LONG
ISLAND WRESTLING HISTORY
Nassau and Suffolk were separated into two sections in the
1957-58 season and all winners in their respective county meet were designated
county champions. Prior to that, wrestlers from schools in Nassau and Suffolk
competed in the same tournament with the winner crowned Long Island champion.
This Long Island tournament was first held in 1933 at Great High School and was
called the Great Neck Invitational. This tournament was held from 1933-1937
except for 1935. In 1938 Mepham High school held its first tournament- the
Mepham Invitational and every team on Long Island and Queens was invited to it.
In 1941 The Mepham Invitational became the official Section VIII Tournament.
Long Island was one section of NYSPHSAA until 1957-58 when Suffolk County became
Section XI. Mepham, under legdendary coach Frank "Sprig" Gardner, won
the Mepham Invitational every year from 1938-1955. (Gardner's record as coach at
Mepham was 254-5-1.) The first state intersectional tournament was held in
1962-63. The first Suffolk County tournament was held in 1934. The tournament
was held for 9 years from 1934-1942. It wasn't held from 1943-1948 due to gas
rationing during WW II. The tournament was restarted in 1949 and for 6 years
(1949-1954) was called The Eastern Long Island Championships. In 1955 the
tournament's name was changed to the Suffolk County High School Wrestling
Championships.
LONG ISLAND STATE CHAMPIONS
1962-63 -- Nassau: 98 pounds -- Pete Henning (Wantagh), 106 -- John Harris
(Hempstead), 130 -- Ralph Sammis (Mineola), 141 -- Andy Taylor (Freeport), 168
-- Tom Schlendorf (Calhoun). Suffolk: 115 -- Ron Grasso (Bay Shore), 123 -- Pete
Vanderlofske (Smithtown), 148 -- George Butt (Amityville).
1963-64 -- Nassau: 106 -- John Harris (Hempstead), 115 -- Bill DeSario (Mepham),
123 -- Hector Rivera (Berner), 130 -- Elliot Tepper (Berner), 136 -- Tom Henry
(Freeport), 148 -- Tom Gleason (Mepham), 157 -- Henry Conley (Valley Stream
Central), 168 -- Matthew Vanderhall (Uniondale), 183 -- Jack Paz (Mepham), Hwy
-- Ed Cosgrove (Herricks). Suffolk: 98 -- Ken Melchior (Lindenhurst).
1964-65 -- Nassau: 123 -- John Walters (Calhoun), 136 -- Mike Fitzgerald (Mepham).
Suffolk: 106 -- Ken Melchior (Lindenhurst).
1965-66 -- Nassau: 106 -- Peter Sleeper (South Side), 115 -- Don Fay (Island
Trees), 123 -- Alan Stock (Mepham), 130 -- Art Rutzen (Herricks), 141 -- Fred
Locast (Valley Stream North), Unlimited -- Glen Hamberg (Valley Stream North).
Suffolk: None.
1966-67 -- Nassau: 106 -- Bill Beach (Calhoun), 136 -- Alan Stock (Mepham), 183
-- Nate Jordan (Port Washington), Unlimited -- Joe Slinowski (Carle Place).
Suffolk: None.
1967-68 -- Nassau: 106 -- Bob Pina (Freeport), 136 -- Brian Schmidt (East
Meadow). Suffolk: Todd Morgan (Amityville), Carl Adams (Brentwood), Ron Moss
(Amityville).
1968-69 -- Nassau: 98 -- Tom Campanelli (Wantagh), 141 -- John Henning
(Wantagh). Suffolk: Steve Weiss (Lindenhurst), Joe Russo (West Islip), Bill
Proios (Port Jefferson).
1969-70 -- Nassau: 98 -- Tom Lang (Calhoun), 145 -- John Cuomo (East Meadow),
165 -- Russ Poore (East Meadow). Suffolk: Jack Spates (Smithtown), Sal Lanuto
(Whitman).
1970-71 -- Nassau: 98 -- Matt Smith (Calhoun), 132 -- John Golden (Island
Trees), 155 -- Dick Molbury (Carey). Suffolk: Ivan Gonzales (Brentwood), Dave
Larrache (Brentwood), Bob Antonacci (Brentwood).
1971-72 -- Nassau: 98 -- Richard Applebaum (Lawrence), 132 -- Steve Hunte
(Bellmore JFK). Suffolk: Lenny Intreglia (West Babylon).
1972-73 -- Nassau: 112 -- Jim Earl (Valley Stream Central), 126 -- Craig O'Grady
(MacArthur), 138 -- Steve Hunte (Bellmore JFK). Suffolk: Lou Giani Jr.
(Huntington), Charles Gadson (Huntington), Paul Bagnoli (Lindenhurst).
1973-74 -- Nassau: 112 -- Rich Earl (Valley Stream Central), 132 -- Rich Lubell
(Bellmore JFK). Suffolk: Jeff Thomas (Huntington).
1974-75 -- Nassau: None. Suffolk: Joe Lidowski (West Babylon).
1975-76 -- Nassau: 98 -- Bob DeStefanis (Locust Valley), 105 -- Bob Bury
(Calhoun), 132 -- Jim Slattery (Island Trees), 145 -- Lew Spiegel (Mepham), Hwy
-- Steve Insalaco (Farmingdale). Suffolk: 177 -- Joe Lidowski (West Babylon).
1976-77 -- Nassau: 105 -- Bob DeStefanis (Locust Valley), 112 -- Bob Bury
(Calhoun), 145 -- Paul Meyers (Baldwin), 155 -- Dom Macchia (Island Trees).
Suffolk: 98 -- Paul Widerman (Huntington).
1977-78 -- Nassau: 98 -- Al DeStefanis (Locust Valley), 112 -- Mike Macchia
(Island Trees), 119 -- Bob Bury (Calhoun). Suffolk: Mike Giustizia (Whitman),
Mike Thomas (Huntington).
1978-79 -- Nassau: 98 -- Carl DeStefanis (Locust Valley), 105 -- Al DeStefanis
(Locust Valley), 119 -- Mike Macchia (Island Trees), 132 -- Dean Dergarabedian
(Baldwin). Suffolk: 91 -- Mike Murnane (Bayport), 126 -- Joe Petrucci (Brentwood
Ross), 155 -- Mike Falcon (Sachem), 177 -- Mike Porcelli (Bay Shore), 215 -- Jim
Ettari (Brentwood Sonderling).
1979-80 -- Nassau: 98 -- Al Placio (Long Beach), 105 -- Carl DeStefanis (Locust
Valley), 112 -- Joe Rabin (Elmont), 250 -- Ron Heller (Farmningdale). Suffolk:
119 -- John Iannuzzi (Brentwood Sonderling), 138 -- Bill Gaffney (Huntington),
167 -- Mike Falcon (Sachem).
1980-81 -- Nassau: 105 -- Al Palacio (Long Beach). Suffolk: 119 -- Dan Hopkins
(Commack South), 126 -- Pete Mankowich (Commack North), 138 -- John Arceri (Ward
Melville).
1981-82 -- Nassau: 112 -- Al Palacio (Long Beach) 250 -- Steve Whalen
(Massapequa). Suffolk: 98 -- Kiernan Mock (Huntington), 119 -- Bill Starke
(Sachem), 138 -- Glenn Lanham (Lindenhurst).
1982-83 -- Nassau: 91 -- Rich Pidgeon (Locust Valley), 98 -- Dennis Mejias (Mepham),
126 -- Mike Arena (Mepham). Suffolk: 132 -- Pete Yozzo (Sayville), 167 -- Rob
Hubbard (Bay Shore), 177 -- Dan Mayo (Sachem), Hwy -- Ted Gregory (East Islip).
1983-84 -- Nassau: 138 -- Mike Arena (Mepham). Suffolk: 91 -- Ricky Brzozinski
(West Islip), 98 -- Gene McNeil (Huntington), 132 -- Joe Plante (Brentwood).
1984-85 -- Nassau: 112 -- Rich Pidgeon (Locust Valley), 138 -- Michael
Bevilacqua (Berner), Gerry Armengau (Division). Suffolk: 126 -- Ray Downey (Deer
Park), 132 -- Mark Billups (Huntington), 145 -- Steve Shone (Bayport).
1985-86 -- Nassau: None. Suffolk: 119 -- Gene McNeil (Huntington), 126 -- Rick
Brzozinski (West Islip), 132 -- Nick Garone (Patchogue-Medford), 145 -- Joe
Herrmann (Connetquot), 167 -- Drew Jackson (Huntington). Catholic: Hwy -- Bob
Murphy (Chaminade).
1986-87 -- Nassau: 119 -- Rich Santana (Long Beach), Hwy -- Scotty Graham (Long
Beach). Suffolk: 98 -- Terry Haise (Babylon), 167 -- Wayne Wilson (Sachem).
1987-88 -- Nassau: None. Suffolk: 119 -- Lance Banfi (Sachem), 138 -- Jamie St.
John (Port Jefferson), 177 -- Adam Mariano (Comsewogue).
1988-89 -- Nassau: 112 -- Tom Sinacore (Bethpage). Suffolk: 145 -- Jamie St.
John (Port Jefferson), 177 -- Adam Mariano (Comsewogue), 250 -- Bill Friburger
(Floyd).
1989-90 -- Nassau: 98 -- Keith Vitagliano (Plainedge). Suffolk: None.
1990-91 -- Nassau: None. Suffolk: Heavy Weight -- Nick Hall (Longwood).
1991-92 -- Nassau: 126 -- Louis DiMaria (Herricks). Suffolk: 91 -- Brian
Fischenich (Huntington), 98 -- John Carvalheira (Sachem), 105 -- Keith Matias
(Centereach), 138 -- Duane Thompson (Longwood), 145 -- John Lange (Longwood),
155 -- Jason Kraft (Sachem), 177 -- Kerry McCoy (Longwood), 250 -- Jason Cohen
(West Islip).
1992-93 -- Nassau: 155 -- Aldy Teran (Long Beach). Suffolk: 91 -- Tom Longobardi
(Islip). 119 -- Liston Brown (Copiague). 145 -- John Lange (Longwood).
1993-94 -- Nassau: None. Suffolk: 112 -- Rason Phifer (Longwood). 119 -- Jim
Amira (Huntington). 155 -- John Lange (Longwood). 177 -- Tom Minogue
(Patchogue-Medford). Team Scores -- Suffolk won the title with 204' points.
1994-95 -- Nassau: None. Suffolk: 105 -- Angelo Zegarelli (Deer Park) 112 --
Rason Phifer (Longwood).
1995-1996 -- Nassau: 215 -- Morlon Greenwood (Freeport); Suffolk: 132 -- Ryan
Bernholz (Mt. Sinai), 250 -- Thomas Marrero (Wyandanch).
1996-1997 -- Nassau: 160 -- Kevin Haggerty (Long Beach), 220 -- Kevin Shippos
(Baldwin); Suffolk: 119 -- Jesse Jantzen (Shoreham-Wading River), 275 -- Thomas
Marrero (Wyandanch).
1997-1998 -- Nassau: 152 -- Noel Thompson (Freeport); Suffolk: 125 -- Michael
Messina (Hauppauge), 135 -- Jesse Jantzen (Shoreham-Wading River), 189 -- Dawid
Rechul (Huntington).
1998-1999 -- Nassau: 189 -- Tom Katsigiorgis (Massapequa); Suffolk: 130 --
Michael Messina (Hauppauge), 135 -- Ryan Maurer (William Floyd), 145 -- Jesse
Jantzen (Shoreham-Wading River).
1999-2000 -- Nassau: 189 - Matt Daddino (Sewanhaka District); Suffolk: 145 --
Jesse Jantzen (Shoreham-Wading River), 140 -- Ryan Maurer (Floyd); 96 -- Rob
Vaccaro (East Islip); 103 -- Patrick Flynn (Huntington), 135 -- Mike Torriero
(Rocky Point), 160 -- Jack Piana (Huntington), 215 -- Dan Sable (Longwood).
2000-01 -- Nassau: none; Suffolk: 103 -- Rob Vaccaro (East Islip), 130 -- Dan
Roberts (Bellport), 140 -- Uthman Jackson (Amityville), 152 -- Mike Patrovich
(Islip).
2001-02 -- Nassau: 140 -- James Strouse (MacArthur), 171 -- Greg Lawrence
(Calhoun), 189 -- Chris Weidman (Baldwin); Suffolk: 96 -- Tim Finnerty
(Brentwood), 112 -- Pat Flynn (Huntington), 125 -- Steve Palacios (Huntington),
145 -- Stephon Sair (Huntington), 152 -- Jose Viera (Central Islip).
2002-03 -- Nassau: 189 -- Mike LaBella (Massapequa), 215 -- Gian Villante
(MacArthur); Suffolk: 125 -- Steve Hromada (Half Hollow Hills East).
2003-04 -- Nassau/Division 1: 215 -- Tom Daddino (Sewankaka District); Suffolk/Division 1:
112 -- Kenny Torres (Brentwood), 130 -- Shawn Riley (Huntington), 152 -- Alton Lucas (West Babylon). Nassau/Division 2:
None; Suffolk/Division 2: None.
2004-05 -- Nassau/Division 1: None; Suffolk/Division 2: 96 -- John Oschmann (Hauppauge), 119 -- Thomas Magnani (Islip),
140 -- Chris Wade (Islip), 152 -- Ryan Patrovich (Islip), 160 -- Alton Lucas (West Babylon). Nassau/Division 2: None;
Suffolk/Division 2: None.
2005-06 -- Nassau/Division 1: 96 -- Paul Liquori (Wantagh), 140 -- Eduardo Delgado (Long Beach); Suffolk/Division 1:
112 -- Tyler Mashkow (Islip), 125 -- Corey Jantzen (Shoreham-Wading River), 135 -- Dave Ingram (East Islip), 160 -- Ryan Patrovich
(Islip), 215 -- Matt Ferber (Sachem East). Nassau/Division 2: None; Suffolk/Division 2: None.
2006-07 -- Nassau/Division 1: 112 -- Paul Liquori (Wantagh), 145 -- PJ Gillespie (Long Beach), 215 -- Maciej Jochym (Herricks);
Suffolk/Division 1: 96 -- Steven Keith (Hauppauge), 135 -- Corey Jantzen (Shoreham-Wading River), 152 -- Lance Wade (Islip).
Nassau/Division 2: None; Suffolk/Division 2: None.
2007-08 -- Nassau/Division 1: 112 -- Nick Arajau (Syosset), 119 -- Steven Bonanno (Wantagh), 145 -- John Griesheimer (Wantagh); Suffolk/Division 1:
103 -- Ken Collado (Hauppauge). Nassau/Division 2: None; Suffolk/Division 2: None.
2008-09 -- Nassau/Division 1: 125 -- Nick Arajau (Syosset), 152 -- John Griesheimer (Wantagh); Suffolk/Division 1:
96 -- Mike Soria (Kings Park), 119 -- Steven Keith (Shoreham-Wading River), 130 -- Stephen Dutton (Rocky Point), 140 -- Andy Rodriguez
(Central Islip), 215 -- Ernest James (Longwood). Nassau/Division 2: None; Suffolk/Division 2: None.
2009-10 -- Nassau/Division 1: 125 -- Nick Arajau (Syosset); Suffolk/Division 1: 96 -- Mark West (Hauppauge), 112 -- Nigel McNeil (Huntington),
119 -- Damon McQueen (Huntington), 130 -- Nick Meinsen (John Glenn), 140 -- Stephen Dutton (Rocky Point), 145 -- Andy Rodriguez
(Central Islip), 160 -- Anthony Volpe (Rocky Point), 171 -- Billy Coggins (Rocky Point). Nassau/Division 2: None; Suffolk/Division 2: None.
COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
1933-1934: (NO Nassau, Suffolk ONLY): Stony Brook
1934-1935: Amityville
1935-1936: Amityville
1936-1937: Amityville
1938: Westhampton
1938-1939: Amityville
1939-1940: Amityville
1940-1941: Amityville
1941-1942: Amityville
1942-'43--1947-'48: NO tournaments held.
1948-1949: Bay Shore
1949-1950: Bay Shore
1950-1951: Amityville
1951-1952: Amityville
1952-1953: Bay Shore
1953-1954: Amityville
1954-1955: Amityville
1955-1956: Bay Shore
1956-1957: Bay Shore
Nassau - Suffolk
1957-58 Mepham - Amityville
1958-59 Mepham - Bay Shore
1959-60 Valley Stream Central - Bay Shore
1960-61 Valley Stream Central - Bay Shore
1961-62 Mepham - Amityville
1962-63 Mepham - Riverhead
1963-64 Mepham - Lindenhurst
1964-65 Mepham - Lindenhurst
1965-66 Mepham - Lindenhurst
1966-67 Calhoun - Lindenhurst
1967-68 Wantagh - Lindenhurst
1968-69 Bellmore Kennedy - Brentwood
1969-70 East Meadow - Brentwood
1970-71 Bellmore Kennedy - Brentwood
1971-72 Farmingdale - Brentwood
1972-73 Bellmore Kennedy - Brentwood
1973-74 Bellmore Kennedy - Brentwood Ross
1974-75 Mepham - Brentwood Ross
1975-76 Island Trees - Huntington
1976-77 (Tie) Island Trees, Massapequa - Brentwood Ross
1977-78 Mepham - Half Hollow Hills East
1978-79 Locust Valley - Sachem
1979-80 Mepham - Huntington
1980-81 Massapequa - Bay Shore
1981-82 Long Beach - Bay Shore
1982-83 Long Beach - Huntington
1983-84 Long Beach - Huntington
1984-85 (Tie) Locust Valley, Mepham - Huntington
1985-86 Baldwin - Sachem
1986-87 Long Beach - Sachem
1987-88 Long Beach - Shoreham-Wading River
1988-89 Long Beach - Sachem
1989-90 Long Beach - Longwood
1990-91 Long Beach - Longwood
1991-92 Long Beach - Sachem
1992-93 Massapequa - Longwood
1993-94 East Meadow - Patchogue-Medford
1994-95 Massapequa - Patchogue-Medford
1995-96 Massapequa - Mt. Sinai
1996-97 Massapequa - Longwood
1997-98 Massapequa - Huntington
1998-99 Massapequa - Hauppauge
1999-2000: Freeport - Huntington
2000-01: MacArthur - Huntington
2001-02: MacArthur - Floyd
2002-03: MacArthur - Amityville
2003-04: D1: MacArthur - Huntington; D2: Seaford - Eastport/South Manor
2004-05: D1: MacArthur - Islip; D2: Manhasset - Shoreham-Wading River
2005-06: D1: MacArthur - East Islip; D2: Manhasset - Mt. Sinai
2006-07: D1: East Meadow - Islip; D2: Manhasset - John Glenn
2007-08: D1: MacArthur - Brentwood; D2: Locust Valley - Babylon
2008-09: D1: Wantagh - John Glenn; D2: Locust Valley - Babylon
2009-10: D1: Long Beach - John Glenn; D2: Mineola - Bayport-Blue Point
Compiled by Andy Slawson - Newsday
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