Thursday, March 20, 2025
History was made Feb. 2 when Nassau County hosted its first-ever girls’ wrestling tournament at Bethpage High School with more than 100 entrants from over 20 districts.
Champions were crowned in 13 weight classes, ranging from 94 to 235 pounds, before a jam-packed crowd. Uniondale had the largest contingency with 22 participants as coach Tim Godoy said interest exploded after fall sports concluded.
“It’s been a really fun season and this tournament is great to see,” Godoy said. “I recruited some kids I coach in soccer and badminton and it just kind of took off from there. Last year we had two girls wrestling. By the end of the first week of practice this November, we had 30.”
Bethpage coach Sean Severin coordinated the one-day tournament and was thrilled to see everything run smooth. His daughter, Bethpage junior Gabrielle, captured the 114-pound title which made a historic day that much more special.
“I was super happy with how good the event turned out,” Sean Severin said. “It drew a really big crowd and the girls brought the energy. It’s going to be a great stepping stone for the growth of the sport in Nassau County.”
Long Beach, which for more than four decades has fielded one of the premier wrestling programs in the county, has four girls competing this season including eighth-grade twins Presley and Harley Eidens. All four made the finals with the Eidens’ both winning championships.
“This is unbelievable opportunity for all the female wrestlers in Nassau,” said Long Beach coach Ray Adams, whose daughter, Reese, competes for Calhoun but missed her junior season with a knee injury that required surgery. “Our youth program, the Gladiators, started a girls program a few years ago and it keeps growing,” he said.
Adams credited 2020 graduate Lina Diamond with being the trailblazer for the budding Long Beach girls program. Presley Eidens, who also plays lacrosse and volleyball, said she started wrestling about two-and-a-half years ago and grapples with her sister every day in practice. Freshmen Arianna Balsamo (152) and Sofia Calle (165) are also workout partners. “They’ve all improved every match,” Adams noted.
Valley Stream Central junior Tyasia Buxton said she joined wrestling to bring additional discipline into her life. She just took up the until four months ago but has come a long way in a short time, coach Chris Carbajal said. Buxton captured the 94-pound crown.
“Really proud of her,” Carbajal said. “She made a commitment and stuck to it all season.”
Buxton credits a good deal of her success to scraping against boys almost exclusively this season. “I’ve taken my losses, but I learned a lot and I’m better for it,” she said. “It feels great to win. I gave it my all and didn’t give up.”
Lynbrook junior Dani Zhanay is one of the county’s most-experienced wrestlers. She’s been competing for eight years, coach Rich Renz said, after starting with the Titans youth league. “She loves competing and has a lot of skill,” Renz explained.
Uniondale sophomore Brianna Marquez is one of a handful of soccer players who decided to give wrestling a try at the urging of Godoy. She was runner-up to Presley Eidens at 107. The Knights crowned one champion —sophomore Keishara Tulloch at 152.
“All the girls are amazing and the wrestling community has been really supportive,” Marquez said. “We all push each other harder every day. It’s definitely something I can see myself continuing to do.”
Valley Stream North crowned a pair of champs with juniors Eyslin Turcios winning at 185 and Naomi Gonzaez emerging victorious at 235. Kennedy saw senior Gabriella Schechtman win at 145 and eighth-grader Taylor Brock finish first at 132.
All 13 county champs along with six second-place finishers advance to the girls state tournament Feb. 27 in Albany.
