Long Island boys wrestlers honor iconic coach at 50th Sprig Gardner Tournament
Jake Nieto of Massapequa defeated Christopher Notti of Mepham at 144 pounds in the finals of the 50th Annual Sprig Gardner Wrestling Tournament on Saturday at Mepham. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
As the tournament reached its final bout, Jake Nieto made sure it ended on a high note. The Massapequa wrestler delivered a dominant performance in the closing match, controlling the action from the opening whistle.
Nieto defeated Mepham’s Christopher Notti, 18-3, by technical fall in 2:37 at 144 pounds during the 50th annual Sprig Gardner Wrestling Tournament on Saturday at Mepham High School. The event honors Sprig Gardner, the iconic Mepham wrestling coach from 1936 to 1958, and celebrates his lasting impact on the growth of wrestling in the Bellmore-Merrick Central School District and across Long Island.
“It means a lot to me to be able to participate in a tournament honoring such an important person in the Long Island wrestling community,” Nieto said. “I had great matches, and competing side-by-side with some great wrestlers from Section VIII — that’s one of my favorite parts of wrestling.”
Nieto wrestled for Plainedge as an eighth-grader and freshman before transferring to Chaminade last year, where he won the NSCHSAA title at 131 pounds. Now a junior wrestling for Massapequa, Nieto won the Ken Hunte Most Outstanding Wrestler Award on Saturday.
“It feels very good to win this award,” Nieto said. “It's always great to be recognized, especially with all of the great competition."
Jon Tutku, Nieto's teammate and last year's Division I state champion at 101 pounds, defeated Calhoun's Matteo Dowling, 20-5, by technical fall in 4:00 at 110 pounds.
Adding to Massapequa’s success, Kai Tiringer defeated Bellmore JFK’s Hendrick Capo by a 9-6 decision at 150 pounds, and James Mulhern topped Bellport’s Jacob Snedeker, 9-6, in sudden victory. Massapequa finished as the top school, scoring 377 points overall.
At 157 pounds, Bellmore JFK’s Harlan Chugerman defeated Massapequa’s Joseph Brooks in an exciting 4-1 sudden victory, earning the George Munnich Outstanding Wrestler Award.
“It’s awesome to be a part of exciting matches like that,” Chugerman said. “It’s way more fun when it’s high intensity with a lot of people watching.”
Bellmore JFK's Peter Mikedis capped his day with a 15-0 technical fall victory over East Meadow’s Matthew Amy in just 53 seconds at 175 pounds. Three years ago, competing at 126 pounds, Mikedis became the only seventh-grader ever to win this tournament.
“Looking back to when I won in seventh grade, it was definitely tough for me,” Mikedis said. “I pulled out a close match in the finals. But three years later, I felt way more confident.”
Reigning 138-pound Division I state champion Camryn Howard of Bellport defeated his teammate and cousin, Jason Nichols, 21-6, by technical fall in 1:56. Reflecting on the event, Howard said the tournament’s significance goes beyond the matches themselves.
“This is a great tournament that’s been around for such a long time,” Howard said. “It’s so cool to compete in this because the history of this sport on Long Island is so important.”
Bellmore JFK’s Jared Eisenberg recorded the only pin of the finals, taking down Bellport’s Jason Tyson in 5:49. He also earned the John Walters Most Falls in Least Time Award, recording four falls in 11:29.
Bellmore JFK coach Brian DeGaetano, who has been coaching within the district the last 32 years, earned his 400th win as a coach on Thursday in a dual meet against Great Neck North. For DeGaetano, the Sprig Gardner Tournament holds special meaning.
“It’s very important to the district,” DeGaetano said. “We have a very strong wrestling history in Bellmore-Merrick, so to be a part of that, to be amongst the great coaches before me, is humbling.”
