Mount Sinai's Brayden Fahrbach, Shoreham's Gavin Mangano each win Division II state wrestling titles
ALBANY — Brayden Fahrbach is going to feast like a champion.
The Mount Sinai senior held on to a 6-5 decision over No. 3 Gianni Silvestri (Tioga) to win the Division II state wrestling title at 138 pounds Saturday night at MVP Arena.
Fahrbach, the top seed, took a 4-2 lead into the third period and later led by one. He was able to stop Silvestri’s takedown attempts in the final seconds to secure his second straight state title.
“My shot defense is one of the best parts of my game. I’m pretty hard to score on,” Fahrbach said. “I’m not the best on offense, but I think my defense is on a different level.”
Silvestri is a two-time state champion and entered that match 33-0 on the season.
“Beating a two-time state champ in the finals makes it feel even better,” Fahrbach said.
Fahrbach defeated No. 5 Patrick Grimsey (Lowville) via 4-2 decision in the semifinals Saturday morning. Grimsey couldn’t finish his last-ditch effort to take Fahrbach down. Fahrbach nearly scored his takedown to extend his lead, but the time ran out.
Fahrbach improved to 39-0 on the season and finished his career 198-13. The Appalachian State commit has won four straight Suffolk Division II titles. He was named the state tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.
“His first match he wrestled in seventh grade, we weren’t sure if we could put him out there because he was wrestling a very good senior, and he wound up pinning him,” Mount Sinai coach Matt Armstrong said. “He’s continued to amaze ever since then. He’s the only two-time state champ I’ve ever coached and I’ve been here for more than 20 years.”
After his quarterfinal win on Friday, Fahrbach said he was most looking forward to being able to eat whatever he wants after he won the title. So, what’s on the menu?
“I’ll probably just get a slice of pizza here, but when I get home, I’ll get a bacon egg and cheese from my local deli and it’ll hit different,” Fahrbach said.
Mangano wins 1st state title
A year ago, Gavin Mangano suffered a one-point loss in the Division II 110-pound title match.
Now, the Shoreham-Wading River freshman is the 131-pound state champion. Mangano was in complete control of his match with No. 3 Jayden Duncanson (Tioga). He led 14-3 with just a few seconds left, but was able to secure the pin in 5:56 to put an exclamation point on his spectacular season.
Mangano went 51-1 and won his second straight Eastern States Classic title in January. He entered the tournament as the top seed and he did not disappoint.
“This crowd is a lot bigger than the Eastern States crowd,” Mangano said. “Even though that tournament is just as hard as this one, you just feel like everyone is watching you. To dominate like that feels amazing.”
Mangano’s only loss came in December to his teammate Chris Colon.
“Chris is a really amazing wrestler. If I had to lose to anyone, it would be him,” Mangano said. “But that loss woke me up.”
Mangano defeated No. 4 Justin Mullis (Hudson Falls) via a 12-2 major decision to advance to the finals.
Mangano has already accomplished plenty for a freshman, but he has his eyes on the Shoreham-Wading River history books.
“I’ve got three more years and hopefully I’ll win it all three years and become one of the only four-timers for Shoreham,” Mangano said. “Jesse Jantzen did it. I want to be talked about in the same sentence as him.”
Aiello falls in semifinals
No. 5 Glenn junior Tommy Aiello fell just short of reaching the 108-pound finals. His match with top-seeded Maverick Beckwith (Norwich) was scoreless at the end of regulation and two overtime periods.
Beckwith scored a reversal in the third overtime period for a 2-0 win in the ultimate tiebreaker. Beckwith later defeated Anthony Valls (Chenango Valley) to win the title.
Aiello (33-8) finished in fourth place. He was last year’s 102-pound state champion.
