The prestigious Eastern States Classic begins Friday, Jan. 9 and concludes Saturday, Jan. 10. For the second straight year, the tournament will be hosted at Impact Athletic Center in Halfmoon in Saratoga County.
Eastern States, which some in scholastic wrestling consider a superior bracket to most state tournaments, pulls in talent from all over the Northeast.
This year’s tournament will have 186 teams from six states and 564 wrestlers, according to the event program provided by tournament director Jeff Cuilty.
Seeds will be announced Jan. 8.
Nineteen state champions, 20 state runner-ups and 100 returning state placewinners are scheduled to compete.
There are returning wrestlers from Section 1 and the Lower Hudson Valley who placed at Eastern States in 2025 and are competing in this year’s draw:
Fox Lane senior Alex Berisha won the 215-pound Eastern States title in 2025, became the first Section 1 wrestler to win an Eastern States title since 2020 when he won last season. Berisha now wrestles for Div. I West Virginia. Other placers from the Lower Hudson Valley who have since graduated were Iona Prep’s Vinny Tripaldi, who placed third at 138, Iona Prep’s Paolo Ciatto, who placed third at 170 and Fox Lane’s Barron Ransom, who placed seventh at 190.
Eastern States Classic
Where: Impact Athletic Center, 390 NY-146, Clifton Park, New York
When: Friday, Jan. 9 and Saturday, Jan. 10
Tickets: TicketLeap.com, search for Eastern States, click on logo. Also available at https://friendsofsection9wrestling.ticketleap.com/eastern-states-2026. All sessions are $30, $15 for students under 21 or seniors over 55, individual day tickets are $20, $10 for students under 21 or seniors over 55.
Friday’s Eastern States Classic schedule of events
7 a.m.: Doors open.
10:20 a.m.: Wrestling will continue without breaks until conclusion on nine mats.
Saturday’s Eastern States Classic schedule of events
7 a.m.: Doors open
9:15 a.m.: Quarterfinals, Consolation round 4
11 a.m.: Consolation round 5
1 p.m.: Semifinals, Consolation round 6
2:20 p.m.: Consolation semis and consolation finals (7th/8th)
4:15 p.m.: Finals and consolation finals (1st/2nd, 3rd/4th, 5th/6th)
Lower Hudson Valley and Section 1 boys participants in 2026 Eastern States Classic
103 pounds
Marcarlo Mannello, BBHVW, 8th grade; Andrew Kalathil, Horace Greeley, So.
110 pounds
Flavio Di Nicola, Fox Lane, Fr.; Yanni Gianakouros, Nyack, Jr.; Peter Garibaldi, Putnam Valley, Jr., Ethan Steuber, Somers, Sr.; Luca Lore, Yorktown, 8th grade.
118 pounds
Vincenzo Mannello, BBHVW, Fr; Dorian Hidalgo, Iona Prep, So.; David Corrales, John Jay-Cross River, So., Liam Lin, North Rockland, Jr., Nicky Lofaro, Ossining, So.; Kenji Clark, Rye Country Day, Fr; Loghan Dwyer, Somers, So.
126 pounds
Nick Fortugno, BBHVW, Sr.; Jace Weinerman, BBHVW, Fr.; Piero Di Nicola, Fox Lane, Sr.; Ethan Murphy, Horace Greeley, So.; Fotis Koufalis, Iona Prep, So.; Ryan Fitzpatrick, John Jay-East Fishkill, Sr.; Matteo Crino, New Rochelle, Jr.; Ronan Sutter, Rye, Sr.; Kelvin Jimenez, Sleepy Hollow, So.; Gio Tornambe, Yorktown, Jr.
132 pounds
Vince Palermiti, BBHVW, Jr.; Chase Allocca, Carmel, Sr.; Jonathan Suarez, Croton-Harmon, Jr.; Emerson Flamm, John Jay-Cross River, Jr.; Brendan O’Sullivan, Pearl River, Jr.
138 pounds
Thomas Looby, Brewster, Sr.; Shane Degl, Iona Prep, So.; Chris Mollicone, John Jay-East Fishkill, Sr.; Charles Przymylski, Mahopac, Sr.; Ryan Ball, Somers, Sr.; Justin Reiss, Tappan Zee, Sr.; Cooper Constantine, Yorktown, So.
144 pounds
Robbie Barbuto, BBHVW, Sr.; Kenny Keltto, Carmel, Sr.; Colin Liebertz, Ossining, Sr.; Nick Paonessa, Putnam Valley, Sr.; Cal Ehrmann, Somers, Sr.; Derek Kuchinsky, Somers, Jr.; Rowan Larsen, Yorktown, Jr.
150 pounds
Ryan Ciardullo, Clarkstown North, Sr.; Nick Debellis, Horace Greeley, Jr.; Malcolm Davis, Iona Prep, So.; Jonathan Abzun, Ossining, So.
157 pounds
Chris Nocca, Horace Greeley, Sr.; George Johnson, Iona Prep, Sr.; Declan O’Meara, Pearl River, Sr.; Thomas Hudson, Sleepy Hollow, Sr..
165 pounds
Luke Ryan, Fox Lane, Sr.; Deaglan Lesnick, Pearl River, Sr.; Jason Gaylord, Rye, Sr.; Miles Sheridan, Sleepy Hollow, Sr.; Adam Yakout, Yorktown, Sr.
175 pounds
Will Roden, Clarkstown North, Jr.; Ralphie Rodriguez, Iona Prep, Jr.; C.J. Luth, Rye, Sr.; Michael Variano, Sleepy Hollow, Jr.; Tyler Caricati, Yorktown, Jr.; Nick Duran, Yorktown, Jr.
190 pounds
Chris Bloom, Fox Lane, Sr.; Ben Weinstein, Horace Greeley, Sr.; Lorenzo Gunzer, Iona Prep, Jr.; Gavin Hewitt, New Rochelle, Sr.; Devin Bierfeldt, Nyack, Jr.; John Jack Anderson, Rye, Sr.; T.J. Mauro, Somers, Sr.
215 pounds
Elijah Pye, Iona Prep, Sr.; Rocco Lore, Sr., Yorktown.
285 pounds
Michael Mauro, John Jay-East Fishkill, Sr.; Malaki Drysdale, Ossining, Sr.; Binak Bruncaj, Tappan Zee, Sr.,
Former state champions in the field
110 pounds
John Woodall, Franklin, So.; Jonny Tutku, Massapequa, Fr.; Will Soto, Newburgh, Jr.; Cole DeSiano, Ridgefield, So.
118 pounds
Andrew Juliano, Holland Patent, Sr; Dunia Sibomana, Long Beach, Sr.; Cooper Merli, New York Military Academy, Sr.
132 pounds
Chris Noto, Honeoye Falls-Lima, Sr.
144 pounds
Gavin Mangano, Shoreham-Wading River, Jr.
150 pounds
Maverick Beckwith, Norwich, Jr.
157 pounds
Brady Ouellette, Noble, Sr.
165 pounds
Caden Smith, Central Catholic, Jr.; Evan Schibi, Gilbert School, Sr.; Jake Maddox, Jr.,; Newtown.
190 pounds
Caden Chase, Central Catholic, Sr.; Braeden Simoneaux, NYMA, Jr.
215 pounds
Devin Downes, Plainedge, Sr.
285 pounds
Sean Lynch, Noble, Sr.; Kaz Morosetti, North Kingstown, Sr.
Former state runners-up in the field
110 pounds
Adrian Torres, Southwestern, Sr.
118 pounds
Anthony Valls, Chenango Valley, Jr.; Brock Nice, Noble, So.
126 pounds
Austin Bronco Campsey, East Hampton, Jr.; Brock Frederick, South Jefferson, Sr.; E.J. Vass, Valley Central, So.
132 pounds
Anthony Severino, Lindenhurst, Sr.
144 pounds
Ashten Haley, Cobleskill-Richmondville, Jr.; Emmett Logan, Lowell, Sr.; Samson McKissick-Staley, Pittsford, Sr.; Matthew McDermott, Smithtown East, So.
150 pounds
Jacob McVige, Honeoye Falls-Lima, Sr.
157 pounds
Antonio Arguello, Newtown, Jr.; Shea Morris, NYMA, Sr.
175 pounds
Gabe English, Berne Know-Westerlo; Sr; Rhys Dewar, Central Catholic, Jr.
190 pounds
Trent True, Holland Patent, Sr.
215 pounds
Jackson Meehan, Central Catholic, Sr.
285 pounds
Michael Mauro, John Jay-East Fishkill, Sr.
Chris Belmonte, New Hartford-Sauquoit Valley-Utica Proctor, Sr.
Phil Strum is local sports editor for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Eastern States Classic wrestling field announced for Jan. 9-10 tourney
Reporting by Phil Strum, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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