Kellenberg's Elijah Carrington wins in final this time to get state CHSAA wrestling title

Elijah Carrington and Jake Nieto squared off on the mat to determine a champion for the second time this year. And the first two minutes made it seem like a similar result was all but guaranteed.

But the Kellenberg senior wasn’t going to just accept another loss to the Chaminade standout wrestler. Carrington turned a five-point deficit after the first period into a one-point lead entering the third and final period and went on to defeat Nieto, 15-11, via decision to win the 131-pound state title at the CHSAA wrestling tournament at Monsignor Farrell on Saturday.

“I knew I couldn’t give up,” Carrington said. “I had to keep working for every point, every second of the match. I realized I had more in the gas tank and I was able to keep scoring and work to my offense. No matter how I get to it, I still get to it.”

Carrington was one of four Long Island wrestlers to win a state CHSAA title on Saturday and advance to the state public schools tournament in Albany on Feb. 28 and March 1.

Chaminade’s Finnegan O’Brien defeated Jack Borowiec (Farrell) via 11-6 decision at 124 pounds. Kellenberg’s Jonathan Hoffman defeated Paolo Ciatto (Iona Prep) via 8-2 decision at 170 and Josh Jorgge (St. Anthony’s) defeated Tavio Hoose (St. Francis) via 18-17 decision at 190 to claim state crowns.

Carrington was named most outstanding wrestler. He felt he wrestled more his style this match as opposed to his loss to Nieto in the NSCHSAA league championships.

“All four years of hard work, double practices, all the tournaments I went to over the years, all the morning workouts and afternoon sprints,” Carrington said, “that’s got me to this point right here.”

Jorgge scored the winning point via escape with 12 seconds left to break a tie at 17. He led heading into the final period but didn’t allow a late scoring run by Hoose to shake his confidence.

“I saw the time winding down, I knew I had to get up and once I did, the mentality was to not let him score,” Jorgge said. “And that’s what I did.”

Hoffman, a senior, lost in the championship match last year and said he learned from his mistake of trying to do too much in that moment.

“Last year I thought it was a States match so I had to wrestle way better, but I’m never going to wrestle better than the hardest I trained,” Hoffman said. “So I just had to wrestle like the hardest I’ve trained.”

O’Brien, a freshman, is already looking forward to competing with the best state public school wrestlers.

“I really want to dominate and prove a point,” O’Brien said. “Really put it on guys and really show my potential and talent, so my mindset is to go out there and dominate.”