Wrestling: Port Jervis' Charlie Wylie makes history at Div. II wrestling championships

LIBERTY — She has sure lived up to her nickname, "Charlie Superstar."

Port Jervis eighth-grader Charlie Wylie became the first girl to win a Section 9 Div. II wrestling championship in the boys' division at Liberty High School on Sunday. And she never planned to wrestle in the girls' tournament, she said.

“It feels good," Wylie said. "I’ve been practicing for it for a long time now and that’s what I came here to do.”

Wylie would pin her opponent in the quarterfinals, semifinals and then finals at 102pounds in less than one minute each round.

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“It’s still kind of hitting me, but it couldn’t have gone to a better kid, a harder worker. I’m just really proud of her," Port Jervis coach John Foley said. "I’m her uncle, so it hits home pretty good. She’s very well-deserving of it and she’s going to do great at the next level. It’s just unfortunate that we couldn’t have a slew of girls competing, but the girls that are competing, they’re just tough as all nails, and my hat goes off to all of them.”

New Paltz's Rebecca Brennan was one of two girls competing in the Div. II tournament and Minisink Valley's Sofia Macaluso competed in the Div. I tournament.

Wylie was one of five Port Jervis wrestlers who earned a section title, including Trevor Tufano who recorded a three-peat and pinned Nick Laskowski in 1:47 at 110.

“It’s great honestly," Tufano said. "But first off, I have to thank my coaches, family, friends and everybody that pushed me all these years. It’s really something special. The end goal is really not finished yet, going into two weeks from now, so the preparation is still on. Up at states, the podium is a key, hopefully a state title, though. That’s a main goal on my list this year.”

Ryan Ross (145) won another title and Ivan Figueroa (189) and Matt Oosterom (215) also added a championship to their resumes.

After being eliminated early in the NYSPHSAA wrestling dual meet championships in Syracuse, Foley gave a message to his wrestlers.

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“I just kept telling the kids to keep doing what they’ve been doing, because it works, just don’t divert from what we’ve been doing," he said. "After going to the state duals, I challenged the kids. They took that challenge and displayed it tonight, so I’m incredibly happy and proud of these guys and it only matters when you’re wrestling in the lights and the kids showed it tonight.”

New Paltz had three winners, including Justin Coiteux, who won on a last-second escape in a one-point finish at 138.

“He took me down," Coiteux said on the match. "As soon as he took me down I knew I had to get one. I knew he couldn’t hold me down all match, and I just had to believe in myself and my team believed in me even harder. It feels great.”

Other New Paltz winners were Cole Cuppett (152) and Logan Ormond (285).

Highland's Chris Gatto (126) and Logan Smith (160) were both champions as well. Smith had an interesting road to the title, as he wrestled his younger brother, Gunner, in the semifinals.

Rondout Valley would see a pair of section title winners in Lucas Ospina, who took down returning champion and top-seeded Rian Kirker of Red Hook in the semifinals at 118.

Ospina said his first match of the season was against Kirker, and he trailed 5-1. Ospina said he got gassed early and Kirker ended up getting a double armbar, with the match going to overtime, where he lost by two points.

“Coming back to the tournament, and expecting to be the second seed, but ending up getting the fourth seed, meaning I would have to face him in the semifinals was better than what I hoped for, rather than getting him out early, let him be at full strength before the finals, which would have made it a tougher match.

“Taking him down just feels deserved," Ospina added. "I’ve worked toward it and now I’m ready for all the wrestlers in Albany.”

He added the feelings after climbing all the way up the ladder to be crowned a section champion.

“The ending feeling is something I can’t even describe," Ospina said. "The rush of excitement I personally receive from it is better than anything else.”

Teammate Rocco DeAveiro took home the 132 title. And Onteora's Wyatt Konjas won at 172.

The 13 winners from tonight's event will travel to MVP Arena in Albany for the NYSPHSAA individual championships on Feb. 25-26. Section 9 will have 39 wrestlers in the tournament.

MKramer1@th-record.com

Twitter: @MKramerTHR

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Section 9 wrestling championships: Port Jervis' Wylie makes history