Top 50 wrestlers on Long Island for the 2021 season
Newsday's annual look at the top 50 wrestlers on Long Island for this season, listed alphabetically.
Carlos Arango, Massapequa, Jr., 102
He took third in Nassau Division I last season at 99 pounds.
James Araneo, Ward Melville, Sr., 182
The senior was the Suffolk Division I runner-up at 170 pounds and finished fourth in the state. He has 111 career wins.
Keon Ayala, Bay Shore, Sr., 160
Ayala is a two-time Suffolk place winner, finishing third and fifth at 152 pounds in 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Chris Boudreau, Hauppauge, Sr., 152
He took fourth in Suffolk Division I at 145 pounds as a junior.
Matt Castillo, Port Washington, Jr., 132
The junior was a surprise Nassau Division I finalist at 126 pounds in 2020.
Matthew Cracchiola, Ward Melville, Sr., 132
He is a two-time Suffolk place winner, finishing sixth at 106 pounds in 2019 and fourth at 120 in 2020.
Corey Cimino, Sachem East, Sr., 160
Cimino took fourth place in the strong 152-pound weight class in Suffolk Division I last season.
Joseph Clem, Wantagh, Fr., 102
Clem won 30 matches and was a Nassau Division I finalist at 99 pounds last year.
Anthony Conetta, Massapequa, Jr., 132
Conetta finished third in Nassau Division I at 126 pounds last season. Two years ago, he won the Nassau title and took third in the state at 99 pounds.
Kalil Cuffe, Baldwin, Sr., 170
The senior took third in Nassau Division I at 160 pounds a year ago.
Luke D’Angelo, Commack, Sr., 126
As a junior, he finished fourth at 126 in Suffolk Division I.
Jeremiah Echeverria, Long Beach, Sr., 118
He had a breakout season, winning 41 matches and a Nassau Division I title at 113 pounds before finishing the year as a state-runner up.
Brayden Fahrbach, Mt. Sinai, Fr., 110
As an eighth-grader, he had a 47-2 record and finished third in the state at 99 pounds in Division II.
Neo Fearon, Freeport, Jr., 152
He stormed his way to the Nassau Division I final at 145 pounds, where he finished second last year.
Killian Foy, MacArthur, Jr., 118
Foy has been a Nassau Division I runner-up the past two years — first at 99 pounds and then at 113. He finished second in the state in 2019 and fourth last year.
Max Gallagher, Bayport-Blue Point, So., 126
This talented sophomore was a state runner-up a year ago at 113 pounds after finishing third at 99 pounds as an eighth-grader. He won 46 matches last season.
Anthony Gentile, East Meadow, Sr., 132
He took third at 132 in Nassau Division I as a junior.
Robert Gomez, Kings Park, Sr., 189
Gomez went 34-2 and took third at 195 pounds in Suffolk Division I last season.
Michael Giugliano, Miller Place, Fr., 102
As an eighth-grader, Giugliano won 33 matches and took fourth at 99 in Suffolk Division I.
Christian Hansen, Cold Spring Harbor, Sr., 160
Hansen went 40-2 and became his school’s first state champion when he won the Division II 152-pound title.
John Hegner, MacArthur, Jr., 189
Hegner took third at 182 pounds in Nassau Division I as a sophomore.
Jayshon Hines, North Babylon, Sr., 215
He was the Suffolk Division I runner-up at 220 pounds and took third in the state.
Matthew Huggard, MacArthur, Sr., 110
The senior won the Nassau Division I title last season at 106 pounds.
Jackson Hulse, Westhampton, Sr., 189
Hulse won a Suffolk Division I title two years ago at 160 pounds and was third at 170 last year.
Craig Jablonski, Shoreham-Wading River, Jr., 113
He won 44 matches en route to the Suffolk Division II title at 106 pounds. He capped the year taking fifth in the state.
Chase Liardi, Massapequa, Sr., 126
Liardi is a two-time Nassau champion. He finished second in the state a year after taking fourth as a sophomore. Liardi has 172 career victories and will wrestle at Ohio State.
Nick Lamorte, Rocky Point, Soph., 126
He went 41-6 and won the Suffolk Division I title at 113 pounds as a freshman.
Christian Lievano, Ward Melville, Jr., 118
The junior is a two-time Suffolk runner-up. He finished fourth in the state a year ago at 99 pounds.
Kevin Lopez, Long Beach, Sr., 126
He finished third at 113 as a junior in Nassau Division I last season and earned an at-large bid to the state championship.
Joseph Manfredi, Herricks, Soph., 110
As a freshman, Manfredi went 46-3 and won a Nassau Division I title at 99 before reaching the state final.
Mikey Manta, Hauppauge, Jr., 110
Manta was a Suffolk Division I champion at 99 pounds and took third in the state. He took fourth in Suffolk as a freshman.
Jack McCusker, Manhasset, Sr., 182
He took second in Nassau Division I at 170 pounds and received an at-large bid to the state championship.
Kyle Moore, Levittown Division, Jr. 145
Moore finished in third place at 138 in Nassau Division I a year ago.
Jake Murphy, Seaford, Sr., 132
He went 31-5 and won the Nassau Division II title at 113 pounds last season.
Mack Murtha, Sayville, Jr., 145
Murtha took third in Suffolk Division I at 113 pounds last season, He has gone up five weight classes this season.
George Oroudjov, Syosset, Jr. 132
Oroudjov was 50-1 last season, with his loss coming in the state final at 126 pounds. He is a two-time Nassau Division I champ.
Joseph Petrone, Huntington, Sr., 118
He is a two-time Suffolk Division I place winner, finishing fifth as a sophomore and fourth last season at 106 pounds.
Jackson Polo, Cold Spring Harbor, Jr., 118
Only a junior, Polo already is a two-time state place winner, finishing third last season at 113 pounds after finishing fifth as a freshman.
Jordan Pommells, Uniondale, Sr., 145
He was the Nassau Division I runner-up at 138 pounds as a junior.
Ben Rogers, Wantagh, Jr., 145
He and his brother became the first set of brothers to win Nassau Division I titles in the same season since 2005. Ben took sixth in the state at 138 while senior Matt won the 182-pound state title.
Jake Schneider, MacArthur, Sr., 145
Schneider won his second Nassau Division I title last season at 132. He took fifth in the state.
Jordan Soriano, Clarke, Jr., 132
Soriano took fifth in the state and was a Nassau Division II champion at 126 pounds.
Jack Spahn, Islip, Sr., 160
Spahn won a Suffolk Division I title last season at 160 pounds after finishing third the previous two years. He finished third in the state as a junior.
Joe Sparacio, Bayport-Blue Point, Jr., 132
Sparacio has already won three Suffolk Division II titles and was the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler last year. He also took fourth in the state as a freshman.
Jordan Titus, Center Moriches, Sr., 132
Titus has been to four consecutive state finals, winning the last two. He has a 68-match winning streak and a career record of 162-7. Titus has won four Suffolk Division II titles.
Frankie Volpe, Hauppauge, Soph., 126
Volpe overcame several injuries last season and took fourth in Suffolk Division I at 113 pounds.
Ariel Waldman, Hewlett, Soph., 118
He was a Nassau Division I runner-up at 106 pounds last season.
Michael Waxman, Commack, Sr., 152
He took fifth at 145 in Suffolk Division I a year ago.
Jared Weinhaus, Sachem East, Jr., 132
Last season, Weinhaus finished third in Suffolk Division I at 120 pounds. As a freshman, he was a Suffolk champion and took sixth in the state.
Vincent Ziccardi, Kings Park, Jr., 118
Ziccardi took second in Suffolk Division I at 106 and was sixth in the state.
Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.
