AHS junior, Brian Benton, scored a bronze medal in the NYS HS Wrestling Championships. Benton also finished the season with 52 wins, setting a new Section 2 record.

AHS junior, Brian Benton, recently captured a third place finish in the New York State high school wrestling championships held at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. Benton, wrestling at 119 pounds, rebounded from his only defeat of the season in the semi-finals to take the bronze medal, an accomplishment that has eluded Amsterdam wrestlers for over 25 years.

Benton's 4-3 victory in the consolation finals over rival, Jamie Franco of Monroe-Woodbury, earned him his 200th career victory and allowed him to set a new Section 2 record for wins (52) in a single season. Brian is the first wrestler in the history of Section 2 to reach the 50 wins mark and only the fourth wrestler to reach 200 career wins. Brian finished the season with a 52-1 record and owns a career record of 200-17.

Benton, a captain of the Rams varsity wrestling team noted, "Piling up wins doesn't really mean much, what really matters is how you finish in the end." Benton's achievements this season included winning tournament titles at Colonie, Schenectady, Eastern States, Big Ten, Class B, and Section 2. Benton is a 4-time class B champion and a 2-time Section 2 champion. The junior also led his varsity team to its first Big Ten Conference team title since 1998. Benton's achievements on the mat are only equaled by his success in the classroom maintaining a 90 average in his college track program.

Brian attributes his success to his extensive training off-season, setting lofty goals, having great work-out partners, and a focused coaching staff. "I still haven't fulfilled my ultimate goal and that is to win a state title, but it only means that I have to work harder," noted Benton.