Wrestling Review: Huskers Enjoy Solid Campaign

Yorktown enjoyed a solid campaign on the mat this winter by going 16-7 with four of its grapplers earning all-league honors.

Husker coach John Tornambe said it was a combination of things that led to his team's success.

"Yorktown has always had kids that wrestled but now we have wrestlers," Tornambe said. "We have kids that started in pee-wees and have continued all the way through. We are seeing dividends from that."

Some of the athletes have been part of the program for a number of years. While others started wrestling on the middle-school team or joined as freshmen, Tornambe said they stuck with the sport. 

Earning all-league honors were sophomores Joe Mastro (140 pounds), Steven Sabella (145), David Varian (275) and Kyle Santucci (112).

Varian also recorded a sixth-place finish in the sectionals.

 “Three out of the four (except Varian) have been in the program since they were pee-wees," Tornambe said. "They work hard. They are workers. They are not afraid of hard work. They just do everything right.”

Also making solid contributions to the success of the Huskers were 96-pound Nick Driskoll (eighth grade), 119-pound Jimmy Kaishian (sophomore), 125-pound Jesse Jewell (junior), 160-pound Thomas Murray (sophomore), 189-pound Steven Martimucci (senior), and 215-pound Alex Santini (senior).

“Next year we really have one goal and that’s just have numerous kids place in the section and have a few kids win it," Tornambe said. "The dual meets and tournaments are important as far as preparing for the sectionals but what I care about the most is that, the sectionals.”

Tornambe said he feels with the hard-working group he has, the team will have an even better season next year.

"I have about seven, eight kids wrestling in the offseason in various clubs," Tornambe said. "They are willing to put the work in not only during the season but also in the offseason as well. I am expecting good things next year.”