The Daily Scarsdale: Edgemont Wrestling Aiming for Sectional Title

SCARSDALE, N.Y. – The Edgemont wrestling team has made steady progress in the last five years, which has brought the Panthers to within points of a Section 1 Division II team title.

In the last three years, Edgemont has finished second twice — 2009 and 2011 — and third in 2010. Going into the 2011-12 season, Edgemont is hoping to take that final step and win the program?s first sectional title. In order to accomplish this, Edgemont will have to overtake defending champion Nanuet. However, unlike the Golden Knights and the competition, Edgemont returns everyone from last year.

?We have a large group of seniors and juniors and a good group of underclassmen,? said senior and captain Max Abramsky, a three-time sectional place finisher. ?We feel we are in a very good position to do really well at sectionals.?

First-year Edgemont coach Pete Jacobson could not have asked for a better situation. Jacobson moves over one chair after being former veteran coach George DiChiara?s long-time assistant. Jacobson will be assisted by former North Rockland standout and sectional champ Manny Alayon.

Abramsky is one of 12 returning place finishers and three seniors along with Peter Berman and Danny Kornberg. Junior Trey Aslanian, a two-time sectional champ and state finalist last year, is part of a deep junior class.

?The bar is set very high this year,? said Aslanian, who finished fifth in the state his freshman year. ?We have always had a tough team, but I think this is the toughest team we?ve had. We are the opposite of cocky. We come to practice every day, work hard and we want to let our potential as a team surface.?

Even though Edgemont is a veteran team, the Panthers are not taking anything for granted.

?We have a good mindset coming into the season,? Abramsky said. ?Following last year, we are looking at it as motivation to do better this year both as a team and individually.”

Aslanian agrees. ?Coach has done an excellent job of putting things into perspective for us,? he said of Jacobson. ?Being ranked No. 1 during the season means that you are only going to have a target on your back so we have to be ready at all times.?

Edgemont opens the season at the two-day Tony Carlucci Dual-Meet tournament Friday and Saturday at SUNY-Purchase. The Panthers then go to Croton for the quarterfinal round of the Section 1 Dual-Meet Division II Championship. The Panthers are seeded first.

?We have a week to prepare,? Abramsky said. ?Coach said that we had the best first week of practice since he?s been coaching at Edgemont. Everyone is motivated, going hard and pushing each other.?