SIMSBURY, Dec. 29 – It’s been a while since the Simsbury High wrestling team has been considered one of the top teams in Connecticut. The undefeated Trojans are off to a fine start this winter having won two tournaments and their first three dual meets.
Simsbury won their first three dual meets in convincing fashion, captured their own Frank Chaves Invitational tournament for the first time since 2001, won the Skip Arden Invitational in Manchester with six individual champions and have landed a spot in the top 10 of the state coaches poll for the first time in 12 years.
“It is a great team,” Simsbury High coach Ernie Goodwin said. “We have a lot of kids who are working hard every day and there is a lot of great talent.”
Simsbury has seven seniors in the starting lineup including Ben Durst (120), who was third at 113 pounds as last year’s Class LL tournament and senior Christian Kaljulaid (285), who finished second in Class LL a year ago. Also in the lineup are senior John DePasquale (138), Ed Novak (160) and junior Brad Helmkamp (220), who each won at least 22 varsity matches a year ago.
And two freshmen Keith Penney (126) and Keith Fernandes (132) have added strength. Both have outwrestled seniors for their spots in the 14-man varsity lineup. Penney won his weight class in the Chaves Invitational, outlasting Trumbull’s Brandon Liscinsky, who took third in Class LL a year ago, 2-1. Fernandes was second, dropping a 9-5 decision to NFA’s Dan Britos.
Simsbury had eight wrestlers in the finals at the Chaves Invitational and two came home as champions – Penney and senior Tyler Stemm, who got a takedown in the final 10 seconds to beat Hartford’s Favian Williams, 9-6.
Vincent Palemro (106), Durst (120), Fernandes (132), Novak (160), Helmkamp (220) and Kaljulaid (285) were each second. James DeMaio (170) and Brandon Molnar (182) finished third. Durst lost a tight match, giving up a takedown in the final 20 seconds in a 3-1 defeat.
Simsbury’s depth helped them score 194 points to beat CCC West rival Newington with 145 points. Trumbull was third with 130½ points while NFA fourth with 95.
It was Simsbury’s first victory in the tournament since 2001 and its first since it was renamed the Chaves Invitational five years ago in recognition of Frank Chaves, the long-time Simsbury High coach. Chaves coached at Simsbury for 28 seasons (1978-2006) and led the Trojans to 452 wins, 12 CCC West championships, two Class L state championships and a Class LL championship.
Chaves, now a wrestling official, attends the meet each year and hands out the medals to the top three wrestlers in each weight class and the team trophies at the end of the meet.
In dual meets, Simsbury was impressive in a 54-4 decision over Bristol Central in its season opening victory with five pins, including three in under a minute. The Trojans beat Newington, 42-10 and dominated Waterford, 67-9 with six pins.
The Trojans also won the Skip Arden Invitational for the first time since 2000 with Palemro (106), Durst (120), Novak (160), Feldman (195), Helmkamp (220) and Kaljulaid (285) bringing home championships.
The road forward doesn’t get any easier for Simsbury. The Trojans began the new year as one of three teams in the CCC West ranked in the top 10 of the state coaches poll along with Southington and Farmington.
“The depth of our league is incredible,” Goodwin said. Farmington, which won 27 matches a year ago, began the season with a 6-0 record. Southington, which has won the last two CCC West titles, began the year with a 5-1 record.
Simsbury travels to Fairfield Saturday for the challenging Fairfield Warde tournament before heading to Southington next Wednesday, Jan. 9. Simsbury closes out the regular season on February 6 with a home match against Farmington that the Trojans hope will decide the league championship.
Frank Chaves Invitational
At Simsbury
Team results – 1. Simsbury 194, 2. Newington 145, 3. Trumbull 130½, 4. NFA 95, 5. Hall 88, 6. Suffield 84, 7. Hartford co-op 70, 8. Pomperaug 62, 9. Shelton 53, 10. Unattached (JV wrestlers) 27, 11. Windsor Locks 24
Individual results
106
Final: Jacob Martin (NFA) dec. Vincent Palermo (Simsbury), 6-2; 3. Taylor Scavetta (Newington) pin Matt Foster (Unattached), 3:55
113
Final: Cross Cannone (Trumbull) pin Justin Griffin (Pomperaug), 4:38; 3. Kyle McGinnis (Shelton) pin Dillon Lisk (Suffield), 4:42
120
Final: Brian Amato (Newington) dec. Ben Durst (Simsbury), 3-1; 3. Haris Petry (Hall) dec. Matt Guilmette (Suffield), 2-1
126
Final: Keith Penney (Simsbury) dec. Brandon Liscinsky (Trumbull), 2-1; 3. Brendan Zotti (Newington) pin Broderick Matticks (Hartford), 2:53
132
Final: Dan Britos (NFA) dec. Keith Fernandes (Simsbury), 9-5; 3. Brian Goncalves (Newington) pin Chase Goodreau (Pomperaug), 2:04
138
Final: Christian Zotti (Newington) dec. Eric Gadski (Pomperaug), 1-0; 3. John DePasquale (Simsbury) pin Willy Valentin (Hartford), 3:19
145
Final: Tyler Courter (NFA) dec. Allen Currier (Hall), 11-6; 3. Stephan Briganti (Trumbull), 10-4
152
Final: Tyler Stemm (Simsbury) dec. Favian Williams (Hartford), 9-6; 3. A.J. Ryan (Pomperaug) dec. Adam Angelucci (Trumbull), 3-2
160
Final: Khamri Thomas (Windsor Locks) dec. Ed Novak (Simsbury), 5-1; 3. Edgar Charles (NFA ) dec. Brandon Fulco (Trumbull), 12-4
170
Final: Chris Chorzepa (Newington) pin Tristen Caulley (Suffield), 1:36; 3. James DeMaio (Simsbury) pin Steven Green (Newington), 0:43
182
Final: Paul McKee (Trumbull) dec. Mack Thompson (Shelton), 4-2; 3. Brandon Molnar (Simsbury JV) dec. Lukas Stone (Simsbury), 11-2
195
Final: Cole Souza (Hall) dec. Matt Nardi (Suffield), 12-6; 3. Calvin Williams (Hartford) dec. Jake Feldman (Simsbury), 7-3
220
Final: Will Szozda (Suffield) dec. Brad Helmkamp (Simsbury), 9-4; 3. Quinton Birchall (Newington) dec. John Miolene (Trumbull), 5-2
285
Final: Tobi Lichtenstein (Hall) dec. Christian Kaljulaid (Simsbury), 5-0; 3. Andres DelValle (Newington) dec. Luis Rivera (Hartford) 1-0
Fast fall: Chris Chorzepa (Newington) 3 pins in 2:13; Outstanding wrestler: Chris Chorzepa (Newington), 170
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