Granted Wednesday’s dual-meets at home with undermanned Liberty and overmatched Millbrook weren’t a true test of the growing strength of this season’s New Paltz wrestling team, but it was a look into the who-and-what to expect from the Huguenots going into some big matches and the eventual Section 9 tussle at season’s end. Remember that New Paltz had four Section 9 champions last year and one runnerup, with all, save one, returning. That alone bodes well for New Paltz.

Of the returning champs all had an easy time of it in the 72-9 and 72-6 wins over Liberty and Millbrook respectively. Eric Januskiewicz, last year’s 103-pound champion, won twice by forfeit at 112 pounds; John Ferrante, last year’s 135-pound champ, won by forfeit against Liberty and pinned Millbrook’s Tommy Cummings in 1:26 at 140 pounds; Peter Ferrante, last year’s 145-pound champ, won by forfeit against Liberty and pinned Millbrook’s Tyler DeMan in 1:06 at 160 pounds; and last year’s runnerup at 285 pounds, Kyle Roberts, had pins over Liberty’s Scott Austin (in 0:24) and Millbrook’s John Sousa (in 1:19). Last year’s 125-pound champion, Corey Neckotopolous, moved to Kingston over the Summer.

In the two other matches with Liberty, Kevin Mannix built a 4-3 lead after one period, 6-4 over two (where Liberty’s Vincent Webber was saved by the two-minute buzzer while flat on his back) and built the lead to 12-4 before pinning Webber in 5:05. In the Huguenots only loss to Liberty, Andrew Martinez decisioned Dylan Beecher 3-0 (all Martinez’s points coming from one take-down move in the second period).

Against Millbrook, besides the forfeit wins to Eric Januskiewicz, the Ferrante’s, Mannix, Beecher, Sean Cramsie (at 119 pounds) and Justin Altro (125), Sean Harrington took control after a close 2-2 first period to go up 11-2 before pinning Chris Muscari in 5:11; Kyle Januskiewicz pinned Julian Mostachetti in 1:24 at 145 pounds; and Eric Pesavento pinned Andrew Richwine in 1:41 at 152 pounds. The only Millbrook victory came at 215 pounds as Alex Wilson was down 0-2 before being pinned in 2:22 by Liberty’s Andrew Conklin.

New Paltz is 5-1 overall in dual-meet competition and travels to Burke this Wednesday, Jan. 19. On Wednesday, Feb. 2, New Paltz and Red Hook visit Highland at 5 p.m.