Wrestling: Middletown's Stephan Monchery overcomes tragedy to become Section 9 champion

For Middletown sophomore wrestler Stephan Monchery, opponents haven't been the only battle this season.

Monchery's 17-year-old brother, Stevie, passed away due to complications from COVID-19 on Nov. 15, 2021, right before wrestling season began.

“He didn’t come to my matches, but he would always ask me when I came home about how it went," Monchery said. "He would always be interested in how I was doing.”

Now, Monchery is a first-time Section 9 Division I wrestling champion at 285 pounds and is heading to MVP Arena in Albany to compete in the NYSPHSAA tournament from Feb. 25 to 26.

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Middletown coach Jason Lichtenstein said Monchery also battled COVID-19 right at the end of football season and missed the first month of wrestling. He didn't want to push him to return until he was ready.

During the time Monchery was out, his absence in the wrestling room was noticeable, Lichtenstein said.

"I think once everything calmed down, he wanted to be back," Lichtenstein said. "It’s an escape. This is why we come in here, it’s a miniature escape from reality, which is what’s nice.”

The team looks up to and admires Monchery, who is a leader in the room for how he goes about his work to become great.

“I never met a kid who could compartmentalize his life as well as he does," Lichtenstein said. "He is where he is and that’s where he is in that moment, and that’s why his wrestling is the way it is, because he gets on the mat, and what matters the most right there is that match. He doesn’t let any of the outside distractions ever get to him and it’s amazing. He’s always even-keeled. When he won sections, he smiled. You look at the picture, there was a smile. He didn’t jump in anybody’s arms, he expects that when he steps on the mat, he’s going to be successful at all times. His ability to do that and stay focused at all times is why he’s in the situation he’s in.”

The team came together and raised money for the Monchery family and parents donated meals and gift cards.

Monchery is not one to seek attention.

"He’s not a verbal guy, but his presence is in his leadership," Lichtenstein said. "He doesn’t get tired, he doesn’t stop working, he doesn’t say a word. He goes to his corner and he goes to work."

Teammate Bryson Tibbs has known Monchery for eight years now, since the two have been wrestling together since seventh grade. He will also be competing in the NYSPHSAA tournament in Albany.

Tibbs said it was amazing seeing Monchery win the section championship.

"I know that Dom Siracusa of Goshen had high expectations for himself and he thought he was going to beat Stephan, and Steph just came out on top as usual, so it really wasn’t anything surprising," he said. "We have high expectations for everybody, but with Steph, we knew that he could overcome a lot of stuff knowing how he is. He’s just been No. 1 at everything that he does when it comes to wrestling, and we’ve always had high expectations for him and it’s always expected of him to be great.”

Monchery is looking to be the first Middie to win a state championship since 1998. He had a career record of 101-15 coming into the Section 9 tournament.

“It would feel pretty nice," Monchery said. "I think I can do it.”

MKramer1@th-record.com

Twitter: @MKramerTHR

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Section 9 wrestling: Stephan Monchery uses sport as escape