Cougar Wrestlers Dominate on the Mats

Garden City High School buzzed with excitement yesterday evening, as its gymnasium hosted a dual meet between the school's own wrestling teams and those of Bellmore's John F. Kennedy High School.

The Cougars shined in the varsity competition, winning decisively with a final cumulative score of 43-16. The team produced one of its most consistently impressive collections of performances thus far this season.

The Garden City Trojans collectively made a gallant effort throughout the contest, but only a handful of them were able to match the relentless ferocity exhibited by their Bellmore opponents.

The Cougars took charge at the outset and never relinquished the upper hand. A pin scored by Garden City's Tom Ferro in the sixth match, the sole pinfall credited to his team that evening, briefly interrupted Kennedy's momentum. But the Cougars quickly rebounded with a pinfall of their own in the very next match. They proceeded to win four of the remaining five matches thereafter, scoring two more pins along the way. In all, Kennedy won eight of the meet's 12 matches.  

The outcome left the Cougars' varsity coach, Brian DeGaetano, brimming with pride – and relief.

"It's a big win for the boys," he said. 

He explained that while the Cougars had not played Garden Citythis season, the Trojans have traditionally been a tough test in past ones.

"They're always a very competitive match," he said, noting that Garden City has "a very strong program."

The triumph over Garden City improves Kennedy's seasonal record thus far to 10-5, which five wins in their last six matches.  DeGaetano partially credits his team's recent success to its interactions with Suffolk County wrestlers.

"We're not seeing the same kids [in Suffolk]; we're seeing new kids, and with different styles," he explained.  "It's helping us."

Among the Cougars standout varsity wrestlers are Robert Person, who is currently ranked #1 in Nassau County at 96 pounds; Joe Maher, ranked #3 in the county at 112 pounds; Rich Frank, ranked #4 at 130; Mark Levine, #6 at 96; and 125-pounder Bobby Krug, who has yet to lose to an opponent from Nassau County.

"He's been on fire," DeGaetano said of Krug, who only recently returned to competition after recovering from a severe leg injury.

Person, Maher, Frank, and Krug were all victorious in their matches at the Garden City meet, with Maher, Frank and Krug winning by pinfalls.

For both the Trojans and the Cougars, there will be no rest for the weary: their teams are each scheduled to compete in meets again today.