Blue Devil Girls’ Wresting to Host Sunday Tournament

Huntington High School will host its first ever girls’ wrestling tournament on Sunday in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium. The action begins at 9 a.m. and will continue on two mats until completion in the afternoon.

The Blue Devils are in their second year of competition. Huntington has joined with John H. Glenn, Walt Whitman and Harborfields to form what Section XI refers to as a “super team,” which goes by the name “Town of Huntington” or TOH for short.

Maria Canino is Huntington’s coach. She is the granddaughter of the Blue Devils’ iconic National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach Lou Giani, who led the boys’ program for decades and developed more state champions than any other high school coach in New York.

The Huntington girls’ team has 16 wrestlers this winter. Aylin Davila Chitay, Wynne Franciscovich and Yuliana Hernandez-Perla are the top returnees from last year’s inaugural squad. Also back in the fold are veterans Brittany Lopez Berrios, Jaslyn Marroquin Chavez, Keiry Palma. Exciting newcomers include Shannon Koepele and Maricielo Ramos Tunque.

“So far the team is looking good,” Canino said. “I think we are in a better place earlier in the season this year compared to last year. I think this is because we have a good number of returnees who are not only much improved from last season, but extremely helpful with our new wrestlers. So far Emely Herrera Rivas, Shannon Koepele, Brittany Lopez Berrios and Maricielo Ramos Tunque have all picked up their first wins of the season, all being pins.”

All four schools that make up the Town of Huntington team are expected to have wrestlers competing on Sunday along with girls from Miller Place, Valley Stream Central, St. Anthony’s, Edgemont, East Islip, Rocky Point, Seaford, Copiague, Bellport, Mepham, Westhampton Beach, Northport, Brentwood, Jericho and Levittown MacArthur.