Wrestling: Lower Hudson Valley's breakout middle-school, freshmen wrestlers for 2023-24
This is the first in a four-part midseason wrestling series on 2023-24 breakout wrestlers throughout the Lower Hudson Valley at each grade level.
These middle school- and freshman-aged wrestlers have impressed when it comes to making their mark on the mat this season. For many of them, it's been an impressive varsity debut, and for others, they've taken a jump forward after growing more comfortable with varsity-level competition.
They'll look to continue their breakout seasons and finish strong with a podium finish, joining the likes of Section 1 Division II champ Brendan O'Sullivan of Pearl River, and returning all-section middle-school and freshmen standouts Matteo Crino of New Rochelle, Sleepy Hollow's Thomas Kellas and Rafael Rodriguez, and Yorktown's Gio Tornambe.
Yorktown's Rowan Larsen, North Rockland's Liam Lin, and Mahopac's Pace Zeiler, who were featured in last season's breakout middle schoolers list, continue to wrestle well and will also be expected to be the running.
Sophomores: Breakout sophomore wrestlers for the 2023-24 season
Juniors: Breakout junior wrestlers for the 2023-24 season
Seniors: Breakout senior wrestlers for the 2023-24 season
Andrew Amendola, Ardsley
Record: 16-5
It's been a solid eighth-grade debut for the Panthers' 101-pounder, who hopes to garner Division II all-section honors to top things off. He pinned his way to victory in half of his wins, and he's placed at the Edgemont (third) and Mamaroneck (sixth) tournaments. Three of his losses came against out-of-section competition.
Devin Bierfeldt, Nyack
Record: 22-5
He initially started the season on JV, but got called up in late December and has had a great debut since, winning 16 of his first 17 varsity matches. More than half of Bierfeldt's wins came by pin, and he took third at the Scarsdale Wrestling Invitational and fifth at the Rockland County championships.
Gabriel Chared-Sandstorm, Rye
Record: 23-9
In his first season of varsity wrestling, Chared-Sandstorm earned 15 of his 23 victories by major decision or pin. He also got a pair of top-three finishes in back-to-back weeks, placing third at Somers' D'Agnese tournament and second in the Scarsdale Wrestling Invitational.
Cooper Constantine, Yorktown
Record: 14-5
He went 1-2 in limited matches as a seventh-grader last season. This year, he took a step forward, proving to be an integral member in Yorktown's dual meet lineup as a 101-pounder. Twelve of his wins came by fall or forfeit, and he took third at the Westchester County championships.
Silas Corveddu, Sleepy Hollow
Record: 14-2
Corveddu hit a speed bump with a recent injury, but is on pace to return in time for sectionals. Before that, he had a solid start to his varsity career, placing at the Shoreline Classic and winning the 124-pound title at the Hen Hud Sailor Classic in his last appearance. He has also earned a couple of wins against last year's sectional runner-up Nick Paonessa, while his lone losses this season came by decision against 2022 Section 1 champ and two-time all-section finisher Neil Paulercio.
Nick DeBellis, Horace Greeley
Record: 23-12
The Quakers' freshman acquired 15 of his wins by major decision, technical fall or fall. He's placed at the Patchogue-Medford Raider Invitational and Westchester County championships and will aim to finish strong at either 124 or 131 pounds. Half of his losses came against out-of-section powers.
Carlos Deoleo, Yonkers
Record: 23-7
The Yonkers freshman has come a long way since finishing just 13-11 last year. The Bulldogs' 108-pounder has won Somers' D'Agnese Tournament and Edgemont Tournament titles, and he's reached the podium at the Patriot Invitational (third) and Westchester County championships (fifth).
Daniel Horowitz, Lakeland/Panas
Record: 22-7
Horowitz went through his ups and downs as a seventh-grader on varsity last season, but garnered plenty of experience in a 22-17 debut season. This year, he's taken a big step forward and found more consistency on the mat. The Rebels' 101-pounder is on pace to surpass last year's win total. Horowitz won the Hen Hud Sailor Classic and took fourth at Somers' D'Agnese Tournament. Fifteen of his 22 wins came by pin or major decision, while four of his losses came against out-of-section competition.
Dorian Hidalgo, Sleepy Hollow
Record: 27-6
One of the members of Sleepy Hollow's young core, Hidalgo is thriving in his first full season on varsity. The Horsemen eighth-grader has been the wire-to-wire No. 1 Division II 101-pounder in lohud's rankings. More than half of his wins came by major decision or fall. Hidalgo took second at the Hen Hud Sailor Classic and sixth at the Shoreline Classic.
Luke Iasiello, Scarsdale
Record: 32-3
There's another Iasiello to watch out for, as Luke burst onto the scene by beginning his freshman season with a 21-match winning streak. The Raider 101-pounder earned 29 of his wins by fall, major decision, tech fall or forfeit, and he only has one loss against Section 1 opposition.
Kelvin Jimenez, Sleepy Hollow
Record: 26-10
He's bounced around between 101 and 108 pounds, but there's no doubt the Horsemen eighth-grader has shown improvement since going 8-11 last season. Jimenez is another member of Sleepy Hollow's young, promising core and has been a fixture atop lohud's Division II 108-pound rankings. He'll contend for a Section 1 Division II title no matter which weight class he chooses. Fourteen of his 22 wins came by major decision, technical fall or fall, while only four of his losses came against Section 1 competition.
Fotis Koufalis, New Rochelle
Record: 26-5
Another emerging young star, Koufalis was recently named Most Outstanding Freshman Wrestler of the Westchester County championships, where he also won a 101-pound county title. He's actually an eighth-grader, and he took fifth at the Shoreline Classic and won a couple of matches at the Eastern States Classic. Koufalis will look to finish strong on the podium this postseason. He only has one loss against Section 1 competition.
Derek Kuchinsky, Somers/North Salem
Record: 17-8
Kuchinsky earned a taste of varsity life last season, but he's come back with some wisdom and it shows as a freshman. The 131-pounder plays a part in the dual-meet lineup, and he has three top-five placements: the Somers D'Agnese Tournament (fifth), Mahopac tournament (third) and a runner-up finish at the Hen Hud Sailor Classic.
Vincenzo Mannello, Byram Hills/Briarcliff/Valhalla/Westlake
Record: 26-5
The hype was high entering the season, and the seventh-grade standout has delivered so far. The state-ranked 101-pounder is unbeaten against Section 1 competition and he's pinned or teched all but one of his local opponents. Mannello made it to the blood round at Eastern States, defeating all-state returner Charlie Wylie of Port Jervis along the way. His lone losses this season came against state-ranked opponents, and he's separated himself as the frontrunner for the Section 1 Division I 101-pound crown.
Christian Martino, John Jay-East Fishkill
Record: 26-8
After finishing below-.500 and missing out on sectionals as a seventh-grader last year, Martino is looking to contend for a podium spot in a crowded 101-pound weight class. He's shown tremendous growth since last season, winning 75 percent of his matches by major decision, technical fall, or fall. Martino won the Patriot Invitational and Beacon Bulldog tournaments, and he also reached the podium at the RCK Mat Wars (second) and Mid-Hudson Tournament (sixth). He was also named team Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Greeley Duals to start the year.
Eustace Sermier, Carmel
Record: 21-10
He started to find his groove since dropping down to 124 midway through his debut season and is another emerging young Ram. Sermier tallied 17 pins and one technical fall victory entering the final week of the season. He also took third at the Putnam Valley Round Robin Challenge, and fifth at both the Scarsdale and Somers tournaments. Half of his losses came against out-of-area competition.
Follow Eugene Rapay on Twitter at @erapay5 and on Instagram at @byeugenerapay.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Wrestling: Breakout middle-school, freshmen wrestlers for 2023-24
