A week after their triumph at the state tournament in Albany, wrestlers from Bellport High School’s boys and girls teams were recognized Friday afternoon with a parade through the school, where they were cheered on by their teachers and fellow students.

Among those who were celebrated was freshman Camryn Howard, who won the boys state tournament in the 138-pound weight class, becoming Bellport’s first state wrestling champion since 2001.

Howard defeated the defending champion, Pittsford High School’s Samson McKissick Staley, of upstate Pittsford. It was a reversal from the tournament two years ago, when Staley beat Howard.

“I felt like it was a long time coming,” said Howard, who qualified for this year’s state tournament by pinning his opponent in the county championship in just 11 seconds. “I felt like I could get it with my hard work. When the ref slapped the mat [1:14 into the match], I knew it was over.”

It was Howard’s third-consecutive appearance in the state tournament and his first state championship.

Howard’s hours of practice paid off, boys wrestling head coach Chuck Maragiolio said.

“People don’t understand the work he puts in and the dedication.,” Maragioglio said. “That’s the reason for this. When you get to witness it first-hand, it’s really remarkable.”
The Bellport girls team came in first in the state with 85.5 points, in the first-ever state girls wrestling tournament sanctioned by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.Four wrestlers were recognized as all-state because of their performance in the tournament:

Aaliyah Morrow finished second in the 152-pound weight class;

Caitlin Maragioglio finished fourth at 126 pounds;

Olivia Anello finished fourth at 94 pounds; and

Sky Williams finished fifth at 145 pounds.

The team includes wrestlers from seven high schools, including Bellport, Patchogue-Medford and William Floyd.

“We’ve been working really hard all season to put our best product together,” girls head wrestling coach Joe Scioli said. “We finished very strong. We kept our goals in sight and the girls really seized their opportunity to make history.”

“I was so proud of the girls and the boys,” South Country athletic director Martino Sottile said. “They supported each other throughout the year. The boys sacrificed some of their [wrestling] room times so the girls could come in and they split the time shifts.  They’re always supporting each other at each other’s matches.”

Getting the chance to wrestle against girls from around the state on the big stage at Albany’s MVP Arena was exciting.

“It’s finally a chance to show what we’ve been working on all season,” said Caitlin Maragioglio, a Bellport High School sophomore.

Anello, a freshman at Patchogue-Medford High School, said that having a chance to participate in the state tournament with equal billing as the boys was gratifying and something she wanted to see.

“To be able to have such a big tournament, same as the guys, that meant so much to me,” she said. “This finally is where girls wrestling is taken seriously.”

Williams, a junior at William Floyd High School, said the success of the team will encourage more girls to try the sport.

“We’re No. 1 in the state, baby,” she said. “We’re out there. You can Google us. Yeah, they want to be a part of us.”

The future looks bright for both the boys and the girls teams.

No one on the girls team is graduating in June, and the boys team returns all but four graduating seniors.

“It’s an exciting time between the boys and the girls programs,” Chuck Maragioglio said. “We return a lot of wrestlers and it’s time to get back to work. We’re losing four seniors, and they will be missed. But we placed 20 guys in the league tournament, so we have guys ready to step up and fill the void they’re leaving.”