Keanu Thompson, Grand Street's 126-pound senior, entered yesterday unseeded, but quickly had the entire arena talking about his pin of Somer's defending state champion Dylan Realbuto. In the semifinals this morning he again emerged victorious on the strength of his tough, physical wrestling from the top position. After getting his first point on a 2nd period escape, he used a late 3rd period tilt to upend Rome Free Academy's Antonio Deluco 4-0. Thompson will wrestle TJ Fabian of Shoreham Wading River in the finals. This is a rematch from last year's placing round at the state tournament when Fabian earned a hard fought 5-3 win over Thompson. Should Thompson win, he will be the first PSAL wrestler to win a state championship.
Monsignor Farrell Junior 220-pounder Rich Sisti brought an undefeated record into the semifinals, and that streak continued as he advanced to his first state final. Sisti moves exceptionally well for a wrestler of his size and earned a quick takedown early in the match which he then rode for a 3-2 decision over Huntington's 1st seed Nick Lupi. Sisti will wrestle Steven Mills of Sachem North in the finals.
In Division 2, Adis Radoncic, a 170-pound wrestler from Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy will compete for a state title tonight after defeating 2nd-seeded Troy Seymour of Peru 1-0 in the semifinals. Adis chose down in the second period but was unable to earn an escape. In the third, his opponent also proved incapable of scoring from the bottom position, but was hit with a penalty point for stalling which proved to be the difference. Adis will wrestle 1st-seeded Christian Dietrich of Greene in the finals. Dietrich defeated Radoncic 13-4 earlier this season at the Eastern States, but Radoncic has been wrestling exceptionally well recently and will try to reverse the result tonight.
In addition to the three finalists, their were eight other placewinners to total 11 medal winners from NYC -- four Catholic League Wrestlers, and an all-time high seven from the PSAL.
NYC Placewinners
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Division 1
- 120: Santo Curatolo, Tottenville - 4th
- 126: Keanu Thompson, Grand Street - in finals
- 132: Sam Melikian, Fordham Prep - 3rd
- 132: Saidyokub Kahramonov, New Utrecht - 6th
- 152: Konstantin Parfiryev, Madison - 6th
- 160: Andrew Psomas, Monsignor Farrell - 5th
- 182: Matt Roberts, Monsignor Farrell - 6th
- 195: Kevin Tynes, Brooklyn Tech - 6th
- 220: Rich Sisti, Monsignor Farrell - in finals
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Division 2
- 113: Cheick Ndiaye Brooklyn International - 4th
- 170: Adis Radoncic, Riverdale Kingsbridge - in finals
