Article by Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek ’24:
On Saturday, December 2nd, the Varsity Wrestling Team competed in the Battle at the Beach tournament at Long Beach High School, which is one of the toughest tournaments in New York State.
The 19 Firebirds faced off against wrestlers from All Hallows High School, the Academy of St. Joseph High School, and Long Beach High School.
Leading the way were Juniors “Juggernaut” Jonathan Hoffman and “Lethal” Luke Chernaski.
Juggernaut Jonathan pinned all of his opponents on his way to the finals where he was able to secure the 170 pound title.
Lethal Luke had the match of the day by defeating an All County opponent in the quarterfinals of the 160 pound weight class. In the finals, Luke came up short against one of the best wrestlers in the state and finished runner-up in the 160 pound weight class.
At the 101 weight class, Junior John Holian finished in 4th place, and Freshman Isaiah Griffin finished in 5th. Also finishing 5th for the Firebirds were Sophomore Jack Barkley and Senior Cornelius Griffin. Sophomore Colin Regan and Junior Elijah “Conquering” Carrington each placed 6th in their respective weight classes as well.
Jonathan shared, “I’m glad I was able to wrestle. It was a fun few matches, and I had a good run at Long Beach. It was really encouraging to see the team support each other’s matches.”
Luke said, “I think much of our hard work is paying off. A lot of our recent success came from work put in before the season started with off-season practices and tournaments as well as weight training early in the mornings.”
This win came after the team’s promising opening of the season on Wednesday, November 29th, 2023 with a 36-30 win against Commack High School.
John Holian led off for the Firebirds at the 101 pound weight class against a very tough opponent.
Unfortunately, the team came up short in the first three matches and were down 17 to 0 going into the 124 pound match.
However, Sophomore Andrew DiBiase got things rolling for the Firebirds with a decisive major decision. Then, in the 131 pound match, Conquering Carrington pinned his opponent in 13 seconds.
Trailing 21 to 10, Senior Szakary Calderon was able to swing momentum back in the team’s favor with a major decision. Senior Thomas Pasqua kept this momentum going with another huge win against his opponent.
Jack Barkley and Jonathan Hoffman both helped secure the win for the Firebirds by pinning their opponents.
Thomas said, “Out of my four years here, this is the best that the team has looked. I’m feeling confident for future matches.”
Coach Fiore shared, “ The coaching staff is very excited to see what else this team can accomplish this season. There are not enough words to describe how hard some of the young men on the wrestling team work throughout the offseason.”
The Junior Varsity Wrestling team also demonstrated skill, determination, and potential with victories during the matches at Commack High School.
The momentum started with Freshman Hunter Miller who set the tone by pinning his opponent in the second period.
Following suit, Freshmen Luke Klinger and Ryan Arecco also secured wins.
The success continued with Sophomore Yobany Cifuentes who achieved a decisive victory, and further victories were claimed by Junior Konstantinos Handakas, Sophomore Colin Regan, and Freshmen Michael Zeppieri, Joseph Lentini, and Jonathan Lembo.
Hunter shared, “Facing Commack was an exhilarating experience that showcased the dedication and sportsmanship of both teams. Overall, both high schools put up a fierce, skillful, and respectful competition.”
Both the Varsity and JV teams look to continue the season strong.
The Varsity team returns to action on Saturday, December 9th for the Wantagh Tournament, and the JV team will take on Long Beach High School on Friday, December 8th.
