Three wrestlers to watch
NIGEL McNEIL, HUNTINGTON, Senior
They are running out of room on the wrestling mat in Huntington. The Blue Devils recognize each of the school's state wrestling champions with a star on the perimeter of the mat. McNeil earned his star last year when he beat Malik Rasheed of Longwood, 11-2, in the 112-pound state final. It is the goal of every Huntington wrestler to have his name inscribed with his star on the mat. It is also the envy of all those who wrestled for the Blue Devils and didn't win a state title. The state victory was a rematch of the county final, won by McNeil, 9-3. "We all work so hard to win a county title," McNeil said. "And then we go for the state championship." Huntington has crowned a state record 25 champions. McNeil, who was 38-0 last year, has a four-year career record of 125-16 with 61 pins.
MARK WEST, HAUPPAUGE, Sophomore
It is unusual for a young wrestler to emerge through a grueling three month wrestling season with an undefeated record and a state title. But count West as one of the talented few after he finished his freshman campaign with an unblemished 43-0 record and the state 96-pound championship. The Hauppauge grappler beat Eric Lewandowski of Lancaster, 2-1, for the crown. West rode the strength of a first-period takedown to the title. West was the first Suffolk freshman to win at states since Shoreham-Wading River's Jesse Jantzen, who won four state titles. No other Long Island wrestler has won four state crowns. West is Hauppauge's fifth state champion. "He's a very special wrestler, very dedicated," Hauppauge coach Chris Messina said. "He's a disciplined kid, who understands what it takes to be successful in this sport."
GRANT GREENE, ST. ANTHONY'S, senior
There has never been a two-time state CHSAA champion from Long Island. St. Anthony's Greene, who enrolled at the school after winning the 96-pound crown in the Nassau Tournament as an eighth-grader for Cold Spring Harbor, could have been the first. Greene took second in the state public schools Division II Tournament as an eighth-grader before moving on to St. Anthony's. Greene won the public school state title as a sophomore at 112 pounds and just missed rewriting the history books when he dropped a heartbreaking 9-7 overtime decision to Huntington's Damon McQueen in last year's 119-pound final. The three-time state CHSAA champion and three-time public school finalist is determined to get another shot at a public school crown. He finished 31-3 last year.
