassau County was darn impressive in punching his ticket to the ship, as he'd rack up wins by scores of 7-1 and 12-2 in R16 and the quarters against Carmine Sipper (NJ) and Brighton Karvoski (2024 Prep National 6th; 2022 Double USAW Kids FS/GR Bronze medalist; Multiple-time S32 MS placer; 3x NHSCA MS placer/2x finalist/2023 champion)...His signature triumph though occurred in the semis, as he rode out the entirety of the 2nd period and then earned an E1 in the 3rd en route to a 1-0 decision Liam Davis (3x Prep National AA/2023 runner-up; 2023 NHSCA 7th)....2024 PIAA State Champion, Dominick Morrison, denied NY-USAW's #1 overall 2026 the hardware when he hung on for a 5-2 decision in the finals!
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*Finnegan O'Brien (Chaminade; 3rd at 125)---This being among the first of his appearances as an official member of Flyer Nation, the fab freshman who calls Locust Valley home gave the Crimson & Gold faithful reason to rejoice at future prospects, as he'd pick up wins over not one, but two respective two-time State Champions---Elijah Bayne (Oregon) & Mason Jakob (Tennessee; also a 2x NHSCA runner-up), as well as upended 2024 NYS DI 4th, Vincent Mastrianni (Colonie), and 2024 Florida State silver, Adaias Ortiz...The #2 2028 Big Boarder, dropped a 2-0 match in the semis to PA's Kavin Muyleart (2024 Fargo 16U FS 8th; 2023 U17 WTT runner-up) as his lone imperfection!
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*Luke Satriano (Valley Central; 2nd at 130)----In top form for the majority of the weekend, the 3x State medalist/2x defending titlist was responsible for recording one of the top moments of the entire event when trailing his quarterfinal match, 7-4, he'd hit a double-leg straight to his opponent's back to stick Musa Tamaradze (2022 MIAA All-State Champion; 2022 New England Championship titlist; 2x Fargo Junior Greco-Roman All-American/3rd in '23; 2x NHSCA Medalist/2024 National Champion) at the 4:41 mark of the quarterfinals...One round later, it was his escape with :58 to go in the 3rd that sent him to a 3-2 dub over 2024 PIAA runner-up/2024 NHSCA runner-up, Greyson Music...The future West Virginia University Mountaineer added to his carnage by out-scoring his two foes by a margin of 34-3 in earning 19-3 and 15-0 techs of Ryan Ball (2x Section 1 Champion for Somers-North Salem) and Nathan Sayers (4x MIAA All-State placer; 2x New England Championships 5th) in pool action....Unfortunately, his bid for the brass ring was dashed when 2024 Utah State 2nd/youth phenom (7x Roller Trinity Award recipient), Israel Borge, got the better of him in the 130-pound money match!
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*Camryn Howard (Bellport; 3rd at 145)---Keeping his strange hold on the top line of the 2028 class polls was the 2x NYS DI medalist/2024 Double U15 Pan-American Champion/2024 Fargo 16U FS 3rd out of Suffolk...His only loss on the weekend coming in the semifinals to the eventual hammer winner, Michael Turi (2x PIAA State 7th; 2x NHSCA National finalist/2023l Champion), in the semis, Howard closed out a 4-1 showing when he was able to convert a TD in the last 38 ticks of sudden victory to topple Blair Academy's Ryan Meier, 7-4, in the 3rd-place match...Two of his conquests at the expense of his New York brethren, the Clipper freshman came out of the gate and made a statement when he ripped through pool H by posting a 19-3 tech and a pin in 4:14 up 10-0) against Ashten Haley (2x NYSPHSAA DII State placer for Cobleskill-Richmondville) & 2024 Colorado State 5th, Abraham Pomeroy...He utilized three takedowns in the quarterfinals to secure the 9-5 decision over Iona Prep's George Johnson (2024 CHSAA State Champion; former S1 bronze medalist)!
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*Jason Kwaak (Brentwood; 2nd at 160)---A bridesmaid for the second consecutive year at this tournament, the 3x NYS medalist/2024 NHSCA bronze/2023 Fargo FS AA considered entering at 152 pounds, but decided he wanted to challenge himself up a weight class...And he looked quite good in doing so, as the NC State verbal commit was merciless in earning bonus points in three of his four appearances prior to the finals...Commencing his day with back-to-back tech falls to the tunes of 17-2 and 15-0 scores versus Lucas Parietti (2024 Missouri State 4th) and Justin Lowery (2024 Virginia State Champion), Kwaak later tossed up a 12-0 goose-egg in the semifinals over 3x Massachusetts All-State placer/2x runner-up/2x New England Championships placer, Michael Boulanger Jr....However, the finest piece of his Sunday body of work came in the quarterfinals, as his non-stop pace induced a stall call to send the match to sudden victory (3-3); and then following a scoreless extra frame, he'd explode for a 2pt turn on top in the alternative :30 tiebreakers to emphatically upend #7 in the country, Anthony Evanitsky (2024 Prep National Champion; 2x PIAA State medalist/2023 Champion; 2x NHSCA National Champion), 6-3!!....Benjamin Weader (3x Virginia State placer/2023 Champion; 2x Fargo FS All-American), spoiled the party in the title-contest, as he prevented NY-USAW's #5 2025er from taking the hammer back to Long Island!
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Greyson Meak (Cold Spring Harbor; 2nd at 190)---Blessed are the "Meak" for he almost came away with gold, as the 2x NYS DII finalist (2024 champ)/NHSCA AA sitting in the #10 spot of the 2025 class polls got his arm raised on four of five occasions to "settle" for silver at 190 pounds....Absolutely punishing from beginning to end during the pool portion of the weekend, the UPenn commit stockpiled nothing but major decisions, as one-by-one he overwhelmed champs/finalists from three different states--- Brody Kelly (2024 Illinois State runner-up; 2024 Fargo 16U GR 4th), Maximus Morse (3x Connecticut State placer/2x runner-up), Victor Marks-Jenkins (2x Maryland State medalist/2024 Champion; 2023 USAW 16U Folk National Bronze medalist), and Adin Hastings (2x Maryland State finalist/2023 Champion) by tallies of 9-1, 9-0, 13-1, and 13-0...3x Prep National Qualifier/3x Maryland Independent Schools State medalist (2x runner-up), Sepanta Ahanj-Elias, unfortunately was the ultimate hurdle that Meak could not clear!!
WEIGHT CLASS | WRESTLER NAME | HOME |
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106 | Justin Farnsworth | PA |
113 | Dominick Morrison | PA |
119 | Evin Gursoy | NY |
125 | Dale Corbin | WI |
130 | Israel Borge | UT |
135 | Matthew Botello | MA |
140 | Jayce Paridon | FL |
145 | Michael Turi | PA |
152 | Chase Van Hoven | VA |
160 | Benjamin Weader | VA |
170 | Claudio Torres | FL |
190 | Sepanta Ahanj-Elias | MD |
215 | Alex Smith | FL |
285 | Jacob Levy | FL |
WEIGHT CLASS | WRESTLER NAME | SCHOOL | PLACEMENT |
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106 | William Soto | Newburgh-9 | 3rd |
106 | Brody DiCaprio | CBA-2 | 6th |
113 | Dunia Sibomana-Rodriguez | Long Beach-8 | 2nd |
119 | Evin Gursoy | Midwood-P | CHAMP |
119 | Marco Futia | Wallkill-9 | 8th |
125 | Finnegan O'Brien | Chaminade-C | 3rd |
130 | Luke Satriano | Valley Central-9 | 2nd |
135 | Gavin Mangano | SWR-11 | 6th |
140 | Samson McKissick-Staley | Pittsford-5 | 6th |
145 | Camryn Howard | Bellport-11 | 3rd |
145 | George Johnson | Iona Prep-C | 8th |
152 | Jordan Joslyn | NY Military Academy | 5th |
152 | Mason Ketcham | Washingtonville-9 | 7th |
160 | Jason Kwaak | Brentwood-11 | 2nd |
190 | Greyson Meak | Cold Spring Harbor-8 | 2nd |
215 | Michael Mauro | John Jay-EFK | 4th |
215 | Alex Berisha | Fox Lane | 6th |
WOMEN'S WORLD CLASSIC
Winning the first of what would be a pair of titles on behalf of the Sullivan clan on Saturday was the 8th grade fab filly extraordinaire!!
Ranked 9th in the country, the defending NYSPHSAA Girls Invitational State titlist/2023 UWW U15 Pan-American gold medalist on behalf of Monroe Woodbury left no doubt as to who the "baddest babe" in the 100-pound field was when she controlled just about every second of a 10-0 superiority victory in the finals over 2023 UWW U17 World 5th/2023 U17 European champion, Klara Winkler (Germany)...
Leading 6-0 at the time (single TD off the whistle to begin the 1st period; a pair of counter exposures when she sprawled and her opponent to her back in each of the two periods), Sullivan got in deep on a double and finished feet to back for the 4-pointer to polish off the 10-0 TF!
The drubbing she delivered on Winkler representing the final bullet point in what was a 4-0 overall outing; one round earlier, the Apex Wrestling School protege collected an equally banner/marquee triumph when she turned up the heat late to torch 11th-ranked/2024 Fargo 16U Bronze Medalist, Angelica Serratos, 17-6, in the semifinals...
Never trailing in the bout, but having to deal with some adversity, Sullivan enjoyed a modest 7-6 edge with just under 2:20 to go in duration before she took command down the home stretch...
Showcasing every facet of her arsenal, she'd collect two takedowns to go up 11-7 with 1:25 remaining and then continued pull away when she tacked on a 2pt counter crotch-lift, a 2pt counter Winn Dixie, and a 2pt counter tip to put the bow on a 17-6 tech in 4:15!
Sullivan commenced pool-play by stockpiling five TDs (three in the 1st; two in the 2nd) in total to account for all of her output in a 10-2 decision versus another Germany opposition, Lea Lingscheidt (7th at the 2024 UWW U17 European Championships)....
Already out to an 8-0 cushion, she pinned fellow NYer, Tatiana Alexander (Eastchester-Tuckahoe), with a power-half :52 into the 1st period to advance to the championship foursome!
MAKE THIS GIRLS #1 @170!!!!
While FloWrestling was hosting their annual Who's #1 card in a different part of Pennsylvania this weekend; the 2x NYS Girls Invitational medalist (defending champion)/3x Fargo All-American/2023 Super 32 belt winner was making her own argument to be given national top-billing consideration (presently #4 at 155)...
Bumping up to the the 165-pound bracket (155 was not a contested weight class at JFC), the Pleasantville/GPS mentored standout turned in what was perhaps the finest showing of any individual titlist (male or female regardless of division) at Spooky Nook, as she went an immaculate 4-for-4 in getting her arm raised to repeat as a Hammer owner (167-pound champ in '23)...
Boasting a career-defining victory in the finale, Palumbo played the roll of queen slayer when she emerged with a 12-5 decision in the finals over 3x UWW U17 World medalist/2023 runner-up, Lotta Englich (Germany)...
After surrendering a 2pt exposure to fall behind, 3-2, Palumbo would dominate the last 2:08 of regulation, as she'd explode for 10 of the final 12 points of the bout, starting with a 2pt TD via ankle-pick, followed by a 2pt leg-lace to go up 6-3 with just over 2:00 remaining....
In the last 120 seconds, she continued to pull away, tacking on two takedowns takedowns (spun behind on a scramble off of a limp arm with 1:05 on the clock; stuffed a lat drop in the final :22) sandwiched around a 2pt exposure via cradle with approximately :50 to go...
She had the German in deep trouble of surrendering the fall as the buzzer sounded to cement her 12-5 decision triumph!
Englich knocked off current #1 (@170), Piper Fowler, in a repechage bout at the Under-17 World Championships last month; hence why we are calling for Palumbo to be installed as the new top feline!!!
Her encore performance the only occasion in which she was pushed at all, Palumbo otherwise made quick work of her trio of pool B opponents, picking up dubs by way of :36 fall, 10-0 TF, and 1:22 stick against the likes of Savannah Oxendine (2024 NC Girls State Qualifier), Britt-Lesley Van--Roojien (Netherlands; 2024 UWW U15 European 13th), & Italy's Fabiana Dattilo (2024 UWW European U20 13th; 8th at the U17 European Championships in 2021; 4th at 2023 JFC)...
After driving the Carolinan [Oxendine] straight to her back, a power-half did the trick...
Three takedowns (two throw-bys, one single-leg) accompanied by a pair of 2pt guts (one after each of the first two TDs) was the manner in which she disposed of her Dutch nemesis [Van Roojien] in round #2...
And a successful defense of an inside trip attempt for a 2pt counter TD, complemented by three unstoppable guts vaulted her to the aforementioned 8-0 lead before she trapped Dattilo for the mat slap that completed her berth into the 'ship!!
WEIGHT CLASS | WRESTLER NAME | HOME |
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94 pounds | Timi Coles | Canada |
100 pounds | Gail "Gigi" Sullivan | NY |
107 pounds | Kayla Batres | CT |
114 pounds | Paris Soria | CA |
120 pounds | Kaura Coles | Canada |
126 pounds | Sophie Ritter | Hungary |
132 pounds | Alexis Lazar | MI |
138 pounds | Camilla Hathaway | PA |
145 pounds | Violette Lasure | PA |
152 pounds | Uldana Tileukhan | Kazakhstan |
165 pounds | Adriana Palumbo | NY |
185 pounds | Ylyana Sandoval | OR |
MIDDLE SCHOOL
On the back end of the Sullivan brood's lucrative weekend in PA was the 80-pound, 11-year-old wunderkind [Sullivan] who is showing signs of being the next "can't miss" stallion out of S9 (on his way to putting himself in the company of names such as Banach, Bouzakis, Ruggirello, Ryder, and Duke)...
Showing why he is regarded among the top middle school studs in the land (despite only being in 5th grade), the multiple-time NYS Youth State Champion/2023 Super 32 Youth titlist/2023-2024 Roller WOW Trinity Award honoree, made it look "too easy" in dismantling anyone/everyone who stepped foot on the mat against him on Saturday!!
Never extended behind 3:22 in any of his five matches, the future Crusader (unless he swooped up by a power prep or NJ Private) recorded five falls in as many attempts in his one-man parade to Victoryville...
The owner of a 32-1 margin in terms of points vs. surrendered as part of his utter destruction, Sullivan punctuated his crowning achievement to the highest degree when he locked up a cross-face cradle to pin 2024 Texas Youth State Champion, Joshua Schaub, in a time of 1:09 of the finals...
The cradle, a definitive staple item in his toolbox, was utilized throughout the tourney, as he also hit it to pin Braylon Butts (2024 North Carolina Junior High School State Champion; 2024 NHSCA MAS 8th) in 2:46 of Round 2 contest serve as the keys to his bookend wins...
His skill set so far advanced for a person of his age, he'd incorporate everything from a bundle, a dump, and even a bar + half combo to put away Nick Hobson (Multiple-time NYS Youth finalist/placer), Adam Hagenbuch (2024 USAW Kids GR 7th), and Garden Stater, Michael Vasi, at the :58, 3:22, and 0:59 marks of Rounds 3-5 of pool activity!!
Sullivan is officially a two-time JFC king, as he reigned in the 75-pound Elementary School division last season!!!
The Domus Autem Bello blue-chipper was indeed on the WAR PATH, as he was every bit as authoritative as Sullivan in registering pins in all four of his matches...
Establishing a margin of 32-3 as a precursor to his already cited quartet of falls, NY-USAW's top-ranked 2029 pounder/2024 NYSPHSAA DI 5th added to a growling list of accolades (Multiple-time NYS Youth State Champion; 2x USAW Folk National Finalist/2023 Champion; 2024 NHSCA MS 4th; Multiple-time Ohio TOC Titlist; 2024 Tulsa Nationals Champion, etc) when he required just 2:04 to vanquish Brian Corbin (2022 Super 32 Youth 5th) in the crossover bracket finals...
Already leading 7-0 at the early stages of the 2nd period after hitting a dump for a TD in the 1st and adding an E! and TD with a single into a double, Mannello locked up a cradle and pulled it back for the stick...
The purist illustration of his no mercy approach to wrestling coming in the semis, the Section 1 gem connected with an ankle pick off the whistle and then immediately transitioned to a lethal power-half to glue 2024 NJ Youth State 6th, Harry Rondinelli, in a mere 22 ticks!!
In the course of cruising to Pool A supremacy, he stuck Multiple-time NYS Youth placer/2023 Runner-up, Ryan Bozelli, with a tilt in 51 seconds of round #1; and then complemented it by putting on a clinic from the feet (5 takedowns) to jump out to a 15-3 advantage against Pennsylvanian, Gino Bozzi...
Smelling blood, he'd rely on a cross-face turk to turn the Keystone Stater for what would have been a TF had he not beat the buzzer with the fall in the last :01 of the 2nd period!!!
In staying with the theme of family legacy, it should be noted that younger brother, Marcarlo (2023 ES 85-pound champ), came home with Middle School bronze at 95 pounds this weekend!!
WEIGHT CLASS | WRESTLER NAME | HOME |
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75 pounds | Georgie Dipsey | NJ |
80 pounds | JJ Sullivan | NY |
85 pounds | Nelson Villafane | PA |
90 pounds | John Tarantino | NJ |
95 pounds | Shiloh Joyce | NJ |
100 pounds | Jack Anello | NJ |
105 pounds | Vincenzo Mannello | NY |
112 pounds | Cole Schwartz | PA |
120 pounds | Dion Mesanko-Coleman | NJ |
128 pounds | Frank Leanza | PA |
136 pounds | Kadin Martin | MN |
145 pounds | Taso Kiprislis | PA |
157 pounds | Asher Bacon | PA |
ELEMENTARY
it was HAMMER TIME for the young jewel representing Hammer Wrestling Club!!!!
The last young man standing in a five-person round-robin, Bernard's collective outing conveyed/epitomized the expression, "there are levels to this game."...
Three of his four wins accompanied by some form of bonus points, the only bout in which the NYer had to break a sweat was in R#3 when he converted four takedowns (two in each the 1st and 2nd periods), including a few highlight TDs that saw him jump over the top of his opponent to establish a 12-2 lead before hanging on for the 12-5 dub versus former Reno TOC Bronze medalist, Lucas Schuman (PA)!
The Schuman match still very much a one-sided affair; as noted above, it was an exception to the rule as Bernard lit up the scoreboard all day to post triumphs of 14-2, 20-4, and fall in 1:40 (up 12-1) over Deaglan Harrison (PA), Ash Henecker (2024 NJ Youth State 5th), & Killian Ohora (PA)...
Against the former [Harrison], his production was earned in a variety of ways, as he finished single-leg and go-behind takedowns in the 1st; hit a Peterson for a 2pt reversal in the 2nd, and then added his third and fourth TDs later (single into a double-off finish in the middle stanza; snap + spin in the 3rd)...
Up just 3-0 at the end of the 1st period in the head-to-head with Henecker, he'd grow stronger as the match got deeper, repeatedly scoring with double-legs while tacking on a 2pt reversal and dump here and then to blow open the match in the final 2:30...All in all, he banked SIX takedowns (three in the 3rd alone)!!
In the RR finale, two takedowns and a turn for the full set propelled him to a 10-1 lead at the end of the 1st period...He got a quick reversal and threw in a power-half to deck Ohora just 25 ticks into the 2nd period!!!
Not allowing a single point to be scored against him from beginning to end on Saturday (29-0 margin), the Barn Brothers trained up-and-comer decimated a fairly deep/accomplished field at 100 pounds...
His toughest match of the day coincidentally being his first appearance out of the gate, he'd strike for a takedown (lifted his opponent on a High-C into double and dropped him to the mat) :33 into the 1st period; ride out the full duration of the 2nd; and then earn the E1 in the 3rd to pick up a 4-0 blanking versus Benton Alt (2024 PJW Youth State Champion; 2021 Super 32 Youth 3rd; multiple-time Ohio Tournament of Champions placer; 2021 KO 5th; 2022 Tulsa 6th; 2022 Reno 3rd)...
In his Round #2 match with Brian Flynn (Multiple-time USAW Kids FS/GR All-American; Multiple-time Ohio TOC placer), it did not take Augello long to assert his will, as he finished another high-C into a double TD and then instantly went into his top game, tilting his for for the full allotment to go up 7-0 less than 1:00 into the 1st period...
He never looked back, as he pulled away further by running a bar with 4pts in the 2nd (while riding out the entire period) and then put the 15-0 "w" to bed with an escape and takedown in the 3rd!
5 of his 7 points in a 7-0 R#3 shutout of 2024 NJ Youth State gold medalist, Brian Danbe, taking place in the 1st period, Augello snatched the ankle for a TD on the edge of the mat and then shortly thereafter utilized a tight-waste tilt for an additional 2-pointer...
He'd ride out the whole 2nd period and then got a reversal in the last :20 of the 3rd to account for his sum!
The crescendo to his symphony of wreckage proved to be his shortest single appearance, as he'd hit a throw-by for a takedown and then drive over with a bar to get on and off mats in a time of 39 ticks against PA's Cayden Carannante, in round #4!!!
The spoils formally clinched; he was able to sit back and relish his success by embracing the fifth round bye!!
WEIGHT CLASS | WRESTLER NAME | HOME |
---|---|---|
55 pounds | Jack Sanders | PA |
60 pounds | Christian Bernard | NY |
65 pounds | Vincent Foster | PA |
75 pounds | Liam Reeves | PA |
80 pounds | Avery Haber | PA |
85 pounds | Aime Coles | Canada |
100 pounds | Rocco Augello | NY |
110 pounds | Zakey Tsarni | MD |
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