High hopes for stacked Oceanside

Oceanside wrestling is loaded — a Conference 1B powerhouse ready to roll. 
Last season, Oceanside boasted four wrestlers who made All-County – the most since 1989. Three of them are back in blue and white: Jake Strianese, Jared Marine and freshman Chase Morris.
“It’s always good when you have three all-county wrestlers coming back,’’ Oceanside second-year coach Brian Schoenfelder said. “It’s always a good formula for success the next year. The graduates, we have great kids plugging their holes right away.’’ 
As sweet as 2022-23 became, Oceanside looks even mightier on the mats. “The difference between this year and years past is we have talent up and down the lineup and kids can step in,’’ said Schoenfelder, a longtime Oceanside assistant before being promoted before last season. “We’re starting to become a deeper team. We used to just have a couple of individuals here and there. We don’t have many holes.’’
Oceanside went 4-1 in the conference and 12-8 overall in dual meets. “ As long as we’re maximizing our effort every day, we’ll be the best,’’ Schoenfelder said. “Our conference has a lot talent in it so I’m not going to take it for granted.’’

Strianese and Marine, both juniors, are the Sailors’ two top wrestlers of equal distinction. 
At 116, Strianese has posted a 59-15 career record and went 7-1 at the Long Beach tournament as champion. Last season, Strianese fell one point shy of qualifying for the state tournament. 
“He’s a great wrestler,’’ Schoenfelder said. “He’s probably one of the most complete wrestlers we have. He’s great on the bottom and has a lot of top pressure. He’s more eclectic this year than last year. Last year he was a leg rider. He’s not doing that anymore and he’s more dynamic and has varied his offense.’’
In the heavier class of 170 pounds, Marine, too, won the Long Beach tournament with an undefeated 8-0 record. He’s logged a 65-17 career clip.
“He’s a lot more controlling on the top position,’’ Schoenfelder said. “A lot more dominant and being locked in on positioning. He hasn’t been taken down.’’
The most intriguing wrestler may be Ben Rivezzo, who increased from 189 pounds up to the 215-pound weight class. It was good timing as Oceanside lost its superstar at 215, Andrew Cagno, who became the first state tournament qualifier at Oceanside since 2000. But Rivezzo stepped right into that spot as the seniors has a 42-22 record. 
“He grew into a massive giant,’’ Schoenfelder said. “He’s a lineman on the football team. He put on a solid 20 pounds in the offseason. He’s probably one of the largest kids at that weight class.’’
And Rivezzo is small compared to Oceanside’s starter at 285 pounds, senior Brett Moshkovich. His record is just 21-19 but there’s been significant improvement for a guy who tips the scales at 283. The class contains wrestlers from 216 pounds to 285.
“He’s at the higher end of that weight class,’’ Schoenfelder said. “He’s gotten better the last couple of years utilizing his size and maintaining his balance as a weapon. Someone that big, it takes a while to learn to use your weight as leverage on the mats.’’
There’s a lot of glory ahead for Morris at 124 pounds as he made All-County as an eighth-grader. He’s 35-7 and off to a fast start in 2023-24. 
Other key underclassmen include sophomore Michael Scotto and freshman Kieran Harrington. As seniors, Esah Abdulkareem and Danny Gilmore give Oceanside depth. “I want the whole team to be All-County,” Schoenfelder said.