GLENS FALLS — After years of anticipation and hard work, Mohonasen junior Nico Rivera finally achieved his dream of standing victorious at the Section 2 Division 1 championships.
Having been the runner-up for the past two seasons, Rivera finally claimed the top spot this Saturday, winning the 124-pound weight class.
“This is a moment I’ve been dreaming of since I started wrestling in sixth grade. It’s all I’ve ever wanted,” Rivera said. “The feeling is indescribable after coming in second two years in a row. It feels like all the hard work has finally paid off.”
Although Rivera has previously competed at the state tournament, he did so as the runner-up, including surviving ‘true second’ matches to reach the pinnacle of New York State wrestling.
This year, Rivera (31-5 overall) secured his spot at states outright.
“The thought of reaching the top of the podium has been my daily motivation,” Rivera said. “It’s what I wake up thinking about, what I think about throughout the school day, over the summers, at practice, and before I go to sleep. It’s what I’ve been working towards.”
Rivera’s victorious day on Saturday began with a third-period pin over Shenendehowa’s Chase Heidt, followed by a first-period pin in the semifinals against Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake’s Christain Witt.
The Mohonasen junior then advanced to the 124-pound championship, where he secured an 18-6 major decision over Schenectady’s Dominick Witko.
Despite having made it to the state tournament before, Rivera has yet to make the NYSPHSAA podium, which is his next goal.
“I fell short the last two years to get on the podium,” Rivera said, “so it’s time to give it my all to get up there now.”
MCKINLEY TRIUMPHS ONCE MORE
Saratoga Springs’ Pat McKinley claimed the Section 2 Division 1 215-pound title in the only way he knew how – in overtime.
As the top seed in his bracket, McKinley used two straight pins to advance to the championship match against a familiar opponent, Shaker’s Nick Whyte.
McKinley and Whyte entered the match having faced each other four times already this season, with the Blue Streak senior 4-0, including wins in an ultimate tiebreaker and sudden victory.
Saturday’s match was just as closely contested, as the bout headed to overtime tied 1-1. In the first sudden-victory period, Whyte was called for stalling, handing McKinley the 2-1 decision.
“I saw the stalling call with six seconds left, but I thought we still had to finish,” said McKinley, who didn’t realize he had won the match right away. “I was thinking I needed to push the pace. I didn’t realize I had won.”
Overall this season, McKinley has put together a 43-4 record, while going 6-1 in matches that have gone to extra time — including three of those wins being against Whyte. McKinley has won three sudden victories, a tiebreaker and two ultimate tiebreakers, while dropping one ultimate tiebreaker.
“I’ve had a lot of them so far and honestly I like going to overtime,” McKinley said. “I feel like I have more conditioning than everyone else, because of the work that I put in during practice and my practice partners pushing me. I just have confidence knowing that I’m still feeling good after regulation.”
“Winning the 215-pound title feels like a real accomplishment, especially compared to last year where I got second place,” he added. “I knew that I had a lot more in me, so getting the title feels really good.”
McKinley also advanced to states last year as a junior, when he was the runner up to Ballston Spa’s Darrien Insogna.
“Last year, Darrien was quick, strong and he really knew how to wrestle,” McKinley said. “Looking back on it, it was definitely his strength, and I felt like I wasn’t as strong as I should have been. I mean, he also came in second in the state too – he knew how to wrestle.”
While McKinley was the only Blue Streak to win a title on Saturday, he will be joined by four of his teammates at the state tournament in two weeks.
Gianni Delgado took home second place in the 170-pound division, dropping a 3-2 decision in the championship match to Columbia’s Matt Hoxie.
A trio of Blue Streaks swept their ‘true second’ matches, to round out the group of five headed to states.
Taylor Beaury (131) staved off Shenendehowa’s Greg Green with a 2-0 decision to return to MVP Arena, while Luke Stoutenburg (138) defeated Shenendehowa’s Conge Losee with a 3-1 decision.
Danny Dacey (145) held on for a 5-2 decision over Bethlehem’s Jackson Willi to clinch his trip to states.
“I feel bad they didn’t win because of the amount of work that they put in at practice,” McKinley said of his teammates, “but they all had really great seasons and are still going to go on to states.”
BH-BL, BALLSTON SPA CROWN CHAMPS
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake and Ballston Spa each crowned two champions, and will send three wrestlers apiece to states.
In the Division 1 101-pound championship, Burnt Hills’ Brody DiCaprio took down teammate Daniel Jones with an 11-2 major decision, clinching the title.
At 145-pounds, Liam Carlin cruised to his second straight title. He used pins in 38 seconds and 58 seconds to advance to the championship, where he drew a 17-2 technical fall over Danny Dacey.
Carlin was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler for the Division 1 tournament.
Ballston Spa’s William O’Connor completed a massive upset as the sixth seed in the 152-pound Division 1 bracket, upending top-seeded Abdo Baraeya (Guilderland) with a 3-1 decision in the championship match.
The Scotties also saw Ralph Keeney win his third straight title.
After winning at 102 pounds as a sophomore and 110 as a junior, Keeney won the 108-pound title this season. He used a first-period pin over CBA’s Luca Popolizio to clinch the title.
Cole Donnelly also came in second place in the 285-pound bracket for Ballston Spa, falling to Guilderland’s Billy Pokeda in the third period.
SCHENECTADY SENDS TWO TO STATES
Schenectady saw two of its wrestlers earn second place finishes in the Division 1 tournament.
At 116 pounds, Xavier Vargas earned 15-6 and 15-5 major decisions in his first two matches to advance to the championship, where he dropped a 16-6 major decision to Colonie’s Vincent Mastrianni.
In the 124-pound bracket, Monhonasen’s Nico Rivera topped Dominick Witko with a 18-6 major decision in the championship bout. Witko began his day with a first period pin, followed by a 7-6 decision in the semifinals.
Both Vargas and Witko will go on to compete at the state championships in two weeks at MVP Arena in Albany.
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RESULTS
DIVISION 1
101: Brody DiCaprio (BHBL) def. Daniel Jones (BHBL), MD 11-2. 108: Ralph Keeney (BSPA) def. Luca Popolizio (CBA), fall (1:48). 116: Vincent Mastrianni (Colo) def. Xavier Vargas (Schen), MD 16-6. 124: Nico Rivera (Mohon) def. Dominick Witko (Schen), MD 18-6. *131: Jacob Hanlon def. Taylor Beaury (Sar), SV-1 9-7. *138: David Ensminger (Shen) def. Conge Losee (Shen), MD 11-1. *145: Liam Carlin (BHBL) def. Danny Dacey (Sar), TF 17-2 (2:32). *152: William O`Connor (BSPA) def. Abdo Baraeya (Guild), Dec 3-1. 160: LJ Welcome def. Lucas Schell (QBY), Dec 5-3. 170: Matt Hoxie (Colu) def. Gianni Delgado (Sar), Dec 3-2. *190: Tanner Scaccia (Colu) def. Quincy Bonville (Beth), Dec 5-0. 215: Pat McKinley (Sar) def. Nick Whyte (Sha), SV-1 2-1. 285: Billy Pokeda (Guild) def. Cole Donnelly (BSPA), fall (4:15).
DIVISION 2
*101: Peter Filli (IC) def. Jonah Stevens (S-C), fall (1:11). 108: Luke LeBlanc (S-C) def. Cameron Carpenter (W/LG), Dec 4-3. *116: Kolt Wojtowecz (Gal) def. Colby Beers (Gre), fall (4:37). 124: Ashten Haley (C-R) def. Neil Murphy (C-A), fall (1:19). 131: Justin Mullis (HF) def. Scott Nicolella (D/S), Dec 7-2. *138: Trevor Bishop (Tam) def. Zachary Olden (W/LG), Dec 5-1. *145: Kieran Cullen (Gre) def. Ryker Cox (C-A), fall (1:59). 152: Jacob Schweigard (D/S) def. Jaxon Torres (Gra), Dec 4-0. *160: Joseph Davis (Gre) def. Kyber Henry (C-R), TB-1 3-2. *170: Joseph Martinez (C-A) def. Skyler Sturdevant (GF), SV-1 10-8. 190: Jesse Mullis (HF) def. Chad Monty (Whi), fall (2:19). *215: Ben Nania (M/S) def. Violence Sturdevant (GF), Dec 5-1. *285: Jakob Pregent (GF) def. Dalton Cooper (D/S), fall (2:14).
* — State qualifiers pending results of ‘true second’ matches
TRUE SECOND RESULTS
DIVISION 1
131: Beaury (Sar) def. Greg Green (Shen), Dec 2-0. 138: Luke Stoutenburg (Sar) def. C. Losee (Shen), Dec 3-1. 145: Dacey (Sar) def. Jackson Willi (Beth), Dec 5-2. 152: Joey Losee (Shen) def. Baraeya (Guild), Dec 7-6. 190: Paul Harley (Shak) def. Bonville (Beth), Dec 10-7.
DIVISION 2
101: Stevens (S/C) def. Kaden Chamberlin (GF), Dec 10-1. 116: Jayden Acomb (RCK) def. Beers (Gre), fall (5:07). 145: Cox (C-A) def. Daniel Stealey (D/S), MD 12-3. 160: Henry (C-R) def. Brayton Cary (S/C), MD 11-1. 170: S. Sturdevant (GF) def. Nick Moyer (RCK), Dec 11-5. 215: V. Sturdevant (GF) def. Brendan Woytowich (C-A), Med forfeit. 285: Cooper (D/S) def. Alex Vaughn (Tam), fall (2:30).
Finally! Mohonasen’s Nico Rivera dominated in Section 2 Boys’ Wrestling. Such an incredible achievement!
Finally! Mohonasen’s Nico Rivera dominating in Section 2 Boys’ Wrestling is a well deserved triumph.