YORKTOWN, N.Y.—Yorktown 2013 graduate Dr. Jimmy Kaishian is very excited about where his program is at in his fourth year of coaching the Huskers.
“Over these years, we have been diligently working on building a strong wrestling culture within our program,” Kaishian said. “Our efforts are beginning to bear fruit, as we see wrestling becoming a vital part of both the town and the community. It’s rewarding to witness the growing enthusiasm and support for the sport. We have never had so much enthusiasm surrounding our program.”
Yorktown’s top returning wrestlers are 116-pound sophomore Gio Tornambe (25-6 a season ago) and 215-pound junior Rocco Lore (30-11).
“Both of these athletes were section finalists last year, which speaks to their skill and determination on the mat,” Kaishian said.
Lore also earned a wildcard to the state tournament, which he went 2-2 in.
Freshman 124-pound Cooper Constantine (17-9), junior 124-pound Cheech Scalera (16-13), sophomore 145-pound Rowan Larsen (21-15), and sophomore 170-pound Tyler Caricati (21-18), are also returnees who stand out.
“All of these wrestlers finished just one match away from being named All-Section last year, and we are hopeful that they can step up this season and make a significant impact for our team,” Kaishian said. “We are eager to see the development of this group, and we look forward to their contributions within the team.”
Kaishian believes that a rising tide raises all ships, and that principle will be a guiding force for his squad this winter.
“Our expectation is that our top returning wrestlers will elevate the overall skill level in the room,” Kaishian said. “Their experience and competitive spirit will not only enhance their own performance but also inspire and challenge their teammates to improve, fostering a collaborative and supportive training environment. Nick Saban wisely stated, ‘It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference.’ It takes everyone on a team to feed into a culture that shows up day in and day out and does the work.”
Yorktown’s returning senior captain is 152-pound Anthony Muscolino (19-14).
“I can confidently say that he might be the best leader we have had in the program's history,” Kaishian said. “He exemplifies hard work and dedication, consistently setting a positive example for his teammates. Anthony is exceptional at holding others accountable, he keeps everyone focused on their goals. His selflessness and willingness to support his peers make him a pivotal figure in our team dynamic, and we expect him to continue to lead with integrity and passion.”
Yorktown has a promising group of middle-school athletes who are poised to make a significant impact this season.
“(Seventh-graders) Jace McCormack, Luca Lore, Luke Fitsimons, and Nick Hobson are the standout newcomers from this group,” Kaishian said. “Additionally, we are thrilled to welcome seniors, newcomers Dominic Bucello (190, signed to play lacrosse at Lenoir-Rhyne University) and Sam Brown (152), and Jason Lauriola (190, second year). We are also keeping an eye on sophomores Julian Cuenca (131), Pavel Lopez (138), and Nicholas Duran (160), as we expect them to have breakout seasons. Lastly, we have a couple of wrestlers back after a one-year hiatus, so we are hopeful they can jump right back in and contribute.”
Kaishian said that as his team embarks on this season, its goals and expectations are set high, especially coming off one of its best seasons to date.
“We are aiming to win an individual team (sectional) title at the end of the year, which would be our first in program history,” Kaishian said. “That would make an excellent testament to our hard work and dedication throughout the season/offseason. However, our overarching focus remains consistent: We strive to be the best people and wrestlers we can be. Personal and team growth, both on and off the mat, is paramount to our mission. Nick Saban said ‘There’s a difference between being a champion and being a winner. A champion is someone who has a title; a winner is someone who has the mindset and the work ethic to achieve it.’ We want to build winners (in life) in Yorktown and that takes time.”
Yorktown starts its season at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 in the Mike Nardone Wrestling Tournament at Ossining, which it won for the second year in a row last season with a 5-0 record, defeating Ossining 42-36 in the championship round.
The Huskers also defeated visiting Ossining 39-24 to win their first ever Section 1 Division 1 Dual Meet Tournament title.
“We are excited to kick off our season at Ossining,” Kaishian said. “This is always an exciting time, to see where we stand as a team and to measure our progress against other competitive programs.”
Lakeland/Panas Rebels
Lakeland/Panas coach Dave Bergen is equally excited about his squad as he enters his eighth season coaching the Rebels.
“I have a nice group of returning wrestlers who should have solid seasons this year,” Bergen said. “They are seniors Dan Hurley (285, Lakeland, All-Section, 31 wins last year), Bryan DePascale (131, Lakeland, sectional qualifier), Joey DeSantis (190, Lakeland, sectional qualifier), Zach Morey (170, Walter Panas), and Matt Sanchez (145, Panas), juniors Matt Clyman (152, Panas), Owen McManus (116, Lakeland), and Mike Santoiemma (145, Lakeland) who all had solid performances last year, sophomores Matt Travis (124, Panas) and Steven Sommovigo (138, Lakeland), and freshman Dan Horowitz (116, Lakeland, sectional qualifier with 27 wins).”
Bergen expects his top returners to use the experience they have and win big matches this year.
“They have been putting in time in the off-season to improve and it’s time to put that work to the test,” Bergen said.
Hurley, Morey, and DePascale are the Rebels’ captains.
“They are a great group of young men,” Bergen said. “They will be able to help push their teammates to work harder and set a good example of what it means to be a Lakeland/Panas wrestler.”
Bergen said that his team is still getting to know its first-year wrestlers.
“But we had a big team last year and returned a bunch of guys who wrestled mostly JV matches last year and will be fighting for spots as a starter,” Bergen said. “They are seniors Ethan Tavel, David Tomala, and Brandon Munoz, juniors Ben Franco, Kyle Tetro, Raul Aritsy, Carlos Pagan, Carlitos Pagan, Shane Spielberg, and Mateo Santiago, and sophomores Bryce Whippo and Lorenzo Battista. Weight classes are still being sorted out but they are all hoping to find a spot.”
Lakeland/Panas starts its season at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday Dec. 4, at Hendrick Hudson, in a multi-meet that also includes Tappan Zee.
“As always we want to be competitive,” Bergen said. “I think if we figure out the right lineup we will be a very tough dual meet team and we have some individuals who could do very well in tournaments as well as the post season. Regardless of our success as far as wins and losses goes, I want our guys to learn how to compete with class and represent our team the right way.”
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