Five make state semis
Area wrestlers still have chance to win a championship
ALBANY — Jacob Hanlon took a simple and direct approach regarding his Division I state quarterfinal wrestling match against Spencerport’s Joseph Trieste on Friday afternoon.
“I didn’t really want to wrestle anymore, so I wanted to get it over with,” Hanlon said.
Faithful to his desire, Hanlon got a quick takedown and maneuvered his way into securing his intended result as he registered his second pin of the day at MVP Arena and became the first Section II competitor to reach Saturday’s semifinals.
Out of 52 area wrestlers, a total of 14 Section II competitors reached the quarterfinals and five advanced to Saturday’s semifinals. Either two or three consecutive wins Friday were needed to reach the semifinals and all five area wrestlers required two victories as each had a first-round bye. Joining Hanlon in being two wins away from a state championship are Liam Carlin (Burnt Hills-ballston Lake), Justin Mullis (Hudson Falls), Kieran Cullen (Greenville) and Jesse Mullis (Hudson Falls).
Jesse Mullis (43-4), the No. 5 seed in Division II at 190 pounds, rallied from an 8-5 deficit to pin Windsor’s Mason Mccombs in joining his younger brother.
Carlin and Jesse Mullis both posted a pair of pins, Cullen advanced via a pin and decision and Justin Mullis produced a pair of decision victories.
Hanlon (40-2), who entered the Section II Division I tournament at 131 pounds seeded third, is seeded fourth. Friday, he prevailed twice with first-period pins. The junior defeated Trieste in 1 minute, 29 seconds.
“He was on his back and I didn’t have it tight, but I thought, ‘pin him.’ I want to go home,” Hanlon said. “I am very happy. I have never even been to the states. I am here in the semifinals. Now, it is time to rest, eat, make
weight and do it all again (Saturday).”
Carlin (42-3), the only area wrestler to earn a No. 1 seed with his top spot in Division I at 145 pounds, joined Hanlon in making quick work of both of his opponents. He pinned Tottenville’s David Khodzhaev in 1:11 and Scarsdale’s Thomas Iasiello in 1:04.
Carlin, who was named the Division I sectional tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, earned a wild-card berth to the 2022 state championships and finished fourth at 126. Last year, he won his first sectional title and came in second at states at 132.
Justin Mullis (41-9), who went 2-2 at the 2023 state tournament, became the first of three Division II competitors to advance to the semifinals. He posted decisions over Beekmantown’s Sawyer Bell and Putnam Valley’s Eusar Ordonez.
Cullen, the Division II sectional tourney’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, improved his record to 43-1.
One competitor with extensive experience who did not advance to the state semifinals was Ballston Spa senior Ralph Keeney. A three-time sectional champion who qualified for the state championships for the third straight year, Keeney vowed after winning his Division I 108-pound sectional title two weeks ago that he was coming to downtown Albany for the sole purpose of winning a state title in his final scholastic season. It did not unfold that way for the senior as he suffered an 8-5 quarterfinal setback against sixth-seeded Cullen Edwards from St. Francis.
After the loss, Keeney slammed his fist down on the mat in disgust.
Section II only had seven wrestlers seeded among the top four among the 52 brackets. The five area competitors who advanced to the semifinals were comprised of one No. 1 seed, one No. 2 seed, two No. 4 seeds and one No. 5 seed.