Undefeated Jakob Restrepo (145 lbs.) will lead the charge for Sachem East, the defending Suffolk County champions.
2014 SUFFOLK COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW
By Jim & Tony Nordland
Defending Suffolk team champion Sachem East is the slight favorite but will face strong challengers from other elite teams. The Flaming Arrows (16-0 in duals) won the tough League I Tournament and crowned four champions, including unbeaten Jakob Restrepo (35-0) at 145 and top-seeded Mark Tracy (33-2) at 182, along with Mike Pistone (32-3) at 170 and Sean Dee (285). Others that will add points to their team total are Doug Iadanza (113) and Anthony Messina (126), both are potential county placers.
League II dual and tournament champion Connetquot (12-0) has been perfect this season and one veteran Suffolk coach recently stated: " Connetquot might have the deepest team in the county." The T-Birds are paced by league titlists Tom Repalone (126), Gino Titone (44-1) at 145, returning all-county Greg Chery (33-1) at 152 and Tom Flanagan (195). Other key grapplers are Sean Miller (106), Eddie Hart (132) and Allon Avgi (31-2) at 170.
Hauppauge (25-0) has dominated the mats this year and rolled to the League IV team title over a strong East Islip squad. The Eagles have 15 county qualifiers and look to sophomore Chris Mauriello (40-1), a 2013 county finalist at 132, along with a strong lightweight tandem of Jake Silverstein (99) and third-seeded Ben Tepperman (35-4) at 106. League winners; Austin Munro (126), Ralph Cazzetta (138), John Donahue (160), along with a pair of #2 seeds,Dom Holder (195) and James Louison (285), give them a formidable team.
East Islip (23-5), team runners-up in 2013 boast three potential county finalists; Jesse Dellavecchia (38-4), OSW winner Dennis Ferro (38-3, 136-35 career) at 152 and Eric Adon (35-2) at 170, all earned All-County honors last year. Other Redmen that will score points are league champion Jon Wilson (220) and Sal Cipolla at 126.
League V champion Rocky Point (21-3) has the firepower to garner a county team championship and look to All-State performer Tommy Dutton (39-3), the top-seed at 145 and league champions Anthony Cirillo (35-6) at 106 and Joe Russo (37-2) at 170. Other top qualifiers include Jack Gold (113), CJ Archer (126) and James Matias at 138.
John Glenn (18-0) cruised to the League VI championship and have league winner and top-seeded Edwin Rubio (33-2), a sophomore at 285, along with five other titlists, freshman Zach Ancewicz (30-3) at 106, Derek O'Brien (145), Matt Porello (33-2) the #2 seed at 160, along with Gil Bonilla (170) and Ian Cange at 220.
Islip (14-2) has potential finalists with junior Brad Wade (31-1) at 132, Ronnie King (27-3) at 182 and top-seeded Craig Hinrichs (30-2) at 220, both won league titles. Other league V teams that will be near the top in the team standings are Kings Park and Huntington. The Kingsmen have Suffolk finalist and state placer Nick Weber (34-0) at 195 and Steven Lee (182). The Blue Devils have returning county champion John Arceri (31-1) at 113 and Anthony Puca (28-2) at 220 pounds, along with Kyle Mock (99), Corey Jamison (126) and league champion Joseph Puca at 152.
Teams that will look to be in the Top Ten are: Smithtown East, the League III champion, Sachem North, along with Shoreham-Wading River, and league I powers, Patchogue-Medford and Brentwood, Eastport-South Manor, as well as an improved Deer Park team. Smithtown East has Will Outcault (28 wins) at 152, Most Pins winner Sam 0'Malley (170) and Chris Lopez (285). Sachem North has possible finalist with Sean O'Hagan (39-2) in the loaded 132-pound class, Matt Stallone (36-3) at 106, Matt Marino (38-1) at 138 and Anthony DiMatteo (220). SWR has all-county James Szymanski (42-2), the third-seed at 120, league winner Jack Taddeo (35-5) at 132, David Keith (152) and Dom Pirraglia, a returning county placer at 182. Pat-Med has 8th-grader Chris Lopez (29-1) at 99 and tough Jake Horton (28-2) at 182 pounds. Brentwood has outstanding lighweights Carlos Aucancela (33-2) at 106 and unbeaten Danny Murray (31-0) at 113, along with Stephen Nunez (170). Deer Park has top-seeded Thomas Cox (36-3) at 99, county medalist Zach Lugo (38-3) at 152, #2-seed David Hamil (36-4) at 182 and Valter Piccini (32-3) at 285 pounds.
MAT NOTES:
A quick glance at a few of the weight classes. At 113 pounds, #1 John Arceri must get past Milton Cerna (26-4) of Lindenhurst, Ed Matyka (29-4) of Riverhead or Danny Murray to reach the finals. Bottom bracket challengers are # 2 Joe Calderone (38-1) of Walt Whitman, Doug Iadanza and Kyle Scully ( 34-3) of Newfield. In the loaded 132-pound class: top-seeded Chris Mauriello (Haup) could meet ESM's Nick Garone (31-8) in the quarterfinals. Also in that top tier is Eddie Hart (Conn) and Jack Taddeo (SWR). In the bottom bracket, look for a semi-final battle between Brad Wade (Islip) and Sean O'Hagan (SachNorth). In the wide-open 138 pound weight, there are eight competitors that will vie for the title. Top-ranked Jimmy Leach (39-3) of ESM will face top tier challenges from Justin Siracusa (32-4) of Sayville, Hunter Hulse (29-7) of Westhampton Beach, and #4 seed Dan Donnelly (32-4) of WM. In the lower bracket is the #2 seed Eduardo Ramirez (36-4) of Amityviile, he will most likely face either Ralph Cazzetta (27-9), James Matias (34-6) or the third-seeded Matt Marino in a semi-final. At 170 pounds: EI's Erik Adon will probably meet the winner of the Allon Avgi (Conn) and Joe Russo (RPt) in a quarter skirmish. In the lower half, look for a semi with Mike Pistone (SachEast) vs unbeaten Kenny Gallagher (37-0) of Northport. Suffolk County has two-time state champion Nick Piccininni (35-0, 176-3) of Ward Melville, a junior at 120, and four-time state placer Corey Rasheed (2-5-2-1) of Longwood, who now has a 228-12 career mark, he will be at 160 pounds. Defending county champion and state bronze medalist Travis Passaro (42-0) of Eastport -South Manor is in the 126-pound class. That trio has been unstoppable this season and are strong favorites to win state gold medals in their respective weight classes.
SUFFOLK COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW
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