Yorktown Takes Home 2 Titles, Foxes 2nd, Mahopac 3rd in Sectionals

Pleasantville Places 3rd in Small School Meet, Put Valley 4th

By Tony Pinciaro

The Tornambe name has been synonymous with Section 1 wrestling.

The brothers – Anthony, John and Steve – all had successful wrestling careers for Ossining in the 1990s, highlighted by Steve. The youngest brother won consecutive sectional titles (when it was one division) and finished fifth in the state his senior year for then coach Salvatore Imbimbo.

John would coach Yorktown and had two sectional champions and state place-finishers in Steven Sabella and Thomas Murray. He would also lead Yorktown to league titles. John retired from coaching a few years back and is currently a Section 1 wrestling official.
Steve was a long-time Pleasantville assistant for legendary coach Bob Bernarducci, before becoming the Mahopac coach.

Once the brothers married and their respective wives had children, it was just a matter of time before the next Tornambe generation would begin wrestling. This began two years ago when John’s son, Joe, started as an eighth-grader on Yorktown’s varsity. As Joe said, ‘Wrestling is in the Tornambe blood.’

Joe added to the Tornambe wrestling legacy by winning the Section 1 Division I (large school) 102-pound title at the Section 1 Division I Wrestling Championships Sunday at Clarkstown South High.

Tornambe, along with teammate Dillon Carter, the 160-pound champion, and all the champions qualified for the New York State Division I Wrestling Championships, Friday-Saturday, Feb. 25-26, in Albany.

Ironically, Tornambe’s Yorktown coach, Jimmy Kaishian, wrestled for John Tornambe and finished third in the section his senior year. Kaishian would wrestle at Springfield. Also, in order to reach the final, Tornambe had to beat his Uncle Steve’s Mahopac wrestler in a semifinal.

The top–seeded Tornambe completed his sectional title win with a pin of second-seeded Luis Diaz-Giron (Fox Lane) in the final.

“To know when the whistle blew and you finally get your arm raised, it all came together and it felt so good,” Tornambe said.

Tornambe took control of the match immediately with a takedown and two back points. From that point on, Tornambe was in complete control.

“When I got the takedown, I knew I could control the match and push the pace,” Tornambe said.

Tornambe, now 28-1 this season, received a congratulatory hug from his Uncle Steve and the two posed for a picture. With two years remaining, Tornambe has a chance to surpass his uncle for family bragging rights.

Fox Lane had its three-year sectional-title run stopped by Arlington. However, Fox Lane had two champions in Marc Berisha (285 pounds) and Justin Gierum (132). Jake Hoffman, the 152-pound runner-up, also qualified as the true top-two finishers in each weight class advance.

Berisha, who was Fox Lane’s starting 182-pounder for the 2019-20 season, pinned his way to the title, improving to 36-0, It also marked a long road back for Berisha, who suffered a torn labrum in November of 2020. This sidelined him through July of 2021.

Berisha was anxiously awaiting sectionals because he didn’t place in 2020 and missed last year because of the injury and Covid.

“The injury motivated me to come back and to come out on top,” Berisha said.

Even though Berisha wrestles in the 285-pound weight class, he is not your typical super heavyweight. Berisha uses his quickness to overcome his opponents, but also has immense strength to throw them.

“This feels amazing,” said Berisha of the title, after taking a team picture, “All the hard work we put in as a team. Nobody works harder than us. I’m still not done though. My goal is to be on the first-place spot on the podium in Albany.”

Neil Paulercio of Briarcliff/Byram Hills/Valhalla/Westlake added to his break-out first varsity year by winning the 118-pound title. He led top-seeded Shane Acheson of Tappan Zee before pinning him in the third period. Paulercio, a Valhalla freshman, advanced to the final with a semi-final victory over Mahopac’s Sam Przmylski, who had beaten him earlier in the year.

“I wanted to win a sectional title this year, but didn’t know if I would be able to do it because I had some really tough losses this year,” Paulercio said. “As the season went on I was able to clean up my mistakes and it all started coming together.

“This feels great. I can’t think of a better feeling than being a sectional champion.”

Paulercio’s teammate, senior Justin Fortugno, is also going to Albany after winning the 126-pound title.

Mahopac’s Angelo Centrone will be making his third trip to Albany and second as a sectional champion after he won the 145-pound crown. Centrone never broke a sweat in registering four technical falls.

“I was being aggressive, attacking, which is my style, and putting up a lot of points,” said Centrone, who finished fifth at the state in 2019 and seventh in 2020.

Centrone, 37–1 this season, said he learned a lesson from his 2020 state championship performance.

“Wrestling is a long, hard season and you have to take care of your body,” Centrone said. “You have to wrestle hard every time you go out on the mat and never take anything for granted.”

Carmel had a sectional champion as Leo Venables won the 172-pound crown. He was trailing Yonkers’ Kiam Colemen, 7-2 in the third period, before reversing him then pinning him. Brother, Joel, was the 285-pound runner-up.

Mahopac’s Nicolas Greco placed second at 126 pounds and George Johnson, Jr., finished third at 102 pounds. However, he beat Diaz-Giron to claim the second 102-pound berth for Section 1 in the state championships.

Lakeland/Panas had its first sectional finalist since 2009 when Joe Hauser was a champion. Connor McGannon wrestled for the 182-pound title.

Ossining’s Tristan Robinson-July was the 160-pound runner-up and Anthony Lofaro was third (138).

Horace Greeley’s top finisher was Vincent Sasso, who took third at 189 pounds, and teammate Josh Hametz placed fourth (132).

Brewster’s top finisher was Shane Daly (fourth at 215) and Somers’ eighth-grader Ryan Ball finished fifth (102).

Pleasantville junior Christian Perlleshi faced a crossroads at the end of January after suffering an elbow injury.

Perlleshi, a 2020 Section 1 Division II (small school) champ, could have taken some time off and nursed it. That was not an option.

“Right as I hurt my elbow I knew I was coming back,” Perlleshi said. “I didn’t care what it was. You could have snapped my arm, I was coming back.”

Perlleshi added his second sectional title, winning the Section 1 Division II 138-pound championship.

He, along with teammates and fellow champs, Ciaran Egan (102 pounds), Quinn Egan (132) and Nick Paternostro (160), qualified for the New York State Division II Wrestling Championships, Friday-Saturday, Feb. 25-26, in Albany.

Pleasantville, based on its four champions and 12 place-finishers, finished third behind champion Edgemont and runner-up Nanuet.
The Panthers finished with the most individual champions, highlighted by Perlleshi, who dominated.

“I was trying to keep chain wrestling, keep going, keep moving and wrestling tough on top,” Perlleshi said. “That’s all I can ask for and now I have to do it at the state level.”

Perlleshi was the kid in 2019 in his first state wrestling championship. Now, he is the seasoned veteran and is looking forward to sharing the stage with his teammates.

“A few years ago I felt like I was on an island because I was so much younger, but this year we’re all about the same age so now we have to go and get the job done there,” Perlleshi said.

A young Putnam Valley team, with only one senior, finished fourth and had nine place finishers.

Lone senior, Jacob Cassidy, made his final sectional championship memorable by winning the 215-pound title. Cassidy, now 26-2 this season, pinned top-seeded Christian Dash of Ardsley.

“Jacob has come a long way in three years,” Putnam Valley Coach Will Carano said after his 34th Section One Champion tied him with Fox Lane legend Joe Amuso Sr. for most all-time. It also gave him 38 state qualifiers, which is now the most in Section 1 history. “He has always had a great work ethic, but now, as a senior,his composure and belief in himself has made him a much tougher competitor at 215. He is strong, patient and doesn’t allow anyone to out-wrestle him. He’s one of the finest young men I have ever coached. Humble, considerate, hard-working and reliable. He is the exception, not the rule.”

The Tigers also had a trio of wrestlers finish third – Chris Maroulis (126 pounds), Esuar Ordonez (132) and Albert McDonald (145)
Hen Hud hosted the Section 1 Division II Wrestling Championships for the first time with the Sailors finishing seventh.

Hen Hud placed seven wrestlers among the top six, highlighted by eighth-grader Eric Selvaggi, who placed second at 102 pounds, and third-place finisher Ismael Andrade (138). Selvaggi upset second-seeded Aidan Soto of Pawling to reach the finals.

“The guys all wrestled really well for being so young.” Hen Hud coach Shane Turrone said. “Eric has only been wrestling for three monts and I am happy that he gave his all in the finals and almost pulled it out.”

Turrone and his team is accustomed to hosting its tournament annually, but this was a first for sectionals.

“It really is special and I hope we can host again next year,” Turrone said.

Croton had a pair of wrestlers place fifth – Henery Martin (138) and Colin Kooney (172).