Bruins set to host qualifier
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Baldwin senior Gil Hermes, top, has 14 wins on the season and is seeking a spot in the Nassau County Tournament.
Ron Manfredi/Herald
Though denied the Conference 1B wrestling title in its final dual meet, Baldwin enjoyed a solid regular season and is gearing up to host one of six Nassau qualifying tournaments this weekend.
The Bruins, who fell 30-24 to Sewanhaka East in a showdown for the conference championship on Jan. 15, entertain Uniondale, East Meadow, Herricks, Freeport, Port Washington, Hempstead and West Hempstead on Friday at 4 p.m. The top four individuals in each weight class advances to the Division I county championships on Feb. 13-14 at Hofstra’s Mack Sports Complex.
“We graduated 10 seniors two years ago and we’re still in the process of rebuilding and growing,” Baldwin coach Mike Robinson said. “We’re a little disappointed about not winning the conference, but we wrestled well against a team with more juniors and seniors in its lineup.”
Baldwin (4-1 in conference matches, 8-7 overall) won six of 13 bouts against Sewanhaka East, which swept every weight between 145 and 215. “They’re strong up top,” Robinson said. Freshman Salvatore Trigona (103 pounds) and sophomore Dylan Cohen (130) won by pin and freshman Quinn Knauer (112), freshman Victor Robinson (125), senior Peter Guarneri (130) and sophomore George Abreu (140) emerged victorious by decision.
Cohen, one of the youngest captains in program history, leads the team with 17 wins and is one of at least 10 Bruins the coach expects to perform well in what figures to be a challenging qualifier.
“The goal is to get as many kids to the county tournament as possible,” Robinson said. “We’ve got some tough teams coming in. We’re entering 30 kids and I want to see us in double digits for qualifiers. We’re at home, so hopefully that will help the kids relax.”
Seniors like Guarneri, Gil Hermes (145), Matthew Stoddard (215) and Ian McAdams (171) will be trying to extend their high school careers and get on the county’s biggest stage. “I want to see the seniors achieve as much as possible,” Robinson said. “They’ve all worked hard for years.”
Guarneri, who has 14 wins and only four defeats, has been the team’s most improved wrestler, Robinson said. Hermes (14-6) and Stoddard are aiming to return to the county tournament after qualifying last season, and McAdams (8-5) will make a strong push as well.
Knauer (13-9) and sophomore Austin Valenti (15-10) have rotated between 112 and 119 and will be tough to handle regardless of the weight class they enter. Sophomore Patrick Dillon will be up against more experienced opponents at 160, but that didn’t stop him from posting 10 wins during the regular season.
Baldwin defeated Hicksville, Sewanhaka West, Hempstead and Oceanside in conference meets.
“We’re down to the bread-and-butter of the season,” Robinson explained. “The kids have been working hard since Day One and come Friday they’ll be ready to go.”
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