Williamsville North’s Cameron Catrabone ended his high school wrestling career Tuesday by being presented with the coveted Ilio DiPaolo Award.
Williamsville North’s Cameron Catrabone, a Michigan signee, was named winner of the Ilio DiPaolo Award on Tuesday night.
The award capped a night to reflect on the wrestling season and honor some of the best in the area for their accomplishments on and off the mat.
The 29th Ilio DiPaolo Award was presented in honor of the late Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Famer and former wrestler to a scholastic senior wrestler who supports the values of family, education, athletics and community.
The scholarship awards dinner was held at Ilio DiPaolo’s Restaurant in Blasdell.
Catrabone, a Michigan signee, went 40-1 as a senior, and won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s Division I 152-pound championship. In 2023, he won the state 145-pound championship and is the first Section VI athlete to be a six-time sectional champion. For his career, Catrabone went 220-14.
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St. Francis’ Gage LaPlante won the Gary Castanza Award for community involvement. Castanza led the Universal Martial Arts Academy in Hamburg for 15 years before he died in 1997.
LaPlante competed at 170 pounds and went 52-5 during the season. In the NYSPHSAA tournament, he’s a three-time state qualifier and two-time placer. In his lone season with the Red Raiders, LaPLante won the 170-pound New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association state championship. He ends his career with a 221-34 career and will continue his career at West Point.
Maple Grove’s Matt Trim, a NYSPHSAA Division II 215-pound champion, was the recipient of the Destroyer Award, named in honor of Pro Wrestling Hall of Famer Dick Beyer. Beyer also played football and wrestled at Syracuse and went on to coach football and swimming at Akron.
Trim went 45-2 this past season and had a high school career record of 169-63. Trim is a two-time sectional champion.
The Bill Hein Dedicated Wrestler Award is presented to an individual with a passion for wrestling. Encapsulating that passion this past season was St. Joseph’s Austin Zimmerman, who ended the season with a 54-5 record and 141-22 career mark as a four-time state champion. He’s the only Monsignor Martin athlete to win four state championships. Zimmerman also is a two-time NYSPHSAA placer. He will continue his career at Edinboro.
Kenji Walters of Southwestern won the Cauliflower Alley Club Award. He went 39-13 this season and is 104-32 for his career. Walters is a three-time state qualifier and sectional champion. Walters is the president of his class and ranks first academically with a 99.13 average. He has taken seven advance placement courses and six dual enrollment courses.
The Knuutila Family Award, given to the wrestler who overachieves and overcomes setbacks, went to Neves Hoose of Southwestern. Competing at 170 pounds, he went 40-12 and 140-63 for his career. He placed sixth at the state championships this past season.
Orchard Park’s Jack MacDonald won the Harrison Phillips Award, named for the former Buffalo Bills defensive tackle who is with the Minnesota Vikings. Phillips was a three-time undefeated state champion as a high schooler in Nebraska. MacDonald went 26-4 this past season and 103-24 for his career.
Section VI baseball
In the Class A1 quarterfinals, No. 4 seed Amherst beat No. 5 CSAT 28-2 and No. 7 Williamsville South used a nine-run third inning to upset No. 2 Grand Island, 13-3. Amherst will visit No. 1 seed Pioneer and Williamsville South will travel to No. 3 seed Kenmore East for games at 5 p.m. Thursday.
In the Class A2 quarterfinals, the top two seeds were eliminated. No. 8 Alden defeated No. 1 City Honors, 13-5, and No. 7 Dunkirk upset No. 2 Iroquois, 10-5. Dunkirk and Iroquois were tied at five entering the top of the seventh inning, when the Marauders scored five runs to complete the upset. Dunkirk will play defending state champion No. 3 Depew in the semifinals Thursday.
In Class C, No. 5 Wilson upset No. 4 Holland, 7-1. No. 2 Gowanda shut out No. 10 Randolph, 19-0.
Section VI softball
In the Class B1 semifinals, No. 1 Fredonia shut out No. 4 East Aurora and No. 2 Depew beat No. 3 Akron, 15-3. Fredonia and Depew will compete for the sectional title at 5 p.m. Thursday at Grand Island.
In the Class B2 semifinals, No. 3 Wilson upset No. 2 Portville, 7-1, and will face No. 1 Falconer at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, also at Grand Island.
