2010-11 Wrestling Recruits Boast A Winning Pedigree
9/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
BUFFALO, NY - The men's wrestling coaching staff has announced the team's 2010 recruiting class. The group of nine new faces combined to win almost 300 matches in their respective senior seasons and each brings a history of success to an already experienced Buffalo squad. Each recruit boasts impressive state tournament results and many have already experienced high-pressure matches against nationally ranked opponents.
The staff made a twin killing with their first recruits, bringing in brothers Max and Mike Soria from Kings Park High School in Kings Park, NY. The twins are expected to be mainstays at 125 for head coach Jim Beichner, who feels the two have a bright future. Max Soria was the NHSCA Senior High School National champion and Fargo Freestyle Junior National runner-up. He also posted 40 wins as a senior and was a two-time third place finisher at the New York State Large School Tournament. Max was a member of the NY National Team and was ranked in the top 10 in the country for his class by Wrestling USA magazine, WIN magazine, Intermatwrestle.com and theopenmat.com. Max will study engineering at Buffalo.
His twin is no slouch himself, as Mike lost only one match his senior year and defeated a Triple Crown winner at the North East regional. He finished fourth at the NHSCA Senior Nationals and joined his brother on the NY National Team. He too was ranked in the top 10 in the country for his class by Wrestling USA magazine, WIN magazine, Intermatwrestle.com and theopenmat.com. The two-time team captain will major in engineering at Buffalo.
"He (Mike) and his brother are two of the best in the country in their weight class. They're studs and they're very talented but they just need to put on some size," said assistant coach Frank Beasley. "We'll probably red-shirt them to get bigger and stronger but they have a very bright future."
The next recruit was a six-year varsity starter for Mexico High School in Mexico, NY. James Loomis was a three-time New York Class A champion and three-time Section III champion and New York State qualifier at 141/149 pounds. Loomis won over 200 matches in his career and was the team's captain twice. He also started for Mexico's baseball team and was named the school's 2009-10 athlete of the year. He joins former high school teammates Ron Majerus and Kevin Smith and Tyler Peter on the Bulls squad for 2010-11 season and will study physical therapy.
Another local grappler will be joining the team for 2010, as North Tonawanda, NY native Wally Maziarz will also be competing in the 141/149 classes. Despite an injury-plagued senior year, Maziarz came in first at the state freestyle tournament and third in the greco tournament. Despite only being able to compete in 18 matches in his senior season, Maziarz leaves North Tonawanda High School as the career wins leader. He was also a NY National Team member and plans to study exercise science at UB.
Also competing in the 149 class will be Port Crane, NY native Rickey Bronson. He was a three-time state qualifier and was ranked 28th in the 2010 senior class by WIN Magazine. The Chenango Forks High School alum finished fifth at the NHSCA Junior High School Nationals with tournament highlights including wins over Virginia State Champion and nationally ranked Ben Dorsay, twice and placing ahead of New York State Champion Anthony Volpe, Missouri State Champion Greg Amos, multiple New York State place-winner Ryan Tompkins and three-time Pennsylvania State place-winners Shawn Perich and Bo Candelaria. Bronson lived up to his big-match reputation again with a win over another nationally ranked foe, Gabriel Bird of Florida, at the Fargo Junior Freestyle Nationals. He will study social sciences at Buffalo.
The recruiting class moves out of New York State for this next recruit. Matt Dehney, who will wrestle at 157 pounds, was a four-time state qualifier in his home state of Massachusetts and was nationally ranked by Wrestling USA magazine. The Dracut, MA native put up first and third-place finishes at the New England Championships and finished eighth at the rigorous Super 32 tournament. He was a Massachusetts National Team member four times and won 150 matches at Dracut High School, including 48 wins his senior year with only one loss. Matt will be a psychology major.
"He's a great kid with great credentials and we think he'll be fighting for that starting spot," said head coach Jim Beichner.
Williamsville, NY native Zach Ward was a two-time Section IV finalist and also a New York state qualifier. At Clarence High School, Ward was a two-time team captain and won 39 matches in his senior year and 107 wins over his career. Described by Beichner as "one of the best student athletes on the team" and will enter the UB Honors program to study engineering.
"He's been a member of our club for many years and one of the hardest working kids that has ever come through the club," Beasley said. "He's a guy that develops every day based on his work ethic."
Heavyweight James Donner will look to start for a starting position on the team after a successful career at Niagara Wheatfield High School. A two-time Section IV champion and two-time state qualifier, Donner finished fifth at the large school New York state tournament. He earned the Brute Adidas Sophomore National Champion honor and won 35 matches in his senior season. The North Tonawanda, NY native will study exercise science at Buffalo.
"He's a big, strong kid with a lot of upside once he gets around some good workout partners," Beasley said.
The final addition to the squad will be redshirt freshman Mitzunobu Aiono, a transfer student from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
"He hasn't wrestled much in the last year but he's big, strong and very intelligent. He seems very committed to the sport so we're excited to have him here," Beichner said. "He's got some catching up to do but when you have size like he does with a high intellectual capacity, the sky is the limit."
"The thing that stands out about this class is the type of student athletes that they are, Beasley said in summation. "Academically and athletically they all have a blue-collar work ethic and attitude and it's a very hard-working class."
