Wrestling: Wildcats dominate Copiague Tournament

Six Shoreham-Wading River wrestlers were crowned champions Saturday in the Copiague Tournament as the Wildcats easily claimed the team title with 274 points.

The tournament victory was the latest step in what’s been the best start to a season for Shoreham in years. The Wildcats won a pair of dual meets leading into the tournament with a victory over local rival Rocky Point Wednesday and a win over Sayville Friday night.

The Wildcats carried the momentum right into Saturday.

The marquee matchup in the finals came at 160 pounds where Shoreham senior Zak Mullen faced Colin Gironda of Comsewogue. Mullen came in ranked second in the county and Gironda was ranked third.

In his biggest match of the season thus far, Mullen controlled the action throughout and won 9-2 to improve to 20-0 this season. Mullen received Most Outstanding Wrestler honors.

At 145 pounds senior Tom Valentine won 8-7 in the finals over top-seeded Dom Evangelista of Port Jefferson. It was the first career tournament victory for Valentine.

Freshman James Szymanski cruised through the 99-pound bracket, pinning Dom Mazella of Babylon in the finals. Szymanski, who is 19-1 this season, recorded three pins and a technical fall. He received the Champion of Champions award.

Junior T.J. Fabian came into Saturday off his first loss of the season Friday night against Sayville’s Matt Leshinger. After losing 6-5, Fabian stormed through the bracket Saturday, recording four first-period pins. Fabian, the top-ranked wrestler in the county at 120, is now 20-1.

John Keck, who’s also ranked tops in the county at 152, won in the finals against Kevin Rodriguez of Patchogue-Medford. Rodriguez is ranked fifth in the county. Keck won 8-6 to remain undefeated at 18-0.

Bryan Antonoff won at 220, pinning Chris Smith of Copiague in 2:11.

Max Goldfarb reached the finals at 195 and was pinned in the first period.

Three Shoreham wrestlers finished third: Chris Meloni at 106, Joe Bennett at 170 and Dan DeVito at 195