BEST IN STATE BATTLE
Poulin and Dorfman wrestle their way to semis, Delsignore edged late at 145 pounds
Greenville’s Aidan Cullen, right, and hundreds more compete in state wrestling.
Shenendehowa’s Rob Weeks has been around the state wrestling block more than a few times. So when he shakes his head at an unusual day, you know it’s been something crazy.
The Plainsmen lost a shocker and won a shocker in the second round Friday at Times Union Center in a matter of about 10 mood-swinging minutes.
High seed Brock Delsignore lost a heartbreaker at 145 pounds, giving up back points with about 30 seconds left to lose to someone who arguably shouldn’t have even been in the bracket in the first place (more on that in a second). Right after that, at 160 pounds, Plainsmen teammate Colden Dorfman — a sophomore who only got into the tournament last week because of an injury to the sectional champ — capped off a second-round win, after defeating the No. 4 seed in the first round by pin.
“A big swing in emotions there,” Weeks said.
Throw in the automatic Shen sophomore Stevo Poulin, who looks to be defending last
year’s state title with ease at 106 pounds, and the Plainsmen had a heck of an interesting day.
But there was certainly a large chunk of hurt to go around for Delsignore, who earned a No. 3 seed with serious hopes of a title. But he couldn’t win for a second time this season against Rocky Point’s (Section XI) Kris Ketchum.
Ketchum himself was a late addition to the bracket, thanks to lawyers and a judge.
Twice, a Ketchum family attorney secured a court order that allowed Ketchum to compete, according to Newsday.
The paper added that Ketchum was called for “flagrant misconduct” during a Jan. 17 match and was given a state-mandated one-match suspension that would have prevented him from participating in the Suffolk County qualifying tournament on Feb. 2. But a judge granted a stay and Ketchum was allowed to wrestle. He won his three bouts and earned a spot in the state championship tournament in Albany.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association had ruled Ketchum ineligible, citing a desire to keep a consistent ejection policy.
“I spent 17 hours in Long Island on Wednesday opposing the temporary restraining order,” NYSPHSA A executive director Robert Zayas told the Times Union. “We contend he never sat out.”
Ketchum was ejected for pushing and cursing after a match, Zayas had been told.
Zayas said the “integrity of the rule is in jeopardy” but solemnly notes that he’s “been to court quite a bit” in 17 years (including 10 years in a similar role in New Mexico) as on-court rules lead to actual courtrooms for these types of suspensions.
“The rule’s the rule,” Zayas said, after watching the Ketchum-delsignore match. “We have 600,000 kids that all abide by the same rules.”
Weeks said he didn’t know anything about Ketchum’s situation, just that he had never seen an ejection overturned in such fashion.
The bracket was redrawn Wednesday with Ketchum (46-5 entering state) placed as a No. 6 seed.
Zayas said the Ketchum case will be back in court March 6.
Weeks, meanwhile, moved on a little from his clear disappointment with the ending of Delsignore’s match.
Dorfman ousted Drew Bogdan of Albany Academy, 4-1.
It’s already a great run for a kid who got the chance because Niskayuna’s Peter Meshkov (a close friend for years) suffered a fractured sternum in the sectional final against Dorfman, who improved to 25-14 with two wins on Friday.
He prides himself on unique moves and “having fun out there.”
“This is exciting,” Dorfman said. “I get to go out and try and make a name for myself.”
Added Weeks: “He’s here like he’s at the circus. He has no pressure at all, bouncing around. Colden joked before his first match, ‘I’m really nervous.’ I said, ‘You are?’ He said ‘No.’ “But he’s a funky wrestler who’s got a gas tank. He can go a long time. He’s not winning because he’s lucky. He’s winning because he worked hard.”
Section II has 10 wrestlers in the semifinals, though only two in the large-school Division I. Poulin and Dorfman of Shen will be joined by the Svingala brothers of Maple Hill (Trent, Caleb) plus Zack Lawrence (152) and Charlie Grygas (160) of Duanesburg and Cobleskill’s Ethan Cooper at 170. Cobleskill also has Jeff Crooks at 220. Cody York (Hadley-luzerne/ Lake George, 182) and Devon Shader (195, Coxsackie-athens) round out the Saturday Section II participants in the semis.