Tuckers roll in advance of showdown in P.J.
TUCKERS 66, RED DEVILS 9
The last time the Mattituck/Greenport high school wrestling team lost a dual meet, it was two seasons ago at Port Jefferson. That loss put a dent in the Tuckers’ hopes for a league title and they haven’t forgotten about it.
With a sense that they have some unfinished business to attend to, the Tuckers have an anticipated return date in Port Jefferson on Wednesday. The winner of that match will almost surely bring home the Suffolk County League VII championship.
At stake for the Tuckers is what would be a second straight undefeated league season and a fifth league crown. They have been rolling toward that goal ever since the season started. Friday was another move in that direction.
The Tuckers marked Senior Day at Mattituck High School with a thorough 66-9 thumping of Center Moriches. Ten Mattituck/Greenport seniors were recognized in a prematch ceremony, seven of them wrestled and the Tuckers (17-3, 6-0) made it look easy. The first seven bouts went Mattituck/Greenport’s way, spotting the Tuckers a 39-0 lead. For the day they totaled five pins, four wins by technical falls and another four wins by decisions.
Six of the Tuckers’ seniors made their day extra special by winning in the next-to-last home match of their careers. Brian Pelan, who earlier this month joined the Century Club with his 100th career win, picked up Win No. 106 with a pin of Bel McFarlane at 3 minutes 30 seconds of their match at 132 pounds. Christian Angelson, wrestling at 170, pinned Ian Pappa at 5:46. Joe Peroni didn’t need more than 42 seconds to win the 182-pound bout with a pin of Joe Adams. Bobby Becker was leading Jimmy Lewis, 16-0, in their 138-pound encounter when the contest was stopped at 3:32 because of a technical fall. Connor Andersen was a 7-1 winner over his opponent at 220, Kyle Kainge.
Another senior, Ryan Bergen, also enjoyed a win, although he didn’t actually have to wrestle for it. He won by forfeit at 152.
James Hoeg raced to a first-period pin at 145, stopping Center Moriches’ Ishan Wahedi in 28 seconds. Also coming through with pins for the Tuckers were T. J. Beebe at 113 pounds (against Kevin Farina at 3:40) and Adam Goode at 285 (against Dion Kennedy at 3:47).
Mattituck/Greenport’s entrant at 106 pounds, Thomas Hoeg, scored a technical fall against Joe Fey at 4:28.
But the Tuckers, wrestling methodically and in control, also won by decisions, too. Wins were posted by Luke Bokina (7-1 over Donald Wood at 99), Lucas Webb (10-2 over Jake Vollkammer at 125) and Tanner Zagarino (14-2 over Paul Leary at 160).
Sal Loverde, wrestling at 195, looked like he was on his way to helping complete a sweep of senior wins for the Tuckers. He was leading by 5-0 when Will Hamilton, in a sudden turnaround, put Loverde on his back for a pin at 3:34. Those 6 points were Center Moriches’ first points of the day.
James Marella was responsible for the only other points Center Moriches (5-7, 3-4) registered. He outpointed Tyler Webb, 7-3, at 120.
