What is the New England Showcase?
Saturday, November 4th is going to be a great day for wrestling. The Schwartz Report is hosting its first-ever invitational tournament!
The New England Showcase invites were sent to top wrestlers that compete or will compete in the NEISWA (prep league) or CNESSPA (public league). The tournament will be an eight-man, double-elimination bracket placing the top four. Multiple college coaches have already confirmed their attendance, and more are invited. With that out of the way, here is the preview for 132lbs.
*Pre-seeds are subject to change; seedings will be finalized after Super 32 and Journeyman.*
Eliah Farias (Gardiner, ME)
Farias, now senior at Gardiner High School in Maine, comes into this bracket as the only representative from The Pine Tree State. He was a runner-up in both the Maine Class A state tournament and New England Qualifier.
Notable Wins: Griffin Devivo (Simsbury, CT), Nate Pass (Bedford, NH)
Brent Vont Magnus (Bridgewater-Raynham, MA)
This junior comes to the showcase after a 4th-place finish at the MIAA All-State Open followed by a 3-2 record at the New England Championships. BVM has stayed active this offseason, winning the War Dogs 4th Annual Battle of the Dogs Tournament.
Notable Wins: Caden Brusso (Hollis-Brooklune, NH), Miles Darling (Masco Tech, MA)
Phoenix Gardella (Norwalk, CT)
Gardella had a great 2023 season. He was a Connecticut 3rd-place finisher and matched that placement at the New England tournament. The 2x George Bossi Holiday placer is now looking towards making a huge splash his senior year in the 23-24 season.
Notable Wins: Mike Boulanger (Milford, MA), Stone Farnsworth (Coventry, RI)
Joe Mahoney (New Fairfield, CT)
Another CT Native, New Fairfield’s Mahoney, comes into this event as a 2x Connecticut state champion and a 2x New England Placer. After New Englands, he went on to post a 4-2 record at NHSCAs. Entering his junior year, the New Fairfield Rebel has a chance to be a 4x Connecticut State Champion and a 4x New England placer.
Notable Wins: Brayton Carbone (Shawsheen Tech, MA), Ayden Cofone (Windham/GNG, ME)
Andrew Pimental (Belmont Hill, MA)
Andrew Pimental is no stranger to the big show. Back in 2022, he was a New England Prep Champion and also placed 7th at the National Prep tournament at 113lbs. The next year, he would place 3rd at 120 in the New England Prep tournament and would be one match away from being a 2x National Prep placer.
Notable Wins: Ethan Rothman (Choate, CT), Matthew Loose (Nobles, MA)
Colby Houle (Northfield Mt. Herman, MA)
The youngest wrestler in the field but far from the least experienced, Colby Houle comes into his high school career as the #39 ranked freshman on the latest Matscouts ‘27 top 100. The Connecticut resident placed 3rd at the middle school level of Super 32 and is sure to make a name for himself regionally and nationally at the high school level.
Notable Wins: Michael Boulanger (Milford, MA), John Paquette (Timberlane, NH)
Ben Zuckerman (Green Farms Academy, CT)
Zuckerman started his high school career at Fairfield Warde and placed 5th at the New England tournament. Since then, he has transferred to Green Farms Academy in Westport, CT, where he has won a New England Prep title. He followed up his first year at GFA with a 7th place finish at NHSCA Nationals.
Notable WIns: Phoenix Gardella (Norwalk, CT), Viktor Petkov (Ridgefield, CT)
Jonah Paulino (Monty Tech, MA)
Jonah Paulino has had a stellar high school career so far. The 2023 Massachusetts state Champ and 2x New England placer is ready to solidify is status as one of the top wrestlers in the region this year. He has kept his grind going during the offseason going a total of 10-2 between the NHSCA National Duals and Fargo.
Notable Wins: James Tildsley (Shawsheen Tech, MA), Kaden Ware (Killingly, CT)
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