Long Beach wrestling's Dunia Sibomana-Rodriguez wins state crown at 116 pounds with OT pin
Dunia Sibomana-Rodriguez of Long Beach celebrates after he defeats Cooper Merli of Newburgh in the 116-pound Division 1 state final at MVP Arena in Albany on Saturday. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
ALBANY — The championship backflip was better than three years ago.
Long Beach junior Dunia Sibomana-Rodriguez pinned two-time defending state champion Cooper Merli of Newburgh in overtime to claim the state Division I wrestling title at 116 pounds before a crowd of more than 4,500 at MVP Arena on Saturday.
Sibomana-Rodriguez allowed an escape with one second remaining in regulation to force overtime with the score tied at 2. He immediately pushed the action in overtime, catching Merli with a whip 30 seconds into the period and putting him on his back as the crowd roared for the pin. The official slapped the mat for the win at 6:44, setting off a celebration in the Long Beach coaches’ corner.
After embracing his three coaches, Sibomana-Rodriguez went across the mat into a cartwheel and a backflip to enjoy his second state championship.
“I needed that one,” said Sibomana-Rodriguez, who suffered a bloody mouth during the bout. “I thought I was in control and focused this year. He’s a great wrestler and a very good friend and I have a lot of respect for him. But last year, I allowed him to dictate the pace and wrestle the match his way. This is the biggest win of my life.”
Sibomana-Rodriguez (48-2), who won the state crown at 102 pounds as an eighth-grader, finished third and second, respectively, in the state tournament in 2023 and 2024. Merli (46-2) suffered losses this year only to Sibomana-Rodriguez, who has committed to North Carolina.
“We told him no one knows your pain,” Long Beach assistant coach Leo Palacios said. “You’re built differently. No one can truly understand your pain. Everyone does push-ups and sit-ups and runs for conditioning. Their challenges are nothing like yours every time you step on the mat. We are all so emotional when he is out there. We love him.”
When Sibomana-Rodriguez was 6 years old, he survived an attack by a troop of chimpanzees while playing with family outside his village near the Virunga National Park in the Congo. While the other two boys were killed, Sibomana survived with traumatic injuries to his lips, face and right ear.
“His story is one of courage and perseverance,” said Long Beach coach Ray Adams, who crowned his 18th state champion. “He’s an amazing young man. How many guys give up a point with a second left and go into overtime, refocus and win a state title? Only special people can do that.”
Freshman Camryn Howard (51-2) became Bellport’s second state champion when he pinned Pittsford junior Samson McKissick-Staley (42-1) in 1:14 to earn the 138-pound title. Bellport’s only previous state champ was Dan Roberts at 130 pounds in 2001.
Howard is the second wrestler from Suffolk to place in the state tournament in seventh, eighth and ninth grade. Jesse Jantzen of Shoreham-Wading River did it from 1995-97.
Senior Jason Kwaak (41-0) became Brentwood’s first state champion since 2013. He upended senior Jackson Koppers (42-2) of Rush-Henrietta, 12-2, to claim the 160-pound title.
Kwaak, committed to North Carolina State, finished undefeated at 41-0 and dominated all season. “I put in the work and deserved to win,” he said. “This is the best I’ve ever felt. As long as I stay focused and stay in control, I’m going to win.”
Brentwood coach Ralph Napolitano said Kwaak has been on a mission since last year’s state tournament, when he finished fourth. “He was head and shoulders above the competition this year,” Napolitano said. “It was finally his time.”
Massapequa eighth-grader Jon Tutku (49-1) had an impressive run to win the state title at 101. He hit takedowns in the first and second periods and had a reversal in the third for a dominant win over St. Francis freshman Tanner Catrabone (46-5), the defending state champion.
Tutku defeated Xavier Seabury of North Babylon and Trevor Patrovich of Hauppauge, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the tournament.
In a rematch of the Eastern States Classic, sophomore Austin Bronco Campsey (34-3) of East Hampton turned sophomore Will Soto of Newburgh, the defending state champion, to his back for a 4-0 second-period lead at 108 pounds. Soto (48-0) battled back for a win to claim his second title. Campsey was looking to become East Hampton’s first state champ.
Freshman Matt McDermott (41-3) of Smithtown East was pinned by senior Luke Satriano (53-6) of Valley Central in 5:19 at 131 pounds. It was Satriano’s third straight title. McDermott had an outstanding tournament.
Senior Eric Wolf (40-5) of Farmingdale was beaten by junior Griffin LaPlante (48-7) of St. Francis, 19-6, at 152 pounds. LaPlante is a two-time champ.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.