Blue Devils Matmen Topple Islip, 26-19
After four years of frustration, Lou Giani finally found satisfaction last Friday as the Huntington wrestling toppled perennial Suffolk and state power Islip in a key League V dual meet, 26-19.
Giani, the Blue Devils’ Hall of Fame coach who has more state champions than anyone else in New York history, utilized exquisite scouting and attention to detail in manipulating his lineup to maximize its potential and laying out a strategy that has put Huntington in a position to win the league championship outright if it can beat rugged Sayville this Friday (Feb.1) in a meet scheduled for 5 p.m. in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium.
Against Islip, the Blue Devils won seven matches, including a key pin by Maurice Loadholt at 119 lbs. in 5:25 and a 17-2 technical fall by Jose Vasquez at 103 lbs. To a man, the Blue Devils wrestled tightly controlled matches that left little to chance.
Francisco Pereira (4-2), Jayson Santiago (4-2), Anthony Lupi (6-5) and Morris Romero (6-4) won tight decisions, while heavyweight Dashaun Thomas had his opponent on the ropes most of the bout, en route to a 10-1 victory.
“It was a great meet,” Giani said. “The kids really stepped up and got the job done. We won so many close decisions, and lost a few, too. The guys we needed to win did.”
The victory was Huntington’s eighth this winter without a loss. Clearly, the Blue Devils are better than many thought they would be. After holding state ranked Rocky Point to just 20 points and now keeping Islip below that, the men in blue are gaining new respect. The New York State Sportswriters’ Association has elevated Huntington to 24th in the latest Division I poll.
The League V tournament is scheduled for Sat. Feb. 9 at Islip. The top finishers in each weight class will advance to the Section XI tournament the following weekend at Stony Brook University. Huntington is one of a handful of teams given a legitimate chance of winning the Suffolk team title. If the Blue Devils do win the county crown, it will be the 10th time they have done so during Giani’s tenure as head coach.
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