2012 All-City wrestling teams

FIRST TEAM

RROK NDOKAJ
WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
Monsignor Farrell, Sr. 170 pounds

Ndokaj capped off his stellar career in style, winning a Mayor’s Cup title, a CHSAA state crown and finishing fourth at the NYPHSAA State Championships in Albany. Named outstanding wrestler in the upper weights at the Dave Ironman Invitational, he was one of two city wrestlers to compete in MSG Varsity’s NY/NJ Charity Challenge, losing to Bergen Catholic’s Johnny Sebastian at 160 pounds.

JOSH ANTOINE
Grand Street Campus, Sr. 99 pounds

A PSAL and Mayor’s Cup champion, the 5-foot-1 senior’s 58-second pin of Yaneev Hirsh provided a spark for Grand Street Campus, which went on to beat Brooklyn Tech for the PSAL championship. Antoine competed in the NYPHSAA State Championships in Albany, losing to Wantagh’s Jose Rodriguez in the opening round.

CHEICK NDIAYE
Brooklyn International, Jr. 106 pounds

The junior helped put Brooklyn International on the wrestling map. Ndiaye took home the Mayor’s Cup title, beating Zin Htoo from Brooklyn Tech in the final and claimed a PSAL crown, as well. His most impressive accomplishment, though, came in Albany where he finished second at the NYPHSAA Division II State Championships.

SANTO CURATOLO
Tottenville, Jr. 113 pounds

Curatolo defeated Flushing’s Johnny Marquez, 15-1, to win the Mayor’s Cup title and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the PSAL championships where he pinned Marquez in 2:22. A champion at the Dave Ironman Invitational as well, Curatolo lost to Brandon Lapi from Amsterdam, 6-2, in the NYPHSAA State Championships.

KEANU THOMPSON
Grand Street Campus, Jr. 120 pounds

Can the Wolves repeat as PSAL champions? If so, Thompson will be a big part of their success. The junior pinned Blaise Rufo at 4:17 to win the Mayor’s Cup and booked his ticket upset with a 3:08 pin of Tottenville’s Nick Azen in the PSAL final. Thompson defeated Rocco Russo, 8-6, before losing in the second round to Lancaster’s Steve Michel at the NYPHSAA State Championships.

ABUBAKARR SOW
Brooklyn International, Sr. 126 pounds

The senior won at the Dave Ironman Invitational, defeated FDR’s Omar Mohamed, 10-5, at the Mayor’s Cup and fell to eventual champion Nick Tighe from Phoenix before finishing fifth at the NYPHSAA Division II State Championships in Albany.

AHMED ELSAYED
Wingate, Sr. 132 pounds

The senior defeated Saidyokub Kahramonov from New Utrecht in 4:07 to win a PSAL title and eventual Mayor’s Cup champion Deuly Espinal from Grand Street Campus during the regular season. Elsayed is a big reason why Wingate finished third in the PSAL, behind Grand Street Campus and Brooklyn Tech.

TIM MCCANN
Monsignor Farrell, Sr. 138 pounds

Despite an injured knee suffered at the Mayor’s Cup, McCann fought through the pain for an inspired victory at the CHSAA state championships. Still not 100 percent, the senior fell to Dan McDevitt in the opening round before rebounding for a win in the consolation bracket of the NYPHSAA Division I State Championships in Albany.

ADIS RADONCIC
Riverdale-Kingsbridge Academy So. 145 pounds

Arguably one of the top younger wrestlers in the city, Radoncic defeated Monsignor Farrell’s Paul Hartnett, 9-2, to win a Mayor’s Cup title. In eight league matches, the sophomore was a perfect 8-0 with two pins, 10 takedowns and two reverses for Riverdale-Kingsbridge Academy.

CRISTIAN MASAYA
Brooklyn Tech, Sr. 152 pounds

Masaya won the Dave Ironman Invitational, beat Brooklyn Tech teammate Patrick Alcantara, 5-2, to win the PSAL title and beat him, 3-2, to claim the Mayor’s Cup crown. The senior defeated Ryan Bedross from Warwick Valley in triple overtime before losing to John Keck, 3-2, in second round en route to a sixth place finish at the NYPHSAA Division I State Championships in Albany.

JORJE JIMENEZ
Grand Street Campus, Sr. 160 pounds

The senior needed overtime to knock off Andrew Psomas from Monsignor Farrell to win a third straight Mayor’s Cup, defeated Sher Mohammed, 10-0, to win the PSAL individual title for a fourth consecutive year, earned a major decision over Masaya in the PSAL team championships and lost to Zak Mullen from Shoreham Wading River in the first round of the NYPHSAA Division I State Championships in Albany.

MCZIGGY RICHARDS
Wingate, Sr. 182 pounds

Richards not only had the coolest name in the city, but he was one of the top wrestlers in the five boroughs, as well. The senior beat Kevin Tynes in 4:39 to win the Mayor’s Cup for a second consecutive year. He also defeated Tynes in 36 seconds to win another PSAL title. Richards, who was 8-0 in PSAL action with four pins, was the city’s top finisher at the NYPHSAA State Championships in Albany, taking third.

RICH SISTI
Monsignor Farrell, So. 195 pounds

Lou DeStefano knows his program is in good shape with Sisti returning for two more years. The sensational sophomore defeated Poly Prep’s Roman Accetta, 7-2, to win the Dave Ironman Invitational title, and beat him again, this time 5-0, to claim the Mayor’s Cup championship. Sisti pinned Kellenberg’s Dan Centeno in 3:15 to win a CHSAA state title. His season ended with a loss to Rob Zorn from Sewanhaka East in the NYPHSAA State Championships.

PATRYK KOPCZYNSKI
Brooklyn Tech, Sr. 220 pounds

Kopczynski was virtually unstoppable in PSAL competition, going 10-0 with seven pins, 10 takedowns and four near falls. He pinned Francis Lewis’ Brian Rivera in 1:12 to win the PSAL individual title and needed 3:34 to pin Collegiate’s Mark Brumback at the Mayor’s Cup. The senior capped off a dominant career by finishing fourth at the NYPHSAA State Championships in Albany.

SHAQUILLE WILLIAMS
Brooklyn Tech, Jr. 285 pounds

A champion at the prestigious Dave Ironman Invitational at Monsignor Farrell, Williams pinned Leon Gonzalez of FDR in 5:11 to win the Mayor’s Cup title and was 10-0 in PSAL competition with nine pins and nine takedowns. One of the city’s most feared wrestlers returns for his senior season, making Brooklyn Tech a favorite to win the PSAL title.

SECOND TEAM

Noah Malamut, Poly Prep, Sr. 99 pounds
Zin Htoo, Brooklyn Tech, Sr. 106 pounds
Johnny Marquez, Flushing, Sr. 113 pounds
Blaise Rufo, Monsignor Farrell, Sr. 120 pounds
Sam Melikian, Fordham Prep, Sr. 126 pounds
Deuly Espinal, Grand Street Campus, Sr. 132 pounds
Barry Hart, Wingate, Sr. 138 pounds
Paul Hartnett, Monsignor Farrell, Sr. 145 pounds
Patrick Alcantara, Brooklyn Tech, Sr. 152 pounds
Andrew Psomas, Monsignor Farrell, Sr. 160 pounds
Anatoliy Anchakov, Grand Street Campus, Jr. 170 pounds
Matt Roberts, Monsignor Farrell, Sr. 182 pounds
Roma Accetta, Poly Prep, Sr. 195 pounds
Mark Brumback, Collegiate, Sr. 220 pounds
Leon Gonzalez, FDR, Jr. 285 pounds

COACH OF THE YEAR

John Zarcone
Grand Street Campus

The Wolves captured a second PSAL title in five years, beating Brooklyn Tech, 46-27, at John Bowne HS in January and Zarcone was lifted high above his wrestlers shoulders when it was all over. It wasn’t just that he was their coach – the Wolves probably owe the championship to Zarcone because of the chess moves he made in the title match. He moved Yeury Tavarez from 106 to 113, Deuly Espinal up to 138, Josh Thomas to 160, Clifford Cruz down to 170, Anatoliy Anchakov up to 183 and Julio Medina from 220 to 285. Virtually every move worked perfectly. Zarcone, though, didn’t take all the credit. He said he’s just part of a successful program, which includes “a supporting athletic director, a supporting principal and an incredibly supporting wife at home.”
 

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