East Hampton High’s wrestling program, which was on the ropes not all that long ago, continues to grow. The team’s coach, Ethan Mitchell, who is in his second year, said over the weekend that he has 50 out for the squad, a gratifying number, probably unparalleled in recent times.
That cohort, which packs the school’s wrestling room during practices, includes 17 seniors, six of whom -- J.P. Amaden, Cooper Ceva, Jose Calderon, Alex Hatgistavrou, Isaiah Robins, and Joe Scully -- have experience. The 11 others are Aryan Chugh, Ike Fagin, Richie Maio, Dennis Guanga, Jack Guerrero, Marcus Krotman, Chase Lieder, Kevin Sumba, Chaz Weimar, Steve Baculima, and Edwin Espinoza. The latter two have seen some action, the others none, though Mitchell said he admired the senior newcomers’ courage considering that it’s likely their opponents will be far more match-savvy than they.
Needless to say, or pretty much needless to say, “provided the kids stay healthy” all 13 of the weight classes, from 102 to 285 pounds, will be covered this winter, which hasn’t been the case lately. Forfeits at 102, 170, and 285 pounds were common last year.
Last year’s team, which finished with a 5-12 record, was a resurgent one, faring better in the second half of the season than it did in the first half, as Mitchell had predicted last Christmastime. “It will be hard to replace Santi [Maya] and Caleb [Peralta],” Mitchell said of last year’s co-captains, five-year starters whom he had credited with bringing the program back, “but we’re hoping to keep the momentum going -- we’re very excited.”
Mitchell added that East Hampton ought to be strong in the lighter weights, less so in the upper ones.
His charges’ first outing will be at home Saturday in the all-day Frank (Sprig) Gardner Tournament, which honors the innovative wrestling coach whose career began here as East Hampton’s football and baseball coach in 1930. He began coaching wrestling here three years later. In 1937, Gardner moved to Mepham High School in North Bellmore, where his training techniques were so effective that Mepham teams were undefeated in dual meets for 20 years. A member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and of three others, including East Hampton’s, Gardner’s career record at Mepham was 254-5-1.
East Hampton, as was the case last year, faces a tough schedule, probably even tougher than last year’s inasmuch as the team has been moved up from League IV to V, a league that has in it such teams as Bellport, East Islip, Comsewogue, Westhampton Beach, and Kings Park.
The Bonackers are scheduled to compete in the Doc Fallot Tournament at Hampton Bays High School on Dec. 10. Deer Park opens the league season here on Dec. 14. East Hampton will be at Smithtown West on Dec. 16, and Bellport will wrestle here on Dec. 21.
In January, it will be East Hampton at North Babylon on the 4th, West Babylon here on the 6th, and East Hampton at West Islip on the 11th. Mitchell’s team is to go to the Anthony Cipriano Invitational Tournament at Copiague High School on Jan. 14.