Whether it was the epic comeback in the semifinal round; or the controversial verdict in the state finale; one thing is for certain....THE PUNDITS CANNOT STOP TALKING ABOUT JOHN GLENN!!!

Runners-up at the NYSPHSAA DII State Duals a season ago; the present-day NY-USAW Top-ranked Small School program refused to be denied in 2025, as they capped off a perfect campaign (11-0) when they went a perfect 4-for-4 this past weekend under the roof of SRC Arena in Syracuse!!

Winners in 34 of 52 individual bouts from start to finish; the road to glory for the Knights was paved in gold courtesy of victories by the following scores: 54-6 over HM Peru; 46-28 against #6 Chautauqua Lake-WP; 39-24 over #8 Unadilla Valley-Unatego-Franklin; and finally a hotly debated 38-29 triumph at the expense of fellow "Strong Island" based school/Defending NYSPHSAA DI champs, Plainedge!!! 

Vaulted to greatness by the clutch/standout performances of studs such as #2 @116 Tommy Aiello (2x State medalist/2023 Champion), #7 @215 Carmine Gerbino (2x Suffolk finalist/2024 Champion), and #17 @285 Elijah Porpora (2023 Sectional Champion); whom all went unbeaten (three or more appearances); it would also be the total well-roundedness of the cohort that landed the Section XI powerhouse on the top of the mountain...

Four additional wrestlers---Syed Abbas (108/116), Karahn King (131/138), #12 @160 Dylan Bulger (152/160), and Niko Drakopoulos (170) all went 3-1!!

And 2024 S11 runner-up/NYS Qualifier, Ashton Presti, made the most of his two outings; picking up "must have" dubs during the homestretch in the semis and finals!!

The "Money Dual" clash of Suffolk vs. Nassau on Saturday evening being about as evenly matched as possible; Glenn would emerge with a slight 7-6 edge in terms of total bout wins; with the 152-pound contest obviously being a significant turning point...

The team score standing at 9-5 (Plainedge) at the time; the Red Devils' #1 ranked/returning NYS DI runner-up, Luke Nieto (152) would build a 15-3 cushion in the 2nd period; but while in the process of trying to search for more, would perhaps get a little too aggressive on a hard cross-face; resulting in the officials penalizing him...

When his opponent, Peter Bell (2024 sectional 4th), was unable to continue, thus creating a disqualification of the LIU commit [Nieto]; emotions ran high on both sides of the aisle!

As reporters and not editorialists; it is not our place to render an opinion on the fiasco other than to accurately acknowledge that had the match-up continued after the P1 call; it is very likely that Nieto goes on to win by some form of bonus points and the double-digit swing might have altered the outcome...

The "elephant in the room" having been diplomatically addressed; it is important to not fall prey to the fallacy of the "predetermined outcome" and instead focus just as intently on the other SIX matches in which Knight representative delivered immensely on center stage!!

The two squads taking turns trading jabs (neither side won more than two consecutive matches); it was King (2024 Suffolk bronze medalist) getting JG on the board [down 3-0 after a loss in the opening match at 131) when he racked up three takedowns and three turns (including a pair for the full set of NF via boots-in power-half) to post an 18-1 TF against Jon Cynar that put Glenn on top, 5-3...

A loss by fall (1:41 over Ricky Jimenez) at the hands of 2x Nassau placer/2024 Sectional Champ, Kyle Carter; followed by the scenario depicted above; the dual very much still stood in the balance as Glenn only held an 11-9 lead with nine matches still to be contested...

For this season; it is only proper that the contributions of Bulger, Gerbino, Porpora, Aiello, and Presti be treated with a degree of reverence....

Squaring off against Jake Dephillips, the former Suffolk 3rd [Bulger] was able to notch a quick TD and then immediately transitioned to a legs-in power-half to turn his nemesis for a pin at the 1:04 mark at 160 pounds...

A response by Plainedge coming in the form of a 6-1 decision by Dylan Fella against Drakopoulos and a 0:54 stick of David Rafiq (6th in Suffolk in '24) by #1 ranked/defending NYSPHSAA Champion, Devin Downes, allowed the Devils to jump back in front, 18-17!! 

But then it was Glenn's turn to offer a retort in this back-and-forth war, as Gerbino was used a TD + title in the 1st period to establish a 7-0 lead and then kept the pressure on during the second period by stockpiling four takedowns to cruise to a 20-4 TF versus Jake McClosky...

Porpora then converted a single-leg straight to the back of Plainedge's Jayden Camp to get on and off the mat in a mere 58 ticks to make it 28-18 on the scoreboard...

An 18-2 TF by Luke Worzel against Gianni Vargas; complemented by a Joe Manfre's 57-second matslap of Abbas restored a narrow 1pt lead (29-28) for the reigning NYSPHSAA Duals king...

But Glenn closed strong, as both Aiello and Presti were masterful in all areas (but especially from top), as the former turned Nick Gerbasi on four separate occasions to secure the 15-0 1st period TF; while the latter struck for three takedowns and two sets of swipes for the full allotment to clinch the "w" by way of a 19-4 TF at the expense of Jon Luca Frucci!

Not lost or overlooked despite the disappointing verdict would be Dom Agovino's TD in sudden victory that propelled him to a 9-6 upset of #9 ranked/2024 Suffolk silver medalist, Aidan Lee, that handed the Devils the initial 3-0 edge! 

1st period falls at the 1:47 and :40 marks by Vargas (half) and Aiello (boots-in half) at 101 and 116 against Shon Klintchev & Bryden Sheldon was accompanied by Abbas receiving a walkover at 108 to culminate the epic comeback!

While the triumph in the finals is rightfully going to command the majority of the headlines...

From our vantage point; the most exciting dual of the weekend for the Knights occurred one round earlier when they stormed back from a 24-4 hole to peel off individual wins in the last SEVEN bouts en route to seizing a 39-24 victory over an extremely potent and dangerous Spartan contingent!!

Presti capitalizing on three takedowns + 4NF (bar) to come away with a statement-making 15-4 major decision over returning Sectional 3rd/State Qualifier, Brogan LeFever, at the onset of the dual to give JG the early 4-0 advantage; this would be the only head-to-head win that Glenn would relish for quite a while as a talented and/or credentialed group of UUVF middleweights strung together a five-match winning streak to foster the aforementioned deficit cited above!! 

Three of the members of the Unatega-Unadilla Valley-Franklin block compromised of returning state qualifiers; it was actually a non-qualifier, #12 ranked Gavin Nordberg (2x S4 5th) that sparked the sextet when he registered a 20-9 major decision over Lee at 131 pounds...

In turn, it would be the three-headed Zaggout family monster---Abdul-Jamil (2x S4 placer/2024 runner-up), Ahmet, and #11 Abdeen (2x S4 placer/2024 3rd) recording dubs by way of fall in 4:58, 11-5 decision, and 3:18 stick at 138, 145, and 160 against King, Jimenez, and Bell...

Sandwiched in the middle at 152 pounds; #19 ranked/2023 State 5th, Wyatt Meade, added his own stamp when he went to work on top to tilt Bulger four times in the 2nd period to transform a 3-2 deficit into a 21-3 tech!!

The odds stacked against them and many pundits already "giving them up for dead"; the Knights never lost faith and one-by-one it was Drakopoulos, Drakopoulos, Gerbino, Porpora, Vargas, Abbas, and Aiello battling back and then taking control of the semifinal dual by closing on a seven-match streak of their own!!

Drakopoulos (6) and Rafiq (8) ignited the rally when they combined for 14 takedowns to pick up tech falls by margins of 20-5 and 24-7 over Zack Sousa and Caleb Wildenstein at 170 and 190 pounds...

In the clash of top-20 personnel at 215 pounds; it was Gerbino forcing repeated stall calls (including a 2pt in the last half minute of a 4-4 match) to steal the 7-4 decision over current #5 (@190)/2023 State Qualifier, Yanni Drapaniotis!

Up 6-2 at the end of the end period (two TDs), Porpora poured it on in the last 2:00, collecting a reversal and two additional takedowns to clock up bonus points courtesy of a 14-4 major decision at 285 over Nolan Boyles...

Seven of their 11 wins in the dual coming over former and/or returning sectional placers, the Knights got themselves off on the right footing when they upended the 2025 S7 Dual Champion Nighthawks!!

A hard fought decision loss by Vargas to Alyn Capen (2x Sectional placer/2024 Bronze) in the first match of the morning temporarily putting JG in a hole 3-0 deficit; "to the rescue" were Lee, King, Jimenez, Bell, Bulger, Gerbino, and Porpora...

Keeping the momentum flowing after 6-3 decision and 25-second pin wins by Abbas (against Zachary Goddeau) and Aiello (over Kaden Rivers),  it was Lee giving the Long Islanders a 15-3 cushion when up 14-0 (TD + tilt in the 1st; cradle for 3+4 in the 2nd), he punctuated his dub over '24 S7 4th, Jeremiah King, by notching a fall in 4:46 (bar + half)...

A takedown and three turns giving him a 14-0 lead at the conclusion of 2:00; King tossed 2024 sectional bronze medalist, Spencer Davies, straight to his back for the pin less than half a minute into the 2nd period (3:28)...

Jimenez struck for one takedown apiece in each of the three periods as the crux of an 11-7 decision at 145 versus 2x S7 placer/bronze in '24, Landen Goddeau! 

Converting a takedown in the 1st and then running a bar in the 2nd for a full set of swipes to account for his production; Bell emerged with a 7-1 decision over returning S7 4th, Nathan Beattie!

Up 3-0 after a TD, Bulger barred up 2024 S7 4th,  Myles Cummings, for the 1:21 slat of the mat...

Enjoying 7-0 and 3-0 advantages, Gerbino (bar) and Porpora (half) put an exclamation on the opening-round triumph when they punched the clock with fall in times of 1:41 and :58 against 2024 sectional 3rd, RJ Bishop, and returning S7 4th, Joshua Wheatley, at 215 and 285 pounds!

Amidst the seven-match streak from 145 thru 285, Drakopoulos and Rafiq made their presence(s) known by posting 7-2 and 1:25 fall conquests of  Brody Blaise-Smith and Brody Blaise-Smith, at 170 and 190!

2024 S7 silver medalist, Mason Starke, was the only Peru wrestler aside from Capen to get his arm raised; as he defeated Keith King, 12-7, at 138 pounds!

Locking up the semifinals berth by disposing of their highest seeded (#6) rivals of the weekend; the Knights took the "w" in wire-to-wire fashion against the Eagles...

Anchored by the exceptional heroics of Lee and King at 131 and 138; John Glenn was able to jump out to a decisive 29-0 advantage after sweeping the 116-145 bouts to commence  the collision of LI vs. Buffalo!  

Up 12-0 following a win by forfeit for Abbas and a 3:39 stick by Aiello (versus Christopher Bowen); Lee stepped onto the mat and proceeded to deliver his finest outing of the day as he blew open a 4-4 bout in the 2nd and 3rd periods by tallying a pair of takedowns and then tacking on two separate rear-bar tilts for the full set of NF to explode for 15 unanswered points to claim the 19-4 TF over #13 ranked Gavin Burchowski (2x S6 medalist/2024 Runner-up)!!

Picking up right where his teammate left off; King turned in a mind-blowing effort as he'd surrender the opening TD, but then chained wrestled his way into a deadly position, as he hit a reversal and continued to adjust until he had 14th-ranked Thandon Bensink (2x S6 medalist/2024 runner-up) trapped for the fall at the 56-second mark!!!

Soundly upending two of the three top-20 competitors in the CLWP line-up certainly creating a buzz for JG, as Jimenez extended the mini run to four victories in a row when up 10-2 (three takedowns), he'd counter a sit out attempt by driving Jordin Eddy to his back en route to notching a stick in 3:25...

CLWP able to end their scoreless drought when Toby Watson amassed a 24-12 major over Bell at 152; any momentum generated would be short-lived as Bulger, Drakopoulos, and Gerbino were responsible for providing a second wave of firepower, as they registered victories at 160, 170, and 215 in the form a 1:56 pin, a 17-0, and a 1:09 fall to round out the prolific collective onslaught...

Up 5-0 after a TD + turn, Bulger relied on a power-half to do the deed against Tristen Gibbs...

Drakopoulos's offensive came in fiery bunches as he used a body lock to deposit Tayvier Wells on his back for 3+4 during the first 60 seconds of the 1st period; added an additional 3NF on a hard mat return to close out a 10-0 stanza; and then continued to pile on in the 2nd when he locked up a cradle off bottom for 2+4 to polish off a 17-0 TF!! 

Gerbino stuffed a shot attempt and on the ensuing action was able to toss Caleb Szymanowski with a cow-catcher to earn the 69-second pin!!

The scoreboard reading 46-10 and the outcome no longer in doubt; credit must be given to the Section 6 champs for battling until the final whistle; as they managed to make the finally tally respectable to closing on a three-mat streak...

#1 ranked/2024 State runner-up, Mason Maring had a fall in :57 over #20 Luca Palisciano (Suffolk Bronze in 2024) at 285....Chase Shirley pinned Brady McCormack at the 2:58 mark...And Zander Lombardo received a forfeit at 108!

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