73 Long Island wrestlers set to make their mark at U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in Fargo
Caitlin Maragioglio, of Bellport raises her arms after securing a victory in the 132-pound weight class during the Suffolk girls wrestling championships at Stony Brook on Feb. 15. Credit: Derrick Dingle
Landing on the podium at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota, is a surefire way for young wrestlers to put themselves on the map.
The tournament, commonly known as “Fargo,” is widely considered the toughest high school wrestling tournament in the country.
Last year, Bellport’s Caitlin Maragioglio was one of five Long Islanders – and the only Long Island girl – to earn All-American status in the tournament. The rising senior will head back to the Fargodome, where she placed sixth at 125 pounds in the 16U Women Freestyle. She is one of 22 Long Island girls in the tournament.
“You’re wrestling the top kids from each state,” Maragioglio said. “Everyone in the tournament is either the same level as you or better. You have to go into every match thinking it’s going to be the hardest one you’ve ever wrestled because you never know who you’re going to run into.”
The nine-day tournament begins on Friday and concludes on July 18. The week kicks off with the boys freestyle tournaments from Friday-Sunday, a beach wrestling competition on Monday, the boys Greco-Roman tournaments on Tuesday and Wednesday and three days of girls freestyle tournaments.
After her run in last year’s tournament, Maragioglio won her first Suffolk title and placed third in the state tournament at 132 pounds. She is registered at 135 pounds in the Junior Women Freestyle competition, but is considering dropping down to 130 pounds.
“My goal is just to get back on the podium,” Maragioglio said. “I went into Fargo last year knowing that I could wrestle, but I didn’t think I was going to place. I feel like there’s pressure to do it again, but I’m just excited to wrestle the best girls in the country again.”
Hicksville’s Haley Gonzales is also registered at 135 pounds in the Junior Women Freestyle tournament. The two-time state champion announced herself to the national stage when she won the 118-pound title in the 16U competition in 2024. Gonzales, who will head to Felician University this fall, defeated Maragioglio by 4-1 decision in the 132-pound state semifinals in February.
Recent graduates and state champions Gabrielle Severin (Bethpage) and Aaliyah Morrow (Bellport) add to a loaded group of Long Island girls in the tournament.
“Last year, we knew that we had a good New York team, but New York is still growing, whereas places like California and Pennsylvania have been established in girls wrestling for a while,” Maragioglio said. “I do think that we have some of the top girls in the country and I think a lot of us can do very well this tournament.”
Long Island will be represented by 51 wrestlers in the boys tournaments. Massapequa’s Jake Nieto took sixth in the 138-pound 16U Greco Roman tournament last year. The rising senior then helped Massapequa to the Division I dual meet state title and won the individual Nassau and state titles at 138 pounds, the weight at which he will wrestle in the Junior Men Freestyle and Greco-Roman competitions.
Jake Nieto of Massapequa and Anthony Severino of Lindenhurst compete in the Division I 138-pound final at the state boys wrestling championships on Feb. 28 at the MVP Arena in Albany. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Reigning 110-pound Division I state champion Xavier Seabury of North Babylon will compete in the 16U freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments at 120 pounds. His opponent in the state final, Long Beach’s Ethan Andreula, will also compete at 120 pounds in the 16U freestyle.
Recent Lindenhurst graduate Anthony Severino, a two-time state finalist, will wrestle at 144 pounds in the Junior freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments.
Bellport’s Camryn Howard, who won the 16U Men’s Freestyle title at 157 pounds last year, will not compete in this year’s tournament. After winning the 156-pound weight class at the U.S. Open in April, the rising junior is preparing to represent the United States as a member of the U17 USA World Team at the World Championships in August in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Howard went 48-0 in his sophomore season and won his second straight Division I state title.
“On the national level, Fargo was his, ‘I’m here,’ moment,” said Bellport coach Chuck Maragioglio, Caitlin’s father. “That’s what acted as a springboard for him. He was progressing very well, but I think it was important for him to win that tournament last year.
“You’ve got to navigate your way through the entire country in this tournament. That was the stamp for him.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
