East wins Maple Grove Kick-off Classic
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville East couldn't have started its 2007-08 wrestling season any better, taking home first out of 13 teams at the Maple Grove Kick-off Classic last Saturday at Maple Grove High School.

The Flames won with 193 total points. Newfane (191), Southwestern (185) and Lake Shore (158) rounded out the top four.

The Flames also won the event in 2004.

"The team wrestled terrific," said East coach Henry Fumerelle. "It was a great way to start our season."

The Flames crowned three champions - sophomore Jacob Beichner and seniors Max Cohen and Matt Calleri - and placed six other wrestlers in the top four - freshman Sam Beichner, sophomores Ben Mikac and Will Kelly, junior Brandon Munoz and seniors Sean Trabert and Jayson Dieckman.

At 125, Jacob Beichner won his first two matches by pinfall and defeated Lake Shore's Randy Weston, 4-0, in the finals.

Cohen pinned all three of his wrestlers in the first period, including Maple Grove's Brad Carlson in the 130-pound finals.

Calleri won all three of his matches at 135, defeating the top-seed, Southwestern's Zach Nelson, 4-3, in the finals.

Trabert took second at 140, losing to Maple Grove's Josh Micek, 9-1, in the final. Fumerelle said Miecek is a former New York State qualifier.

Mikac went 3-1 at 112 for second.

Sam Beichner went 3-1 at 96 and Will Kelly went 4-1 at 171 to each take home third place trophies.

Munoz and Dieckman went 3-2 at 145 and 152, respectively, to each earn fourth place.

MP Joseph went 3-2 at 189 but fell short of placing.

East wrestles non-league dual matches at Roy-Hart and Sweet Home on Wednesday and Friday, respectively. Both matches will start at 6 p.m.

The Sweet Home match will feature Fumerelle coaching against his nephew, Zach, a 125-pounder, in a dual match for the first time.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com