Calhoun wrestling continues rise

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The Calhoun wrestling program rises each season and it looks like that trend will continue. 

Calhoun has a whopping amount of freshmen in the program. But it is the upperclassmen who plan to do damage in 2024-25, led by All-County returnees, Sean Gallagher and Bobby Bello.

Both seniors finished sixth in the county meet last season. Calhoun earned a ninth-place overall finish in the Division I Nassau County Championships. Three years ago, the Colts were 11th and two years ago 10th. 

Coach Peter Marques is aiming for a top-5 county finish, hoping at least three Calhoun wrestlers qualify for the states, with Gallagher and Bello favorites.

“As a team, we want to finish top 5,’’’ Gallagher said. “I think we can. We have a good dual-meet roster and are strong at most weight classes.’’

At the prestigious “Battle of The Beach’’ tournament at Long Beach High in December, Gallagher captured first place at 116, winning in overtime over Wantagh’s Cole Delany. Two tournaments were staged that weekend so Calhoun sent only its top nine wrestlers to the high-powered event. 

“It’s good to get off the season on the right foot,’’ Gallagher said. “The team wrestled great. We looked good, didn’t look rusty. We only brought nine guys but still finished in the top 10.’’ 

Marques says Gallagher is a “very technical, very fast paced” wrestler and feels he and Bello can vie for an individual county championship.

Gallagher is also striving to hit 100 career wins as he’s been on the varsity since freshman year. He currently has 74 dual meet/tournament triumphs. 

As for Bello, he also placed sixth in the counties last year and is destined for a top 3 – which would get him to states. Bello missed Long Beach with an injury but reached the finals in the Sprig Gardner Tournament Dec. 14.

“(Bello) is super athletic and a gamer,’’ Marques said. “He gets up for the bigger matches. They both have chance of going to county finals.’’

 Senior Dom DiRico, at 145, was one match victory from being All-County and this season he figures as a county-finals contender. “He’s really offensive on his feet and explosive,’’ Marques said. 

Two sophomores, James Chicco (152) and Zac Gubba (101), are projected as winning forces, as is junior Dylan Nichols at 131. 

Senior Carter Tenenbaum is another touted grappler looking to make the next step of an all-County finish (top 6 for Division I).

“We have a lot of new wrestlers and the new guys are starting to get it and the seniors are being good leaders,’’ Gallagher said. 

Calhoun graduated a gaggle of stout wrestlers in Dan Fauci, Ryan Nicholson, Jayce Joosten and Devin Nichols. Two years ago, the Colts lost Ray Adams, who now wrestles for Duke in the ACC.

 But the replenishments are at an all-time high with 75 wrestlers on the roster, including 30 freshmen.

“We had a really good offseason as a team,’’ Marques said. “Everyone got better. With the guys we have coming back and with a very good young group, we could be top 5. The freshman group is the best I’ve had since I’ve been here. (The freshman class) has never been that big.’’