Edgemont's Lee has wild card to state meet

Edgemont's Lee has wild card to state meet
By Tony Pinciaro
The Journal News

Following a runner-up finish in the 189-pound Division II Section 1 wrestling championships, Edgemont senior Matt Lee thought his four-year varsity career was over.

The hurt and disappointment set in immediately. However, Lee was relieved to hear the possibility of wearing a singlet one again.

"About an hour after the match, Coach DiChiara reminded me about the wild card," Lee said. "I didn't even think of it until he said something. After I thought about it I felt I had a shot, but I knew it wasn't a guarantee."

Lee was correct in one respect, he had a chance. Now, he has been guaranteed a trip to the New York State Wrestling Championships Friday-Saturday, March 2-3 at the Times Union Center in Albany.

Lee is one of eight Section 1 wrestlers to receive a wild-card berth in the first year of its existence. Joining Lee from Division II are Ardsley's tandem of Chris Vingo (215 pounds) and Rich Driscoll (140), Pearl River's Jeff Allison (119) and Croton-Harmon's Steven Boulos (152). Division I (large schools) will be represented by North Rockland's Marc Zurla (125), Suffern's Derek Phillips (215) and Rye's Charlie Trumm (135). The eight grapplers were all sectional finalists.

Section 1 also had the following wrestlers chosen as alternates: Hen Hud's Ryan Martin (130) and Shane Turrone (103), Fox Lane's Joey Grippi (112), Eastchester's Andrew Nicholson (103) and Croton-Harmon's Frank Tedesco (125).

The wild cards are rewarded on the following criteria: The difference in a wrestler's wins and losses on the current season, bonus points for the wrestler based on previous years' sectional and state place finishers, and power points awarded to the respective sections based on their previous six-year state championship showing.

Zurla was the top Section 1 wild card based on his two sectional titles and 2005 state runner-up finish. Allison is twice a sectional champion while Boulos and Vingo each own one sectional title. Boulos is also a two-time finalist and a third-place finisher.

Croton-Harmon coach Sam Occhipinti said he was pleased for Boulos. He noted the Section 1 coaches at state practice expressed a good feeling about the number of wild cards named.

"They (the wrestlers) deserve this," Occhipinti said. "This is a good opportunity for a lot of the wrestlers to wrestle at that level, and possibly place and win which is their goal from the first day of practice in November."

Phillips admitted he had a difficult time sleeping Tuesday night, knowing Wednesday the wild-card selections would be released.

"I've been pretty stressed and nervous as anything, trying not to get hurt," said Phillips, who is 35-4 on the season. "I went for a couple of runs and been trying to keep my weight down.

"This makes me feel awesome and it's pretty exciting to know that I'm getting a second chance."

Reach Tony Pinciaro at apinciar@lohud.com or 914-696-8234.