Article written by PhoenixOnline writer Natalie Lezcano ’26
Catastrophic Chris Parisi capped off an incredible four-year career with a dominant run to the CHSAA finals at 190 pounds, finishing as CHSAA Runner-Up and falling just one point short against the No. 1 ranked wrestler in New York.
Over February Break, the Firebird wrestling team traveled to Buffalo to compete against some of the best wrestlers in the state at the NY CHSAA State Tournament held at St. Mary’s High School. This tournament was one of the toughest tests for the 19 Firebirds qualified.
Non-Stop Nicolas Bribitzer battled through a loaded bracket to secure a hard-fought fourth-place finish. Bulldozer Brendan Barkley and Menacing Marco Cigliano also powered their way to fourth-place finishes, proving they belong among the CHSAA’s elite.
Sophomores Reagan Cruz and Bryce Boccio put together several impressive wins to earn fifth-place honors, showing the future is bright for Firebird Wrestling.
Rounding out the scoring were Alexander Winter-Lipari, Ryan Arecco, Colin Regan, and Nathaniel Chungata, each earning sixth-place finishes in their respective weight classes.
Earlier in the month, 21 Firebird wrestlers placed in the top six of their respective weight classes on February 10 at the NSCHSAA League Tournament, earning spots at the New York CHSAA State Tournament in Buffalo. The team finished 2nd overall with several impressive performances throughout the day.
Nicolas Bribitzer dominated his way through the tournament, pinning each of his opponents to secure the 138-pound league championship. Joining him atop the podium was Brendan Barkley, who avenged an earlier-season loss by grinding out a takedown in the final minutes of his championship match to claim the 175-pound league title.
Chris Parisi followed up with a remarkable performance of his own. Trailing 2 to 0 in the third period, Parisi scored a reversal and back points to take the lead in his 190-pound championship match. He would go on to hold that lead and earn his second career league championship.
The Firebirds also had several finalists finish as runners-up, including Marco Cigliano, Aidan Ryan, and Colin Regan. Third-place finishers included John Chernaski and Kenneth Castro.
Fourth-place honors were earned by Dylan Herbert, Isaiah Griffin, Ryan Arecco, Alexander Winter-Lipari, Brendan Jewels, Michael Entenmann, Bryce Boccio, Sal Mannino and Nathaniel Chungata, while Matteo Serra and Reagan Cruz secured fifth place. Sixth-place finishers Aydan Gotterup and Matthew Tomao also clinched their spots at the upcoming NYCHSAA State Championship.
Over the weekend of February 2 at the CHSAA Dual Meet Championships at Monsignor Farrell High School, Chris Parisi and Luke Klinger went undefeated, while Nick Bribitzer turned in an impressive 6 to 1 performance. Sunday brought a challenge as the Firebirds squared off against St. Francis, the No. 1 ranked team in the state and 47th in the nation.
The fastest pin of the tournament belonged to Aydan Gotterup, who ended his match in just eight seconds. Coach Fiore said, “The weekend ended in dominant fashion with a 64 to 18 win over St. Mary’s and a commanding 75 to 4 victory over Xavier.”
The Firebirds wrestled tough, picking up key wins, and they proceeded to carry that momentum straight into their next match. The bounce-back was dominant, as the Firebirds took down the Number 5 ranked team in the state, Iona Prep, 46 to 27.
That Saturday, the Firebirds got off to a hot start, winning their first two dual meets by scores of 74 to 5 over Fordham Prep and 69 to 11 over St. Joseph-by-the-Sea. In their third dual of the day, the Firebirds were pushed to the limit against St. Joe’s Collegiate of Buffalo, but never broke. With the match on the line, Chris Parisi delivered a clutch pin in the final bout to seal a thrilling 38 to 33 victory.
The Firebirds closed Saturday just one match shy of upsetting Monsignor Farrell, the No. 10 ranked team in New York State.
