SOMERS, N.Y. - On Saturday, Feb. 7, the Somers wrestling team began a two-day run at the Westchester County Center with one goal in mind: qualify for the state tournament. By the end of the weekend, three Tuskers had punched their tickets to states, and several more left with medals around their necks.
For head coach Ron DiSanto, the accomplishments went beyond the podium.
“What I’m most proud of, more than the winning and losing, is what good people they are,” DiSanto said. “How respectful they are to their opponents, to their teammates, to me and everyone. That says a lot about them as human beings.”
Leading the way was senior Ethan Steuber, who claimed a county title at 110 pounds. Three pins propelled him into the finals, where takedowns in the first and second periods gave him a 6-0 lead.
Three stalling calls narrowed the score to 6-2, but Steuber never felt in danger — even after briefly being turned to his back late in the match.
“I had to make it a little exciting,” he joked.
“It was not happening,” Steuber added confidently.
Waiting matside was his younger brother, Rylan, who greeted him with a celebratory hug.
“I couldn’t do it without him,” Steuber said.
At 138 pounds, Ryan Ball found himself in what many considered the match of the day against Mahopac’s Charles Przymylski.
“Me and Charles both wanted to go against each other,” Ball said. “So let’s duke it out and have some fun.”
Przymylski struck first with a takedown in the opening period. Ball answered in the second with an escape and a takedown to take a 4-3 lead. After Przymylski tied it with an escape, Ball twice came close to scoring again, but the calls did not go his way.
“You’ve got to shake it off,” Ball said.
Przymylski ultimately secured the win, but Ball was already looking ahead.
“I guess we’re going to see each other in the state finals,” he predicted.
At 190 pounds, TJ Mauro fell 21-5 in the championship match and was not in a celebratory mood afterward. DiSanto believes perspective will come with time.
“Once it settles in, he will be proud,” the coach said.
Cal Ehrmann earned third place at 144 pounds and was satisfied with his performance.
“I’m happy with my performance,” the senior said. “I’ll take third.”
After a scoreless first period in the consolation final, Carmel’s Kenny Keltto chose to let Ehrmann up. The decision backfired, as Ehrmann quickly converted a takedown and held on for a 4-2 victory.
Seeded first, Ehrmann knew the bracket would be challenging.
“I knew it was going to be a tough bracket,” he said.
His semifinal loss proved pivotal.
“I had him in a half,” Ehrmann recalled. “Whether it was a pin or not, it wasn’t called, and I ran out of stamina.”
The season has carried deeper meaning for Ehrmann, whose mother passed away last year. With his father, sister and grandparents in attendance, he felt her presence as well.
“She was in the stands, too,” he said.
Loghan Dwyer also earned a bronze medal at 118 pounds, though he was narrowly short of qualifying for states.
“I was one match away,” the sophomore said.
A technical fall in the semifinals proved costly, but Dwyer rallied in the quarterfinals after trailing 6-2.
“I got a takedown, an escape and another takedown. Then I rode out the rest of the match,” he said.
With two years remaining, Dwyer already has his sights set on improvement.
“I’ve got to grind in the offseason,” he said.
Derek Kuchinsky battled through the consolation bracket and earned a 5-2 victory to secure his medal. Earlier, he faced teammate Ryan Ball in a true second-place match, where Ball earned a second-period pin.
“We’re great teammates and friends,” Kuchinsky said.
The junior credited his offseason work for his success.
“It’s a testament to all the hard work and all my efforts,” he said. “I worked all offseason, going to Empire, and all credit to my coaches.”
With 100 career wins and a sectional title already to his name, Kuchinsky isn’t satisfied.
“I’m already thinking about it,” he said of his next goal.
Steuber, Ball, Mauro and Ehrmann — who call themselves “the core four” — have grown up wrestling together.
“We call ourselves the core four,” Ball said. “We’re a big group. We all wrestled in youth and we’re all up here.”
And despite the hardware already earned, Ball made it clear the season is far from over.
“It’s not done yet,” the All-State wrestler said.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here