Highland wrestlers blast Burke

By Mike Zummo
Posted 1/12/23

It was a fast night for the Highland wrestling team.

The Huskies accepted seven forfeits and won three of the five contested matches in a 57-18 win over the John S. Burke Catholic Eagles on …

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Highland wrestlers blast Burke

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It was a fast night for the Highland wrestling team.

The Huskies accepted seven forfeits and won three of the five contested matches in a 57-18 win over the John S. Burke Catholic Eagles on Wednesday night at Highland High School.

The win got the Huskies back on the winning side of the ledger after dropping the previous day’s dual meet, 48-28, to the Chester Hambletonians.

“We’re a young team,” Highland coach John McFarland said. “We’re developing again, but in the next couple of years, we’re going to be very strong. I’m looking forward to the talent we have on our team. Burke’s always got a couple of tough kids. Their kid at 160 is a tough kid, which is good, but overall, I think our guys wrestled well, and they wrestled with good basics, and they did what they have to do.”

The Huskies led the Eagles, 12-6, before any contested matches took place.

They got off to a fast start with Bradley Gatto scoring a pinfall victory at 126 pounds to get things started. After giving up a forfeit, the Eagles responded when Aaron Lonstein scored a pinfall victory at 138 pounds over Highland’s Jack Fasano. Burke’s Frankie Shaw followed with a pinfall victory over Highland’s Nickolas Violaris at 160 pounds.

The 189-pound bout between Highland’s Connor Elliot and Burke’s Jake Mazzie was the only one to go the distance, as Mazzie staved off a pinfall defeat in Elliott’s 7-4 victory.

Highland’s Logan Ellison scored a first-period pin over Burke Catholic’s Alan Szymanski to finish off the Huskies’ mat victory.

Excluding the forfeits, the Huskies won the match, 15-12.

“Our 189 and 215-pound matches were exciting,” McFarland said. “There were both two young wrestlers going at it, they hit the mat hard, and thank God we ended up on top.”

Even though the Huskies are young, they do have some experience in Bradley Gatto, the younger brother of Section 9 champion Chris Gatto. Senior Danny Fratz has posted a 20-4 record.

The Huskies are particularly strong at the 118-weight class, with several wrestlers battling it out for spots in the lineup.

“It’s great because our 118 and 126-pound weight class is doing really well,” McFarland said. “Another kid that’s developing on the team is Michael Thomas. He’s been coming along. His record doesn’t show it, but he’s going to be a dangerous kid come sections time.”

The Huskies are going to need all that heart this week as they were scheduled to open the Section 9 Duals tournament as the eighth seed on Tuesday, which put them immediately up against top-seeded Port Jervis.

“That’s a tough draw,” McFarland said. “They always do a great job over there at Port Jervis. They’re always a tough team. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Highland 57, John S. Burke Catholic 18
102: Finn Predmore (JSB) won by forfeit
110: Ely Meneses (H) won by forfeit
118: Brody Lutz (H) won by forfeit
126: Bradley Gatto (H) pin Erik Francisco, 3:05

132: Michael Thomas (H) won by forfeit.
138: Aaron Lonstein (JSB) pinned Jack Fasano, 1:48
145: Daniel Holifield (H) won by forfeit
152: Quinn Jones (H) won by forfeit
160: Frankie Shaw (JSB) pinned Nickolas Violaris, 2:22
172: Gunner Smith (H) won by forfeit
189: Connor Elliot (H) def. Jake Mazzie, 7-5
215: Logan Ellison (H) pinned Alan Szymanski, 1:34
285: Danny O’Dell-Fratz (H) won by forfeit.

Chester 48, Highland 28

102: Damani Leath (H) over Ayden Rosario, 16-2
110: Trent Edwards (C) pinned Ely Meneses, 0:44
118: Trevor Coates (H) pinned Dereck Chavez, 2:30
126: Bradley Gatto (H) pinned Ashley Griffin, 0:34
132: Michael Thomas (H) pinned Jorge Godinez, 2:29
138: Tyler Csernai (C) pinned Jack Fasano, 1:32
145: Jacob Teshome (C) over Daniel Holifield, 1:49
152: Michael Franco (C) pinned Quinian Jones, 4:18
160: Ryan Farley (C) pinned Gunner Smith, 1:13
172: Marcus Colon (C) pinned Nickolas Violaris, 0:49
189: Akil Williams (C) pinned Connor Elliot, 1:26
215: Spencer Lewis (C) pinned Logan Ellison, 3:48
285: Danny Odell-Fratz (H) pinned Eric Sabino, 2:21