GUILDERLAND — The Guilderland wrestling team has found a couple of bright spots at the end of the season.

The Dutchmen finished third at the Class A meet in Ballston Spa on Saturday after having a rough regular season.

The Dutchmen also have two sectional champions. John D’Ambrosio and Kyle Hussey won their respective weight classes and were crowned Class A champions.

Guilderland, as a team, finished with 153 points. The Dutch tied with Niskayuna for third but came in far behind Shenendehowa and Ballston Spa, the two best teams in the section all season.

Hussey, a junior, won the 275-pound weight class and was the story of the tournament. He hadn’t wrestled all season because of knee surgery. His lone match of the year he won by forfeit so he had to get a waiver from Section II to be able to compete in the sectionals.
"Section II said that you have to wrestle a certain amount of matches," Hussey said. "I had to get a waiver just so I could compete in Class A’s."

D’Ambrosio, a senior, won the 189-pound weight class after finishing third at 171 pounds last year.
"It was pretty sweet," he said. "I was pretty excited. It was one of my goals and now I’m looking forward to the state qualifier."

The Dutchmen got a runner-up finish from Matt Cubillos in the 103-pound weight class.

They will be in the Section II state qualifier tournament this Friday and Saturday at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The top six seeds in each weight division in each class advances to the tournament. Class A and B place finishers will compete for a spot on the Section II large-school state team this weekend.

Also representing the Dutchmen at the qualifier are Ian DeSol, Dan Doynow, Josh Sawyer, Robert Romeo, Bobby Dygert, and Devan VanAuken.

DeSol finished third with a win in the consolation finals. Doynow and Sawyer had fourth-place finishes after losing in the consolation final. VanAuken and Dygert won their fifth-place matches and Romeo lost his final match to finish sixth.
"This year was a lot different," D’Ambrosio said. "We lost a lot of seniors and we had a lot of younger guys. We only have three seniors and one of them has been hurt. Finishing third in the standings is really good. We wrestled really well. It was one of the best couple of days for the team."

Hussey hustles back

Hussey’s story is amazing. He injured his knee during football season and had to have surgery. He had a second surgery that put him out for the entire season and his only match was won by forfeit.
"Conditioning was one thing," Hussey said about what worried him going into the sectional meet. "I had only five days to prepare for the Class A meet. Coming in, I knew it would be a tough tourney. I just wanted to take it one match at a time.
"My coaches helped me prepare. They really got me ready and prepared me. I thank my coaches immensely."

Hussey’s first match of the tournament came against the number-one seed. Hussey won by a 6-1 decision.
"That is one way to start a tournament," Hussey joked.

Hussey won the title by pinning Garrett Moldoff of Columbia in the finals on Saturday night.

When Hussey won his first match, he gained confidence in his skills and that his knee would hold up for the entire tournament.
"I had a knee brace on it in practice for five days," Hussey said. "It’s tough to get confidence with that. I wasn’t sure how much it could take. We came up with a game plan that I would use high-percentage moves and low-risk moves and keep it basic. We would work off that."

Hussey was shocked at the way he was able to wrestle in the tournament.
"I was surprised it went as smoothly as it did," he said. "I was glad that I could get to the level that I wrestled at."

Hussey won most of his matches in impressive fashion. After the first-round decision, Hussey won the rest of his matches by pin.
"Once I got that first match out of the way, it was easier," he said.

And now Hussey has another tournament to compete in.
"I’m looking forward to the Section II tournament," he said. "But I’m taking it one match at a time."

Hussey said it was hard to sit out for the season while his teammates were working hard.
"I’ve mostly been the timer or whistle guy," Hussey said of his tasks in practice for most of the year. "Everybody was working hard and it is frustrating watching them. I wanted to be out there wrestling."

D’Ambrosio dominates

D’Ambrosio wasn’t as much of a surprise as Hussey. He was the top seed in the 189-pound weight class and he followed his form as he won by a 9-1 decision over David Ottaviano of Niskayuna.
"I was the first seed and the guy that was my main competition in my weight class. I beat him twice last year," D’Ambrosio said. "We finished third and fourth in the same tournament last year."

D’Ambrosio came into the tournament familiar with most of his competition.
"I know most of the guys," he said. "I pretty much had beaten or placed higher in previous tournaments."

D’Ambrosio, who played football and might play that sport and not wrestle in college, said that moving up in weight also helped.
"The 189 spot is more natural for me," he said. "I didn’t have to cut weight. Last year, I had to lose 30 pounds. This season, it has been pretty nice."

Although D’Ambrosio is happy about winning a title, he is also happy for his teammate.
"I’m most happy for Kyle," he said. "His first match of the season, he beat the one seed. That got me all excited. I’m happy for him."

On the wall

D’Ambrosio has a goal of getting to states now that he has accomplished another of his goals.

Hussey’s name will join D’Ambrosio’s on the wall in the wrestling room in the east wing of the high school.

Both will be second seeds in their weight classes as they try to advance to the state tournament.
"When I first started, I wanted to get my name on the wall," D’Ambrosio said. "That was my goal and I got that last year. This year, I want to get to states."
"It’s a real honor to get onto the wall," Hussey said. "Everyone knew what I was going through. Everything happened so fast. My coaches never gave up on me.
"It’s real humbling to get your name up there," Hussey said. "It shows the hard work you’ve done."