DeNatale caps career with state title

Locust Valley’s Gage DeNatale walked off the mats at the state championship meet last winter after being pinned in the quarterfinals.

His routine for his 2019-20 mainly stayed the same. Focusing on technique, game-planning to stay out of unfavorable positions and three-to-four grueling sessions a week with former NCAA Division I National Champion at Edinboro and current UFC fighter, Gregor Gillespie. Something changed from last year to this year, though.

“Looking at how much work I’ve put in, I started believing in myself more. I really gained a lot more confidence,” DeNatale said.

The Falcons’ senior rifled through opponents in the regular season before earning a trip back to the Nassau County Division II Championships. There, he utilized a stellar top-game to keep himself in control of matches and earn impressive victories. In the county championship, DeNatale defeated Andrew Volpi of Seaford for a bid back to the state tournament.

“I looked at the counties as a business trip,” DeNatale said. “I needed to win to make it back to states. I showed up with a plan and executed that plan. I ended up [tech-falling Volpi] at the beginning of the third period.”

DeNatale was headed back to the state tournament in Albany as the top-seed in Division II at 132 pounds. One of his coaches and mentors, Gillespie, traveled with him.

DeNatale first defeated Sander Miller of Edgemont by a 7-0 score in a match that “wasn’t crazy tough,” DeNatale said. He then shut out Josh Post of Newark Valley 5-0 in the quarterfinals, the round where he was pinned a year ago.

“I was really happy with my quarterfinals match,” DeNatale said. “I was really dominant on top and stayed in good positions.”

DeNatale was relieved, but knew it wasn’t over, he said. He returned back to the hotel, cut about two pounds, and showed up the next morning, Feb. 29, for the semifinals. There, he Greenville’s Aidan Cullen 5-3. “There’s like 6 hours between semis and finals,” DeNatale said.

DeNatale recalled Gillespie’s words of advice. “We’ve done so much work, there is no need to worry now. One last match,” Gillespie reiterated to his pupil.

Then, disaster almost struck on the magical season. Mexico High School’s Dean Shambo reversed position with a minute left in regulation to tie the finals match 4-4. Then, Shambo pushed forward and nearly secured the state title-clinching takedown with roughly 20 seconds left. Inches from the mat, DeNatale was able to scramble out of the takedown attempt, reverse position and earn two points. Shambo earned one more and the pair reset back to neutral position with a few ticks left. DeNatale held on, and the clock struck zero.

“The feeling of winning is something I will aways remember,” DeNatale said. “I just remember jumping into Gregor’s arms.”

DeNatale will attend and wrestle at the United States Naval Academy.

“Coaching him, I always know he’s going to be hardest worker in the room,” Locust Valley coach Cory Haldas said. “At Navy, I know he just wants to learn and get better, let things take their course.”