LONG ISLAND RETURNS STATE  WRESTLERS

                             By Jim & Tony Nordland

    The Long Island contingent should be dominant on the mats for the upcoming 2014-2015 season as six reigning and one former state champion headline the squads that should claim another state sectional title. Island wrestling has won a combined total of 31 sectional team titles: Suffolk (22) and Nassau with 9 championships.

   Three-time state king Nick Piccininni (22-0, 208-3) of Ward Melville is on track to claim his fourth state crown. Piccininni, a four-time state placer (3-1-1-1) will take his mat skills to Oklahoma State next season. The other returning Suffolk champions are Matteo DeVincenzo (113) of Port Jefferson and Chris Mauriello (198-19) of Hauppauge who could be in the 160-pound class.

  The Nassau champions are freshman Jacori Teemer (18-0, 98-2) of Long Beach at 106, Hunter Dusold (120) of Locust Valley, once beaten Vito Arujau (115-1) of Syosset at 132 and 2013 state winner Kyle Quinn (18-1) of Wantagh at 113 pounds. 

   Six state finalists that seek redemption this year include freshman Adam Busiello (23-1) of ESM at 99, Jonathan Gomez (106) of Locust Valley, Peter Pappas (94-4) of Plainview at 120, along with Jesse Dellavecchia (21-0, 118-22, 76 pins) of East Islip at 132, Jakob Restrepo (137-11) of Sachem East at 152 and Walt Whitman's Vin Feola (22-2, 96-24) in the 220-pound class.

   Returning state bronze medalists are tough Ben Lamantia (126) of St .Anthony's, two-time placer Mike D'Angelo (25-1) of Commack, Islip's Brad Wade (24-2) and Locust Valley standout Sam Ward, all in the 138-pound class. Other state placers that will be in the hunt for medals are Anthony Sparacio (106) of North Babylon, Nick Casella (132) of Locust Valley, Tristin DeVincenzo (132) of Port Jefferson, Harvard-bound Tommy Dutton (24-0, 241-17) of Rocky Point, Jake Einbinder (Bethpage), both at 145 and Deer Park's David Hamill (24-1) at 182 pounds.

   Defending Nassau champions include Raeco Jackson (126) of Westbury, sophomore Ricky Stamm (138) of Levittown Division and 2013 winner Owen Bachelder (Hewlett). Finalists to watch are Jonathan Loew (21-4) of Nassau power Wantagh at 106, Joel Zambrano (113) of Mepham, Tom Lane (182) of Garden City, and Lawrence's Hamza Ramza at 220.

   Suffolk's reigning champions are John Arceri (113) of Huntington and potential state champion Edwin Rubio (24-0) of John Glenn. County finalists to keep an eye on are Thomas Cox (106) of Deer Park, Anthony Cirillo (113) of Rocky Point, Matt Porello (152) of John Glenn and Lantze Lange (Smithtown West) at 182 pounds.

Jesse Dellavecchia (East Islip)

Hunter Dusold (Locust Valley)

Vito Arujau (Syosset)

Jacori Teemer (Long Beach)

Chris Mauriello (Hauppauge)

2014 LONG ISLAND STATE CHAMPIONS

Bottom Row- Jacori Teemer (LB), Matt DeVincenzo (PJ), Hunter Dusold (LV), Vito Arujau (Syo), Nick Piccininni (WM), Travis Passaro (ESM).
Back Row- Chris Mauriello (Haup), Louis Hernandez (Mep), Shakur Rasheed (Long), Steven Schneider (Mac), Mark Tracy (SE), James O'Hagan (Seaf).  (2014 returning champs in bold.)

 LONG ISLAND RETURNS

SEVEN STATE CHAMPIONS

Peter Pappas (Plainview)

Jonathan Gomez (Locust Valley)

Adam Busiello (Eastport-South Manor)

Kyle Quinn (Wantagh)

Matteo DeVincenzo (Port Jeff)

Nick Piccininni (Ward Melville)