CIAC State Open, Girls wrestling championships this weekend at Floyd Little Athletic Center

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Xavier's Braylon Gonzalez controls New Fairfield's Joe Mahoney during the 126-pound final at the CIAC State Open wrestling tournament in New Haven on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (Dave Stewart/Hearst Connecticut Media)


The CIAC State Open and Girls wrestling championships are this weekend at New Haven's Floyd Little Athletic Center.

Wrestling begins Friday at 3:15 p.m. with an estimated finish time of 9:15 p.m. for the girls and 9:30 p.m. for the boys. Saturday's action starts at 9:45 a.m. for the girls, 10 a.m. for the boys. The estimated time finishes are 6:30 p.m. for the girls, 6:45 p.m. for the boys.

Xavier is aiming for a fifth straight Open team title. The runner-up the last two seasons was Newtown. For the girls, the defending champion is Trumbull. The runner-up from last year is Norwalk.

Here are some key points from both events:

Three-Peat for Gonzalez?​

Xavier senior Braylon Gonzalez is the No. 2 seed at 144 pounds. He is looking for a third straight State Open championship, and if that happens, it will be in the third different weight class. Gonzalez captured his first Open championship at 126 pounds in 2024, then won at 132 in 2025. Ridgefield senior John Carrozza is seeded first at 144.

Returning Champions​

Ridgefield sophomore Cole Desiano (No. 1 at 113), Somers senior William Accorsi (No. 1 at 120), Gonzalez and Gilbert/Torrington/Wolcott Tech senior Evan Schibi (No. 1 at 175) won Open championships in 2025. None will be defending their titles in the 2025 weight classes. Desiano won at 106, Accorsi at 113, Gonzalez at 132 and Schibi at 157.

Two More Former Champs​

Middletown junior Isaiah McDaniel (No. 1 at 150) and Newtown junior Jake Maddox (No. 1 at 175) have won Open championships in previous seasons. Both wrestlers won gold in 2024, with McDaniel doing so at 106 pounds and Maddox at 150.

Undefeated Top Seeds​

There are six undefeated top seeds in this year's Open. They are Stafford senior John Bean (106, 30-0); Somers senior William Accorsi (120, 29-0); Ledyard sophomore Lukas Boxley (138, 35-0); Manchester senior Noah Colon (190, 30-0); Lyme-Old Lyme/Westbrook junior Taiyo Gemme (215, 20-0); and Shelton senior Chase Galke (285, 37-0).

Battle of Unbeatens?​

If Boxley and Simsbury senior Giuliano Sirianni (37-0) get to the Open championship final, it would be a battle of the unbeatens. Boxley and Sirianni have a combined record of 72-0 entering the Open.

Xavier's Dominance​

The Falcons have won five Open championships, with the first coming in 2012. Xavier has been the top team each of the past four years, and it hopes to add another this year.

Four-Time Girls Champion?​

Platt senior Kayli Morris has won championships in each of her first three seasons (235 in 2023, 185 in 2024 and 2025). Morris can make it 4-for-4 if she finishes off her unbeaten season at 185. She is 15-0 entering the girls championship.

Defending Girls Champions​

Besides Morris, South Windsor senior Sophia Gordon (106), East Haven senior Maddie Cooper (145), Bunnell senior Matilda Tote (152), New Britain senior Kaydence Atkinson (165) and Norwalk junior Jeily Euceda (235) are back to defend championships in their respective weight classes.

Other Former Champions​

Also back are 2025 champions Selena Batres of Jonathan Law and Ava Gambardella of Branford. Batres, a junior, won 107 last year while Gambardella, a senior, won 120. Both are wrestling at 114 this year. Trumbull senior Marangelie Teixeira (165), who won championships as a freshman and sophomore in 2023 and 2024, is trying to make it three state titles this weekend.

This article originally published at CIAC State Open, Girls wrestling championships this weekend at Floyd Little Athletic Center.

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