Blue Devil Wrestlers Celebrate at Annual Dinner
The Huntington High School wrestling program had plenty to celebrate at its annual awards dinner last Thursday night at the VFW Post 1469 on Pulaski Road in Huntington Station.
A crowd of more than 120 wrestlers, family members and alumni turned out to honor the program's top wrestlers, review the season and share a meal with one another.
Former Huntington wrestlers Charlie Gadson, Brian Lifson, Shaheem Bradshaw and Francisco Pereira were on hand for the festivities. Seniors Nick Lupi and John Mallouk offered heartfelt remarks about hard work and commitment and thanked their coaches for all of their efforts through the years. The duo also stressed to underclassmen the importance of summer training and tournament competition during the off-season.
Head coach Kieran Mock and assistant coaches Travis Smith, Peter Fusco and Lou Giani presented several awards to the top Blue Devil wrestlers, saying a few words about each of them.
The parade of award winners was led by Nick Lupi, who was named the Blue Devils' MVP and the Senior with the Highest Academic Average. John Arceri earned the Most Improved Award and was also honored for being the team's high scorer (most points earned in dual meet and tournament competition).
Corey Jamison captured the Most Takedowns, Most Near Falls and Big Match Awards; Kyle Mock won the Most Falls Award; Anthony Puca earned the Fastest Pin Award; John Mallouk won the Desire, Discipline and Determination Award and shared the Hardest Worker Award with Brandon Mendez; Jorge Villela was presented with the Most Reversals Award; Ethan Dwyer was named the JV MVP; Arthur McNally garnered the JV Hardest Worker Award.
Mock commended Lupi for putting in "five years of hard work and determination." The coach called Arceri "relentless" and said that Puca is "a fighter who never gives up." Mock said that Mallouk is "tough with a never quit attitude."
The dinner included many homemade delicacies. With none of the wrestlers needing to "make weight," the teenagers piled their plates high with food. The three-hour affair was a time for the wrestlers, coaches and parents to feel good about what the team accomplished this past winter.
Huntington finished the year with a 6-1 mark in league meets and 11-2 overall. The Blue Devils placed second in the league, fifth in Section XI and 21st in the state. The team won titles in the Huntington, Windsor, Suffern and Albany invitational tournaments.
Nick Lupi captured league and county titles and finished third in the state tournament. John Arceri won the league and county crowns, becoming the first Huntington freshman to ever win a Suffolk mat championship. Anthony Puca won the league title and was the county runner-up. Corey Jamison was second in the league tournament and fourth in the county. Joseph Puca won the league championship and Brandon Mendez finished second in the league. John Mallouk, Jorge Villela, Kyle Mock and Will Thomas all place fourth in the league tournament.
The Blue Devils were a young team, with only two seniors and two juniors on the roster. Mock said the wrestlers were "committed, practiced hard and showed up on a daily basis."
Huntington School Board members recently honored Lupi, Arceri and Anthony Puca for the wrestlers' exceptional accomplishments this season.