By Steve Siniski
In dominating the individual stat sheet, including first, second and third place finishes at 96 and 103 pounds, East Meadow ran away with the number one spot as a team, easily outdistancing second place Seaford (440.5-234) and the rest of the seven team field. The Jets will have representation this weekend in 12 of the 15 weight classes and multiple wrestlers vying for an individual title in four of them. As a team, East Meadow seeks its first championship since 1994.
³The great thing about the qualifiers is when you can enter three wrestlers per weight class,² coach Tom Reynolds said. ³Those that normally don¹t get a shot to show their capabilities [in dual meets] have an opportunity to show how good they are and took advantage of it.²
Five Jets wrestlers walked away as individual champions, led by Sal Hanna (145 pounds). The junior, tops on the team in victories (32) and winning percentage (88.6) had a tournament best three pins in just 5:09. His quick day of work keeps him on track for a return to the County finals, where he finished second last year. ³He works as hard as anyone in the room,² Reynolds said. ³The coaches roll with him to make sure his skill level is constantly improving. If he does get points on them, based on the experience they have, it¹ll work on anyone in high school.²
While Hanna was the most dominating individual performer, the team¹s three entries at 96 pounds and three at 103 pounds were the most efficient. Sophomore James Pannullo defeated teammate Zachary Gitlin, 5-2, in the finals at 96 pounds for the title, while Doug Rhode finished third. One weight class higher, Corey Krimmer took an 11-6 decision from teammate Anthony Romeo for the title, and Robert Mancino finished third. All qualified for this weekend¹s tournament. ³The six guys stepped up at a time when they had to,² said Reynolds.
Tom Rispoli and Dan O¹Leary, both ranked among the top six in their weight classes in Nassau County, earned individual titles, while Jimmy Mustakis (119) and Steve Conway (135) led a deep class of second-place finishers that also included Dan Germann (140), Joe Lauri (160), Teddy Mellace (171) and Frank Krayer (215).
As Reynolds points out, there¹s a definite strength in numbers as the wrestlers prepare for the biggest event of the season. ³A lot of teams can¹t practice on their own if they have [qualifiers] spread throughout the weight classes,² he said. ³We can close the doors and do the same thing we always do. We don¹t need to go anywhere, and there¹s no sense showing [opponents what you have].²
Thomas Cross (130) and Robert Rutkowski (215) both qualified after third-place finishes last Saturday, while Ben Syers (119) heads a list of fourth-place performers. John Klieber (125), Chris Abbate (135) and Nick Agnello (145) also finished fourth. ³We¹re real pleased,² Reynolds said. ³This team has come farther from day one than any I¹ve coached.²
