Division III 106 Lbs.

Fini

Varnado makes the most of his first state championship appearance

LHSAA State Wrestling Tournament

Division I, 106 Pounds

May 12th, 2017 | Written by: Editor

Early Championship Rounds

3rd and 5th

Brother Martin senior Daniel Varnado defeated freshman Caruso Signorelli of Holy Cross 12-8 in the finals.

Brother Martin senior Daniel Varnado and St. Paul's sophomore Brandon Stein had met twice during the regular season. In a dual meet on December 17th, the Crusader won 3-1. A month later, at the Louisiana Classic, Varnado edged Stein 5-4. Varnado was undefeated against Louisiana opponents. Stein, who wrestled most of the season at 113 lbs., had only five losses to LA competition: two to Varnado, and, at 113 lbs., two to Rayne's Cooper Simon and one to Michael Lundin of Holy Cross.

Varnado won the Spartan Open, the Trey Culotta and the Louisiana Classic. Aside from his wins against Stein, Varnado twice defeated two-time Division II state champion Austin Gouedy of Central, Chris Montalbano of Rummel, Dakota Brace of Airline, Sam Dreuil of Jesuit and Luke Romano of Catholic.

Stein won the Raider Open, the Mandeville Open and the Dale Ketelsen Memorial, and placed second in the Trey Culotta.

Many people, including the seeding committee, thought another close match between Varnado and Stein would be had in the state championship finals. Third-seeded freshman Caruso Signorelli of Holy Cross, however, "didn't get the memo."

Signorelli had a very respectable season. He won the Raider 8 and the Cashio-Shriever, and he placed fourth at the Louisiana Classic. Signorelli had only four losses to Louisiana competition. After Signorelli beat him in their first match at the Raider 8, Rummel's Chris Montalbano (who would place 2nd at the Division II state championships) won their next three via a fall and decisions of 8-2 and 9-2. In the Louisiana Classic semifinals he lost to Stein 8-5.

Seeded third, Signorelli advanced via a bye, a 17-2 technical fall and a 19-12 quarterfinals decision before meeting Stein again in the semifinals. Signorelli upset the sophomore Stein 11-7 to advance to the finals. By the time the semifinals were over, Caruso's time on the mat was 17:13.

Varnado advanced via a bye and then, to make the finals, falls in 0:22, 1:00 and 0:40. The Brother Martin senior's mat-time of 2:02 to reach the finals was barely over the length of a single period.

1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th

Daniel Varnado	Caruso Signorelli	Brandon Stein	Sam Dreuil	Luke Romano	Vincent Bruno
Brother Martin	Holy Cross	St. Paul's	Jesuit	Catholic	Mandeville
#1 Seed	#3 Seed	#2 Seed	#6 Seed	#5 Seed	Not Seeded
Senior	Freshman	Sophomore	Sophomore	Sophomore	Freshman

Early Championship Rounds

Round Two: #6 Sam Dreuil (JES) defeated Seth Menard (COM) via a 14-5 Major Decision

Round Two: #3 Caruso Signorelli (HC) defeated Chad Baradell via a 17-2 Technical Fall @5:15

Round Two (3 photos): #2 Brandon Stein (StP) pinned Jaden Thomas (DES) in 1:18. Far right: #1 Daniel Varnado (BM) pinned Corey Brownell (StA) in 0:22

Quarterfinals

#1 Daniel Varnado (BM) pinned #8 Vincent Bruno (MND) in 1:00

#2 Brandon Stein (StP) defeated Raven Guidry (ACA) via a 20-5 Technical Fall @ 5:49

Initially, Miss Guidry was scheduled to wrestle a match in which the Acadiana senior would be a heavy favorite. That wrestler, however, did not "make weight" and Guidry advanced to the quarterfinals via a forfeit. Her reward for the forfeit was a match against the second-seeded Stein, who defeated Guidry twice during the season by technical falls.

#5 Luke Romano (CAT) defeated #4 Dakota Brace (AIR) via a 14-6 Major Decision. These two met in the quarterfinals of the Trey Culotta, won by Brace in 4:48.

#3 Caruso Signorelli (HC) defeated #6 Sam Dreuil (JES) 19-12. This was the third match between Signorelli and Dreuil, all won by Signorelli.

Semifinals

#1 Daniel Varnado (BM) pinned #5 Luke Romano (CAT) in 0:40. Previously, in the Louisiana Classic quarterfinals, Varnado pinned Romano in 2:43.

#3 Caruso Signorelli (HC) defeated #2 Brandon Stein (StP) 11-7. Stein won the only previous meeting between the two, winning 8-5 in the Louisiana Classic semifinals.

Consolation Rounds