Sachem North wrestling's Valdey Pierre delivers pin, leads team to Suffolk Division I dual meet wrestling title
Sachem North coaches and wrestlers break out in celebration after Valdey Pierre clinched the Suffolk Division I dual team championship in the final match on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 in Bay Shore. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
Valdey Pierre stepped onto the mat with what felt like the weight of the world on his shoulders. The Sachem North senior, the top-ranked heavyweight in Suffolk County, was feeling the pressure of a Division I dual meet championship that would be decided in the final bout of the evening.
“I feel pressure every time I take the mat,” Pierre said. “But this was different. The crowd was loud, my teammates and coaches were depending on me, I couldn’t let anyone down.”
He didn’t.
Pierre pinned Brian Csoban in 5:45 in the 285-pound weight class and Sachem North won its second straight dual meet championship with a 34-29 win over East Islip Saturday at Bay Shore High School.
An exhausted Pierre was forced into a third period struggle with Csoban before securing the winning pin. Sachem North improved to 19-0 and East Islip fell to 25-2.
“It was a relief when I finally got the pin,” Pierre said. “It felt so good.”
Sachem North coach Anthony Marino said his team is built on grit and commitment.
“We’re built different,” Marino said. “We train all year-round. We have mat savvy kids, and they know what to do. We had two sophomores win critical matches tonight to help us win the dual meet.”
Marino pointed to Mason Slatton’s 7-2 win over Marcos Quinones at 126 pounds and Nicholas Delardi’s 6-5 win over Rayan Shehu at 132 as pivotal to winning the title.
“Those were two very competitive bouts that were tossups and could have gone either way,” East Islip coach Mike Longobardi said. “We have very good wrestlers in those weights.”
East Islip led 9-4 before those two decisions forged a 10-9 lead. East Islip’s Rocco DeStefano turned in a 58-second pin over Jimmy Cassidy at 138 for the 15-10 lead.
“It was back and forth,” Longobardi said. “I hope we get a wild card to the state tournament because we’re good enough to be there.”
Sachem North relied on powerhouse Thomas Vecchio at 175 pounds to take a 28-20 lead. Vecchio (37-0), the top-ranked wrestler in Suffolk, pinned Jayden Suriel in 58 seconds.
“He hasn’t been scored on all season,” Marino said. “He and Valdey have been wrestling so focused and so well.”
East Islip took a 29-28 lead when Matthew D’Amico pinned Logan Spinella in 3:35 at 190 pounds and Christian Horeis came back to beat Niko Valenza, 8-7, at 215.
Sachem North took out Brentwood and North Babylon on the way to the finals.
Pierre improved to 32-0. He also hasn’t been scored on this season.
“We have a talented lineup,” Marino said. “And we have leaders on this team.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
