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Varsity Wrestling Tournament and State Tournament Qualifier

@ Webster Schroeder Junior High School

Friday & Saturday, February 28-29, 1992
 

1992 Section V Super Sectionals Champions FRONT ROW: John Gemmel (Hornell), Darrell Travers (Waterloo), Joe Barbera (Spencerport), Alex Croog (Brighton), Mike Kohl (Fairport). MIDDLE ROW: Kevin Bulling (East Rochester), Rusty Grant (Brighton), Wade Marriott (Kendall), Matt Logan (Fairport). BACK ROW: Matt Leach (Brockport), Sirrell Gissendanner (Spencerport), Dave Dennie (Pal-Mac), Casey Lamb (Victor), Jack Fisher (Newark).

Championship Final

(Winners advance to state tournament.)

 91 - John Gemmel (Hornell, 31-4) d. Rodney Frey (East Rochester), 4-3

 98 - Darrell Travers (Waterloo, 24-7) d. Bob D'Arduni (Pal-Mac), 4-0

105 - Joe Barbera (Spencerport, 38-1) d. Dan Nier (Athena), 8-7

112 - Alex Croog (Brighton, 27-0) d. Todd Allen (Canandaigua), 20-7

119 - Mike Kohl (Fairport, 25-1) d. Mark Voci (McQuaid), 3-2

126 - Kevin Bulling (East Rochester, 31-5) d. Joe Rothenburger (Spencerport), 9-7

132 - Rusty Grant (Brighton, 37-0) d. Ron Sanger (Athena), 3-2

138 - Wade Marriott (Kendall, 36-0) d. Vince Acciaio (Irondequoit), 9-2

145 - Matt Logan (Fairport, 27-1-1) d. William Trigg (Edison), 4-2

155 - Matt Leach (Brockport, 31-3) d. Chris Van Gorden (Pal-Mac), 4-2

167 - Sirrell Gissendanner (Spencerport, 36-2-1) d. Eric Strafel (Brockport), 9-2

177 - Dave Dennie (Pal-Mac, 31-1-1) d. Dan Yonts (Penn Yan), 15-3

215 - Casey Lamb (Victor, 34-0) d. John Fingler (Fairport), 11-4

250 - Jack Fisher (Newark, 33-1) d. Anthony Dellafave (Arcadia), 7-2

John Ordway Memorial Outstanding Wrestler Award - Joe Barbera (Spencerport)
 

3 wrestlers earn 2nd trip to state finals in Syracuse

Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY
Sunday, March 1, 1992

Full Text: Copyright © 1992 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Company Inc.
 

When wrestling fans recall Super Sectional tournaments, the 1992 state qualifier will rank as one of the most competitive in Section 5.

"The competition (last night) shows our talent," said Section 5 wrestling chairman Don DeBadts. "The people who won here tonight deserve to represent our section. The matches were some of the best I've ever seen for this tournament."

DeBadt's statement has merit. Three wrestlers will make return trips to this weekend's state tournament in Syracuse.

But one wrestler who made the trip last season will not be among the four. Dan Nier, 105 pounds, faced Spencerport's Joe Barbera for the second weekend in a row. Trailing, 6-2, Barbera rallied and scored a takedown with less than 10 seconds remaining to defeat Nier, 8-7, and gain his first trip to Syracuse.

Barbera was named the tournament's outstanding wrestler, receiving the John Ordway Trophy.

"When I came into the match, I thought I would be winning by at least four points," said Barbera, who extended his season record to 38-1. "When I was down, I knew I had to keep pressure on just like last week."

Barbera is confident that he could win the state title at 105.

"I'm going to Syracuse to win," he said. "If I don't, I'd be very disappointed."

"Joe's ability to keep his focus was the key," said Spencerport Coach Bill Jacoutot. "Dan Nier is a quality kid and to come back like he did was outstanding. We had a lot of respect for Nier coming into the match."

The match between Nier and Barbera was one of two hotly contested matches in the lower weights. At 119 pounds, McQuaid's Mark Voci and Fairport's Mike Kohl met for the third time this season.

After trailing, 2-1, Kohl, needing a last-second move, hit a lateral drop on Voci with four seconds left and pulled out a 3-2 victory.

"I didn't have much time," said Kohl, whose record is 25-1. "I just went with reaction."

"We figured it was going to be a war," said his Coach Pete Logan. "Mike has the heart of a lion. He never gives up and always finds a way to win."

Among the other highlights ...

Brighton will send two unbeaten wrestlers to Syracuse. Alex Croog, who finished second at 105 pounds last season, defeated Tim Allen of Canandaigua, 20-7. Rusty Grant (132) will bring a 37-0 record into the states after defeating Greece Athena's Ron Sanger, 3-2.

Spencerport's Sirrell Gissendanner at 167 pounds and heavyweight Casey Lamb of Victor will also be returning to Syracuse. Gissendanner completed his run through the field by beating Eric Strafel of Brockport, 9-2, to go 36-2-1. Lamb is one of four Finger Lakes wrestlers to qualify. The others were Darrell Travers of Waterloo (98), Dave Dennie of Palmyra-Macedon (177) and Jack Fisher of Newark (250).

Brockport 155-pounder Matt Leach defeated highly-touted Chris Van Gordon of Plamyra-Macedon, 4-2, to move his record to 31-3.

Hornell sophomore John Gemmel and Kendall's Wade Marriott (138) will be making their first appearances in the state tournament. Gemmel defeated sectional champions in three classes, capping it off with a 4-3 victory over East Rochester's Rodney Frey. Marriott, whose record stands at 36-0, scored a 9-2 decision over Vince Acciaio of Irondequoit.

It's rare that anyone who isn't favored to win a Section 5 title runs through the field, but Gemmel proved that theory wrong.

Gemmel finished fourth in the Class B tournament last weekend, but upset three champions to earn a spot in Syracuse.

Gemmel's victory makes the first time in 14 years that a Hornell wrestler will advance to states. gemmel continued his run by defeating Class D champion Brian Schaal (Alexander) in the first round on Friday.

Yesterday he started with a with over Chad Costanza of Greece Athena, 6-2. In the semifinals he knocked off Class B champion Jason McLaughlin of Palmyra-Macedon, 4-2.

In the finals, Gemmel and East Rochester's Rodney Frey were scoreless before Frey scored the first point on a reversal to take a 2-0 lead. Gemmel followed with his own reversal to tie the score. After Gemmel initially let Frey up from the bottom position Gemmel scored the go-ahead point, a two-point takedown with :21 remaining to seal the victory.

"I never expected John to win after last week," said Hornell Coach Matt Sheldon. "His confidence went down."

"It was important for him to come this year (to the Super Sectionals) to get experience for next season."

"I wasn't favored to win so I had nothing to lose," said Gemmel, who sports a 31-4 record. "I'm amazed. I just wanted to go and do well. I felt I could beat anyone after beating Brian Schaal (on Friday)."