Though they both went east with high expectations representing Baldwinsville and the rest of Section III, Anthony Finocchiaro and Kyle Sheridan struggled for any kind of break during last weekend’s state Division I championship meet at Albany’s Times Union Center.
Up at 112 pounds, Finocchiaro was in the state meet for the second year in a row, but even that experience couldn’t keep him from a tough draw.
As such, in the opening round, Finocchiaro fell to Wayne’s Bob Dierna in a 7-1 decision, forcing him into the consolation bracket. Dierna eventually finished third.
There, Finocchiaro would beat Robbie Zyco (Curtis) with a pin in just 91 seconds, but then run into Luke Popolizi (Shenendehowa), who beat him 7-0. Grant Greene (St. Anthony’s) won the 112-pound Division I title.
As for Sheridan, he made it past the first round at 215 pounds, pinning Davaughn West (Canarsie) in 3:27, but ran right into Ernest James (Longwood) in the quarterfinals Friday night and suffered a pin. James went on to the state title.
Meanwhile, Sheridan would pin Devin VanAuken (Guilderland) in 3:40 in the consolation bracket, but then fall to Shaun Bacchiocchi (Monroe-Woodbury) 9-6, just one match away from a spot on the podium.
