Year in Review: East End athletes dominate the wrestling mat
After years of girls competing in boys wrestling at the varsity level, Section XI unveiled a new, fully sanctioned girls wrestling league this year with five separate teams. Each one included members from multiple schools to ensure sufficient enrollment to participate.
Riverhead had nine girls competing on varsity as part of a team that also included wrestlers from Bellport, Longwood, William Floyd, Bayport and Sayville as the league took root.
In the inaugural Suffolk County individual girls wrestling championships, Riverhead freshman Miiko Foster won first place and took an unprecedented leap to stardom.
The top of the podium was nothing new for Shoreham-Wading River wrestler Gavin Mangano. After marking win after win at all levels, in March the sophomore traveled up to MVP Arena in Albany and earned his second consecutive New York State Division II championship in the 138-lbs weight division — this time with a twist.
It wasn’t a twist exactly, but a break. Mangano had broken his fibula and his ankle was hanging on by a thread during a takedown with several matches left in the championship. After finishing the tournament on one leg, he earned the state title and Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament while seated in a wheelchair.
