Spencerport cruises to 18th championship
The Rangers claim four individual titles to finish first as a team with 284 points
Democrat and Chronicle, By James Johnson

(February 1, 1998) A wrestling match involving Troy Forte is rarely at a standstill.

The Pittsford Freshman doesn't have a reverse gear. With him it's always drive ahead to get ahead, tapping and grabbing as he goes.

"It's working," Pittsford coach Ernie DiBella said.

It's working perfectly. Forte improved to 33-0 this season after winning the 96-pound title yesterday at the Monroe County Championships at Webster.

The Pittsford Mendon student was one of a handful of wrestlers to keep their records intact going into the Section V tournaments this weekend.

Spencerport, ranked No.3 in the state, snatched its 18th county team title. Out of 15 weight class finals, nine involved Rangers.

Shawn Hibbs (103), Bill Merle (119), Tom Plucknette (160) and Gary Borelli (112) a three-time county champion, were the kings of their classes.

The Rangers, who finished with 284 points, all but clinched the team title after the tournament's first day.

"We love situations like this," said Boreli after helping Spencerport win the county championship for the seventh consecutive year. "Everyone expects us to have a good team, so they love it whenever our guys lose."

"But we come back even harder. Basically, everyone on the team wrestled well."

Forte, who finished fifth at last year's counties, pinned Spencerport's Jared Moreland in 44 seconds.

He used a distinct size advantage - Moreland weighs about 90 pounds - to win his 21st match by pin or technical fall.

"It was just go out and get him right away," said Forte, 32-11 in 1996-1997.

"Last year, I would wait to see what the guy would do."

Irondequoit's Josh Korbs is the only wrestler to take down Forte this season.

Forte claimed his fifth tournament win this year when Moreland made a mistake.

"When he (went for a takedown) his head went to the side," Forte said. "The headlock was there so I took it."

USA Wrestling ranks Forte second in the nation in freestyle and fourth in Greco-Roman. He finished fourth in both styles at the national cadet tournaments in Fargo, N.D.

"That's really exciting to know that I am one of the best n the country." Forte said.

East Rochester senior Keith Pittinaro (27-0), the tournament's most outstanding wrestler, claimed his first county title by winning the 130-pound division. He pinned Spencerport's Joe Campopiano to end the final in 2 minutes, 35 seconds.

"this is just a stepping stone," said Pittinaro, who qualified for last year's state tournament.

Greece Olympia's Don Carlo-Clauss, a state champion last year, worked his way through another tight match to win the 140-pound finals and stay unbeaten. A takedown gave him a 5-3 win over Spencerport's Jason Brongo in overtime.

"I've ended up going a whole six minutes a lot this year," Carlo-Clauss said. "I'm not worried so much about pinning or teching kids this year."

"I'm not going to let my pride cost me to lose a match."

Eastridge senior Tony Casserino (24-0) is the 171-pound after beating Spencerport senior Dave Ryan, 8-0. Casserino is a back up who cracked the team's lineup for the tournament in a wrestle-off.

"I'm kind of making a name for myself," said Casserino, 25-5 last year. "I prefer to be quiet, so I can sneak up and beat people."