Wrestling: Primer and predictions for the Westchester County Championships

The Westchester County wrestling championships will be held on Saturday at Yonkers High and should have major ramifications heading into next month's Section 1 Championships. 

To get you set for the tournament, I identified the favorites, contenders and sleepers in every weight class. And of course, I tried my hand at some predictions...

SEEDS: For every weight at the Westchester County Championships

RANKINGS: Where they stand after Eastern States

EASTERN STATES: New Ro's Jake Logan claims title

99

Favorite: Matthew Schreiber, Horace Greeley – The only returning All-Section performer at this weight and the only one to reach the podium at Eastern States last week, the junior is most definitely the guy to beat.

Contender: Robert Horan, Hackley – You could also put Fox Lane’s promising eighth-grader Jake Hoffman here, but Horan, a transfer who formerly wrestled for Ossining, is more of a wild card. The freshman has had success against Section 1 opponents this season, including a pin against fourth-seeded Matt Russo of Somers, and could shake up the bracket.

Sleeper: Justin Fortugno, Byram Hills – Justin, an eighth-grader, is seeded sixth right behind his brother John. He moved into the lohud wrestling rankings this week and is lined up with Horan in the quarterfinals, where he could be poised for an upset.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Matthew Schreiber (Horace Greeley) over No. 4 Matt Russo (Somers)
No. 2 Jake Hoffman (Fox Lane) over No. 3 Robert Horan (Ossining)

Final – Schreiber over Hoffman

106

Favorite: Ivan Garcia, Port Chester – After placing fourth at Eastern States and with a win over second-seeded Len Balducci of Pleasantville on Dec. 15, the sophomore is the front-runner.

Contender: Len Balducci, Pleasantville – It was only a one-point match (5-4) when the sophomore lost to Garcia, which will make the rematch one of the most interesting potential finals.

Sleeper: Joey Rodas, Mamaroneck – Although he’s currently ranked fourth in Section 1 at this weight, the sophomore somehow ended up with the No. 8 seed. That lines him up with Garcia in the quarters, which is a difficult draw, but Rodas will be a tough opponent.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Ivan Garcia (Port Chester) over No. 4 Nayshawn Marks (Pleasantville)
No. 2 Len Balducci (Pleasantville) over No. 6 Tommy Dell’Aera (Eastchester)

Final – Garcia over Balducci

113

Favorite: Tyler Joseph, Harrison – One of only two wrestlers currently ranked at this weight, the freshman has an excellent shot at his first county title.

Contender: Andrew Rosenfeld, Mamaroneck – Like his teammate Joey Rodas, the freshman appears to be under-seeded at No. 8. There’s an argument to be made that he’s the second-best wrestler at this weight, currently ranked fourth in the section with some quality wins. That should make for a must-see quarterfinal match between Rosenfeld and Joseph.

Sleeper: Jon Keltz, Scarsdale – One of only a few seniors at this weight, Keltz’s No. 11 seed is deceiving. To put it into perspective, he beat second-seeded Mike Balducci of Pleasantville with a technical fall earlier this season.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Tyler Joseph (Harrison) over No. 4 Dean Patierno (Yorktown)
No. 11 Jon Keltz (Scarsdale) over No. 7 Mitchell Antin (Fox Lane)

Final – Joseph over Keltz

120

Favorite: Chris Cook, John Jay-Cross River – There really is no obvious favorite at this weight, but with Cook the No. 1 seed and ranked highest of the bunch, the sophomore gets the slight edge.

Contender: Amos Rivera and Matias Rivera, Fox Lane – There’s no relation between the two teammates with the same last name, but they do have similar resumes. They’ve both come on strong this season, with Amos earning the No. 2 seed and Matias landing at No. 3.

Sleeper: Aidan Canfield, Pleasantville – The transfer from Ardsley was nursing a knee injury early in the season, but he’s upped his game lately and seems to be fully healthy again. As the No. 7 seed, the sophomore could make some waves.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Chris Cook (John Jay-CR) over No. 4 Ryan Ocasio (Lakeland/Panas)
No. 3 Matias Rivera (Fox Lane) over No. 2 Amos Rivera (Fox Lane)

Final – Cook over M. Rivera

126

Favorite: Victor Perlleshi, Pleasantville – The only Section 1 wrestler to place at this weight at Eastern States and a defending county champ, the junior may represent the best chance for a Division II wrestler to bring home the gold.

Contender: Najashi Sharpe, Mount Vernon – The most accomplished wrestler for the Knights, the senior is a matchup problem for anyone due to his strength and athleticism. As the No. 2 seed, he’s lined up to meet Perlleshi in the finals.

Sleeper: Tristan Walden, White Plains – There’s a bit of a drop-off after the top two at this weight, but the No. 13 seed is a threat to sneak up on any opponent who takes him lightly.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Victor Perlleshi (Pleasantville) over No. 5 Kobe Simpson (New Rochelle)
No. 2 Najashi Sharpe (Mount Vernon) over No. 3 Cris D’Amelio (Irvington)

Final – Perlleshi over Sharpe

132

Favorite: Matt Kramer, John Jay-Cross River – The senior took a tough loss to Beacon’s Paul Cohn last week, which knocked him out of the No. 1 ranking, but he won’t have to worry about Cohn here. Kramer is the top seed and undisputed favorite.

Contender: Dezhaun Morgan, Mount Vernon – You could argue that second-seeded Peter Tarulli of Irvington belongs here, but Morgan is a senior who has been a bit more consistent this season. He could be a tough matchup for Kramer.

Sleeper: Chris Sasso, Horace Greeley – The No. 7 seed hasn’t wrestled in a couple weeks, but he’s capable of doing some damage. He could get a crack at Tarulli in the quarters.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Matt Kramer (John Jay-CR) over No. 4 Adrian McPherson (New Rochelle)
No. 3 Dezhaun Morgan (Mount Vernon) over No. 2 Peter Tarulli (Irvington)

Final – Kramer over Morgan

138

Favorite: Colin Realbuto, Iona Prep – Even though he’s seeded second, the consensus is that the Gaels’ all-time wins leader is the guy to beat. The Brown-bound senior was undefeated prior to Eastern States and will look to earn his first county title.

Contender: Seth Schulman, Scarsdale – The senior is the highest-ranked Section 1 wrestler in this bracket and probably belongs higher than the No. 3 seed. He’s yet to wrestle Realbuto this season, but that meeting in the semifinals could decide the title.

Sleeper: Cameron Burrell, New Rochelle – This is one of the deeper weight classes in the county, and as a result, a quality wrestler like Burrell ends up seeded No. 10. The sophomore has wins over two wrestlers seeded ahead of him, including a 12-10 decision against top-seeded Zachery Bonner of Ossining.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 9 Frank Celli (Somers) over No. 4 Ben Antin (Fox Lane)
No. 2 Colin Realbuto (Iona Prep) over No. 3 Seth Schulman (Scarsdale)

Final – Realbuto over Celli

145

Favorite: Matt Grippi, Fox Lane – He’s the most accomplished wrestler in the county and should win his fourth title.

Contender: Crew Fullerton, Mamaroneck – Had Grippi remained at 152, the senior would have been the favorite here. Now this has become arguably the toughest weight in the tournament, and the path won’t be easy for the 2017 section finalist.

Sleeper: Isaac Frank, John Jay-Cross River – Each of the top eight seeds is capable of a run, but Frank represents one of the biggest threats further down the bracket. As the No. 12 seed, he’ll be lined up with fifth-seeded Farouk Capalbo of Ossining in the first round.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Matt Grippi (Fox Lane) over No. 4 Pat Patierno (Yorktown)
No. 2 Crew Fullerton (Mamaroneck) over No. 3 Fredy Guevara (Yonkers)

Final – Grippi over Fullerton

152

Favorite: Connor Thomas, Yorktown – With Grippi down at 145, this distinction falls to the Huskers’ senior, a two-time All-Section senior who is coming off a seventh place finish at Eastern States.

Contender: Quincy Downes, Fox Lane – Following a solid showing at Eastern States, and with his teammate clearing the way for him, the sophomore is a serious threat as the No. 3 seed. He’s got significant upside and could breakout this postseason.

Sleeper: Lizandro Espinoza, Port Chester – Realistically, it would be difficult to pick anyone outside of the top five, so let’s have some fun and go way down in the bracket. The No. 14 seed hung tough through some early losses and has had success against others in this weight.  

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Connor Thomas (Yorktown) over No. 5 Mike McGowan (Mamaroneck)
No. 3 Quincy Downes (Fox Lane) over No. 2 Joshua Manning (Ossining)

Final – Thomas over Downes

160

Favorite: Aaron Wolk, Horace Greeley – Right now, the talented junior is simply on another level. He just announced his presence to the state by taking third at Eastern States.

Contender: Trent Wechsler, Mamaroneck – Even though he’s the fifth seed, the Binghamton-bound senior would probably give Wolk the best match. Wechsler has quietly put together his best season and risen to No. 3 in the lohud rankings.

Sleeper: Gavin Fiacco, John Jay-Cross River – Outside of the obvious names for the defending county champs, the No. 9 seed has been one of the tougher wrestlers in the Indians’ lineup. He should hold his own.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Aaron Wolk (Horace Greeley) over No. 5 Trent Wechsler (Mamaroneck)
No. 2 Jake Witz (Fox Lane) over No. 3 Nolan Egan (Pleasantville)

Final – Wolk over Witz

170

Favorite: Steven Bilali, Eastchester – If Edgemont’s Nick Meglino were competing, it would be a toss-up for this spot. But with the Panthers opting not to join the tournament, Bilali is left as the top seed and guy to beat.

Contender: Antonio Vieira, Somers – Known more so as an All-State linebacker for the Tuskers’ football team, the senior has been making a name for himself on the mat this winter. The No. 2 seed is having an excellent season and has a chance for a big day on Saturday.

Sleeper: Sebastian Garibaldi, White Plains – There isn’t a ton of depth in this weight class, but the top six are all solid. The Tigers’ freshman, who is seeded No. 6, has a bright future which he could expedite this weekend.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Steven Bilali (Eastchester) over No. 5 Alex Behar (Byram Hills)
No. 2 Antonio Vieira (Somers) over No. 3 Nathan Park (Croton-Harmon)

Final – Bilali over Vieira

182

Favorite: Jake Logan, New Rochelle – It’ll be worth waiting around for this championship bout. The undefeated junior edged Horace Greeley’s Jacob Ferreira for the Eastern States title to establish himself as the favorite for a state title in February. Buckle up for round two. 

Contender: Jacob Ferreira, Horace Greeley – After coming up one point short against Logan in the Eastern States final, the Bucknell-bound senior will get a quick chance at revenge. It should be the second of at least three meetings this season, which is a really cool prospect for wrestling fans.

Sleeper: Jaden Kammer, Pleasantville – It’s hard to see anyone keeping it close with Logan or Ferreira. But as far as the rest of the competitors go, Kammer is in a nice spot at No. 12. He upset third-seeded Eoghan Murphy of Hastings on Wednesday and should be riding some momentum.   

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Jake Logan (New Rochelle) over No. 12 Jaden Kammer (Pleasantville)
No. 2 Jacob Ferreira (Horace Greeley) over No. 6 Zach Finn (Harrison)

Final – Logan over Ferreira

195

Favorite: Johnny Santos, Fox Lane – A seventh-place finisher at Eastern States and the only wrestler at this weight who made All-Section last season, there’s no doubt about Santos’ status as the front-runner.

Contender: Matt Kelly, Somers – The second-seeded sophomore burst onto the scene this season and should be a contender for years to come. He already beat No. 3 Matt Steigmeier of Yorktown head-to-head and could get his first look at Santos this weekend.

Sleeper: Andrew Bartholet, Iona Prep – The senior has had some favorable results against Section 1 opponents this season and represents an unknown for those he hasn’t wrestled. He could make some noise from the No. 10 spot.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Johnny Santos (Fox Lane) over No. 5 Izaiah Steen (Ossining)
No. 2 Matt Kelly (Somers) over No. 3 Matt Steigmeier (Yorktown)

Final – Santos over Kelly

220

Favorite: Halil Gecaj, John Jay-Cross River – Much like Santos at 195, there’s no hesitation about naming Gecaj the favorite. He’s coming off of a trip to the Eastern States final and the defending champ at the weight.

Contender: Aidan Lilly, New Rochelle – If the second-seeded senior makes it to the final, we could see what amounts to a section title preview. Lilly earned some respect by placing eighth at Eastern States.

Sleeper: Richard Antoine, Rye Country Day – It’s hard to label the No. 3 seed as a sleeper, but many Section 1 fans don’t know much about Antoine. Don’t be shocked if he makes an appearance in the finals.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Halil Gecaj (John Jay-CR) over No. 4 Sean Freebern (Somers)
No. 2 Aidan Lilly (New Rochelle) over No. 3 Richard Antoine (Rye Country Day)

Final – Gecaj over Lilly

285

Favorite: Diego Orellana, Ossining – With Orellana previously pinning both No. 2 Tyler Rodriguez of Yorktown and No. 4 Jimaar Edwards of Iona Prep, there’s no disputing his place as the top seed.

Contender: Josh McMillan, Horace Greeley – Orellana has established himself with decisive wins, McMillan represents the big unknown. He’s wrestled most of the season at 220, but will bump up and take his shot at the crown in a weight class which is considerably more winnable.

Sleeper: George Lebberes, Ardsley/Dobbs Ferry – A bright spot for the Panthers this season has been Lebberes, who captured the title at the Joe Radomski Tournament last week. He’s seeded sixth and in position to surprise.

Vin's prediction

Semis
No. 1 Diego Orellana (Ossining) over No. 4 Jimaar Edwards (Iona Prep)
No. 6 George Lebberes (Ardsley) over No. 2 Tyler Rodriguez (Yorktown)

Final – Orellana over Lebberes  

Twitter: @vzmercogliano