Blue Devil Wrestlers Ready for State Championships
Blue Devil wrestlers Damon McQueen, Jose Vasquez and Dashaun Thomas will vie for state mat titles this weekend when they compete in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championships at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester.
Vasquez (37-2) earned a wildcard entry last week, joining McQueen (28-1) and Thomas (37-3) who qualified automatically after capturing Suffolk crowns. Each of three is given a legitimate shot of winning their respective weight class. Vasquez (103 lbs.) is the lone returnee in the group, having finished third at 96 lbs. last year.
“The state tournament is always very difficult, but these kids are tough and we expect each of them to do well,” Huntington head coach Lou Giani said. McQueen (96 lbs.) scored several upsets in the Section XI tournament three weeks ago and is on a roll. Thomas (285 lbs.) was bumped up one weight class and responded with his best wrestling of the winter. Vasquez was upset in the county semifinals but earned a berth in the state meet anyway, just as he did in 2007 when he placed second in Suffolk.
Since the Section XI tournament, the Huntington trio has been working out in the Blue Devil wrestling room and at Brentwood High School. Brentwood earned the right to host practices for the Suffolk wrestlers as a result of winning the Section XI team title.
“We’ve had good workouts and we’re ready to go,” Giani said. “The kids are excited.” More than 15,000 fans attended the 2007 state tournament at the Times Union Center in Albany and 18,000 were in the house for the 2006 tournament at Nassau Coliseum.
“I don’t think any of them can be counted out,” Giani said about his state qualifiers. “They’ve won some big matches this year and they are certainly capable of beating anyone.” Giani will be looking to add to his state leading totals of 23 champions and 50 All-State finishers.
The event will kick-off on Saturday at 10 a.m. with a parade of champions. Preliminary round matches begin at 10:30 a.m. The quarterfinals are slated for 2:30 p.m. The semifinal round will be wrestled on Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. Consolation matches for third and fifth place will follow at 2:15 p.m. The state finals are scheduled for Sunday night at 6 p.m.
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