Hernandez family sends four siblings to Suffolk wrestling finals
Alex Hernandez of Newfield, top, defeated Logan Pascarella of Half Hollow Hills East at 118 pounds via technical fall, 15-0, at the Suffolk Division I individual quarterfinals on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in Stony Brook. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
Wrestling is a family affair in the Hernandez household in Selden.
In an unprecedented accomplishment in Long Island history one family qualified four siblings into the Suffolk finals in the same year.
All three Hernandez sisters advanced into the final of the Suffolk County girls wrestling championships at the Island Federal Arena at Stony Brook University. And adding to the excitement of having three sisters in the championship round came the addition of their brother Alex Hernandez of Newfield, who qualified for the Suffolk Division I final in the boys tournament.
“It’s an incredibly gifted family,” said Darren Goldstein, who oversees the boys and girls wrestling in Rocky Point. “The girls come to practice every day traveling from Newfield to Rocky Point. The girls are all distinctly different in personality and wrestling style. The family is truly amazing, 10 siblings, and I’m sure the wrestling is non-stop at their house.”
The most recognizable and accomplished wrestler in the family is sophomore Julianna Hernandez, the defending state champion at 120 pounds. She won her third Suffolk title with a fall in 4:01 over Bay Shore freshman Vanessa Seguro (20-5) to claim the 126-pound weight class.
“Julianna is the best wrestler in the state,” said Goldstein in his 31st year of coaching. “She’s on a different level than everyone else. She has superior body control, balance and leverage and her conditioning is top notch. She’s what you want as a coach and a great role model for teammates.”
Hernandez was the first girl to ever win a boys Suffolk league title, winning a 110-pound crown in 2023.
Eighth-grader Zoey Hernandez split two matches during the season with her final opponent Christana Marnika of Commack (Town of Huntington team) at 94 pounds. This time, Hernandez earned a late takedown and came away with a 4-1 decision.
“She’s the youngest wrestler in the family,” Goldstein said. “She’s very focused and coming into her own. Her ceiling is very high, and she’ll challenge for state honors next week.”
Marnika’s brother Niko Marnika wrestled top seed Michael McGuinness of Whitman for the 150-pound crown Sunday night. McGuinness, leading 5-4, won by pin in 5:04.
Junior Madison Hernandez wrestled senior Aaliyah Morrow of Bellport at 152 pounds. Morrow, a state runner-up and defending Suffolk champ improved to 37-1.
“Madison is an ex-gymnast and has super strength and all sorts of body power,” Goldstein said. “In two years, she’s finding success.”
While his sisters were in search of gold on one side of the arena, Alex Hernandez was trying to capture the 118-pound weight class in the boys tournament. The third seeded Hernandez was looking for the upset of top-seeded junior Chase Phillips of Ward Melville.
Hernandez, the League III champion, was making a strong bid for the Suffolk crown at 118 pounds. He missed the league tournament last year, not making weight. He went toe-to-toe with top seed Chase Phillips for the 118-pound crown and dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime in the ultimate tiebreaker.
Phillips escaped with 14 seconds left for the deciding point.
“It’s disappointing,” Gantner said. “But he left it all on the mat and I’m proud of him,” Newfield coach Frank Ganter said. “Alex has been with us since the seventh grade, and he was young and wild. He has matured and improved every year and has such passion. He’ll get that county crown.”
There were other notable brother-sister combos in the finals.
At 100 pounds, top-seed Olivia Anello of Patchogue-Medford (Bellport team) pinned seventh-grader Charleigh Howard of Bellport in 55 seconds. Anello, the daughter of Patchogue-Medford coach Tom Anella, was wrestling Howard, the younger sister of Bellport star Camryn Howard, who earned the 157-pound boys crown.
At 114 pounds, Lindenhurst freshman Mia Severino won her second Suffolk crown when she pinned freshman teammate Arianna Melito of Lindenhurst in 51 seconds.
“I went for a single and switched to a double and took her down,” Severino said. “I got the bar arm in there and ran with it. Now I get to watch my brother win his second Suffolk title. The family goal is for both of us to win a state crown.”
Severino, a two-time county champ, watched her brother Anthony Severino earn the 138-pound title, his second. He pinned junior Jayden Tyson of Bellport in 5:36.
At 138, Melania Turano of North Babylon (Bay Shore team) lost a 6-2 decision to Brooke Lynn Murray of West Babylon (Bay Shore team). Turano’s brother sophomore Luca Turano of North Babylon beat David Gonzalez of Floyd, 8-6, for the 190-pound crown.
It’s all in the family in Suffolk wrestling.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
