Newsday's All-Long Island wrestling team 2022

Newsday Wrestler of the Year: Dunia Sibomana, 8th, Long Beach, Division I, 102 pounds

A 14-year-old eighth grader grabbed everyone’s attention this wrestling season when he reeled off 30 straight wins on his way to the Division I state title at 102 pounds. He also stole their hearts.

Long Beach’s Dunia Sibomana  won a Nassau sectional title in stunning fashion when he used a third-period comeback for a semifinal victory and then crushed his opponent in the final.

Sibomana carried that momentum into the state tournament in Albany, where he disposed of four consecutive opponents in dominant fashion. He punctuated the impressive run with a first-period pin over top-seeded Ryan Ferrara of Chenango Forks in 1:32 in the final at MVP Arena.

He celebrated the win with a cartwheel and back flip to the delight of the more than 5,000 fans who roared their approval.

“My coaches did a great job helping me prepare for this moment,” said Sibomana, who finished with a 35-2 record. “As soon as I locked up the cradle, I knew I had him pinned. There was no escape.”

Sibomana had beaten the odds and come back from a horrific experience at the age of 6. While playing just outside his village of Rutshuru in the jungle of the Virunga National Park, a vast animal preserve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa, a troop of chimpanzees attacked him and two family members. His brother and cousin were killed in the vicious attack.

Sibomana survived but was left with devastating injuries to his lips, ears and face. His right ear and facial muscles were gone and the middle finger on his left hand was bitten off.

“You will not find a more beautiful, genuine boy,” Long Beach coach Ray Adams said of the program's 17th state champion. “We can all learn from him. He is so happy with life and lives it to its fullest. He’s a lesson in perseverance and courage. And he proves every day that when given a second chance – make the most of it.”

Suffolk Wrestler of the Year: Max Gallagher, Bayport-Blue Point, 126, Jr.

Gallagher (36-0 this season, 146-10 career) capped an undefeated season by winning the Division II state title. He romped through the state tournament with two pins, a 15-3 decision, and a technical fall. Gallagher was so dominant this season, only three of his matches went the full six minutes. He had 25 pins, seven technical falls, two major decisions and one forfeit victory. This is Gallagher’s third year as a state place winner. He took third place when he was in eighth grade and was the runner-up as a freshman. He has a current winning streak of 40.

Anthony Conetta, Massapequa, 152, Jr. 

Conetta (48-3, 164-13) won the Nassau Division I title in dominating fashion with three pins and two technical falls. This was Conetta’s second Nassau title. He also won as a freshman. He earned all-county honors four times, taking second and third places to go along with his two titles. Conetta was a state runner-up this season.

Brayden Fahrbach, Mt. Sinai, 126, So. 

Fahrbach (39-2, 122-15) won his second Suffolk title this year in Division I. In a thrilling final, he pinned King Park’s Vincent Accardi in 6:40 in overtime. In the postseason, Fahrbach went unscored upon in five of his eight matches. This season, Fahrbach was a state runner-up. He finished third in the state as a freshman in 2020.

Stephen Lukas, Eastport-South Manor, 132, Sr.

Lukas (34-1, 134-21) became his school’s 10th state champion in the last 10 years. After losing in the Suffolk final, Lukas crushed his opponents in the state tournament with a pin and two technical falls, including a 16-1 victory over the top seed in the semifinals. Lukas capped off his career with a 9-6 win in the Division I state final over Andrew Marchese of Washingtonville.

Pictured, top row from left: Anthony Conetta of Massapequa, Brayden Fahrbach of Mt. Sinai, Stephen Lukas of Eastport-South Manor. Bottom row from left: Joe Manfredi of Herricks, Mikey Manta of Hauppauge, Matt Marlow of Northport.

Joe Manfredi, Herricks, 110, So.

Manfredi (51-0, 138-7) capped off one of the greatest seasons in Nassau history by going 51-0 and winning the Division I state title at 110 pounds. In the state final, he defeated Hauppauge’s Mike Manta, 5-1. Manfredi won his second Nassau title. He was a state runner-up as a freshman. Manfredi became his school’s first state champion since 2015.

Mikey Manta, Hauppauge, 110, Sr.

Manta (41-2, 122-14) became his school’s 35th county champion in the last 40 years. This was Manta’s second Suffolk title. He also won as a sophomore. Manta took second in the state this season. He finished third as a sophomore. Manta defeated Wantagh’s Anthony Clem, 3-2, in a state Division I semifinal.

Matt Marlow, Northport, 118, Soph.

Marlow (37-1, 79-8) became Northport’s first state champion by winning the Division I title at 118 pounds. Marlow was chosen as the Suffolk Division I tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler after he defeated Christian Lievano of Ward Melville, 8-3, in the Suffolk final. Marlow won, 3-1 in the state final after he defeated Wantagh’s Joseph Clem, 2-0, in overtime in the state semifinals.

Jackson Polo, Cold Spring Harbor, 145, Sr.

Polo (41-1, 165-30) won his third county title and was chosen as the Nassau Division II Tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. Jackson pinned all four of his opponents in that tournament in a total time of 8:17. Polo won the state Division II title at 145 pounds. He had two narrow escapes, winning, 10-9, in the semifinals and 5-3 in the finals.  

Sebastian Regis, East Islip, 285, So.

Regis (26-1, 50-11) became just the fifth sophomore in history to win Suffolk’s heaviest weight class. He pinned his way through the Suffolk Division I Tournament. Regis won four matches in the state tournament (including two by pin) before losing in the final, 3-2, in the ride out (two overtimes). Regis had 17 pins this season.

Pictured, top row from left: Jackson Polo of Cold Spring Harborr, Sebastian Regis of East Islip, Ben Rogers of Wantagh. Bottom row: Jordan Soriano of Clarke, Joe Sparacio of Mattituck, Jake Trovato of Lindenhurst.

Ben Rogers, Wantagh, 152, Sr.

Rogers (46-4, 182-46) won his second Nassau title. He made this one look easy as he had three pins, a technical fall and a forfeit victory in the final. In the state Division I Tournament, the sixth-seeded Rogers defeated both the second and third seeds on his way to the finals, where he lost, 9-5, to Rocco Camillaci of Hilton. Rogers was a four-time All-Nassau wrestler and a two-time state place winner.

Jordan Soriano, Clarke, 138, Sr.

Soriano (37-1, 111-9) became Clarke’s first state champion as he won the Division II title. He had two pins and a major decision in the final as he defeated Caleb Sweet of South Seneca, 10-1. Soriano was unscored on in the Nassau Division II Tournament. He had two pins in less than a minute each and won, 6-0, in the final.

Joe Sparacio, Mattituck, 132, Sr.

Sparacio (34-0, 174-21) finished off an outstanding career with an exhilarating, come-from-behind 6-5 victory in the Division II state final. He was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Suffolk Division II Tournament with three pins and a technical fall. Sparacio took fourth place in the state as a freshman.

Jake Trovato, Lindenhurst, 189, Sr.

Trovato (32-3, 121-33) was the Suffolk runner-up but was at his best in the state tournament. Trovato was the 18th seed but stormed his way to the Division I state final with three pins and a 3-2 win in the quarterfinals. Two of the pins were over the second and third seeds.  

Nassau Coach of the Year: Paul Gillespie, Wantagh

Gillespie led his team to a Long Island record 32 dual-meet wins this season as Wantagh finished at 32-1. Itsr only loss was in the state Division I final to Minisink Valley, 49-13. Wantagh won both the Nassau dual meet playoffs and the Nassau Division I tournaments. Gillespie has a 12-year record at Wantagh of 239-27. His teams have won 513 dual meets in his 34 years as a head coach at three schools.                

Suffolk Coach of the Year: Ralph Napolitano, Brentwood

Napolitano guided Brentwood to a 19-1 record and the school’s first Suffolk dual-meet title. Brentwood’s only loss was 37-21 to Wantagh in the state semifinals. Brentwood also captured the League I dual meet and tournament titles. Napolitano has a 20-year record of 312-75 as the head coach of Brentwood.