Choate Rosemary Hall had two medalists in the girls division of the Prep School National Championship tournament Saturday at Lehigh. Sara McLaughlin, left, was second at 120 while Calli Gilchrist, right, won a national title at 114 pounds and OW honors. (Photos courtesy Ryan Roddy)
Three wrestlers from Connecticut won national championships at the 88th annual National Prep School championship tournament at Lehigh University on Saturday.
Southbury’s William Henckel and Sarah Henckel, who both wrestle for Blair Academy in Blair, N.J., each won national titles while Wallingford’s Calli Gilchrist of Choate Rosemary Hall won her first title at 114 pounds and was named the outstanding wrestler of the tournament.
Green Farms Academy out of Westport had 10 wrestlers earn All-American honors for finishing in the top eight of their respective weight classes to help the Dragons finish fifth for the second straight year.
It’s the most medalists (10) and most points scored (191½) in tournament history by a Connecticut school. The Dragons were led by Newtown’s Nate Taylor (190), who finished third and earned All-American honors for a fourth year.
William Henckel, a junior who has committed to attend No. 1 Penn State, went 4-0 with three pins to win the national title with a 7-2 win over Dominic Federici of Wyoming Seminary. Henckel beat Isael Perez of Northfield Mt. Hermon, 14-6, in the semifinals.
It was third All-American honor William Henckel, who was second in 2022 at 145 and third at 150 pounds a year ago.
Sophomore Sarah Henckel went 2-0 at 152 pounds to win her second straight national championship with a pin over Reagan Ramadan of West Nottingham Academy in 1:37.
Gilchrist went 3-0 with three pins at 114 pounds to win her first national title. Two pins were in under a minute. She was awarded the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler award.
Teammate Sarah McLaughlin of Wallingford finished second at 120 pounds after getting pinned in 3:46 by Emma Bacon of Wyoming Seminary.
Gilchrist and McLaughlin helped Choate Rosemary Hill finish fourth as a team, the highest finish by a Connecticut in the short four-year history of the girls tournament. Somers’ Natalie Accorsi of Tabor Academy in Marion, Mass., finished third at 120 pounds.
Wyoming Seminary won the tournament with 187 points, followed by Phillips Andover from Massachusetts in second place with 114 points. Blair Academy was third with 94 points with Choate Rosemary Hall scoring 49 points with four competitors.
Green Farms’ girls team was fifth with 41½ points with three competitors. Freshman Kayla Batres of Milford finished second at 107 pounds while teammate April Torres of Shelton finished third at 165 with a 4-1 record and four consecutive wins in the consolation round.
In the boys tournament, Taylor finished third with a 3-2 win over Nick Wehmeyer of Pennsylvania’s Malvern Prep. He won four matches- three by technical fall – to advance to the semifinals before dropping a 3-2 decision to Jake Daley of Wyoming seminary.
Taylor is just the third wrestler in state history to earn prep school All-American honors four times. Pomfret’s Josh Wildes (2001-04) and Loomis Chaffee’s Mike Powers (2003-06) were also four-time prep school All-Americans from Connecticut.
Xavier Giles (165) from the Bronx, N.Y. was fourth for the Dragons along with Marlborough’s Jackson Heslin (120) and North Haven’s Giuseppe Iamunno (144). Also earning medals and All-American honors for the Dragons were Newtown’s Brighton Karvoski (sixth, 106), Gabriel Garabaldi (sixth, 285), Norwalk’s Ronnie Chisholm (seventh, 150), Danbury’s Dom Iaquinto (seventh, 215) and Norwalk’s J.T. Schneider (eighth, 138).
For Greens Farms Academy, it was the third consecutive top 10 finish at the national tournament.
Freshman Colby Houle of Canton earned All-American honors with his sixth place finish for Northfield Mount Hermon at 132 pounds. Houle was 4-3 with two pins.
Wyoming Seminary won their eighth national title and their third in the last four years with a 395½ to 270 victory over Blair Academy with Pennsylvania’s Malvern Prep finishing third with 261 points. Florida’s Lake Highland Prep was fourth with 259 points.
2024 National Prep School championships
At Lehigh, Pa.
Top 20 team results – 1. Wyoming Seminary 395½, 2. Blair Academy (NJ) 270, 3. Malvern Prep (PA) 261, 4. Lake Highland Prep (FL) 259, 5. Greens Farms Academy-Westport 191½, 6. Northfield Mt. Hermon (MA) 139½, 7. Gilman School 119, 8. St. Mary’s Ryken 100½, 9. Archbishop Spalding 97½, 10. St. Christopher’s School 94½, 11. Father Ryan High School 92½, 12. Baylor School 78½, 13. Belmont Hill-Belmont MA 77, 14. Paul IV 69, 15. Germantown Academy 62½, 16. Loyola-Blakefield 62, 17. Mount Saint Joseph 57½, 18. McCallie School 52, 19. William Penn Charter 47, 20. All Saints Episcopal 40
Other Connecticut schools
60. Avon Old Farms 10, 66. Suffield Academy 9, 78. Brunswick School 6, 97. Choate Rosemary Hall 2, 106. Hotchkiss 0
Individual results
Championship finals
106 Shamus Regan (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Julian Rios (Phillips Andover), 5-0
113 Davis Motyka (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Matthew Oneill A (Malvern Prep), 7-3
120 Nate Desmond (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Leo Deluca (Blair Academy), 5-3
126 Luke Lilledahl (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Charlie Desena (Lake Highland Prep), 7-3
132 Matthew Botello (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Nikolaus Oneill (Malvern Prep), 5-4
138 Billy Dekraker (Blair Academy) dec. Colin Kacena (Lake Highland Prep), 3-1
144 Jack Consiglio (Malvern Prep) dec. Logan Rozynski (Blair Academy), 2-1
150 Anthony Evanitsky (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Nathan Rickards P (Malvern Prep), 2-1 TB2
157 Vince Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Paul Ognissanti (Blair Academy), 13-7
165 Joseph Sealey (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Emmitt Sherlock (Gilman School), 10-2
175 William Henckel Southbury CT (Blair Academy) dec. Dominic Federici (Wyoming Seminary), 7-2
190 Jake Dailey (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Robert Kucharczk (Lake Highland Prep), 3-2
215 Jude Correa (Wyoming Seminary) pin Cael Mielnik (Blair Academy), 0:59
285 Carter Neves (Blair Academy) dec. James Bechter (Northfield Mt. Hermon), 14-4
Third place (consolation finals)
106 Liam McGettigan (Gilman School) pin Eli Gabrielson (St. Mary’s Ryken), 2:39
113 Jack Baron (Germantown Academy) dec. Michael Batista (Blair Academy), 3-1
120 Ethan Rivera (Lake Highland Prep) pin Jackson Heslin Bridgeport, CT (Greens Farms Academy), 0:00
126 Jason Torres (Malvern Prep) dec. Brody Gobbell (Father Ryan High School), 6-2
132 Casen Roark (Father Ryan High School) dec. Jayce Paridon (Lake Highland Prep), 3-1
138 Walker Turley (St. Christopher’s School) dec. Carter Nogle (Mount Saint Joseph), 5-0
144 Zeno Moore (Lake Highland Prep) dec. Giuseppe Iamunno North Haven, CT (Greens Farms Academy), 4-3
150 Lucas Boe (Lake Highland Prep) dec. Tyler Hood (St. Christopher’s School), 4-3 TB2
157 Claudio Torres (Lake Highland Prep) dec. Mitchell Faglioni (St. Christopher’s School), 5-4
165 Lane Foard (Benedictine Prep) dec. Xavier Giles Bronx, NY (Greens Farms Academy), 3-1
175 Haden Bottiglieri (Belmont Hill) dec. Isael Perez (Northfield Mt. Hermon), 4-2 OT
190 Nate Taylor Newtown, CT (Greens Farms Academy) dec. Nick Wehmeyer (Malvern Prep), 3-2
215 Alex Smith (Lake Highland Prep) dec. James Blackman (St. Stephens/St. Agnes), 1-0
285 Delmar White (Archbishop Spalding) pin Luke Randazzo. (Loyola-Blakefield), 4:24
Fifth place
106 Brendan Kelly (Malvern Prep) dec. Brighton Karvoski Newtown, CT (Greens Farms Academy), 4-3
113 Liam Davis (Lake Highland Prep) dec. Isaac Novod (Belmont Hill), 2-1
120 Lukas Littleton (Malvern Prep) dec. Joseph Calvin (Father Ryan High School), 9-3
126 Sean Garretson (Archbishop Spalding) dec. Jack Dragoumanos (Belmont Hill), 6-1
132 Vincent Paolucci (Archbishop Spalding) pin Colby Houle, Canton CT (Northfield Mt. Hermon), 4:16
138 Michael Trujillo rio rancho (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Robert Pavlek (The Hill School), 5-0
144 Evan Boblits (St. Mary’s Ryken) dec. Tyson Sherlock L (Gilman School), 3-2
150John Jurkovic (Gilman School) forfeit over Steel Meyers (Trinity Christian Academy-TX)
157 T.J. Langley (Western Reserve Academy) dec. Dashiell Hort (Poly Prep), 1-0
165 Benjamin Smith (New York Military) dec. Max Norman (Baylor School), 6-3
175 Brian Chamberlain (The Phelps School) dec. Lukas Zalota (Malvern Prep), 5-1 SV
190 Peter Snyder (Blair Academy) dec. Gabriel Smith (Gilman School), 3-0
215 Stosh Zalota (Malvern Prep) pin Ryder Smith Soddy (Chattanooga Christian School), 0:23
285 Carson Gentle (McCallie School) forfeit over Gabriel Garibaldi (Greens Farms Academy)
Seventh place
106 Tanner Tran (Father Ryan High School) dec. Justin Farnsworth (Germantown Academy), 7-6 SV
113 Jacob Bond (Baylor School) dec. Jayden Jackson (Loyola-Blakefield), 2-1
120 Calvin Werden (Western Reserve Academy) dec. Kody Tanimoto (All Saints Episcopal), 8-0
126 Drew Roggie (St. Christopher’s School) dec. Tyler Wood (St. Mary’s Ryken), 3-1
132 Spencer Reep (Lakeway Christian Academy) dec. Nicky Melfi. (Severn School), 11-2
138 Zane Leitzel. (Archbishop Spalding) dec. Jt Schneider Norwalk, CT (Greens Farms Academy), 8-6
144 Luke Murray (Peninsula Catholic School) dec. Cole Albert (The Hill School), 6-5
150 Ronnie Christolin Norwalk, CT (Greens Farms Academy) dec. Chancery Deane (Father Ryan High School), 11-9
157 Salah Tsarni (Bullis School) tech fall Greyson Catlow-Sidler (William Penn Charter), 17-2 3:58
165 Omer Barak (Lake Highland Prep) dec. Jack Chamberlain (Malvern Prep), 4-3
175 Drake Bowers (Christian Brothers) dec. Kingston Daniells Silva New York, NY (Greens Farms Academy), 8-4
190 Cash Colbert (Paul VI) pin Jay Eversole (Lakeway Christian Academy), 2:57
215 Dominic Iaquinto Danbury, CT (Greens Farms Academy) dec. Walker Walls (Bishop Lynch High School), 7-4
285 Matthew Connolly (Malvern Prep) forfeit over Orest Nazarchuk (Wyoming Seminary), 0-0
Outstanding wrestler:
2024 National Prep School nationals brackets and results (FloArena)
2024 National Prep School Championships
At Lehigh, Pa.
GIRLS
Top 10 teams – 1. Wyoming Seminary 187, 2. Phillips Andover MA 114, 3. Blair Academy (NJ) 94, 4. Choate Rosemary Hall 49, 5. Greens Farms Academy 41½, 6. Lake Highland Prep (FL) 31½, 7. Hyde School-Bath ME 30, 8. St. Paul’s School-Concord NH 29, 9. Archbishop Spaulding 28, 10. West Nottingham Academy 26
Other Connecticut schools
25. Marianapolis Prep 12, 36. Hotchkiss 3
Individual results
Championship finals
100 Jaclyn Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary) pin Kirra Mitchell (Mount de Sales), 3:06
107 Rianne Murphy (Wyoming Seminary) pin Kayla Batres Stratford, CT (Greens Farms Academy), 2:30
114 Calli Gilchrist Wallingford, CT (Choate Rosemary Hall) pin Amelia Murphy (Wyoming Seminary), 1:53
120 Emma Bacon (Wyoming Seminary) pin Sara McLaughlin Wallingford, CT (Choate Rosemary Hall), 3:46
126 Taina Fernandez. (Archbishop Spalding) pin Victoria Carbonaro (Blair Academy), 2:25
132 Corynne McNulty (Blair Academy) pin Hannah Lawrence (Wyoming Seminary), 1:26
138 Isis France (Wyoming Seminary) dec. Daniella Nugent (Phillips Andover), 7-4
145 Jayda Fulp (Fort Worth Country Day) dec. Kryssceah Ravenelle (Wyoming Seminary), 4-2
152 Sarah Henckel Southbury CT (Blair Academy) pin Reagan Ramadan (West Nottingham Academy), 1:37
165 Emily Brown (Wyoming Seminary) pin Toni Elliott (Phillips Andover), 0:25
Third place (consolation finals)
100 Laura Montoro (Concord Academy) dec. Maddie Morse (St. Paul’s School (NH)), 6-5
107 Maya Alvarado (Lake Highland Prep) dec. Suhaila Cotton (Phillips Andover), 11-2
114 Sakina Cotton (Phillips Andover) pin Richelle Syer Cannon School), 1:44
120 Natalia Accorsi Somers CT (Tabor Academy) dec. Jocelyn Okeefe (Blair Academy), 6-1
126 Thalia Vogelsang (Episcopal (TX)) dec. Mary Manis (Lake Highland Prep), 7-6
132 Bella Sowards (Good Counsel) pin Morgan Gibson (Nobles), 4:15
138 Morgan Edwards (Blair Academy) pin Alexis Lavers (Hyde School), 0:43
145 Xavia Banigan (Governors Academy) dec. Koda Hall (Hyde School), 10-5
152 Aliya Whaley (Knoxville Catholic) pin Lily Fitzpatrick(St. Paul’s School (NH)), 2:14
165 April Torres Shelton, CT (Greens Farms Academy) DEF Sofia Jandres (Bishop Lynch High School), 0:24
Outstanding wrestler: Calli Gilchrist, Wallingford (Choate Rosemary Hall), 114
2024 National Prep School nationals brackets and results (FloArena)
