8 Local wrestlers advance to New York State Wrestling Tournament

Two-time Section III champion, Whitesboro's Mike Sardo. (File Photo)

ALBANY, Feb 27, 2010-- They are members of an elite class. Local athletes who have won Section III titles in high school wrestling.

Each year the area boasts only a handful of Sectional champions who then advance on to State Championships.   Last year five locals advanced and this year the number is eight who have moved on to Albany for the State finals.

If you think the 'Sectional Champion'  club is exclusive, those who actually go on to win at States and become New York's top wrestlers are few and far between.

Since 2000, only 5 wrestlers have won state honors.  Morrisville's Matt LeBlanc won two years straight; Frankfort's Hank Penree won in 2008, Anthony Austin of Adirondack won in 2007, Nick Kubinski of South Lewis won in 2005 and Morrisville's Paul LeBlanc won in 2005.

This year, after Friday's competition of preliminary matches, only two local wrestlers are on track to win a State Championship. 

Holland Patent's Matt Reese has made it to today's division II semi-final round at 215 lbs, but he has a tough challenge ahead.

Reese pinned his first opponent from Putnam Valley and won his next match in overtime, 3-1 over a Section 4 wrestler from Putnam; but he will face Nick Gwiazdowski of Duanesburg in Section 2.  Gwiazdowski is the number one seed in the tournament and has pinned his way into the semi-finals.

Canastota's Zach Zupan won his first two matches and is now set to wrestle Craig Scot of Pal-Mac in Section 5.  Scot is the number one seed.

Semi-finals started at 10 a.m. today at the Times Union Center in Albany.

Other Results

In Division I results, two-time Section III Champion Mike Sardo of Whitesboro ran into a brick wall in the first round of the tournament in Albany.  He was matched up against Nigel Mcneil of Huntington in Section 11.  Sardo suffered a technical fall and lost 16-1, ending his hopes for a first-ever State title.  Sardo won his next match in the losers bracket but was eliminated in the next round as he fell to Brandon Ling of Penfiel in Section 12.

VVVS wrestler Dylan Cavanaugh lost his opening round match at 119 lbs.  He won his first match in the losers bracket but was eliminated by Gary Wolff of Monroe in Section 9.

 In Division II, Section III started Saturday off in third place behind Section 5 and Section 4.

Ilion's Laken Cook lost in his first round match, but has moved down to the losers bracket where he has won his last two matches and is now three wins away from third place.

Tyler Sirota of Canastota is still alive in the tournament going into Saturday.  Sirota, who lost his preliminary round match has won twice in the losers bracket and is now three wins away from third place.

Shane Strong of Morrisville-Eaton lost his first two matches and was eliminated at 285.

Ilion's Jon Treen, a wildcard pick for Section III lost his first match but went into the losers bracket and won two more.  Treen needed one more win to place, but would fall short.

Section III Champions to compete in State Wrestling Tournament

Laken Cook   96lbs  Ilion

Mike Sardo, 112 lbs  Whitesboro

Dylan Kavanaugh, 119lbs  VVS

Tyler Sirota, 145 lbs, Canastota

Zach Zupan, 160 lbs, Canastota

Matt Reese, 215lbs Holland Patent

Shane Strong, 285 lbs, Morrisville

Jon Treen, 171 lbs, Ilion  (Wildcard pick)