By ANDREW McCLURE
Graduation was tough on the program, and coupled with season-ending injuries to a couple of key wrestlers, Testa is left with a team of just 16 athletes. But, Testa sees the bright side. “We’re young and inexperienced, but we’re growing,” he said. “The potential is there for the program to be strong. We’ll work hard to improve. It’s just a matter of time.”
The season began with a trip to the Bruins Cup tournament at Baldwin. The tournament featured teams from Nassau, Suffolk, Massachusetts and upstate New York. Junior Dom Bonfiglio finished in sixth place at 215 pounds, and a pair of freshmen, James Gomez and Mike Spina took third place in the JV competition at 160 pounds and in the super-heavyweight division, respectively.
The team’s success in 2008-09 shouldn’t be measured by performance in the dual meets, because the Rams will have to take forfeits in certain weight classes. “We’re looking for success in the weight classes where we’re able to compete,” Testa said. “Three or four should be able to qualify for the county tournament. There may be a few meets where the score seems lopsided because of the forfeits.”
Bonfiglio, who was an alternate at the county meet as a freshman and a county qualifier as a sophomore, has the potential to be an All-County wrestler in his junior season. Also returning is the team’s only senior, Keith Cohen, who finished sixth in the county qualifier a year ago in the 152-pound class. Juniors Ryan Michelman and Joe Magaraci both suffered injuries during football and will miss the season.
A pair of juniors, 140-pound Zach Frigand and 145-pound Frank Lonigro, earned their way to the county qualifier a season ago, and should be in the mix to make a return trip. Another lightweight with big expectations is sophomore Mohammed Siddiqui in the 135-pound class. Freshman John Lonigro will compete at 96 pounds, while sophomore Sean Kohle will battle at 125 pounds.
Sophomore John Gomez and Dennis Kabat will both wrestle in the 160-pound class. Another one of West Hempstead’s top wrestlers is junior Jason Sohan who will compete at 171. Adding depth for the Rams are freshman Dylan Libby and sophomores Jerry Diaz, Mike Romero and Joe Chaitan.“
West Hempstead, which will compete in the Valley Stream North tournament this coming weekend, faces Great Neck North, South Side, Roslyn, Hewlett and Valley Stream South in conference play.
Despite the small numbers, Testa remains optimistic about the future. “Sure, it’s a little frustrating to have to rebuild, especially after having the success we had a season ago,” said Testa, who is assisted by Rob Gewirtz. “The guys we have are terrific. They’re dedicated and work real hard. We’ll gain some experience this season and look to turn a few heads next year.”
Comments about this story? TBellissimo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 204.
