Congratulations to Herricks wrestler Ryan Singh, Nassau County Division I (large schools) 112-pound champion.
Singh battled his way through the best 25 wrestlers at his weight to emerge on top at the New York State Section VIII (Nassau County) Wrestling Championship Tournament held at Hofstra University Saturday and Sunday Feb. 12 and 13. Singh is the Highlanders’ nineteenth County Champion.
Singh defeated Matt Ishak (Plainedge) and Sam Ward (Locust Valley) on Saturday to advance to the semifinals. Folks were heard to remark that he had looked sluggish and not as good as they had expected. Then at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning he exploded for a dominant whistle-to-whistle major decision victory over MacArthur’s Chris Cataldo in the semis.
“He looks very good, now get him out of here,” Gary Mims told Herricks head coach Cliff Forziat.
Mims, now retired for several years, had been head coach of the Massapequa Chiefs who had attained a national ranking under his stewardship. He and Forziat go back a long way.
“Back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s Gary and I were the main designers of the seeding procedures developed by and for the Nassau County Wrestling Coaches Association, and which has been adopted in part by New York State for the state tournament.,” Forziat noted. “I have always respected Gary’s input, especially back in those years when I served as Section VIII wrestling coordinator.”
With hours of wrestlebacks and consolation matches ahead, the coaches sent Ryan home with brother Vinod (2010) who had come in from Quinnipiac College for the event.
“You may see something different in him,” Damian Garcia said to Forziat regarding Ryan Singh. “But Singh looks to me like a really terrific kid. He’s always very respectful and always presents himself well. All your kids do. Good luck in the finals.”
Garcia is a former Nassau County champion and all-state wrestler out of Long Beach High School. He is currently head coach in Island Trees and NCWCA vice president.
The finals began at 6:30 p.m. with Singh squaring off against highly touted top-seeded John Lanzilotti from Roslyn.
E-mails and text messages streamed in from Herricks wrestling alumni wishing Singh well in the finals. Joe Carranza (1998), Craig Yellin (1994), Rino DiMaria (1988), Louis DiMaria (1992), and Bob Bruschi (1980) were in the house together with a sizeable contingent of Herricks wrestlers and parents yelling encouragement from the stands.
Singh won his 122nd career varsity match by defeating Lanzilotti 7-3 in the finals. Singh is the Nassau County Wrestling Champion at 112 pounds. Singh is qualified to compete in the New York State Championship Wrestling Tournament in Albany Feb. 25 to 26.
Singh was chosen by the other 14 weight class champions to be the Nassau County Champion of Champions, a tremendous singular honor and mark of respect.
The weekend was filled with high points. When Bethpage’s 160 pounder Jermaine John won his championship, the Eagles assistant coach Ben Resnik reminded Bethpage Head Coach Ron Abatelli that it was his turn to bring the cannolis, this time to the state tournament.
Since 1982 each time that Bethpage and Herricks get together whether it be dual match, tournament or scrimmage, they alternate bringing cannolis.
It all started out at the seeding meeting at Baldwin High School for the League Championship Tournament back in 1982. Forziat and then assistant coach Pete Guastella had stopped at a local Baldwin deli to pick up dinner and saw fresh cannolis, and (in a moment of dietary weakness) bought a box of them (it was going to be a long meeting).
Bethpage was in the tournament, and when Abatelli saw the cannolis his mouth watered. The sharing began with Abatelli vowing to bring them the next time that the teams met, and so the alternating began.
“This is the best wrestling tradition ever,” Herricks assistant coach Mike Miller has been heard to exclaim again and again. The large fresh cannolis that Forziat gets at Politos are so good that Abatelli’s wife has him drive up from Bethpage to get them.
Meanwhile, Vinod Singh was smiling all night with pride for his brother’s achievements, and doubly so because Sunday was Vinod’s birthday.
“This is the best birthday present,” he said with a grin as Ryan was having his picture taken with the other champions.
Herricks Middle School coach Jake Phillips had a grin on his face so big we were fearful that the top of his head might fall off.
He sat next to Forziat to coach during Ryan’s finals match in the spotlight during the making of a county champion.
Saturday Phillips had attended a job fair for teaching positions in Harrison, where he received some serious offers for next year.
After the finals Phillips could be observed drifting about the floor of the arena, grin in place, mumbling “this is the greatest weekend.”
Indeed.
