Thursday, October 1, 2026
Plainedge wrestling has a storied past but never has a wrestler at the North Massapequa school won three straight state championships.
Devin Downes has made history. The senior posted his “3-peat’’ in Albany Feb. 28 at the 215-pound weight class when he pinned all four of his opponents, including Minisink Valley’s Zach Filip in the finals.
Downes notched a state trifecta at three different weight classes – 170 pounds in 2024 and 190 pounds in 2025.
“It’s a big tradition here, so for him to come through that room and be the first three-time New York state champ speaks a lot about his character and work ethic,’’ Plainedge coach John Nuzzi said.
A University of Maryland commit, Downes is an example of grit on the mat.
“Just really, really hard work,’’ said Downes. “When I started wrestling, I wasn’t the prodigy or most talented or strongest. One thing about me, I was always the hardest worker. That’s the one thing that got me here. I outworked everybody.’’
Downes’ graciousness is striking for a high-school kid.
“I’m extremely grateful for all the people around me who helped me with this,’’ Downes said. “It’s too hard to do it on my own – my parents, coaches, family and all teammates around me. This doesn’t get done just on your own. And I also know how much work I’ve put into it as well.’’
The climb from 170 pounds to 215 was a natural progression – not a strategic one. “Whatever I was weighed and felt comfortable at, that’s where I was going,’’ Downes said. “I didn’t care who was there. It wasn’t really a conscious thing. I just kept growing.’’
Nuzzi, in his first season at Plainedge after stints at Westbury, Chaminade and Freeport, said, “He was a small 170-pounder but he kept putting on muscle mass from working out.’’
When Downes wrestled at 170, Nuzzi was leading Westbury. “Coaching against him last couple of years, I felt the kid was a phenomenal wrestler,’’ Nuzzi said. “Coaching him and getting him to accomplish his goals was amazing as the kid is a remarkable wrestler as well as in the classroom.’’
The three different weight classes each created challenges but none too big for Downes.
“When he was at 170 in 2024, guys are a lot faster,’’ Nuzzi said. “At 190, you start slowing down and using body, single-leg stuff. To win it this year against bigger guys, this mindset going into the season was we’re not going to change anything but tweak some things.’’
His signature move is the single leg. “Everybody knows about it, but he sticks to it and doesn’t get denied,’’ Nuzzi said.
At the Nassau County finals Feb. 15 at Hofstra, he pinned Sewanhaka East's Justin DiPietro in 1:37.
The 6-1 Downes, who has a 92 GPA, will wrestle at Maryland at 197. Nuzzi says the Big 10 is “the cream of the crop for college wrestling.’’
“I went there and it blew all my expectations out of the water,’’ Downes said of his Maryland visit. “The connection I had with the coaches, team, school, it is an amazing academic school. It was the full package.’’
