Wantagh looks to continue dynasty

The Wantagh wrestling program is in the midst of a dynasty.

The Warriors captured their second straight county championship and fourth in five years last season. Wantagh, which entered the 2013-14 campaign winners of 40 straight dual meet matches, is looking to stay on top of the mat this season despite graduating 12 seniors.

“Our goal is to win the Nassau County championship again,” said coach Paul Gillespie, who took over the Warrior program two years ago after previously coaching Long Beach to 17 titles. “We have a few young kids but they are learning fast.”

Wantagh returns seven seniors including Joe Hill (126 pounds), Matt Langan (145 pounds), Nick Vines (152 pounds), Nick DeVito (182 pounds), Steve Pambianchi (138 pounds) and Nick English (195 pounds). All seniors are serving as captains along with junior Kyle Quinn (120 pounds), who was a state champion last year in the 106-pound weight class.

“I normally don’t name juniors as captains but he is an exception,” Gillespie said of Quinn. “He is very good at motivating the younger kids.”

Wantagh’s many younger wrestlers filling in among the 15 weight classes include three eighth graders in Jonathan Loew (99 pounds), Thomas Rohan (106 pounds) and Joe Conklin (113 pounds). Other underclassmen starting for the Warriors are freshmen Pat Smith (285 pounds) and Larry Baker (220 pounds), sophomore Andrew Eget (160 pounds) and juniors Nick Rogers (170 pounds) and Blaise Kavanagh (132 pounds).

Teams Gillespie expects to be a threat toward Wantagh’s quest for a three-peat are neighborhood rival MacArthur, Long Beach and Plainedge. The Nassau County dual meet finals are scheduled for Feb. 1 at Clarke High School in Westbury followed two weeks later by the individual championships at Hofstra University’s Mack Sports Complex. The New York State Championships are slated for Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Times Union Center in Albany. 

“We’ll be right in the hunt,” said Gillespie. “These kids have put a lot of work in during the off-season.” 

To prepare for stiff completion expected among the Nassau’s top wrestlers, Gillespie has put together a rigorous 2013/14 schedule. Wantagh got off and running during the annual Battle at the Beach tournament on Dec. 7 at Long Beach High School and extended its dual match winning streak to 42 a week later with a 56-22 victory at Chaminade. Wantagh also hosted a dual meet tournament on Dec. 21 and has five league matches scheduled in January highlighted by Jan. 24 at Plainedge.

“We have a very good schedule,” Gillespie said. “We try to face the toughest competition to get us ready for the end of the season.”