Four wrestlers advance to state qualifier

by Eric Keppeler
Grand Island Dispatch, February 16, 2007

Grand Island wrestling coach Jeff Johnston figured that his Vikings would benefit from a season’s worth of tough competition in the Niagara Frontier League.

It turns out that he was absolutely correct as the Vikings posted a solid showing at last weekend’s Class AAA Tournament at Starpoint Central High School, placing eighth in the 14-team field and advancing four wrestlers to Saturday’s state qualifier at Fredonia.

“Wrestling in the NFL really helped us,” Johnston said. “We see some incredible competition, night in and night out, and losing to really good kids will only make us better. Overall, we were right there.”

The top four finishers in each weight class at last weekend’s AAA Tournament advance to the state qualifier, and Grand Island wound up with two third-place finishes and a pair of fourths.

Individually, junior Alex Webb is headed back to the state qualifier for the second straight year after finishing third at 171 pounds. Last year, he won the Class AAA title at 160 pounds and went 1-2 in the state qualifier, the only Viking to advance that far.

Sophomore Adam Helman also took third place last week in the 160-pound bracket, while junior Joey Amsdill was fourth at 96 pounds and sophomore Lee Schuster took fourth at 112 pounds.

“That was really pretty close to what I was expecting,” Johnston said. “Going in, I thought Joey Amsdill was the best wrestler at 96 pounds, but he didn’t wrestle his best. I think it was nerves, but I know he can do a lot better and I’m glad he gets another chance.”

The Vikings also had a number of other wrestlers place well, despite not advancing to the state qualifier.

Freshman Anthony Genova wound up in fifth place at 135 pounds, as did sophomore Anthony Gugino at 145 pounds. Freshman Joe Giambelluca was sixth at 119 pounds and senior Dustin Lange was sixth at 152 pounds.

Johnston is especially excited that so much of his youthful team will be back next season, a year older and a year wiser. Lange is the team’s only senior, but everyone else will be back.

“All of the kids going to the qualifier are underclassmen,” he said. “And they’re going to be going up against a lot of seniors at this tournament, and that puts us in a very good position for next year.”

But before next year, four Viking wrestlers are still very much alive and kicking this season. They need to win their weight class at the qualifier in order to advance to the state tournament March 2 and 3 in Albany.

Johnston understands that may be a tall order at this point, but he firmly believes that his wrestlers will be the better for the experience.

“I think the kids are starting to understand the level of competition that they’re capable of reaching,” Johnston said. “Some of the fear is coming off, and they realize now that they can just go and wrestle and not worry about anything else. And they’re only going to get better.”