Wre s t l i n g
Offseason work has Stella thinking states
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home's Nic Stella finished second in last year's 135-pound division of the Section VI State Qualifier. The junior is the third-ranked wrestler in the state at 140. File photo

Nic Stella has yet to qualify for the New York State Championships in his high school wrestling career but he hopes his offseason work on the mat will pay off with his first Section VI title and a trip to states.

Stella, ranked third in the state at 140 pounds, said he wrestled in a tournament every weekend in the summer to prepare for his junior year at Sweet Home. He won nine tournaments locally and took second at the National High School Coaches Association Virginia Beach Tournament, losing to University at Buffalo freshman Corey Greene by six points. He also finished seventh at sophomore nationals in Pennsylvania, including a loss in the first round to eventual champion, Jacob Earp of North Carolina.

"(Competing in national tournaments) is the only way to get better," said Stella. "You can tell how much better you're getting during the year."

Stella also attended a bunch of summer camps, including J Robinson, in Iowa.

Stella, who lost 5-2 to Iroquois' Matt Mariacher in the 135-pound finals of last year's Section VI State Qualifier, is certified at 135 but should wrestle at 140, said new Sweet Home coach Chris Nadeau, who recently took Stella to a tournament in Pennsylvania which he placed third.

"I don't see anybody touching him in this area," he said.

Nadeau knows what he's talking about. A standout wrestler in college, Nadeau was one match away from placing at nationals while at Niagara County Community College. He also won 26 matches at the University of Iowa. He also knows how to build programs, coaching the sport for 20 years with stops at East Aurora (modified team four years ago that he coached went 13-0 on varsity last year), North Tonawanda (JV four years) and in California (ten years, teams usually placed in the top three in the league, took seven wrestlers to states).

"Nic's training real hard in the room," said Nadeau. "He's like a man possessed."

Nadeau said his biggest problem with Stella is finding him a workout partner. Junior Matt Danwin has been working out with Stella so far this season.

"He's that tough," said Nadeau.

Stella comes into the season with a 115-37 record, tied for eighth all-time in school history, although he claims he has 117 wins. He was 34-7 last year and 7-0 in duel meets.

The all-time Sweet Home record for most career wins is 184 set by his brother Andrew, who is a redshirt freshman at the University at Buffalo.

"I think about it every day," said Stella of setting the record. "Hopefully, I'll have it next year by midseason."

In high school tournaments, Stella was named most outstanding wrestler and won the Salamanca Tournament at 125, the Joe Shifflet Invitational and the Class AAAA Tournament. This past summer at the Empire State Games, he was fourth at 143-pounds for the Western Region scholastic team.

Stella is looking forward to the Attica Tournament this weekend. He placed fifth there last year.

"I really don't see anyone around here beating me this year," said Stella.

The rest of the lineup as of this writing looks like Daiquonn Burney (103), Gates Bateman (112), Matt Danwin (119), Zack Fumerelle (125), Ryan Murray (152), Dan Balsom (160), Paul Fazekas (171), Dave Rhodes (189), and Archie Owrey (215).

Owrey, a senior, was 18-8 as a junior and won the Akron and Salamanca Tournaments at 215. He was fifth at the Class AAAA Tournament.

"I've expecting big things out of him," said Nadeau. "He's good with his legs and not many guys at 215 are."

Murray, Balsom, and Fazekas are seniors, Rhodes is a junior.

Bateman won 11 matches as an eighth grader at 103 and was 5-3 in duel meets. He was second at the Salamanca Tournament. His father, Glen, is a former New York State champion.

Danwin won 26 matches and was 9-0 in duel meets at 112. He was second on the team in duel meet points (37), pins (8) and takedowns (40). He was fifth in the 112-weight class at the Class AAAA Tournament.

Fumerelle, a freshman, had nine varsity wins as an eighth grader.

Senior Matt Cobb is battling with freshman Alex Dennis for the starting spot at 145. Freshman Cory Mitchum will wrestle at 130 or 135.

Nadeau said staying healthy and filling weight classes is top priorities for the team.

"They forfeited three or four weight classes last year so I'm trying so I don't have to do that this year," he said.

Sweet Home, 1-8 overall last year, competes in the ultra competitive ECIC Division I with the likes of Lancaster, Jamestown Clarence, and West Seneca West. Nadeau thinks Sweet Home can compete with these teams.

"Everybody I've talked to said we're going to take our lumps but I say, 'watch out'," said Nadeau.

Sweet Home

2006-07 Schedule 12-6 Jamestown ................ 6 p.m. 12-8 at Attica Tourn. ........... TBA 12-9 at Attica Tourn. ............. TBA 12-13 at Orchard Park ..... 7 p.m. 12-20 at Lancaster ............ 6 p.m. 12-22 Clarence .................. 6 p.m. 12-29 at Akron Tourn............ TBA 1-5 at Niagara Frontier Wrestling Officials' Association Tourn. (Niagara County Community College) ....................................... TBA 1-6 at Niagara Frontier Wrestling Officials' Association Tourn. (Niagara County Community College) ....................................... TBA 1-10 at Frontier................. 6 p.m. 1-17 North.......................... 6 p.m. 1-19 at ECICs (East Aurora) ... 4 p.m. 1-20 at ECICs (East Aurora) ... 9 a.m. 1-26 Sweet Home Tourn....... TBA 1-27 Sweet Home Tourn....... TBA 1-31 W.S. West................... 6 p.m. 2-2 at Hamburg ................. 6 p.m. 2-3 at Salamanca Tourn........ TBA 2-9 Class AAAA at Clarence TBA 2-10 Class AAAA at Clarence TBA

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com