Oceanside enjoys huge season

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It’s been a banner season for Oceanside wrestling.

After capturing a conference title for the first time in 15 seasons, the Sailors crowned a pair of qualifier tournament champs and sent 11 participants to last weekend’s Nassau Division 1 championships at LIU Post, where senior Sam Burns reached the All-County podium.

“It was the best regular season we’ve had in a long time,” coach Julio Flores said. “I had a feeling we’d be good with all the experience we returned and the kids really stepped up.”

Oceanside won 15 of 18 dual meets and shared the Conference 1B title with Westbury. Flores’ squad advanced to the team playoffs and knocked off Mineola before falling to eventual champion Massapequa. “The competition in our conference was very even,” he said. “There were a lot of close matches all around.”

Senior Parker Jervis (160 pounds) and sophomore Justin Marine (138) captured titles at the qualifier hosted by Plainedge on Feb. 1-2. Marine took a 28-7 record into the county tournament after rolling to an 11-1 major decision over Uniondale’s Steven Bonilla in the finals of the qualifier. “Justin’s improved his mental toughness this season and isn’t intimidated by anyone,” Flores said.

Jervis, whose had a roller-coaster ride due to ankle and knee injuries that cost him most of January’s action, made quick work of Uniondale’s Brownen Trajean in the qualifier finals, recording a pin in 26 seconds. “Everyone was expecting a tough match and then Parker pulled a leg drop that led to a pin,” Flores said.

Daniel Fishman, a two-time All-County grappler, had a late start to his senior campaign due to knee surgery but became more comfortable competing with a brace as the season unfolded, Flores noted. Fishman was runner-up to Great Neck South’s Sean Wang in the 113-pound qualifier, falling 8-5 after losing to Wang by a wide margin a month earlier.

Senior Joseph Amir was banged up throughout the season but made his first trip to the big stage after a runner-up finish in the qualifier at 152. Amir upset top-seeded Samuel Bonilla of Westbury in the semis. Burns brought the house down, Flores said, when he pinned Roslyn’s Joe Gonzalez in 2:13 to take third in the qualifier. Gonzalez had knocked off Burns twice this winter.

Burns settled for fifth in the county after making a tremendous run to the semifinals, where he lost a 4-3 heartbreaker to Baldwin’s Matt Kong. Burns finished the weekend with four victories.

Among Oceanside’s biggest surprises in the qualifier was sophomore Luke Stalter, who benefitted from filling Fishman’s spot in the lineup in the early going and finished third at 113. Freshman Allen Cuba also took advantage of his regular-season experience and finished fourth at 99, while freshman Christopher Linsalata placed fifth at 182 after spending almost the entire season competing in JV matches.

Juniors Jared Gonzales (third at 285), Daniel Monge (fourth at 145) and Joiker Martinez (fourth at 182) also punched their tickets to the county tournament.

“We had a great season,” Flores said.