SPORTS | THE NORTHPORT RECORD, FEBRUARY 22, 2007

Gandolfi Gets Redemption, Fennell Falls

Northport senior is first two-time county champion in school history

By Michael R. Sisak / The Northport Record

Chris Gandolfi rose slowly as his opponent, Cameron Gee of East Islip, lay muted near the center of the mat, last Saturday at the Suffolk County Wrestling Championships.

The Northport senior pumped his fists as he turned away from Gee, who stayed bunched like a tired, beaten heap of black spandex, pressing his head into the white, foam mat as Gandolfi moved his celebration to the corner.

Gandolfi leaped into the arms of Northport assistant coach Thad Alberti. He draped his arm across the shoulder of head coach Al Cicio and he hugged his father, Frank, who had been watching the match and shouting his support from a spot a few feet off the mat.

Gandolfi had landed a takedown in the final seconds of the 171-pound large school final to secure a 3-2 victory and become the first two-time county champion in the 57-year history of wrestling at Northport. He also avenged the second of three discouraging losses from earlier in the season.

Gandolfi, whose overall record is 31-3 this season, fell to Gee 8-3 in the championship round of the Huntington Tournament on Dec. 9. Last week, in the League II title match, Gandolfi defeated Jose Santana of Bay Shore, whom he had lost to 9-4 in a dual-meet on Jan. 5.

“I’m just too stunned to think right now,” Gandolfi said, as he changed into a t-shirt and shorts in a darkened corner between sections of stands in the arena at Stony Brook University. “ A lot of people doubted me, that I was even going to go to the county finals. I actually doubted myself after I had those three losses.”

Gandolfi and Gee exchanged early blows. Gee cut into the skin above Gandolfi’s left eye in the first period. After a timeout for the wound to be bandaged, Gee continued to press the action, and his repeated attacks pushed Gandolfi into a defensive posture. Gandolfi, who is more adept at defense than maneuvering on his feet, reeled back several times to evade potential harm. Gee went ahead 2-1 with an escape early in the third period.

With time short, Gee moved in to attempt a takedown, but Gandolfi countered. Gee and Gandolfi both shot forward, but Gandolfi lunged with greater force. He grabbed Gee’s right leg and snapped it to the mat. Four weeks ago, Gee underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in the limb. After three weeks of rehabilitation, Gee returned to wrestling, but the knee remained vulnerable under a protective brace. Gandolfi used Gee’s weakness to his advantage. He circled around Gee’s back and took command.

“[Gandolfi] is in good physical shape, so he can keep pressing the action even if he has to go to overtime,” Cicio said. “He’s got good mental toughness, he doesn’t give in. No matter what the situation, he’ll hang in there.”

“He’s is not the best wrestler on his feet compared to some of his opponents, but he makes up for it with good defense and conditioning.”

Two of Gandolfi’s preliminary matches at the county tournament were decided in overtime. Following a 4-2 win in the first round over Vic Nicotra of Islip, Gandolfi fought for three extra periods to defeat Paul Jacobs of Amityville in the quarterfinals last Friday, 5-4. He needed another extra session to knock out Hal Goodale of Riverhead in the semifinals, 5-1.

“I loved it every time, because I thought I was going to get through the first day easy, but I got taken down both times — in the first round and the second round — and you can’t underestimate anybody,” Gandolfi said. The last time he did that, he said, he lost 17-4 in an event at Sachem East. “I like to go out there and pretend [my opponent] is first in the state every time. I don’t fear him, I respect him.”

Gandolfi, who will represent Suffolk County at the NYSPHSAA State Wrestling Championships, March 2-3 at the Times-Union Center in Albany, was the only Northport wrestler to place at the county event.

Senior Mike Fennell, the lone Commack wrestler to reach the finals, lost 9-3 to Paul Vaeth of Islip, the defending county champion at 140 pounds. Fennell, who will wrestle at Ohio University, could still gain entry into the state tournament by earning one of four wildcard slots.

“We knew it was going to be tough,” Commack Coach Bill DeSario said. “You set your goals high and when you don’t quite reach your goals, you’re always a little disappointed. It’s tough for the wrestlers when they lose, when they put that much time and effort into the sport.”

Two other Commack wrestlers placed in the top six, thereby earning All-County honors. Senior Nick Feraco, who lost his semifinal match after being penalized for stalling with 10 seconds left, finished third at 145 pounds. Eric Hersey took sixth-place at 125 pounds. The Cougars accumulated 73 team points and finished ninth, a point-and-a-half behind Huntington.

“I’m pleased the way the tournament went,” DeSario said. “I don’t want to say we had a bad day, but it didn’t quite go our way today. We weren’t getting the calls that we needed and we weren’t quite as sharp as we had been, but that’s based on the level of competition.”