Long Beach wins host tournament

If the first two weeks of the Nassau wrestling season is any indication, Long Beach will be difficult to dethrone as the county team champion. The Marines captured their “Battle at the Beach” tournament and came back with a runner-up finish at the Bruins’ Cup tournament in Baldwin.

“I don’t think we could get two better early season tests,” Long Beach coach Ray Adams said. “The kids wrestled well. We got some big wins and bonus points in the finals to win the Battle at the Beach, and we placed second behind Longwood, the top team in the state, at Baldwin.”

A dozen other schools visited Dec. 4 for an exciting “Battle at the Beach” event that came down to the wire between the Marines and Wantagh, last year’s county runner-up. Long Beach (287 points) crowned five individual champions, while the Warriors managed four.

Returning All-State juniors Mark Raghunandan (112 pounds) and Dylan Palacio (152) captured their respective titles along with sophomore Steven Sewkumar (96), senior Edisson Tigre-Borja (140) and senior Adam DeJesus (160.) The Marines also had junior Krishna Sewkumar (103) and junior Matt Gray (112) reach the finals.

“I think the defending champions always come into the following season with an “x” on their back,” Adams explained. “We brought back eight All-County kids, which is the most we’ve ever had, and we have the talent it takes to repeat.

“The bottom line is we can’t take anything for granted,” he added. “The kids know it’s all about working hard. We can’t just show up and expect to win.”

In addition to earning All-State honors a year ago, Raghunandan and Palacio bring county championship experience to the mat. Raghunandan won Nassau’s 96-pound crown last season, while Palacio took home a title the previous campaign. “They’re both aiming for a state title,” Adams said. “They did a great job during the offseason and continue to grow as wrestlers and young men.”

Tigre-Borja, a two-time All-County performer and county runner-up as a junior, got off to a strong start with a 6-3 decision over Josh Ferenczy of Curtis in the final. DeJesus, who pinned New Rochelle’s Aaron Butler in the final at the Battle at the Beach, and senior Nick Khoury, currently out with a back injury, have also reached the All-County podium twice and Adams believes they are bound for bigger things. “There’s no doubt in my mind they all can win a county championship,” Adams said.

Steven Sewkumar’s 13-9 victory over Wantagh’s Jose Rodriguez in the Battle at the Beach finals ultimately made the difference in the team scores. Sewkumar came back to capture the Baldwin Tournament title as well.

The Marines are especially deep at the lighter weights, with Krishna Sewkumar, Gray and junior Oral Allen flashing All-County resumes in the 103-112 pound range. Dual meets offer a spot for two of the three. “It’s a nice luxury to have,” Adams said.

Long Beach will compete in the Ted Peterson Tournament at Island Trees on Jan. 8.