Long Beach continues its momentum

Fresh off its first Nassau dual meet championship in 19 years, Long Beach was nothing short of dominant in last Saturday’s county qualifier tournament.

The host Marines produced 12 finalists in 15 weight classes and seven came away with titles, including undefeated and defending New York State champion Jacori Teemer. Long Beach, which edged Farmingdale, 34-31, in the dual meet finals on Jan. 31, amassed 448.5 points to win the seven-team qualifier handily. Freeport was second with 330 points, and Oceanside (263) placed third.

“The kids are wrestling great,” Marines coach Ray Adams said. “We’ve very proud of the dual meet championship and we’re looking forward to the county tournament.”

Long Beach will have at least 16 representatives at the Nassau Division I championships, which begin this Friday morning at Hofstra. The semifinals take place on Sunday morning, and the finals on Sunday at approximately 6 p.m.

Teemer, a freshman, upped his record to 32-0 by pinning Oceanside’s Quinn O’Rourke in the 106-pound title bout in the qualifier. He was named the event’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. “If Jacori continues to wrestle the way he’s capable, great things are going to happen,” Adams said.

Of Long Beach’s seven qualifying champs, five are sophomores. Matt Maquet (113 pounds) defeated junior teammate Shawn Bourne in the finals, 7-2. “When you get teammates going head-to-head, the coaches just sit back and watch it unfold,” Adams said. “We’ve had it happen many times. You just hope for a clean match and that nobody gets hurt.” Maquet improved to 37-3 on the season. 

Sophomore Charlie Spada beat a tough customer, Uniondale’s Okeino Dacres, in the 138-pound title bout with a pin in the first period. “He had a great qualifier and is looking to place high in the county,” Adams said of Spada, who has a record of 36-10.

The coach believes sophomore 145-pounder Tyrese Byron is peaking at the right time. Byron picked up his 33rd win of the season with a pin of Baldwin’s Desmond Kelly in the finals of the qualifier. Byron pinned each of his four opponents in the qualifier to win the Most Pins in Least Time award. 

Long Beach teammates met in the finals once again at 152, with junior Marc Paez nipping sophomore Joe Giorlando, 4-3. Adams said Paez is benefitting from spending most of the season competing at 152 and 160 despite tipping the scales at 147.

Sophomore Tyreek Bromley continued to rake with a pin of Glen Cove’s Sean Peet in the finals at 182. Bromley, who notched an important pin in the dual meet finale against Farmingdale, has won 31 of 32 bouts this season with his only loss coming to an upstate opponent. “He’s a powerful young man who’s tough to score against,” Adams said.

Sophomore Mark Rivera, who blanked Freeport’s Amir Thompson in the finals at 220, will take a 24-8 record to Hofstra. The Marines also had Pablo Martinez (99), Greg Wildstein (126), and Elijah Rodriguez (132) advance to the finals of the qualifier.