The top youth wrestlers in New York took the mat at the NYWAY State championships. For more, see this link.
In each division, a Most Outstanding Wrestler was selected. Those honorees are:
Division 1: Presley McDowell, Tri-State Warriors
Division 2: Gavin Mangano, Barn Brothers WC
Division 3: PJ Duke, Iowa Style Wrestling
Division 4: Anthony Conetta, Barn Brothers WC
Division 5: Nick Fea, Underground
Division 6: Zachary Redding, Barn Brothers WC
Girls Division 1: Raelee McDowell, Ruthless Aggression Wrestling
Girls Division 2: Hailey Gladle, Evolution Wrestling
Girls Division 3: Elizabeth Hines, Cattaraugus Little Valley Youth Wrestling
Girls Division 4: Joye Levendusky, Slingshot Wrestling Club
Division 2 Most Pins: Austin Fesinger - The Square Wrestling Academy
Division 5 Most Pins: Parker Ashley - Indian River Pee Wee Wrestling
Division 6 Most Pins: Antonio Cutrie - Title Town Fight Club
Let's take a closer look at some of the standouts below.
Courtesy of Conetta
Anthony Conetta
Division 4, 80 Pounds
Club Team: Barn Brothers WC
Path to MOW:
New York Wrestling News (NYWN): What was the best part of wrestling at the NYWAY State tournament over the weekend?
Anthony Conetta (AC): It was wrestling kids from different parts of the state and winning the NYWAY singlet.
NYWN: You pinned your way through the event. What’s your favorite pinning combination?
AC: Highly classified!
NYWN: How long ago did you start wrestling?
AC: I started wrestling when I was 3 years old.
NYWN: What’s your favorite wrestling memory?
AC: Traveling with dual meet teams to wrestle kids from other states.
NYWN: What wrestling accomplishment are you most proud of?
AC: Winning the NUWAY Summer Nationals.
NYWN: Who are your favorite wrestlers to watch?
AC: Kyle Snyder, Jordan Burroughs, J’den Cox, Tony Ramos.
NYWN: What’s your favorite wrestling team?
AC: Penn State
NYWN: What’s the next tournament you plan to enter?
AC: War at the Shore
Courtesy of McDowell Family
Presley McDowell
Division 1, 43 Pounds
Club Team: Tri-State Warriors
Path to MOW:
New York Wrestling News (NYWN): What was the best part of wrestling at the NYWAY State tournament over the weekend?
Presley McDowell (PM): Wrestling, seeing many of my friends I made in wrestling, watching my teammate's friends and brother and sister wrestle, cheering them on. Getting my state singlet.
NYWN: You pinned everyone you faced. What’s your favorite pinning combination?
PM: Half to a cradle and spladle
NYWN: How long ago did you start wrestling?
PM: Almost 3 years ago, with my dad, brother and sisters
NYWN: What’s your favorite wrestling memory?
PM: Traveling with my family all over to many states wrestling, staying in hotels, swimming, going to Ocean City, MD for MAWA, eating clams, going to Ocean, lots of buffets, winning lots of clothes and singlets, going to Rob’s house on the boat, seeing many different things while riding and learning new things.
NYWN: What wrestling accomplishment are you most proud of?
PM: Taking 1st place at NYWAY, winning over 200 matches, 2 MOWs this year - 1 at states and 1 at the Canisteo Youth Tournament.
NYWN: Who are your favorite wrestlers to watch?
PM: Yianni and Greg Diakomihalis, my brother and sister and all of my friends. I learn something new every time I watch someone wrestle.
NYWN: What’s your favorite wrestling team?
PM: My team, Tristate Warriors/Bolivar Richburg
NYWN: What’s the next tournament you plan to enter?
PM: NUWAY Nationals in Michigan, MAWA, Tournament of Champions
Courtesy of Mangano Family
Gavin Mangano
Division 2, 55 Pounds
Club Team: Barn Brothers WC
Path to MOW This Weekend:
New York Wrestling News (NYWN): What was the best part of wrestling at the NYWAY State tournament over the weekend?
Gavin Mangano (GM): The best part of wrestling at the NYWAY states was competing against the best kids in NY and then making friends with them.
NYWN: You pinned four opponents at the event. What’s your favorite pinning combination?
GM: I used the gator roll to pin several opponents at the tournament, but my favorite pinning combination is the cement mixer.
NYWN: How long ago did you start wrestling?
GM: I started wrestling when I was in kindergarten 4 years ago.
NYWN: What’s your favorite wrestling memory?
GM: My first away tournament in Connecticut was probably one of my best memories. It was the CTWAY duals and I wrestled as part of a team.
NYWN: What wrestling accomplishment are you most proud of?
GM: Taking 1st at the 2017 NYWAY states is definitely my most proud moment.
NYWN: Who are your favorite wrestlers to watch?
GM: My favorite wrestler to watch [at the college level] is Kyle Snyder and at the [high school level] Anthony Cirillo and Adam Busiello.
NYWN: What’s your favorite wrestling team?
GM: My favorite wrestling team [in college] is Ohio State and I love to watch Rocky Point High School and Eastport-South Manor High School.
NYWN: What’s the next tournament you plan to enter?
GM: The next tournament that I plan on wrestling in is the War at the Shore in New Jersey.
Courtesy of Duke Family
PJ Duke
Division 3, 80 Pounds
Club Team: Iowa Style Wrestling
Path to MOW This Weekend:
New York Wrestling News (NYWN): What was the best part of wrestling at the NYWAY State tournament over the weekend?
PJ Duke (PD): The best part of NYWAY States is that they give you a singlet if you win. This way wherever I compete wearing that singlet my opponent will know they are wrestling one of best wrestlers in New York.
NYWN: You pinned your way through the event. What’s your favorite pinning combination?
PD: A bar with a far wrist or the bar with a half Nelson. Pretty much any combination off the bar.
NYWN: How long ago did you start wrestling?
PD: I have been wrestling since I was about 3 years old, so about 7 years. I have also recently started doing Judo and hope to win Judo Nationals this year.
NYWN: What’s your favorite wrestling memory?
PD: My favorite memory is wrestling at the Penn State tournament and having Cael Sanderson, David Taylor and Nico Megaludis sign my trophy.
NYWN: What wrestling accomplishment are you most proud of?
PD: I am most proud of winning Tulsa Nationals this year. I worked really hard to get ready for that tournament. I wrestled 6 matches and only gave up 1 point the whole tournament.
NYWN: Who are your favorite wrestlers to watch?
PD: Zain Retherford, Penn State; Brian Realbuto, Cornell; Kevin Jack, NC State; Jay Albis, Johnson and Wales University
NYWN: What’s your favorite wrestling team?
PD: That is hard to choose but Penn State and Cornell.
NYWN: What’s the next tournament you plan to enter?
PD: Reno Worlds and G2 King of the Mat Nationals
One More Thing from PJ Duke ...
PD: I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for driving me everywhere and all of my coaches at Iowa Style Wrestling and Total Form Fitness Judo. Without them pushing me everyday, none of this would be possible!
