Evin Gursoy repeats as Eastern States Classic champion
Six New York City student-athletes from PSAL programs earned a top eight finish at the tournament.
Evin Gursoy climbed to the top of the podium for a second straight year at the Eastern States Classic tournament Saturday at Impact Athletic Center in Clifton Park, New York.
Gursoy, of Midwood High School in Brooklyn, outscored his opponents 53-3 across six matches for the 124-pound title. He did not allow a point until there were five seconds remaining in his 9-3 win in the finals.
Beat the Streets (BTS) in partnership with the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) provided Gursoy and 20-plus high school student-athletes from New York City the opportunity to compete in the tournament.
Fellow Brooklynite Amin Ibrahim of James Madison also placed, taking eighth place at 215 pounds. Ibrahim opened with a fall and decision to advance to the quarterfinals, where he fell 11-6 to the eventual runner-up. Ibrahim rebounded with a fall in the consolation side of the bracket then dropped his next two matches for eighth place.
In the girls division, four PSAL student-athletes earned a top three finish: Aracelli Rodriguez of Harry S. Truman in The Bronx (94), Ana Carolina Lockard (152) and Tehana Savory (165) of Brooklyn Tech and Belen Medina of William Cullen Bryant in Queens (165).
Savory scored two falls, including one against Medina, then dropped the championship match by fall for second. Medina also had two falls, including one over Angelica Malachowicz of Bronx Science, for third.
Rodriguez and Lockard each went 3-1 for third, with their lone loss to the eventual champion at their respective weight class. Rodriguez posted three falls, with two under one minute. Lockard had two falls and a one win by technical superiority.
Savory, Lockard and Leona Gao (107) - who had two falls and one technical superiority win - led Brooklyn Tech to take fifth place as a team.
Photo courtesy of Fred Perna/Perna Imaging
BOYS
124: Evin Gursoy, Midwood (1st)
215: Amin Ibrahim, James Madison (8th)
GIRLS
94: Aracelli Rodriguez, Harry S. Truman (3rd)
152: Ana Carolina Lockard, Brooklyn Tech (3rd)
165: Tehana Savory, Brooklyn Tech (2nd)
165: Belen Medina, William Cullen Bryant (3rd)
Since being founded in 2005, Beat the Streets has pioneered a movement that now includes 150 individual wrestling programs, a youth league and the first girls high school league.
BTS works to develop the full human and athletic potential of the urban youth and strengthen the New York City wrestling culture. We aim to make a lifelong impact on student-athletes through the lessons learned on the wrestling mat -- discipline, perseverance, self-reliance, humility and a strong work ethic. Discover how you can make a meaningful contribution to our work at btsny.org/donate.