Promising start for Lawrence

Lawrence is off to a quality start on the wrestling mats with solid performances at the Sprig Gardner (Bellmore-Merrick) and Ralph Jansson (Valley Stream North) tournaments in back-to-back weeks.

“We’re a combination of experience and youth,” Golden Tornadoes coach Dom DelVecchio said. “A weight class got added this season, but we’ve got every weight filled and we’re looking to compete for the conference title.”

Lawrence used the Bellmore-JFK duals and tournaments to prep for this week’s Conference 3-B opener against Glen Cove. Other conference rivals are Bethpage, Lynbrook, Manhasset, and Valley Stream South.

DelVecchio sees the potential for big things this season for senior Carl Ravilus, who is relatively new to the sport after transferring to Lawrence prior to his junior year. Ravilus took the 195-pound title at the Sprig Tournament, besting Clarke’s Austin Peraza by decision in the finals, 16-7, and he’s an All-County contender in DelVecchio’s opinion.

“The Sprig isn’t an easy tournament to win and Carl did a great job,” DelVecchio said. “It’s only his second year wrestling, but he did a lot of offseason work that’s showing already. He’s one of the hardest workers in the room and soaks up everything you teach him like a sponge. He’s great at correcting mistakes and learning from them.”

 Junior Pankil Chander is Lawrence’s lone returning All-County finisher from last season and he’ll be difficult to keep off the podium again come late February. Sixth in Nassau at 103 pounds as a sophomore, he’ll be “a tough out” at 113, DelVecchio said. Chander reached the finals of the Sprig where he came up just short, 7-4, against reigning 96-pound county champion Robert Person of Bellmore-JFK.

“Pankil’s a year-round wrestler who attended a bunch of camps throughout the summer,” DelVecchio said. “He’s strong and scrappy and can hang with the best kids in the county.”

Chander, freshman Jesse Nacht (99) and junior James Schneider will lead the team at the lighter weights.

Seniors Mohamed Chaudhry (132) and Isaiah Batts (285), qualifying tournament champions last season who split two bouts in the county meet, placed third in the Sprig along with junior Akil Mavruk at 220.

Batts will be part of a wide-open 220-pound class at the county tournament. “He has a ton of experience and can do really well,” DelVecchio said. “There’s not a true No. 1 at the weight he’s at. He’s been in our lineup for three years and competed at 215 a long time. If he stays focused, he can go far.”

Senior Patryk Puk (170) and junior Jonathan Vinas (160) were fourth in the Sprig and will be keys to the dual meet lineup. The experience of senior Josue Amaya (138), in his third year, will come in handy in the middle of the lineup, and DelVecchio is looking for junior Fred Thomas (145/152) to pick up where he left off last winter when he enjoyed a strong finish.