Bellport wrestler Camryn Howard to represent Team USA at U17 World Championships
Camryn Howard of Bellport celebrates after his win in the 157-pound Division I final at the state boys wrestling championships on Feb. 28, 2026, at the MVP Arena in Albany. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Camryn Howard will represent the United States as a member of the U17 USA World Team at the World Championships in August in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Bellport sophomore won the 156-pound weight class at the U.S. Open in the Expo World Market Center in Las Vegas to earn a spot on Team USA.
“I really like the sound of that,” Bellport coach Chuck Maragioglio said. “Camryn Howard is representing the United States of America. There is nothing is better than that!”
Howard secured the spot with five wins at the U.S. Open in late April.
The two-time New York State Division I champion has been on quite the roll in 2026. He finished the high school season with a 48-0 record, including 44 wins by technical fall. He became the second wrestler in Suffolk history to win four county titles from the seventh through the 10th grades when he beat George Johnson of Iona Prep, by a 21-6 technical fall in 4:33 at 157 pounds. He has now won 81 consecutive high school matches.
“Cam wants to be the best at whatever he does,” Bellport assistant coach Rob Cuffie said. “Whether it's playing dodgeball, in the classroom, or on the mat, he wants to be the best.”
Howard has such a technical understanding of how to wrestle in the neutral position, on his feet, that opponents struggle with defending against him.
“He’s always thinking one or two moves ahead of his opponent,” Cuffie said. “He’s a special kind of athlete.”
East Islip's Rooney wins U15 event
Jace Rooney of East Islip was a winner in the Suffolk Division I dual team finals on Jan. 24, 2026, in Bay Shore. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
East Islip freshman Jace Rooney won the U15 U.S. Open nationals. He rolled through the bracket with four straight wins. Rooney qualified for the Pan American Games in Mexico City in July. He took second in Greco style at 90 pounds. In the high school season, Rooney finished with a record of 39–8 and he took fifth place in Suffolk Division I at 103 pounds.
“Rooney is the first wrestler from East Islip to win a national championship,” East Islip coach Mike Longobardi said. “It is an incredible accomplishment! He continues to get better every day.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
