Long Island Wrestling Association

Championship Finals
  96 - Brian Neuner-2 (St. Anthony's) dec. Andrew Sampson-1 (Chaminade), 7-3
103 - James Gasiorek-3 (Mount St. Michael) dec. Steve Mullady-2 (Msgr. Farrell),6-4
112 - Rory Davidson-3 (Mount St. Michael) dec. Reuben Seguritan-4 (Chaminade), 4-2 OT
119 - John Paul Igoe-3 (Chaminade) dec. Josh Marcigliano-4 (Msgr. Farrell), 5-3
125 - Joe Karcher-4 (St. Anthony's) dec. Derek Garcia-4 (Mount St. Michael), 4-3
130 - Russ Loesch-4 (Chaminade) pinned Jose Osorio-3 (St. Anthony's), 1:05
135 - Lou Dionisio-2 (Holy Trinity) dec. Jordan Young-4 (St. Anthony's), 12-2
140 - Cliff Serie-4 (Chaminade) pinned Bill Mariani-4 (St. Francis), 3:33
145 - Evan Howard-2 (St. Anthony's) Mdec. Nick Papandrew-4 (Holy Cross), 15-4
152 - Mike Fiorvanti-3 (St. Anthony's) dec. Dom Barbieri-4 (St. John's), 9-3
160 - Chris Murray-4 (St. Anthony's) dec. Kevin McGill-4 (Fordham Prep.), 3-2
171 - Nick Macchio-4 (Chaminade) pinned Randy Benes-4 (St. Francis), 3:23
189 - Phil Murawski-3 (Chaminade) pinned Matt Stern-4 (St. Anthony's), 4:25
215 - Matt Forrest-3 (St. John's) pinned Jim Weineut-4 (Xavier), 1:50
275 - Ralph Danise-4 (Chaminade) dec. Joe Minucci-3 (St. Anthony's), 3-2 2nd OT

Fastest Pin - John Higgins (Chaminade), :10
Most Falls / Least Time - Matt Forrest (St. John Baptist), 3-3:39
Most Outstanding Wrestler - Rory Davidson (Mount St. Michael)

Consolations 3rd/4th
   96 - Greg Hayes-1 (Chaminade) dec. Phil Squatrito-2 (Msgr. Farrell), 13-10
103 - Chris Raab-1 (St. Anthony's) dec. Erwin Samson-4 (Kellenberg), 14-10
112 - Mike Dantuono-4 (Chaminade) dec. Bob Zarrilli-4 (Msgr. Farrell), 3-0
119 - Ted Neos-3 (Holy Cross) dec. Pat Tona-4 (St. Joe's Collegiate), 7-1
125 - Anthony Sollicito-3 (Kellenberg) dec. Nibil Vinas-4 (Fordham Prep.), 5-3
130 - Ken Franchi-4 (Fordham Prep.) pinned Ben Kucharski-3 (St. Francis), 6:31 OT
135 - Issan Rodriguez-4 (Fordham Prep.) dec. Scott D'Arco-4 (Msgr. Farrell), 4-0
140 - Mike Eckert-4 (St. Anthony's) dec. Alex Hug-2 (Fordham Prep.), 6-4
145 - Dan Thrush-3 (Canisius) dec. Peter McNelis-4 (Xaverian), 9-3
152 - Vin Calderon-4 (Kellenberg) dec. John Soden-4 (Fordham Prep.), 7-5
160 - Doug Hundt-4 (Fordham Prep.) pinned Mike Edmonds-4 (St. Anthony's), 2:43
171 - Lou Villani-4 (Salesian) dec. Brian Carroll (Chaminade), 7-2
189 - Ryan Warme-3 (St. Joe's Collegiate) dec. Lester Sconiers-3 (St. Francis), 4-2
215 - John Higgins-3 (Chaminade) pinned Mike Dlugos-4 (St. Joe's Collegiate), 2:59
275 - Ryan Brandle-4 (Chaminade) dec. Damien Earthman-2 (Mount St. Michael), 9-4

Consolations 5th/6th
   96 - Chris Curto-1 (Msgr. Farrell) Mdec. Donnell Sledge-2 (Mount St. Michael), 9-0.
103 - Dan Szegda-2 (Xavier) dec. Rob Hogan-2 (Kellenberg), 7-6.
112 - Brandon Booker-1 (St. Francis) dec. Lou DiStefano-4 (Msgr. Farrell), 4-0.
119 - Mark Fintzel-4 (St. Francis) dec. Stephen Beovich-2 (Chaminade), 3-1 2OT.
125 - Fred Cruz-3 (St. John's) dec. Tom Caruso-3 (St. Joe's by the Sea), 5-2.
130 - Nick Lamarca-4 (Canisius) pinned James Waldron-2 (Salesian), 0:30.
135 - Tim Gallagher-3 (Kellenberg) dec. Mike Bonapartis-3 (Salesian), 4-2.
140 - Ken McGrail-4 (St. Peter's) pinned Rodney Mims-1 (Mount St. Michael), 2:34.
145 - Adam Shea-3 (Fordham Prep) dec. Justin Parry-3 (St. Joe's Collegiate), 8-4.
152 - Desmond Rhoomes-3 (Holy Cross) pinned Bernie Daley-4 (St. Francis), 1:31.
160 - Paul McGuire-3 (St. Francis) pinned Matt DeSio-4 (St. Peter's), 4:00.
171 - Dennis James-4 (St. Anthony's) dec. John Rysiejko-3 (Xavier), 5-1.
189 - Damen Monteleone-4 (Xaverian) pinned Paul Inserra-3 (Fordham Prep.), 1:51.
215 - Brian Greary-3 (Kellenberg) dec. Vance Rivera-1 (Holy Cross), 3-2.
275 - Mike Maruci-4 (Xavier) pinned Mike Ventorino-3 (Fordham Prep.), 0:39.

The following are returning qualifiers from '98 and last years weight

Rory Davidson (96)	-
Cliff Serie (135)	-
Nick Macchio (171)	-

At 119 John Paul Igoe knocks off last years 103lb champ

Chaminade Three-Peats

By Jason Molinet. STAFF WRITER

The gap was closed at yesterday's CHSAA state wrestling championships. Chaminade has dominated this meet in recent years, winning five of the last six titles. That did not change last night before 1,000 fans at St. Anthony's.

But by placing nine wrestlers in the finals - more than any other program - the host Friars sent an unmistakable message to Chaminade and the rest of the CHSAA: St. Anthony's, under third-year coach Billy Maisel, will be a force in the coming years.

"We thought we had enough talent to win," Maisel said. "What happened was just numbers. We were outnumbered. The last two years I've been here we've had only one state champ - Matt Roy. This year we had five. I'll take that as some accomplishment. There's always next year."

Chaminade held off the Friars' assault to win the team title for the third straight year, 315-269. But that is a far cry from last year's 90-point victory.

The Flyers did it in typical fashion - sending eight wrestlers into the finals. Six emerged as champions. But where Chaminade coach George Dlugolonski thinks his team pulled away from the field was in the wrestlebacks. Four more Flyers refused to give up and finished third.

"It's about believing in the kids," Dlugolonski said. "They have really responded in the right occasions. We didn't wrestle to what we were capable of [Friday]. But they have pride. They came back and wrestled some tough matches."

The champions in each weight class advance to the state public schools championships March 6-7 in Syracuse.

Senior Nick Macchio earned his third straight trip to Syracuse, becoming just the third Chaminade wrestler to capture three CHSAA state titles. And he did it with pure power. Ahead 7-0 in the 171-pound final, Macchio pinned Randy Benes of St. Francis (Buffalo) 1:22 into the second period.

"I love this team," Macchio said. "I think it's changed me. The guys on this team, we're like brothers. I'm going to miss this."

Senior Reuben Seguritan, a two-time state CHSAA champion and finalist for the fourth straight year, had his high-school career come to a heartbreaking finish. Seguritan took a quick 2-0 lead in the first period of the 112-pound division final against junior Rory Davidson of Mount St. Michael (Bronx). Davidson battled back one point at a time and sent the bout into overtime. That's when Davidson - the defending champion at 96 pounds and the eventual pick as the meet's most outstanding wrestler - shot behind Seguritan for two decisive points and the title, 4-2. It was the second straight year Seguritan had lost in sudden death.

"In overtime, it was kind of like a flashback. The same thing happened to me last year. I lost on a defensive move twice now," said Seguritan, who had to beat senior Lou DeStefano of Farrell (S.I.) in Friday's quarterfinals. DeStefano was no easy mark. He was a finalist at 96 a year ago.

The Friars saw hopes for a title diminish with back-to-back setbacks when Chaminade's Russ Loesch pinned Jose Osorio 1:05 into the first period at 130 and Holy Trinity's Lou Dionisio III beat Jordan Young, 12-2, at 135.

Just a sophomore, Dionisio was denied a chance at the finals a year ago when he landed on his neck in the semis, tearing ligaments in his neck that left him incapacitated for three months. He was forced to withdraw even though he held the lead and his day ended with a trip to the hospital. He finished sixth.

This was payback. "I was on a mission," said Dionisio, whose dad, Lou Jr., was a two-time Nassau champion at Baldwin (1975-76). "The way my coach and I were working the last couple of weeks, I knew I could win."

Payback also came in the form of Evan Howard. The St. Anthony's sophomore upset defending champion Tim Cestaro of Chaminade in the league final last week and went on to capture the state title at 145. Howard beat Nick Papandrew of Holy Cross (Queens) in the final, 14-5.

And like much of his team, Howard will be back.