Wrestling: Red Hook nabs first Section 9 championship since 2017, six locals win titles

Stephen Haynes, Poughkeepsie Journal
·4 min read

Demetrius Massey had his back to the proverbial wall ― or floor, in this instance. He was facing a considerable deficit with Saugerties' Vance Dyke seemingly in control of their match and time running out on his high school wrestling career.

But Massey fought back, executing a reverse to counter, and got himself into an advantageous position. The Red Hook senior rallied for a pin with 59 seconds remaining, defeating Vance to win the 138-pound title at the Section 9 Division 2 championships.

That bout was voted the "most exciting" of the tournament. It also, in some ways, was representative of the Red Hook program, which has climbed its way back to prominence.

Saugerties' Vance Dyke, top, wrestles Red Hook's Demetrius Massey in the 138 pound weight class during the division 2 Section 9 wrestling championship at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, NY on Sunday, February 12, 2023. Port Jervis's Charlie Wylie won the match. Red Hook's Demetrius Massey won the match.
Saugerties' Vance Dyke, top, wrestles Red Hook's Demetrius Massey in the 138 pound weight class during the division 2 Section 9 wrestling championship at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, NY on Sunday, February 12, 2023. Port Jervis's Charlie Wylie won the match. Red Hook's Demetrius Massey won the match.

The Raiders had four wrestlers crowned champions and the team took first place overall at SUNY Ulster, winning its first section title since 2017 in a resurgent season.

"It had been a long time," coach Nick Fredericks said. "This meant a lot to us. We knew we had a good team, but we also knew how good the competition was and that it would require a lot to overtake them. We have a great group of guys, and they showed up."

That performance earned them the opportunity to make travel plans as they advanced to the state championships on Feb. 24-25 at MVP Arena in Albany.

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Red Hook totaled 203 points, finishing ahead of Saugerties (183.5) and Port Jervis (171), the teams that were among the favorites entering the competition. Saugerties had dealt the Raiders their only loss in their division and won the Section 9 Duals last month. Port Jervis, Fredericks said, typically does well in tournaments.

Red Hook's Rian Kirker, bottom, wrestles Port Jervis' Justin Harrison in the 126 pound weight class during the division 2 Section 9 wrestling championship at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, NY on Sunday, February 12, 2023. Red Hook's Rian Kirker won the match.
Red Hook's Rian Kirker, bottom, wrestles Port Jervis' Justin Harrison in the 126 pound weight class during the division 2 Section 9 wrestling championship at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, NY on Sunday, February 12, 2023. Red Hook's Rian Kirker won the match.

But it was the Raiders who shined brightest on this stage. In the Section 9 girls tournament, Red Hook's Citrus Triplett also snagged a title. The senior pinned Gillian Mills of Saugerties in 52 seconds in the 132-pound final.

"I can't say I expected us to do as well," the coach said. "We had some high seeds coming in, but you have to live up to that and it's never easy. This group is special. They showed the drive throughout to be successful."

Sophomore Ewen Celestine scored a 19-6 major decision over Highland's Bradley Gatto in the 118-pound final. Rian Kirker pinned Port Jervis' Justin Harrison in 2:32 for the 126-pound championship. Luke Daniels, continuing a breakout senior season, downed defending champion Logan Ormond of New Paltz with a pin in 5:13 to capture the 285-pound title.

New Paltz's Justin Coiteux and Cole Cuppett repeated as champions in the 145 and 152-pound brackets, respectively, although the Huguenots finished in fifth place overall. Coiteux was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Saugerties' Jack Bucci, left, wrestles New Paltz's Cole Cuppett in the 152 pound weight class during the division 2 Section 9 wrestling championship at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, NY on Sunday, February 12, 2023. New Paltz's Cole Cuppett won the match.
Saugerties' Jack Bucci, left, wrestles New Paltz's Cole Cuppett in the 152 pound weight class during the division 2 Section 9 wrestling championship at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, NY on Sunday, February 12, 2023. New Paltz's Cole Cuppett won the match.

Our Lady of Lourdes freshman Bryce Reilly took third at 102 pounds, as did teammate Matthew Krauza at 189. Highland eighth-grader Trevor Coates was third at 118, and Marlboro's Reese Greathouse took third at 145.

Daniels entered this season with 20 career wins, but after a sterling regular season that included a win over Ormond in the Section 9 Duals, the senior earned the No. 1 seed.

"Luke got back into football after a year away from it, and it helped with his footwork and quickness," Fredericks said of Daniels, who is 36-7 this season. "He came in with added strength and speed, and it made a big difference. He also has a great workout partner in Mark Paschal, and the healthy competition pushed them both."

During the Section 9 Duals, Daniels stunned Our Lady of Lourdes star Charles Batista, who had won a Section 1 championship last year. From that, Fredericks said, Daniels gained a significant confidence boost and "everything seemed to click."

Red Hook's Luke Daniels, left, wrestles New Paltz's Logan Ormond in the 285 pound weight class during the division 2 Section 9 wrestling championship at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, NY on Sunday, February 12, 2023. Red Hook's Luke Daniels won the match.
Red Hook's Luke Daniels, left, wrestles New Paltz's Logan Ormond in the 285 pound weight class during the division 2 Section 9 wrestling championship at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, NY on Sunday, February 12, 2023. Red Hook's Luke Daniels won the match.

Paschal also pinned Batista in the consolation final to secure third place.

Kirker, a senior who surpassed 100 victories, won his first section title since the ninth grade. The pandemic nixed his sophomore year and, last season, he fell short in the semifinal round. This triumph and a return to the state tournament, his coach said, "is an awesome accomplishment for him."

"We're still enjoying the achievement of getting up there," Fredericks said of his wrestlers who qualified for the state championships. "But now we have to get into the mindset of competing there. It's a different atmosphere and the lights are brighter, but we'll do our best to keep calm and treat it like another match. We'll give our best effort."

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Wrestling: Red Hook earns first Section 9 Division 2 title since 2017