Last season’s Section XI wrestling tournament experience is still burned in Matt Stallone’s memory because he didn’t make weight and didn’t place.
Seven pounds heavier, wrestling at 106 and armed with enough motivation to make him work even harder this season, Stallone created another everlasting memory when he captured a Suffolk County championship Sunday night at Hofstra after beating Rocky Point’s Anthony Cirillo, 6-5.
Stallone lead 2-0 after the first period, but trailed 3-2 heading into the third. After a neck-and-neck battle for points in the final minute, Stallone prevailed with 15 seconds left to take the victory. He’s now 41-3 this year and headed to the New York State tournament.
“I was down, but it happened in the semis to me also and you always have to think positive,” he said, referring to his semifinal bout against Hauppauge’s Ben Tepperman. “You can’t stop moving. I knew this was my time, I wasn’t going to stop.”
Asked what it’s like to now have a legacy at Sachem, Stallone said his experience in the program had still been special, regardless of the championship victory.
“Even if I didn’t have a legacy it’d still be great because Sachem wrestling – East and North – is all everyone is always talking about,” he said. “You can’t ask for anything better.”
Sachem North Wrestlers who placed
- First, Matt Stallone, 106
- Third, Sean O’Hagan, 132
- Fifth, Anthony DiMatteo, 220
- Sixth, Matt Marino, 138
VIDEO: Watch highlights from the Section XI Championship
PHOTOS: Click here to see more images from the finals
RESULTS: View complete Section XI place winner list
-Words, Photos, Video by Chris R. Vaccaro