For the second straight year, Sachem North grappler Gio Santiago marked a championship victory by shooting an arrow into the stands.
The 182-pound final wasn’t as quick as his previous bouts at this year’s Doc Fallot Section XI wrestling tournament, but he’ll take the victory.
Santiago won his first round, quarterfinal and semifinal matches all with pins in 3:05. Commack’s Dan Fiorvanti, who also came into the final with three pins under his belt, made Santiago work for it. Before thousands in a cramped gymnasium at Walt Whitman High School, Santiago earned an 8-1 victory over after picking up six points on take downs throughout the three periods.
“Being a two-time county champion is a great feeling,” he said. “It’s not something I’m going to take lightly. The focus and preparation was a life changing experience for me with my coaches pushing me every step of the way. I’m going to work harder in the room and go for that state title.”
Fiorvanti was clearly taking a specific approach to how he handled Santiago, who usually shoots out of a canon and brings a physical game to the mat. Sachem North coach Ray Pickersgill said the Commack staff has watched Santiago a number of times and devised a plan to attack his strengths, which was to not really attack him at all.
“They felt their only shot was to wait him out,” Pickersgill said. “Gio’s got too much horse power for that.”
Sporting a Sachem wrestling singlet from the 1970s, Santiago brought the Flaming Arrows’ tradition of excellence in physicality and aesthetic prowess to Huntington Station Wednesday night.
“It was laying in the back in the coach’s office at North, so I thought I’d show a little Sachem heritage,” said Santiago, who became the fifth wrestler in Sachem history to reach the 100-win mark last week at the League II tournament.
Heritage is a good word to use considering Santiago is also now just the ninth wrestler in Sachem history to win two county championships. He’ll wrestle in the state tournament in Albany in two weeks and look to out due his sixth place finish a year ago.
“He wanted to do something a little different this year,” Pickersgill added. “He’s always looking to make a splash. You make it to the county finals and if you think it’s going to make you wrestle better, go right ahead.”
Mills loses again at 220
Sachem North’s Steve Mills lost in the county finals for the strong straight season. His 220-pound bout went down to the wire before he finally lost to Huntington’s Nick Lupi, 4-3. Lupi earned his last two points on escapes in the second and third periods, respectively.
“I know how bad he wanted it,” Pickersgill said. “He’s been looking at this match for the last year. He lost a really close one.”
Mills will wait to hear if he is a wild card selection for the New York State tournament.
Mordente loses at 145 pounds
Sachem East’s Jackson Mordente was the only wrestler in a championship bout for East. He battled Connetquot’s Brendan Dent in the 145-pound final and lost 3-1.
The match came down to one take down at the end of the first period, which gave Dent enough points to hold on for the win.
“It was a disappointing loss, but like all of our guys he wrestled whistle-to-whistle, so I’m very proud of him,” said Sachem East coach Sean O’Hara.
VIDEO: Watch the entire Gio Santiago championship match
PHOTOS: See images from the entire Section XI wrestling tournament
RELATED: Read a recap of the tournament through the semifinals on day one
Sachem North’s other two-time county champions
- Mike Falcon, 1979-80 (current assistant coach at Sachem)
- Dan Mayo, 1982-83 (member of Sachem Hall of Fame)
- Larry Iaccono, 1983-84 (played football at Penn State)
- Wayne Wilson, 1986-87 (current director of security at Sachem)
- Lance Banfi, 1986 and 1988 (current assistant coach at Sachem)
- Jason Kraft, 1991-92
- John Carvalhiera, 1992-93
- Chris Iorio, 2005-06
- Gio Santiago, 2012-13 (still active)
-Words and photos by Chris R. Vaccaro