Blue Devils Capture Three Titles at Wrestling Tournament

The Huntington wrestling team opened the season with a strong performance in their own Lou Giani Invitational. The Blue Devils crowned three individual champions and placed second in a field of eight in the final team standings.

Huntington seniors Jon Granito (138 lbs.), Max Casiano (160 lbs.) and Christian St. John (170 lbs.) all won weight class titles. Eighth grader Christopher Granito (101 lbs.) and sophomore Vincent Pupillo both captured second place at their respective weights. Tom Smith placed third at 190 lbs.

Port Jefferson won the tournament with 262 points following in order by Huntington (226), Mount Sinai (178.5), Roslyn (153.5), Massapequa (144.5), John H. Glenn (136), St. Anthony’s (131) and Valley Stream North (100).

The tournament drew hundreds of fans to Louis D. Giani Gymnasium. The whistle blew for the first matches at 9 a.m. and continued throughout the day until about 6:30 p.m.

The Blue Devils also placed eight other wrestlers in the top six of their respective weight class including Adrian White (4th at 145 lbs.), Jason Mejia (4th at 215 lbs.), Ethan Naima (4th at 285 lbs.), Walter Kusterbeck (5th at 116 lbs.), Junior White (5th at 124 lbs.), Jon Kraft (6th at 131 lbs.), Brandon Fucci (6th at 145 lbs.) and Jeffrey Quintanilla (6th at 285 lbs.)

Huntington’s three champions were all unstoppable. Granito pinned Massapequa’s Joseph Valenzisi in 1:50 and then topped Saint Anthony’s Andrew Sanfilippo and Valley Stream North’s Vito Scaglione by technical falls (15-0) before edging Port Jefferson’s Cade Delgado in the finals, 16-14.

Casiano pinned Saint Anthony’s Alexander Carros in 0:45 seconds before winning technical falls over Roslyn’s George Lampropoulos (18-1) and Roslyn’s Harris Zimmerman (15-0). Casiano pinned Port Jefferson’s Nick Comito in the finals in 1:59.

St. John pinned all four of his opponents, including John Glenn’s Michael Gerbino (0:40) and Joe LaMay (1:32), Valley Stream North’s Daniel Menjivar (0:30) and Port Jefferson’s Preston Biedenkapp (0:58).

St. John claimed the tournament’s Jerry Grenier Most Pins in the Least Amount of Time Award with four falls in a combined 3:40.

Huntington travels to Locust Valley on Saturday for another invitational tournament.