Carrera Looking to Place 3rd at Counties for Blue Waves

Mario Carrera had the most action-packed day of any Riverhead wrestler at the Division I Suffolk County championships.

Wrestling at 160 pounds, he won his piggy back opening round bout against Kelly Kalbacher of East Hampton, but lost in the next round to Connetquot’s Nick LoBue.

This forced Carrera into the wrestle back bracket, where he beat Hills East’s Tommy Shair, 9-8.

Carrera will wrestle Deer Park’s Rich Lugo Monday at Stony Brook University in a bracket that will allow him to place third if he goes the distance.

Ryan Gevinski (96) and Ethan Zaweski (103) both lost in the first round, while Pat Thomas (135), lost in the second round.

Notes & Quotes

-Huntington’s Nigel McNeil, wrestling at 119 pounds, has not lost in two years and advanced to the semifinals with easy wins Sunday afternoon.

-Hauppauge’s Chris Mauriello, wrestling at 96 pounds, will wrestle in the semis Monday. He is the younger brother of Nick, who was recently in the news for his battle with MRSA.

-Longwood leads all teams with six wrestlers in the semis, while John Glenn has five.

-Overall point leaders Division I: Longwood (100), John Glenn (68), Sachem East (55), Connetquot (55) and Huntington (53).

-Overall point leaders Division II: Bayport (188.5), Center Moriches (117.5), Mattituck (110.5) and Port Jefferson (99).

-Rocky Point head coach Darren Goldstein on the county finals: “This is the big show. It’s what everybody trains for all year long."