by Hector Flores
Last week, Getz fulfilled the terms of his contract. The now 17-year-old senior captured the Nassau County wrestling title in the 152-pound division, earning him the right to compete in the state tournament March 5 and 6.
Winning the county title was an enormous accomplishment, but it wasn't easy. Getz described the road to the championship as "very lonely." But he was determined, and stayed focused.
Getz's father, David, said of his son's championship win, "I'm overwhelmed. Not that he became champion, but by his dedication to the sport."
David said his son's dedication and training are so well known that other varsity wrestling teams have called on him to help with their conditioning programs. "It's the totality of his focus," David said. "We don't know what is going to happen in Albany, but he is ultimately focused."
Santo was introduced to wrestling in 1999, when he was a 12-year-old seventh-grader at Grand Avenue Middle School. He wrestled throughout middle school, despite the fact that he weighed 185 pounds. "I was so heavy that there was no weight classification for me," Santo said. "I would wrestle kids who weighed 155 pounds and up."
Getz finally got control of his weight in 2001, during his freshman year. "At the beginning of ninth grade, I weighed in at 200 pounds," he recalled. "I thought that I would start, but I didn't. But I was wrestling juniors and seniors for practice. By the end of my freshman year, I was 160 pounds and finished with a record of 15 wins and two losses."
Another remarkable thing happened to Getz in his freshman year. A fellow wrestler's comment stirred his competitive spirit. During a meet at Calhoun High School, Getz was allowed to wrestle with the varsity team. He lost to Calhoun senior Greg Lawrence, who became a state champion.
"Greg beat me," Getz said. "And after the match, one of my teammates said that I wouldn't have a starting position until my senior year, and that got on my nerve so bad that I started training on my own."
After his freshman year, Getz attended a two-week training camp in Pennsylvania, and after that he started running daily from his house to Wantagh High School and back -- a total of 5 1/2 miles. Once a week, he ran 15 miles, from his house to Jones Beach and back.
At the start of his sophomore wrestling season, Getz weighed in at 160 pounds, but he dropped to 152 by his first match. His off-season conditioning enabled him to win a 152-pound spot on the varsity squad by wrestling and beating two teammates.
In his sophomore year, Getz had a 24-14 record and was third in the Nassau County Qualifier, a tournament in which wrestlers compete before the county tournament. "I made the counties for the first time and faced Adam Mollano, who was returning ranked fourth in the state," Getz said. "I lost to Adam, but it took six minutes. I was his longest fight."
After the season ended in March, Getz pushed himself further by competing on his own in freestyle wrestling tournaments. And he trained harder. He asked his mother if he could go to the J. Robinson wrestling camp in Minnesota. "This camp is no joke," he said. "It's 28 days of pure, intense hard work, and it was painful. I made it through and came home and said to myself, 'Nothing is getting through me.'"
In his junior year, Getz had a record of 27-5 and competed in the county championships. For the first time, he made it to the championship round, where he faced McArthur senior Jose Rodriguez. Getz lost the match, but placed second in the county. It was the first time in six years that a Mepham wrestler had made it to the county finals.
After the season, Getz again began his off-season training regimen, including freestyle wrestling meets, training camps and daily runs. He also started training with teammate Eric Hochhausen. Right before the start of his senior year, however, Getz's aunt died. "She was the nicest person and closest person to me," he said. "She died at 49 years old, out of nowhere."
His aunt's death affected Getz's performance. He lost at his first tournament. But after that he lost only once more. He finished the season with a 30-2 record. Getz's drive propelled him once again to the county finals, where he beat Rishaun English of Uniondale to become county champion.
"The finals at the counties are the toughest thing you can be in," Getz said. "If you don't know how to mentally prepare yourself, you will lose. It is my belief that winning the county title takes 20 percent skill, 20 percent talent, 10 percent strength and 50 percent mental [ability]. Whoever goes out with the best attitude wins."
Getz's mother, Josephine, has attended every wrestling match in which her son has competed and marvels at how much he has improved over the years. "I have seen him get better," she said. "I never expected [the championship], but it was something he was working for."
Mepham Coach John Hamilton, who has worked with Getz for the past two seasons, said, "He is an athlete who has a passion for the sport, puts in the extra time and does everything to improve himself. He loves the sport and loves to compete, and it has been a pleasure to work with him."
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
