How L.I. wrestlers won state championships
Sachem North's Gio Santiago reacts after he pins John Glenn's Nick Bellanza for the 182-pound Division I title in the finals of the Suffolk wrestling championships. (February 11, 2012) Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
NICK BELLANZA
GLENN
182 pounds Division I
State ChampionBellanza opened states with a pin, and after a 3-2 win over Plainedge's Andrew Jones in the semis, he secured a 9-6 decision against Scarsdale's Jacob Berkowitz as the Knights became the only Long Island team to have two state champions.ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP:Beat Matt Roberts (Farrell) pin, 1:57, in first round.
Beat Matt Lashaway (Queensbury) decision, 8-6, in quarterfinals.
Beat Andrew Jones (Plainedge) decision, 3-2, in quarterfinals.
Beat Jacob Berkowitz (Scarsdale) decision, 9-6, in state final.
JAMES DEKRONE
GLENN
138 Pounds Division I
State ChampionAfter losing the 130-pound state final last year as a junior, DeKrone, atoned with a state championship, beating Brentwood's Alexis Blanco, 6-1. Blanco had eliminated DeKrone in the Suffolk semifinals.
ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP:Beat Aaron Benedict (Jamesville-DeWitt) decision, 7-0, in first round.
Beat Tom Grippi (Fox Lane) major decision, 16-2, in quarterfinals.
Beat Dan McDevitt (Wantagh) decision, 3-2, in semifinals.
Beat Alexis Blanco (Brentwood) decision, 6-1, in state final.
JAMEL HUDSON
ST. ANTHONY'S
132 Pounds Division I
State Champion
Hudson became only the fourth CHSAA wrestler, and first since 2008, to win a state title. The senior began his run with a state tournament-record eight-second pin and ended it with an 8-1 decision, which earned him Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.
ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP:
Beat Curtis Grant (Elmira) pin, :08, in first round.
Beat Eric Lewandowski (Lancaster) technical fall, 17-2, in quarterfinals.
Beat Nick Kelley (Shenendehowa) decision, 8-7, in semifinals.
Beat Dylan Cohen (Williamsville East) decision, 8-1, in state final.
EVAN KAPPATOS
285 Pounds Division I
State Champion
Kappatos, a senior who will play football at Princeton in the fall, escaped his first round state tourney match with a double overtime win. After taking a 3-0 second period lead in the championship against Columbia's El Shaddai Gilmore, Kappatos held on for the one-point win, giving Long Island its first heavyweight state champion in 15 years.
ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP:
Beat Seth Stauble (Kingston) decision, 7-2, 2OTs, in first round.
Beat Tyler Bayer (Union-Endicott) major decision, 9-0, in quarterfinals.
Beat Ethan Stanley (Saugerties) decision, 2-1, in semifinals.
Beat El Shaddai Gilmore (Columbia) decision, 3-2, in final.
SEAN MCCABE
CONNETQUOT
120 Pounds Division I
State Champion
McCabe's journey to the 120-pound state title almost stalled when he lost a 3-2 decision to Sayville's Matt Leshinger in the Suffolk quarterfinal. But the senior went on to win arguably the state's deepest weight class with a 3-2 decision in the championship against Pittsford's Brady Baron.
ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP:
Beat Casey Jones (Queensbury) major decision, 10-1, in first round
Beat TJ Fabian (Shoreham-Wading River) decision, 5-4, in quarterfinals.
Beat Steve Michel (Lancaster) major decision, 9-0, in semifinals.
Beat Brady Baron (Pittsford) decision, 3-2, in state final.
DYLAN PALACIO
160 Pounds Division I
State Champion
Palacio became the first Marine since PJ Gillespie in 2007 to win a state championship with his 11-4 win against Hills West's Tyler Grimaldi. A three-time Nassau champion, he had a perfect 41-0 senior campaign, including 18 pins and 12 technical falls.
ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP:
Beat Mike Garrison (Amsterdam) technical fall, 17-2, in first round.
Beat Zach Colgan (Johnson City) major decision, 13-2, in quarterfinals.
Beat Frank Affronti (Wayne) decision, 3-2, in semifinals.
Beat Tyler Grimaldi (Hills West) 11-4, in state final.
MAVERICK PASSARO
EASTPORT-SOUTH MANOR
126 Pounds Division I
State Champion
Passaro, a senior, won the League V, Suffolk and state titles at 126 pounds en route to a 50-3 record. The second seed at the state tournament, he bested No. 1 Sam Speno of Fox Lane in the final, 3-2. More than half of his victories (27) came by technical fall.
ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP:
Beat Drew Oligney (Lansingburgh) technical fall, 19-4, in first round..
Beat Matt Greene (Columbia) decision, 7-1, in quarterfinals.
Beat Mike LoFrese (Garden City), 9-2, in semifinals.
Beat Sam Speno (Fox Lane), 3-2, in state final.
NICK PICCININNI
WARD MELVILLE
106 Pounds Division I
State Champion
The freshman went 45-0, tallying 21 pins and six technical falls. Each of his matches were decided by at least two points.
ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP:
Beat Bryan Ruggeri (Fairport) pin, 2:36, in first round.
Beat John Stramiello (Pine Bush) major decision, 8-0 in quarterfinals.
Beat Anthony Orefice (Lockport) decision, 11-8 in semifinals.
Beat Justin Cooksey (MacArthur) decision, 4-2 in state final.
DAN SPURGEON
170 Pounds Division I
State ChampionSpurgeon, who will wrestle at Hofstra next year, went 50-0 and is the only Long Island wrestler to win at least 50 matches without a loss. He won all four of his state tournament matches by at least three points.
ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP:
Beat Mike Hewitt (Queensbury) decision, 7-0, in first round.
Beat Steven Sabella (Yorktown) pin, 2:51, in quarterfinals.
Beat Stephen Lumley (South Glens Falls) decision, 7-4, in semifinals.
Beat Shayne Brady (Carthage) decision, 6-3, in state final.
