Mack Murtha wins 172-pound Suffolk title, helps Sayville capture its first team championship
Sayville's Mack Murtha defeats Connetquot's Ion Boboc in the 172 pound weight class during the Suffolk High School individual semifinals on Sunday Feb 13, 2022 at Bay Shore High School. Credit: Bob Sorensen
Mack Murtha’s emotions got the best of him. The Sayville senior had just pinned his fourth consecutive opponent at the 82nd Suffolk Division I wrestling tournament and captured the 172-pound title at Bay Shore High School.
Murtha used a lateral drop for a pin of Eric Wetherbee of Sachem North in 51 seconds and the celebration was on. As the huge section of Sayville fans roared its approval – he turned and pointed to them and did a backflip on the mat.
The celebration wasn’t over. Murtha proceeded into a full throttle griddy – a dance used in celebrations across the NFL.
"He was so excited and wanted to show off his athleticism," Sayville coach Gary Pesko said. "It’s such an emotional sport. And he was so fired up and the excitement of winning his first county title in front of the big crowd got the better of him. The back flip was great, but the dance was over the top."
Sayville was penalized a team point for excessive celebration but had already clinched the team title with 147.5 points, the first in school history. For his efforts, Murtha earned the Champion of Champions Award and had the most pins in the least amount of time with four pins in 7:13.
"It was our first team title and it’s just unbelievable," said Pesko, in his 27th year as head coach. "It hasn’t sunk in but I’m so happy for the kids. I knew they could be something special two years ago. We wrestled extremely well this weekend."
Murtha, a phenomenal multi-sport athlete, who also won the Cassese Award in football as Suffolk’s best defensive back, will play football in college at either Brown University, Rhode Island or Stony Brook.
"He could be a very good college wrestler, but he loves football," Pesko said.
Murtha, who took third in Suffolk as a sophomore, improved to 36-0 and was swarmed by the Sayville faithful outside the gym.
"I was planning on the backflip but then I got into and played to the crowd," Murtha said. "It was an incredible feeling. I’ll play wide receiver in college and follow in the footsteps of my grandfather George Gill, who played wide receiver for Boston College." Comsewogue sophomore Mason Mangialino earned the 102-pound title with a 3-2 win over Hauppauge’s Connor Sheridan. He improved to 36-0 and became the school’s first county champion in 23 years.
Northport’s Matt Marlow beat Ward Melville’s Christian Lievano 8-3 for the 118-pound crown and earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.
The last time there was a Suffolk Division II wrestling tournament in February of 2020, Max Gallagher and Joe Sparacio wrestled back-to-back, clinching county titles.
It’s been two years and a lot has changed in the world — including Sparacio moving from Bayport-Blue Point and now wrestling for Mattituck, which hosted the meet late Friday night.
But not much has changed once the former teammates and childhood friends get on the mat. BBP junior Gallagher pinned Liam Rogers of Port Jefferson in 2:35 in the 126-pound final and Sparacio followed at 132 with a fall in 3:54 over Tristan Petretti of Shoreham-Wading River as both clinched a spot at the state championship tournament in Albany beginning Feb. 25.
It was the fourth county title for Sparacio, who was named the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler, and the third for Gallagher.
"We’ve been wrestling together since kindergarten and it was great to be able to warm up with him," Sparacio said. "It brings back memories of being on the same team."
Now they’ll be teammates again on the Suffolk team that travels to Albany hoping to bring home a state title.
"I feel like it’s definitely my time and I belong more than I ever have," Gallagher said. He finished second in the state in 2020 as a freshman and third in 2019. "I feel like this is my weight class and I’m the guy to beat."
"I’m still working on some stuff," Sparacio said, "but it’s definitely time for me to clutch up and win it."
With Gene Morris
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
