Mt. Sinai's Matt Campo advances to state semifinals with 200th career win
Matt Campo of Mount Sinai wrestles Alec Richards of Corinth in the 170-pound division II quarterfinals at the New York state wrestling championships on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, at the Times Union Center in Albany. Credit: Newsday/William Perlman
ALBANY — When Matt Campo walked off the mat at the Times Union Center on Friday afternoon, his coaches handed him a long-sleeve, black t-shirt.
It’s not an unusual occurrence for the Mount Sinai senior, but this shirt was a little different, emblazoned with a white mustang and a large 200 across the chest. Because, just a few moments after Campo defeated Corinth’s Alec Richards 9-4 in the D-II 170-pound quarterfinal at the state wrestling championships, he realized he’d made history, winning his 200th career match.
Campo is also the all-time wins leader at Mt. Sinai, according to coach Matt Armstrong.
“It feels amazing, making history, and I know it’ll be remembered for a while,” said Campo, the No. 2 seed. “It’s almost the end of my high-school career, so it feels good to do it for my team.”
Campo opened the day with a 15-0 tech fall victory in 3:11 over No. 15 Ethan Randall of Dolgeville, but the quarterfinal match wasn’t quite as easy. Nursing a 5-0 lead after two periods, Campo held off a rally by the tenth-seeded Richards, crediting “how I wanted to get to the finals” for helping him late.
“I was going hard the whole match and wrestling, it’s ninety-percent mental,” Campo said. “You have to think about what’s at stake and push and persevere.”
Armstrong praised Campo for his focus, saying: “For years, he’s been training for this moment, as a senior, the last time he’s going to be in the states. (A championship) is something that’s very obtainable for him.”
Joining Campo in the semifinals will be fellow Mustang Brayden Fahrbach. The eighth-grader booked his ticket at 99 pounds with a 6-1 decision over Royalton-Hartland’s Gavin Ciarfella and Campo said he “knows (Fahrbach) works hard.”
“I’ve watched over him a little,” Campo said. “Having us both in the same situation, it’s really good.”
Center Moriches junior Jordan Titus, who won a title at 120 pounds last year, will also return to the semis, this time as the top seed at 126. Titus won by tech fall against Bolivar-Richburg’s Dawsen Yates and defeated Clarke’s Jordan Soriano 7-2.
Colby Suglia, a Mattituck senior, said he’s “always looking for the pin,” and proved it with a pair of falls at 220 pounds to advance to the semis.
Bayport-Blue Point freshman Max Gallagher, the No. 2 seed at 113 pounds, won both of his matches in convincing fashion, pinning Palmyra-Macedon’s Dominic Affronti in 4:51 and recording a tech fall against Tamarac’s Torin Bishop in 4:29.
“As soon as I get up by about five points, I know I’m going to win,” Gallagher said. “It’s just a matter of how fast I can get it. “
