Jamison Tops State Champ as Blue Devils Finish 2nd
Blue Devil mat star Corey Jamison turned in a career performance at the 55th annual Windsor wrestling tournament, capturing the 113 lb. weight class crown, upending a state champion and winning the Jim Howard Most Outstanding Wrestler Award in the process. Huntington High School finished second in the 22-team competition.
"We didn't bring our full team, but the wrestlers we did bring did a great job," said Travis Smith, Huntington's assistant coach. "Windsor is always a tough tournament, so it was really nice to get two champs and three guys in the finals."
Huntington's 117 points trailed only first place Colonie (137 pts.) in the team standings. The competition drew squads from throughout the Southern Tier-Binghamton, as well as from the Rochester and Albany areas.
Jamison topped Jake Green of Chenango Forks in the finals, 4-2 to cap a splendid two days of wrestling. The Huntington teenager upset defending New York State Division II champion and National High School Coaches Assn. freshman national runner-up William Kohl of Lansing in the semi-finals, 3-0.
Huntington's Antony Puca won the 285 lb. weight class crown, pinning Colonie's Austin Dicerbo 33 seconds into the second period. Puca rolled into the finals after pinning his semi-final round foe in 3:57.
In other action, Greene's Kyle Stanton nipped Blue Devil Nick Lupi, 3-2 in overtime in the 220 lb. final. Lupi advanced to the finals by outlasting Marathon's Dillon Hurlbert in the semi-finals, 5-2.
John Arceri placed fourth at 99 lbs. for Huntington, dropping an 8-1 decision to Dylan Wood of Walton in the consolation finals. Brendan Mendez (126 lbs.) also placed fourth for the Blue Devils, losing to Dale Maynard of Towanda in the consolation finals in sudden victory overtime, 4-2. Huntington's Kevin Mendez finished fourth after being edged by Norwich's Frank Garcia in the consolation finals, 1-0.
"Right now everyone needs to keep working hard and the winning will take care of itself," Smith said.
Final team scores: 1. Colonie-137 points; 2. Huntington-117; 3. Greene-113.5; 4. Norwich-111; 5. Towanda-110.5; 6.Union-Endicott-108; 7. Lansing-104.5; 8. Chenango Forks-94.5; 9. Unatego-92.5; 10. Waverly-74; 11. Windsor-70.5; 12. Saratoga Springs-67.5; 13. Chittenango-65.5; 14. Homer-59; 15. Marathon-59; 16. Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton-53.5; 17. Ithaca-52; 18. Walton-49; 19. Maine-Endwell-43; 20. Corning-41.5; 21. Canandaigua-38; 22. Susquehanna Valley-24.