Wrestling: Minisink takes second at state dual meet
Minisink Valley returned from the state dual wrestling championships in an unusual position: second place.
The two-time defending champion Warriors rolled off two pool-round victories and an impressive win in the semifinals before bowing to Section 6’s Starpoint, 35-27, in the Division I final held Saturday in Syracuse.
Minisink overwhelmed Starpoint in the 2022 semifinal round.
“We beat some really good kids and I thought our semifinal was the best match,’’ said Minisink coach Kevin Gallagher. “Our matchup with Starpoint in the finals … it wasn’t the greatest matchup for us – they’re very good and I knew we had to be 100 percent on, and I don’t know if we wrestled our best match but it wasn’t from a lack of effort.’’
One piece of very good news for Minisink is the return of All-American and state champion Zack Ryder, from a preseason elbow injury. Ryder posted three first-period pins (32, 51 and 51 seconds) in his 2023 scholastic debut at 189 pounds.
“It just meant a lot to come back and have that fan base around,’’ Ryder said.
Ryder said the loss to Starpoint should serve as “a wake-up call.’’
“We’ve got to just keep training hard and come back even better at the individual state tournament,’’ he said.
Gallagher was also praiseworthy of his season’s top performers: Ethan Gallo (senior, 215), Andrew Filip (senior, 172), Luke Greiner (junior, 145) and Anthony Tresch (sophomore, 132). Filip had three first-period pins and a decision win, as did Gallo. Greiner had two first-period wins and two by decision. Tresch had two decision wins, a 39-second pin and a win by injury default.
“Those four really wrestled well all weekend,’’ Gallagher said. “Those guys we can count on to go out there and really get things going and get things done.’’
Minisink Valley is the six-time defending Section 9 Duals champion, and seven overall. In the early rounds, the Warriors beat Section 1’s Fox Lane, 68-4, and Section 6’s Niagara-Wheatfield, 42-13, and beat Section 11’s East Islip, 45-13, in the semifinals.
Division II champion Saugerties was bounced with two pool losses. The Sawyers lost to Section 8’s Seaford, 36-28, and Section 10’s Gouverneur, 45-27.
Minisink girl earns gold
Minisink did come home with one champion, though. Eighth-grader Sara Pauls won the 107-pound weight class in the state girls wrestling invitational, which coincided with the boys event. Pauls beat Mora Peterson of Islip, 1-0, in the final, avenging a loss to her at the recent Eastern States Classic.
Also in the girls event, Brooke Tarshis of Pine Bush took silver at 120 pounds; there were fourth-place finishes by Minisink’s Keira Filip (114) and Jaida Macaluso (126) and Liberty’s Zoe Kip (152); and, Saugerties’ Savannah Tittelback (114) was sixth.
Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR