Commack's Joey Slackman had all the right moves
Commack's Joey Slackman wins the 285-pound semifinal on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019 at Suffolk County Community College Brentwood. Credit: George A. Faella
Joey Slackman likes to move.
The Commack senior captured a state title with a 4-2 decision over Freeport’s Myles Norris in the Division I 285-pound final on Feb. 23 in Albany, and Slackman was quick to credit his on-mat agility for his success.
“I thought I could use that to my advantage,” said Slackman, the top seed in the state tournament. “I focus on the intricacies of a match and body position and finesse moves rather than just body moves. That's something I pride myself on.”
Slackman, who is headed to the University of Pennsylvania, was the state runner-up as a junior and said coming so close to a championship helped fuel him in his final high-school season. He trained throughout the year, working on an approach he believed helped set him apart from the competition.
“Championship was my ultimate goal all year,” Slackman said. “It’s something I’d been striving for.”
