Budding East Hampton Wrestlers Look To Compete for County Titles

Ethan Mitchell is expecting big things from this season’s East Hampton/Pierson wrestling team.

The head coach has been steadily building upon the program since he took over the helm three years ago and with 72 kids on the roster this year is looking to see several of his grapplers make a run for a Suffolk County championship.

“I’m super stoked,” Mitchell said. “The program has been growing quite a bit, which I feel fantastic about, and a huge number of guys that are sticking with it and committing in the offseason and going to camps should see success. They should see the fruits of their labor this season.”

Nearly three quarters of the team is new to this level of competition, but 18 wrestled on the Bonackers’ varsity mats last season. Of the 13 that graduated, four were veterans or contributors, but the head coach said he isn’t worried about the returners’ capabilities of filling their shoes.

Back are All-League leaders Luke Castillo, a senior, and Anthony Petersohn, a junior. Both finished fourth in League IV.

“Luke came up huge for us,” Mitchell said. “And we’re looking for Anthony to make major improvements on last year’s season.”

Returner Juan Roque, a junior who was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler by tournament coaches, did not compete in the 2022-23 postseason, but still ended the year with 27 wins and the greatest number of pins.

“We’re looking for him to make major noise,” Mitchell said.

The coach is also expecting breakout years from Pierson freshman Bronco Campsey, who won 21 matches as an eighth-grader at the 102-pound weight class — which is now 101 this season — senior Jhojairo Contreras and juniors Adam Beckwith, Aman Chugh and Josue Elias.

“For the last few years we were young and the theme of the program had been redefining success,” Mitchell said. “We were building, so we were finding success in our individual improvements — those little victories — but more kids have been coming to offseason stuff than there ever has been before. So now, we are now looking to have that traditional success — have winning records, send a bunch of guys to counties and have some of them make a run for a title.”

Of those who wrestled last season, five juniors had more than 15 wins, and the team ended with 111 pins. Out of 22 dual meets, the Bonackers only forfeited six matches overall, which the coach called “incredible” for a program that had only two wrestlers at the start of the season six years ago. Mitchell said he is looking for that number to be even less this year. He currently only foresees a potential issue at the 108-pound weight class, but said he’s confident he can fill each roster spot.

“I’m elated. It’s very refreshing,” he said, adding practices have had to be split due to the large number of athletes. “The energy has been amazing, and space being an issue is an awesome problem to have.”

The real potential challenge this season could be the implementation of a new state rule called the weight loss descent plan, which was created in an effort to discourage weight fluctuation.

Also known as the “1.5 percent rule,” wrestlers, who will step on the scale at the start of the season and at each competition thereafter, cannot lose more than 1.5 percent of their body weight. Athletes will have their descent plan recalculated from their current weight, but if they cross that threshold, will be ineligible to compete in their weight class.

Still, Mitchell has been working hard and putting in the time to develop a youth program, and support from administration and coaches at the middle school have also been key in the program’s resurgence.

At the 45th annual Sprig Gardner Tournament, which kicks off the Bonackers’ season on Saturday, December 2, at 9 a.m., the team will announce another pin pool fundraiser. Like a walk-a-thon pledge, community members can sign up to donate any amount of money per varsity pin, which helps fuel the Booster Club. Kid wrestling, which starts the first Tuesday in January, was moved from East Hampton Town to the Booster Club at the high school, so all funds donated funnel right into the wrestling club.

Following Saturday’s tournament, an alumni gathering will be held at Townline BBQ. Mitchell said he is looking for an even greater turnout than the six who came back last year.

“Community involvement is so important,” the coach said.

To donate directly to the Booster Club or sign up for the pin pool, email Mitchell at ethan.mitchell@ehschools.org. More information can be found on the team’s website at BonacWrestling.com.

East Hampton will travel to Shoreham-Wading River for a nonleague matchup next Thursday, December 7, before opening league play at Smithtown West on Wednesday, December 13. Matches are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. The Bonackers’ home-opening dual meet is that Friday, December 15, also at 5 p.m.