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1983 All State

FIRST TEAM

98 - Dan Chianese, Bristol

105 - Joe Monroe, Narragansett

112 - Bob Thomas, Warwick Vets

119 - Rob Smith, Coventry

126 - John Oatley, North Providence

132 - Mark LaBrie, Hendricken

138 - Glenn Walsh, Cumberland

145 - Brian Brieger, Middletown

155 - Steve Alves, West Warwick

167 - Joe Gincastro, Pilgrim

185 - Steve Monte, La Salle

275 - Wayne Ciruolo, La Salle

SECOND TEAM

98 - Rob Dreier, Barrington

105 - Dave Smith, Coventry

112 - Sean Sullivan, Middletown

119 - Chris Almonte, Cranston West

126 - Andy Houghton, Warwick Vets

132 - Kevin Silvia, Coventry

138 - Hugh Murtha, Barrington

145 - Steven DiOrio, Cranston West

155 - Dave Marsland, Cumberland

167 - Gilman, Chariho

185 - Wayne Griffin, Coventry

275 - Wayne Cook, Middletown

If this year's Journal-Bulletin All-State wrestling team looks familiar, it's understandable. Five members of the first team were All-State selections last year. The squad is led by two brothers who guided Coventry to its second straight statetitle, Rob and Dave Smith, both repeaters. Another repeater is West Warwick's Steve Alves, who with Dave Smith is one of two New England champions on the squad. Other repeaters are Cumberland's Glenn Walsh, picked for the third time, and Warwick's Bob Thomas. The team's two biggest men are both from La Salle, Steve Monti (185-pound division) and Wayne Ciruolo (unlimited). Rounding out the squad are Dan Chianese of Bristol, John Oatley of North Providence, Mark LaBrie of Hendricken, Brian Brieger of Middletown and Joe Gincastro of Pilgrim.

The Smith brothers, sons of Coventry assistant coach Bob Smith Sr., had superb seasons. Dave, a sophomore 105-pounder, was 23-1, his only loss in the state final to Joe Monroe of Narragansett. The following week, Smith won the N.E. title. His brother Dave, a 119-pounder, in winning the state title, took the prizes for most falls in the shortest time and outstanding competitor in the meet. A first-team All-Stater as a sophomore and a second-team pick last year, Rob Smith had a record of 24-0, including 20 pins, through the state meet.

Alves, an All-State end in football, lost about 20 pounds to make the 155-pound division. The freshman state champion three years ago, third-place finisher as a sophomore and runnerup last year, Alves was awesome this time as he won every tournament he entered - one in Killingly, Conn. (where he was named the outstanding competitor), the Coaches Holiday Tournament, the state and N.E. meets.

Warwick's Thomas, state and New England champion last year, repeated as R.I. champion at 112 pounds with a 17-1 mark.

The fifth familiar face, Walsh, won state crowns each of the previous two years. He began the winter on the indoor track team, but a stress fracture forced him to return to wrestling, where he compiled a 13-1 record at 138 pounds, avenging his only loss, to Cranston East's Leon Stamas, on the way to winning the state meet.

The lightest division, 98 pounds, was one of the most competitive, but the clear champion was Chianese, who took the state title.

At 126, the undisputed king was North Providence's Oatley. The Suburban Division champion the previous two years and top-four finisher each of those seasons in the state meet, he was 22-0-1 in R.I. competition. In capturing the Suburban and statecrowns, he swept six matches while allowing only one point - and that when he was penalized for locking his hands.

Hendricken's LaBrie earned the 132-pound berth for a season in which he went 26-3 overall, won the Keene, N.H., Tournament, the state meet and was second in N.E.

Brieger, one of only three seniors on a blossoming Middletown squad, swept through the state meet in the 145-pound class, including a 9-0 triumph in the title match.

Pilgrim's Gincastro has placed high in Rhode Island and New England meets three years in a row. This year the 167-pounder was unbeaten in R.I., won the state meet and was second in N.E.

Monti won the 185-pound berth for a perfect 30-0 record through the state meet.

His teammate, Ciruolo, was equally impressive in the unlimited division, taking the state title.

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