Blue Devil Wrestlers Top Ranked
in Suffolk
Could Travis Smith’s first season as the Huntington High School varsity wrestling team’s head coach be a special one? The Blue Devils are No. 1 in the Suffolk tournament team pre-season rankings with six wrestlers listed among the top four in their respective weight classes.
Smith was recently appointed as the head coach after a long run as a Blue Devil assistant. Kieran Mock, who had served as the head coach following the retirement of legendary Lou Giani has assumed Smith’s assistant coaching position.
Sophomores Kyle Mock (96 lbs.) and John Arceri (106 lbs.) and senior Anthony Puca (285 lbs.) are all ranked first in their respective weight classes in the preseason poll. Senior Corey Jamison (126 lbs.) is ranked No. 2. Junior Brandon Mendez (145 lbs.) and sophomore J.P. Puca (160 lbs.) are both ranked No. 4.
The top ten tournament team rankings include: 2. Sachem East; 3. Rocky Point; 4. Hauppauge; 5. East Islip; 6. Sachem North; 7. Connetquot; 8. Islip; 9. John H. Glenn; 10. Newfield.
Huntington finished last year’s campaign with a 6-1 mark in league meets and went 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 placed fourth in the league tournament. Lupi and Mallouk have been lost to graduation, but the rest of the Blue Devils are returning this season.
The winter season kicks-off on Wednesday (November 20). The Blue Devils will take to the mats for their first competition on Saturday, December 10 when they host a multi-team tournament that will run throughout the day.