Wildcat Tori Alvarado wins Section 9 championship

Warwick sophomore Tori Alvarado pinned Monroe-Woodbury’s Asanya Barham in the first period to capture the 152-pound championship at the Section 9 girls’ wrestling tournament at Mount Saint Mary College on Feb. 17.

With the win, Alvarado qualified for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Girls Wrestling Championships on Feb. 27 at MVP Arena in Albany. She has a 17-0 record this season and placed first in the prestigious Eastern States Classic tournament.

Alvarado had pinned Aleeyah Soto of Middletown in the Section 9 semifinals. Last year she won the Section 9 title at 138 pounds, but there was no state championship tournament for girls.

Boys’ wrestling

Brady Judd finished second at 124 pounds at the Section 9 Division 1 boys wrestling tournament at Monroe-Woodbury High School on Feb. 15. Brady Judd, who lost to Wallkill’s top-seeded Marco Futia in the finals, was one of three Wildcats to qualify for the NYSPHSAA boys wrestling championships at the MVP Arena in Albany Feb. 28 through March 1.

Brady Judd won the Section 9 title at 118 pounds last year. He is a three-time Section 9 finalist.

The top three wrestlers in each weight class advanced to the state tournament. Garrett Judd finished third at 108 pounds and Griffin Petzold placed third at 170 pounds.

Anastasios Tzezailidis finished fourth at 160 pounds after being sidelined for medical reasons for most of the season. Mack Paulsen was fifth at 190 pounds to reach the podium for the first time.

Competitive cheerleading

The Warwick Valley varsity cheerleading team recently took the national stage at the UCA Nationals Cheerleading Competition in Orlando, Florida. Competing in the most prestigious high school championship in the country, the team showcased their talent, dedication, and school spirit at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Field House.

This talented team of athletes has dedicated countless hours to conditioning, training, and perfecting their routines to earn their spot on the national stage. Their journey began in December at the UCA Regional Competition held at Iona College, where their hard work and standout performance secured them a coveted bid to nationals.

“Their journey to Nationals was more than just about the routines,” coach Elizabeth Sullivan said. “It was about teamwork, perseverance and the experience of a lifetime. Congratulations to the Warwick Valley Varsity Cheerleaders on this incredible achievement.”

Boys’ basketball

Jake Cosco scored 17 points and Jaedyn Rodriguez added 14 to power Warwick past Valley Central 50-43 on Feb. 18. The Wildcats, now 12-7, defeated Monticello 52-27 on Feb. 14. Luca Siebert scored 10 points to lead Warwick.

Girls’ basketball

Warwick bounced back to beat Monticello 50-9 on Feb. 14, three days after having their unbeaten streak snapped by Cornwall 47-31. Emily Romig scored 11 points and McKenzie Decker scored 10 against Monticello. The Wildcats are 16-1 with two regular-season games left on the schedule.