East Islip state champion Sebastian Regis walking away from wrestling
Sebastian Regis of East Islip after pin of Stephan Monchery of Middletown at 285 pounds in state Division I wrestling final. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
East Islip senior Sebastian Regis announced he will not return to defend his 285-pound state wrestling title this season. He will walk away from the sport he dominated as a junior with a 51-1 record, including 35 pins.
“I’ve thought about it for months and I’m not wrestling this year,” Regis said. “It wasn’t the sport for me, and I didn’t enjoy it. Football is my future and that’s what I’ll play in college. I’ll miss wrestling but I must focus on my future.”
Regis avenged his only loss last year with a pin in 3:40 over Middletown junior Stephen Monchery in the state Division I final at 285 pounds. It was Monchery’s only loss of the season.
The two seniors were heavily favored to meet in another state final, in what could have been an epic end to both careers.
“We’re certainly disappointed that he decided not to wrestle,” said East Islip wrestling coach Mike Longobardi. “We were looking forward to another run at a state wrestling title. We lost a leader in the wrestling room and obviously an extremely talented wrestler.”
East Islip won the Suffolk team title last season for the first time in school history with Regis leading the way.
Regis was also a dominant force on the gridiron. The four-year, two-way starter led East Islip to the Long Island Class III football title with a 19-14 win over South Side on Nov. 24.
In an unprecedented accomplishment, Regis swept the three major awards at the Suffolk County Football Coaches Association dinner Monday night at the Hyatt in Hauppauge. He earned the 64th Hansen Award, given to Suffolk’s most outstanding player, the 13th Burnett Award, presented to Suffolk’s Defensive Player of the Year and the Zellner Award, as Suffolk’s top lineman.
Regis became the first Suffolk lineman in 38 years to win the Hansen Award.
“We talked about it after the LIC and his focus is on football and his recruitment,” Longobardi said. “He said he wants to get stronger for football and he’s not wrestling in college, so this is his path. I understand where he’s coming from, but I asked him if he could take some time and reconsider.”
East Islip football coach Sal J. Ciampi said the 6-1, 268-pound Regis is juggling numerous college football offers.
“We’re letting the recruiting process play out,” Ciampi said. “He has full scholarship offers but knows there’s more out there. He’s very mature and has a plan. I loved seeing him compete on the mat and I’ll miss that but he’s looking to his future.”
Regis can run well for a big man. He clocked a 4.8 in the 40-yard dash.
“He can bench press 435 pounds and squat 585,” Ciampi said. “He maxed out at 600 pounds in a deadlift. He's a quick twitch athlete, the entire package of power, agility, and speed.”
Longobardi said Regis had big-time interest from West Point, Hofstra, North Carolina State, Arizona State and UPenn to wrestle in college.
“Those are big-time opportunities,” Longobardi said. “His heart just wasn’t into it. I know he wasn’t happy at tournaments last year. We had five dual meets in one tournament, and he got five forfeit wins — it was a waste of his time.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
