Danbury’s Ryan Jack finished second at 126 pounds in Sunday’s Super 32 Challenge.
GREENSBORO, North Carolina, October 28 – There are still few weeks to go before the high school wrestling season begins but Danbury’s Ryan Jack may be ready now.
For the second time this month, Jack earned a spot in the final of a major preseason wrestling tournament.
Jack finished second in the Super 32 Challenge Sunday at 126 pounds, falling to Shayne Van Ness of New Jersey, 10-6. Earlier this month, Jack won the Journeymen Classic tournament at 120 pounds.
Jack was one of 25 Connecticut wrestlers in the tournament and the only one to medal. He went 6-1 in the tournament and had three matches that were decided in the final seconds.
Jack won his fourth match of the tournament with a 2-1 win in double OT over Dominick Serrano of Colorado with an escape with 41 seconds left in overtime.
In the quarterfinals, Jack picked up a two-point near fall with 22 seconds remaining to clinch a 6-4 decision over Jesse Mendez of Indiana. In the semifinals, Jack escaped with 1:47 left in the match to cut the lead to one. He got a takedown with four seconds left to beat Caleb Henson of Georgia, 3-2.
In the final against Van Ness, Jack trailed 4-2 after one period. An escape from Van Ness early in the third period extended the lead to three points, 5-2, but Jack got a takedown with 53 seconds remaining to cut the lead to one, 5-4.
But Van Ness quickly escaped and got a takedown to secure the win.
Jack is the fourth Connecticut wrestler to earn a spot in the Super 32 finals in last two years. A year ago, Danbury’s Jakob Camacho (126) won a Super 32 title along with New Milford’s Joanne Ortiz (108). Plymouth’s Cara Broadus finished second at 139.
New Britain’s Destiny Mateo (115) was the only other medalwinner from Connecticut in the tournament this year. Mateo, who won four straight consolation round matches with two pins, finished sixth. She was 4-3 in the tournament.
Danbury’s A.J. Kovacs (145) and Ellis Tech’s Sean Johnson (138) were each 3-2 in the tournament while Northwestern’s Angelo Folino (126), Joel Barlow’s Carson LiCastri (182), Suffield’s Hunter Adams (152), Manchester’s Shamar Schand (138) and Suffield’s Alexis Adams were each 2-2.
Trumbull’s Jack Ryan (120), Simsbury’s Ty Finn (120), Stratford’s Nico Provo (113), E.O. Smith’s Nickolas Richardson (152) and Windham’s Kevin Fantoli (126) each won a match.
More than 330 wrestlers in the tournament won a state level title last winter. To participate in the high school division, wrestlers have to finish among the top four in their state championship tournament, be an All-American from a USA Wrestling national tournament in Fargo or qualify through an early entry tournament.
Connecticut’s high school season begins Tuesday, December 11.
Previous Connecticut Super 32 champions
High school Division
2017: Jakob Camacho, Danbury (126)
2017: Joanne Ortiz, New Milford (108)
2003: Alex Cournoyer, Suffield Academy (112)
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