WRESTLING: TIOGA'S SILVESTRI TOPS ALL-COUNTY TEAM (2020-03-21)

Tioga County Sports Report
TIOGA COUNTY — Tioga's Gianni Silvestri, the 2019-20 Wrestler of the Year, capped an impressive second season with a NYSPHSAA Division II championship at 99 pounds.

The 8th-grader pinned his first-round opponent at the state tournament, then recorded two strong decisions before fighting off his finals foe for a one-point victory. It capped a season in which he went 40-1 and won seven of eight tournaments. At the state dual meet tournament, Silvestri would avenge his only loss.

Tioga's Levi Bellis is the Newcomer of the Year. The eighth-grader went 16-12 with 13 bonus-point victories. He placed in five of the six tournaments he entered, which included runner-up showings in the IAC championships and Wellsville Round Robin tournament. Bellis would also go 2-0 at the Section IV Division Dual Meet Championships, posting a crucial fall as the Tigers rallied to defeat Windsor, 40-34, in the title match.

Tioga's Kris Harrington is the Coach of the Year. His Tigers won their second consecutive Division II state championship and fourth straight Section IV Division II title. They also won the Section IV Division II dual meet tournament for the second year running after and advanced to the state tourney for a third straight year.

The Tigers returned to the top of the IAC, dominating the 2020 tournament after missing the 2019 event. They also won their third straight IAC Division I dual meet title, extending their division win streak to 17 matches in the process.

Harrington's grapplers also captured eight of the 15 first-team spots on this year's All-Tioga County team.

2018-19 All-Tioga County Wrestling Team
Wrestler of the Year: Gianni Silvestri, 8th, Tioga
Newcomer of the Year: Levi Bellis, 8th, Tioga
Coach of the Year: Kris Harrington, Tioga

First Team
99 — Gianni Silvestri, 8th, Tioga
106 — Caden Bellis, 8th, Tioga
113 — Emily Sindoni, Fr., Tioga
120 — Mason Welch, So., Tioga
126 — Jacob Welch, Sr., Tioga
132 — Josh Post, Sr., Newark Valley
138 — Brady Worthing, Sr., Tioga
145 — Justin Hopkins, Jr., Tioga
152 — Emmett Wood, So., Tioga
160 — Ethan Stotler, Sr., Waverly
170 — Cam Bundy, Jr., Owego
182 — Gage Tedesco, Fr., Waverly
195 — Joey Woodmansee, Jr., Newark Valley
220 — Josh Duke, Jr., Newark Valley
285 — Logan Bailey, Jr., Owego

Wild Cards
Lower weights (99-126): Donavan Smith, Fr., Tioga
Middle weights (132-160): Ousmane Duncanson, 8th, SVEC
Upper weights (170-285): Cam Carrier, Jr., Newark Valley

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IN PHOTO: Tioga's Gianni Silvestri.