NYS Champ Franco Commits to Wrestle For Pride
It is now being reported by InterMat that 2008 New York State Champion, Jamie Franco, gave a verbal commitment to Hofstra University over the weekend.
Franco, whose DI title last season came at 125 pounds when he defeated fellow junior Shawn Brown 2-0, becomes the second member of the class of 2009 to make Hempstead, NY his home for the next 4-5 years. He joins Minnesota’s Luke Vaith who committed in early October.
The Monroe-Woodbury product has placed at the state tournament every year since 8th grade. If he is successful in finishing top-6 again this year, which almost everyone expects him to do, he will join a very exclusive company of wrestlers who have earned all-state honors five times in their career. Equally impressive is the fact that he has never suffered a loss at the NYS tournament to a wrestler who did not go on and win an eventual state crown.
As an 8th-grader, the future Pride wrestler finished fourth in 2005 at 96 pounds, with both defeats coming at the hands of Peter Capone from Johnson City. Capone, who earned his first state title last year as a senior at 152-pounds, is the son of former Hofstra great, Pete Capone Sr. whose distinguised collegiate career in Hempstead was marked by a pair of All-American finishes (1983-7th @167; 1985- 2nd @ 167).
Franco followed up that top-4 finish by making it to the 112-pound state final in 2006 against former Islip grappler and current freshman at Ohio University, Tyler Mashkow. Even though he lost 6-1, Franco’s impressive tournament was perhaps a foreshadowing. With the event being hosted by the Nassau Coliseum, it served as the first time that most of Long Island got the chance to see the future star in action.
As a sophomore in 2007, Jamie saw his title hopes dash away again, as he dropped an opening round 7-0 decision to the eventual State Champion at 119-pounds, Devon Brown, now a senior at Wyoming Seminary High School in Pennsylvania. Franco did demonstrate an ability to overcome adversity though, winning four consecutive matches, including a 5-3 victory over fellow 2008 State Champion and future teammate, Steve Bonanno, the freshman out of Wantagh…However, similar to two years ago, young Mr. Franco would have to settle for fourth, as he dropped a 4-3 decision to another of the 2008 State Champions, Amsterdam’s Brian Benton 4-3. Benton is now a freshman at George Mason University, which makes him a potential conference rival.
Finally, a moment that was four years in the making occured last season, as Jamie Franco emerged with the state title that had continually eluded him. Going 4-0 over the course of the two day tournament, Franco walked away with the hardware at a weight class that was supposed to be dominated by one of two wrestlers–the aforementioned Devon Brown (who failed to place in 2008), or Wantagh’s two-time NYS Champion, Paul Liguori, who prior to last year’s state tournament, has not lost since the 8th grade…Liguori (who went on to finish 3rd in ’08) recently committed to wrestle for Harvard University coach, Jay Weiss.
Heading into his final year of high school competition, Franco, who many felt belonged as a member of the InterMat Top-100 recruits list, ranks second on the section IX active win list. With a career record of 156-27, the 2009 state title favorite trails only Cody Ruggirello, the brother of his future teammate, Lou Ruggirello, by a single victory….It should be noted that the younger Ruggirello is only entering his junior year.
Projected to wrestle collegiately at 125 pounds, Franco will join Bonanno and Taylor Brown, a two-time PA State Runner-up in adding depth to the weight class…May the best man win the spot in 2010 !!!
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That’s exciting news for Hofstra. Congratulations Jamie on your selection. Hofstra is my alma mater. It’s a great university. I’m sure you’ll be very happy there — especially on the wrestling team with a bunch of fine coaches and athletes. I look forward to watching you at the Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. Good luck!