Positive vibe for Sewanhaka East

The Sewanhaka East wrestling team had seven wrestlers qualify for the county tournament in 2015-16, and five of them are back to take another step toward county supremacy. With the program’s participation numbers stronger than they’ve been in ages, the outlook for the present and future is rosy.

Sewanhaka East, a team composed of athletes from Carey and New Hyde Park high schools, will compete in dual meets with Baldwin, East Meadow, Farmingdale, Hicksville, Port Washington, and Oceanside in Nassau Conference 1B. 

Despite a relatively disappointing start, coach Ian McConnell expects his young team to improve as the season goes along. “We’ve gone up against some pretty strong teams and have been placed in some really tough brackets,” McConnell said. “We’ve had a slow start. A bunch of the guys got started about two weeks late because they were still playing football. We’re getting there. I think we’ll be able to compete with the stronger teams as the year goes on.”

After a pair of solid seasons, junior captain Daniel Kerner, who competed at 113 pounds as a freshman and sophomore, is capable of being among the best in the county at 120. Kerner, a two-time county qualifier, took first place in the MacArthur tournament beating Mepham’s Jack Molloy by decision 8-6.

Dominic Palma also took first at MacArthur when he pinned Chaminade’s Jack Tiedemann in the 160-pound final. The junior captain is 8-1 on the season after finishing third in the county qualifier as a sophomore. McConnell believes the hard-working Palma has the ability to be among the top wrestlers at 160.

Joseph Petrancosta, a second-place finisher in the county qualifier at 132 pounds as a junior, could be an All-County wrestler at 145. His twin brother James, who missed his junior season with an injury, is an intelligent wrestler who leads by example. He’ll wrestle at 152 pounds as a senior. Both Petrancosta brothers are team captains.

Mark Niewierowski, a two-time county qualifier, finished a match away from earning All-County honors at 126 pounds as a junior. The senior captain will wrestle at 132 pounds. McConnell is high on sophomore Devin Hartz in the 138-pound class. Hartz, a county qualifier as a freshman, has the potential to be a county champion before his time at Sewanhaka East is done.

Junior Ari Bazigos is a technically-sound wrestler who is off to a good start. Bazigos finished third at MacArthur and fourth in the South Side tournament in the 182-pound class.

“We have more guys on the team than I have ever had before, but a lot of them are in their first year of wrestling,” McConnell said. “We’re a young and inexperienced team, but the guys are athletic and hard working. Some of the guys are taking their lumps on the mat, but they’re working hard and coming along.”

Sewanhaka East is home at Carey High School this Friday against Hicksville at 5 p.m.