Congratulations to eighth graders Gabe and Liam English for being the first Middleburgh wrestlers to ever win the Section II, Division II Championship and earn their spot at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Wrestling Championships.
Not since Dan Hillicoss in 1997 has a MCS wrestler earned Section II Class D Championship, but these brothers will also be representing Middleburgh in the state competition. It all goes down next Friday and Saturday, February 25 and 26 in Albany at the MVP Arena.
Liam is in the 110 lb weight class and wears green headgear. Gabe is in the 102 lb weight class and wears red headgear. They both want to compete in college at a Division 1 school. “They are amazingly disciplined and adhere strictly to the daily workout routines they have designed for themselves at home,” said their mother, Kathy English.
The brothers started wrestling in 2018. Mrs. English said they were constantly wrestling in the living room so she looked around for a formal program. Middleburgh Elementary PE teacher, Mr. Coppollo guided them toward the Cobleskill/Richmondville Youth Wrestling program and they were hooked from the first practice.
When BKW-Middleburgh Wrestling Coach Jeff Vogel met Gabe and Liam last year he called them immediate naturals. Of their performance this year he said, “Even though they are in 8th grade they are probably the most advanced wrestlers in the room.”
“Personally I had never experienced anything so intense and as a parent I wondered immediately if we made a mistake! Although I may be slightly more relaxed watching their matches than I was in those early days, it is still extremely stressful for me as a mother! I am in awe of how kids their age can have such amazing focus and composure under pressure,” Mrs. English said.
“Gabe’s only loss is to his brother. And of the first 18 matches, Gabe pinned 16 of them. They both have been very dominating all year long,” Coach Vogel said. “Liam is bigger and moved up a weight class this year. It worked out well for him. Out of 18 minutes at sectionals Liam wrestled three minutes and 13 seconds because he kept pinning everybody. Liam and Gabe are both nationally known wrestlers,” the coach added.
As parents, Kathy and Ryan English fully support their sons’ passion for the sport and have put a lot of miles on their car traveling all over the east coast for national tournaments. Mrs. English said, “We all agree that our favorite trip was to Gatlinburg, Tennessee in June of 2021 for NUWAY Nationals, where they both took first place.”
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