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Southampton Press
January 2, 2003
Canes, Sharks Each Win Their 1st Dual Meets of Season
By Kerry Monaco
The Eastport/South Manor and Westhampton Beach wrestling teams notched victories
in their first dual meets of the season, both against teams in League II.
The League VI Sharks easily beat Newfield, 52-21, on December 18 at home and the League IV Hurricanes topped Connetquot,
36-26, on the road on December 21.
The Hurricanes impressed at the Half Hollow Hills East Tournament on December 27 and 28 as the squad had 14 place-winners.
Seven members of the Eastport/South Manor team placed at the Ward Melville Tournament on Saturday.
Eastport/South Manor
The Sharks struggled in the first two bouts against Newfield (0-1) losing at 103 and 112 pounds but then won nine
of the next 10s, including eight pins, to roll to an easy 52-21 win.
Senior Paul Montpetit put the Sharks on the board when he pinned Eric Matson in 2:50. The squad took the lead with
two quick pins at 125 and 130 pounds, when Chris Saul (125) pinned Mike Lang in 41 seconds and Bill Creed pinned
Steve Lac in 57 seconds for an 18-9 Eastport/South Manor lead.
Newfield took back a narrow 21-18 lead when John Klinger (135) won a technical fall decision over Andy Flapproth
and the Sharks forfeited at 140 pounds.
But then the Sharks came storming back, winning the remainder of the bouts.
Tom Englehardt (145) won a 16-8 decision over Nick Petite to return the lead to the Sharks. Sean Meade (152), Alex
Wruck (160), James Napoli (171), Rob Manion (189) and Scott Bukowski (215) all pinned their opponents to boost
the Sharks to the win.
At the Ward Melville Tournament, the Sharks had two finalists out of seven place-winners and finished seventh as
a team.
Alex Rojas, who was wrestling in his first varsity tournament, took second place at 96 pounds, losing to Ward Melville’s
Jon Hoppey in the finals.
Saul was the squad’s other finalist, losing to Ward Melville’s Mike Trinkle in the finals. According to Eastport/South
Manor coach Bob MacIntrye, Trinkle could be a place-winner at the county tournament this year.
Bob Erdman took third at 96 pounds while Kenny Cassara placed fifth. Chris Amato took third at 112 pounds.
“Chris looked outstanding,” MacIntyre said. “He lost his first bout but then won four straight to take third.”
Montpetit placed fourth at 119 and Tom Mazza took fourth at 145 to round out the Sharks place-winners.
“The first round was tough but they all did well in the wrestle backs,” MacIntyre said. “It was a good day.”
The Sharks will travel to Mattituck on Saturday for a tournament to benefit the fight against cystic fibrosis.
Eastport/South Manor opens the league season at home on Wednesday against Hampton Bays.
Westhampton Beach
The stomach flu has been running rampant through the Westhampton Beach squad but head coach Paul Bass feels that
his team successfully battled through the illnesses.
“I’m very happy with the way the guys wrestled,” Bass said. “We’ve been going through a lot of sickness the past
couple of weeks and we’ve overcome a lot of adversity.”
In the 36-26 win over Connetquot, five of the seven bouts the Hurricanes won were pins. Rob Fredette (130), Joe
Guiffre (135), Travis Chornoma (160), Frank Schlegel (189) and John Krupp (215) all pinned their opponents.
Bob Pisaneschi defeated Michael Rojas, 10-5, and Jim Christy earned an 11-5 decision over Tom Griffo to round out
the Hurricane winners.
“Connetquot is a very good team,” Bass said. “They will be right in the thick of it in their league this season.”
The Hurricanes had 14 place-winners at the Half Hollow Hills East Tournament and finished in fourth place as a
team. Brett Klug, Chornoma, Todd Fitzgerald and Jason Herrick all finished in second place.
Klug lost to Smithtown’s Greg Gilroy, 4-0, in the 152-pound finals, Chornoma was pinned in 1:27 by West Babylon’s
Mike Belcher in the 160-pound finals and Herrick was pinned in 3:38 by West Babylon’s Carl Blanchard in the 275-pound
final. Fitzgerald was forced to forfeit in the finals at 119 pounds due to the flu.
The squad also had four third-place finishers—Fredette (130), Tom Sheppard (152), Frank Schlegel (189) and Krupp
(215).
Kyle Pisaneschi (103), Guiffre (135) and Christy (171) finished in fourth place, Kyle Berglin (140) took fifth
and Charlie Pendlebury (215) and Jeff Karl (152) both placed sixth.
The Hurricanes will host a dual meet tournament on Saturday and will open the League IV season at home on Wednesday
against Half Hollow Hills West.
The Press 01/02/03
Copyright The Southampton Press
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