Rochester, not to be mistaken for Palm Springs

I've settled in here in Rochester in preparation for Saturday's start to the 2008 New York State Wrestling Championship. As predicted, there's a lot of snow. Too much snow. More snow in the few hours that I've been here than Long Island's received all year. I checked in my hotel around 5:30, took a quick nap, checked some e-mails and then went out to get a bite to eat. In two hours my car had about four inches of snow piled on it...

So for all of you on Long Island trying to endure a day of rain, just remember, you could be stuck in Rochester, where it's guaranteed to snow 323 days a year.

The Blue Cross Arena, where the wrestling tournament is taking place, is a nice little arena and should be a good host for the tournament. With that said, I still don't think NYSPHSAA should schedule state tournaments for Rochester or Buffalo during the winter months. The weather is just always going to be terrible. It's guaranteed. Every time. Always. It snows, then snows some more, a little more after that and then some more for good measure. I'll take Albany as my pick every year for the tournament if it can't be on Long Island where it's snowed about three days all winter.

As for the actual wrestling, the first round will start at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and I'll be there to provide updates throughout the day. I know it's raining on Long Island, so you have no reason to do anything but keep your computer at your side all day to check for updates.

Here's a timetable for Saturday's wrestling:

10 a.m. -- Parade of Champions/National Anthem

10:30-2:30 p.m.. -- Preliminaries

2:30-4:30 p.m. -- Quarterfinals

4:30-6:30 -- Wrestlebacks

6:30-8:30 -- Wrestlebacks

Here are the first-round matchups for locals:

96: Matt Ross (RP) vs. Shane Connolly (Warwick Valley)

112: Steven Keith (SWR) vs. Matt Waldmiller (Lancaster)

112: Brandon Escobar (RP) vs. Erik Rueckle (Union-Endicott)

145: T.J. Neidhart (SWR) vs. Phillip Barriero (Massena)

145: Ray Powers (MS) vs. Donnie Vinson (Whitney Point)

189: Zach Buonaiuto (MP) vs. Jon Ashley (Massena)

It looks like the 112 bracket was changed. Keith had originally been seeded No. 1, but now the latest bracket has Syosset's Nick Arajau has the No. 1. Keith could now face Escobar in the semifinals. He wouldn't face Arajau or Islip's Jake Benedetto until the finals.

Check back tomorrow morning for more updates.