New York All-Star Team to return to the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic on Friday, March 15, 2019 SOURCE: www.nwcaonline.com November 24, 2018
Pittsburgh, PA - A New York All-Star Team is returning to Pittsburgh to compete in the 45th Annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic on Friday, March 15, 2019, at the University of Pittsburgh Fitzgerald Field House. The Wrestling Classic - known as "The Rose Bowl of Wrestling" - is the most prestigious high school all-star wrestling meet in the United States because it attracts the best high school seniors in the country. The preliminary meet pits the best wrestlers from Western Pennsylvania, or WPIAL, against the New York All-Stars at 6:00 PM. The feature match showcases the best-of-the-best high school wrestlers from across the United States challenging the reigning Pennsylvania state champs at 8:00 PM. The New York All-Star Team is returning to the Classic for the fourth time. The WPIAL Team will be looking to tie the series at two apiece since the NY team holds a 2-1 win advantage. In 1980, Classic VI the New York All-Star team won 6 of the 11 matches, and a tie, to defeat the WPIAL All-Stars 27-14. Carl DeStefanis, represented the NY team at 105 lbs. earning a 14-5 major decision to help his team. He continued his career at Penn State and won a Division I National Championship at 118 lbs. in 1984. The NY All-Star Team returned 25 years later in 2005 and again in 2010, both under the guidance of Rich Romeo, Head Wrestling Coach at Canandaigua High School. Both duals were very exciting and close, the WPIAL winning 27-24, in 2005, and New York winning 26-21 in 2010. Coach Romeo is the NY State Representative for the National Wrestling Coaches Association, is thrilled to assemble another all-star team and return to Pittsburgh. He coached Trevor Chinn from his high school in 2004. Chinn's win at 145 lbs. helped the USA Team defeat the PA All-Stars 35-9. The Wrestling Classic fans have watched many great wrestlers hail from New York over the past 44 years, including Keith Sterns (Classic I in 1975), Chris Edmond (Classic XI 1980), Jeff Prescott (Classic XIII in 1987), Troy Nickerson (Classic XXXI in 2005), J.P. O'Conner (Classic XXXII 2006) who all went on to win an NCAA Championship. More recently, Vitali Arujau (Classic XLII in 2017) was named the USA Team's Outstanding Wrestler. "The New York wrestling community is very excited and honored to compete in this prestigious event showcasing America's best high school seniors. We have a very strong senior class with many nationally ranked wrestlers. I'm confident our kids will embrace the opportunity to compete against the best wrestlers from the notorious WPIAL." said Romeo. Each year, enthusiastic spectators watch the country's future NCAA, World and Olympic champions compete head-to-head while thousands watch remotely via Flowrestling's live broadcast. Proceeds from the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic benefit a youth wrestling programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania. Tickets will go on sale on December 10, 2018. More information can found at www.wrestlingclassic.com. Contact Kraig Nellis at 412-738-6565 or kraignellis@aol.com. Comments |