Bayport-Blue Point's Max Gallagher, Mattituck's Joe Sparacio accomplish state title dream 

Albany — They’ve been linked together since the Bayport-Blue Point youth wrestling program, brought together by the sport of wrestling.

It became apparent in 2018 when Max Gallagher was in seventh grade and Joe Sparacio was in eighth that in the future they both had a chance to do something special with their wrestling careers.

Both at Bayport-Blue Point at the time, BBP coach David Cruz said there was a meeting and the two decided to both compete in the Suffolk Division II championship at 99 pounds, a tournament that Sparacio went on to win.

As the years went on they continued to train together, even after Sparacio moved up one weight class and transferred to Mattituck before his junior season, with the dream of one day winning back-to-back state titles.

The dream was fulfilled Saturday night at the MVP Arena as Gallagher, now a junior, put on a clinic, defeating Eden’s Jonny Vicario via an 18-2 technical fall at 5:11 at 126 pounds.

Sparacio, a senior, followed by winning a thriller, 6-5, over Caden Bellis of Tioga at 132, both capturing Division II state titles.

"It’s sick, it’s the best feeling ever," Sparacio said. "We’re best friends and we warmed up together every match. This was a dream of ours and we got it done tonight."

And they both did it in different ways.

Sparacio trailed 3-0 entering the third period of his match but quickly secured a reversal to get to within 3-2. He was then awarded two near fall points but after a coaches challenge by Tioga and a delay to review the call the points were taken away.

"There was nothing I could do about that call," Sparacio said. "I just had to keep wrestling my hardest and go out there and score the points that I needed."

And he did just that, securing another takedown to tie it at four before two more nearfall points in the last 20 seconds gave him a 6-4 lead. He fended off a last-ditch effort by Bellis as time expired to hold on to the 6-5 win.

"We knew after the call that our game plan was going to be to take it to the feet and Joe knows that’s where he can score," Mattituck coach Nic Fioretti said. "He took it out of the officials hands. He’s something special. He’s got unlimited potential and we’re super excited that he accomplished his goals."

Gallagher, who fell just short as a freshman in a state final two years ago, spoke after his semifinal win of being much more confident and wanting to bring the attack to his opponent. He knew he didn’t want to leave anything to chance.

He only led 2-0 after the first period but went into full attack mode in the second, overwhelming Vicario, racking up points to finally put an end to it with 49 seconds remaining.

"I was just really excited," Gallagher said. "I knew the whole time that I was going to dominate like that but it actually happening was a completely different feeling."

The state title was the first for the Bayport-Blue Point program since 1985, according to Newsday records.

"Max has been determined to have this since I’ve known him but especially since our last visit here when he was a runner-up," Cruz said. "His preparation is second to none. So with his personality, his work ethic and his great family I knew he was going to put himself into the right positions to be as successful as possible."

And to do it with his long time friend and training partner next to him made it even more special.

"It brought back so many old memories," Gallagher said. "Back-to-back, especially in the state finals and him winning his last match of high school — I’m just so happy it happened this way."

By Gene Morris

gene.morris@newsday.comGeneMorris

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.