Tommy Aiello, Brayden Fahrbach cap undefeated seasons with state titles
Tommy Aiello of John Glenn beats Logan Bellis of Tioga in the division II 102 lb finals match at the 2023 NYSPHSAA wrestling championships on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at the MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y. Credit: Newsday/William Perlman
ALBANY — Tommy Aiello’s coach relayed a simple message before the biggest match of the Glenn sophomore’s life.
“You only get these certain moments in your athletic career to be great,” Glenn wrestling coach TJ Brocking said. “It’s a good time to be great.”
Aiello proved his greatness in the state wrestling championships at MVP Arena on Saturday, and earned the Division II state title at 102 pounds to cap a perfect (36-0) season.
“It feels amazing,” Aiello said. “This was my big goal.”
Aiello, the two-time defending Suffolk II champion at 102 pounds, reached the finals after upsetting No. 1 seed Maverick Beckwith of Section IV’s Norwich in the semifinals Saturday morning. Aiello won a 5-4 decision against Beckwith, setting the stage for another chance to be great.
“Honestly, I felt like I was the best in the bracket,” Aiello said. “I didn’t really care about the seeds.”
In the final, Aiello and his opponent Logan Bellis of Section IV’s Tioga remained scoreless at the start of the third period. Aiello earned an escape, then a takedown with 11 seconds remaining to earn a 3-0 decision.
“I felt like I was in better shape than he was,” Aiello said. “I wanted to keep pushing the pace, keep moving and get that one, get the escape.”
Aiello has been coached by Brocking since kindergarten.
“He did it the right way. He deserved to get it,” Brocking said. “He trains the right way in season, in practice, out of season. You get what you put in.”
Mount Sinai’s Brayden Fahrbach earned the 132-pound title as Suffolk County’s other Division II champion.
Fahrbach won a 6-4 decision over Aidan Gillings of Section VI’s Newfane, and finished his junior season 34-0. Fahrbach, who lost in last year’s Division I final at 126 pounds, entered the state tournament as the No. 1 seed.
“Since the beginning of the year, just visualizing getting my hand raised and being at the top of the podium,” Fahrbach said. “I feel great. I don’t know if I wrestled my best, points-wise, but I got the victory. That’s really all that matters.”
Shoreham-Wading River eighth-grader Gavin Mangano suffered the first loss of his season in the 110-pound Division II championship. Mangano (49-1) lost 8-7 to No. 1 seed Darren Florance of Section IV’s Bainbridge in the final.
Cold Spring Harbor sophomore Greyson Meak lost 5-4 in the Division II 172-pound final to Tavio Hoose of Section VI’s Southwestern.
