Teemer leads youthful Long Beach

After graduating 11 starters, including a handful of multiyear All-County wrestlers, Long Beach doesn’t figure to be as dangerous compared to recent seasons although longtime coach Ray Adams remains excited about the Marines’ lineup.

“We have a lot of tough young kids in the pipeline,” Adams said. “I like to think of us as reloading and not rebuilding. We’re very young, but we’re talented.”

Having one of the top wrestlers in Long Island history gives Long Beach a tremendous role model for its many sophomores and freshmen. Senior Jacori Teemer is trying to become the second wrestler in New York State history — and first from L.I. — to win five state championships. He’s captured four Nassau and four NYS titles, winning at 99 pounds as an eighth-grader, 106 as a freshman, 126 as a sophomore, and 132 last winter. He’s headed to Arizona State on an athletic scholarship.

“He’s trying to make history, but we’re not really talking about it,” Adams said. “He’s going to work hard like he always does and take it one day at a time.”

With all of Teemer’s high school and outside accomplishments, his third place finish at the Cadet World Championships in Greece in September ranks right at the top, Adams said. “He went 4-1 and won the bronze medal in a worldwide tournament,” he noted. Teemer is likely to be in the 145-pound bracket come February’s county tournament.

Senior Elijah Rodriguez is looking to defend his county championship and tack on a state title, Adams said. Rodriguez, who was undefeated last season until the state tournament, is off to a huge start with wins at the Battle at the Beach host event and the King of the Mat Tournament in Hewlett. 

Seniors Joel Vega (145) and Mike McCabe (170) are returning county qualifiers who cracked Long Beach’s starting dual meet lineup for the first time. Vega was third in the King of the Mat, while McCabe picked up sixth. Another senior, Alex Michelman, is looking to recapture his form from two years ago and will start at 160 once he fully recovers from an ankle injury.

Adams is expecting junior Dylan Martinsen (138) and sophomore Max Maquet (126), who happen to be workout partners, as well as sophomore Amir Hodge (120), to challenge for All-County honors and perhaps push for the title in their respective weight class. Martinsen was All-County as a freshman and all three were qualifying tourney champs last season.

At least three freshmen will be part of the starting lineup, Adams confirmed. Kevin Lopez (99) is as polished as any and took second place in the Battle at the Beach. Luke Mantia (113) was runner-up in the King of the Mat, and Jeremiah Echevarria (106) was fifth. Others expected to contribute include juniors Jacob Miller and Evan Denardo at 182, and sophomore Wally Sofield and freshman Ty Yanowitch at 120.

Long Beach’s conference opponents include Baldwin, East Meadow, Sewanhaka East, Herricks and Valley Stream Central.