Seaford wrestlers Jake Wilhelm, Brendan Fox earn pins to lift Vikings to Division II dual meet title
Seaford wrestlers cheer from the bench during the Nassau Division II wrestling team dual championships on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 at Clarke High School. Credit: David Meisenholder
Seaford has become a mainstay in the Nassau Division II dual meet tournament. Saturday marked the Vikings’ fifth appearance in the final since 2019, but it had been a few years since they walked out victorious.
They left no doubt this time.
Pins by Jake Wilhelm and Brendan Fox highlighted top-seeded Seaford’s run of seven consecutive match wins in a 35-32 victory over No. 2 Island Trees in the Nassau Division II final Saturday at Clarke High School.
Brock Conway sealed the win with a pin over Angad Singh in 1:05 at 165 pounds to give Seaford a 35-8 lead. The Vikings forfeited the final four matches.
It’s the Vikings’ third county title and first since 2023.
Seaford advances to the dual meet state tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. next Saturday at SRC Arena and Events Center in Syracuse.
“It means everything to us,” Conway said. “We’ve got to bring it to states and really prove what we’re made of.”
“We still made it to Syracuse as a wildcard last year, but it’s much sweeter going as a champion,” coach Dave Takseraas said. “We have selfless people who are willing to bump up a weight class wherever it was needed for the team. We had at least five guys wrestle above their weight class and other guys who were willing to do so.”
Connor Murphy falls in that category. Typically a 132-pounder, Murphy bumped up to 138 to wrestle John Mignanelli of Island Trees (11-10). When the two teams met on Jan. 16, Mignanelli won a 4-0 decision over Murphy.
On Saturday, Murphy won a 3-1 decision to give Seaford a 23-5 lead.
“I watched that last match probably 20 times and looked at everything I could’ve done differently,” Murphy said. “It felt great to get that one back. I knew my team was counting on me and I got it done.”
Seaford (12-8) will look for its first state title next weekend.
“We don’t have to stress about it and worry if we’re going to make the tournament,” Murphy said. “We just get to go up there and fight for a state title.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
