Redemption was name of game for East Islip's Regis in state final
Sebastian Regis of East Islip pins Stephan Monchery of Middletown in the 285 lb division I finals match at the 2023 NYSPHSAA wrestling championships on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at the MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Salute To The Champs: East Islip's Sebastian Regis
East Islip heavyweight Sebastian Regis approached the state wrestling final with the same ferocity that made him one of New York's top football players. Regis lost once during the 2022-23 season. He was pinned in the first period of the Eastern States tournament by Stephen Monchery of Middletown. Regis' opponent in the state final? Monchery.
Redemption can be a wonderful source of motivation. Regis avenged his only loss with a pin in 3:40 over Monchery in the Division I state final at 285 pounds. Regis had a record of 51-1, including a school-record 35 pins.
“Nothing feels better than this,” Regis said. “I worked very hard to get back to the state final and he wasn’t standing in my way of a title.”
Regis, a two-time Suffolk champion, lost in in the state final in heartbreaking fashion in overtime in 2022.
“We are all so proud of Sebastian,” East Islip coach Mike Longobardi said. “He wiped away two of the most disappointing losses of his career in one dynamic title bout.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
