Strong Senior Class Will Lead Mariners On The Wrestling Mats This Season

With a full roster at its disposal, the Southampton wrestling team is heading into the 2021-22 winter season with full steam, and if the first weekend of action is any indication, good things could be in store for the Mariners.

Last season was basically a lost one for Southampton, as it was for so many other teams across Suffolk County, trudging through what was a condensed season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lester Ware, the program’s longtime head coach, had opted out of coaching due to the pandemic, and the season was basically two weeks of a preseason, followed by two weeks of matches where wrestlers got, at most, six matches out of it, far fewer than they would in a full season.

It was a tough way for the few senior wrestlers Southampton had to end their careers, but thankfully, many Mariners are returning, some of whom have been with the program for quite some time. Leading the way are seniors Alex Boyd (138 pounds), Brad Bockhaus (172), Adrian Gonzalez (145), Riley Lenahan (189) and Johan Moraxtitla (215). Cole Fox is only a sophomore but is entering his fourth season on varsity having been brought up as a seventh-grader. The last time Fox was seen on the varsity mats he was 105 pounds. He has since put on some weight and will compete in the 152-pound weight class. Fox was also one of a few Southampton wrestlers who transferred to St. Anthony’s last year to get a season in, but all have since returned.

Bockhaus and Moraxtitla have both earned All-County honors previously and Ware is expecting them to achieve even more in their final seasons. Gonzalez went 6-0 last season and Ware said he has really fallen in love with the sport since being introduced to it as a sophomore. Ware said this will be Lenahan’s breakout season.

With all of the unknowns coming into this season with the pandemic and if parents were going to keep their kids back from competing in a high-risk sport such as wrestling, Ware said his team is faring well so far with 27 on the roster and all of the weights filled out, for now.

“There are concerns on how we get through this season, and they are legit concerns, but a lot of the kids got through the season last year,” Ware said. “The rules are most interesting this season. You have to wrestle with a mask on at all times, and all spectators have to be masked. Last year the standard was ‘as tolerated,’ but they’re being straightforward with it this year and being strict about it.”

What Ware really likes about his team is the stock that his wrestlers come from. They all had brothers on the team at some point or currently have brothers on the team. Cole Fox’s younger brother Hudson is a freshman and will wrestle at 138 and Ware thinks he will improve as the season goes along as it’s his first varsity season.

Sawyer Boyd (172) is the younger brother to Alex, and Lenahan and Oswaldo Reyes (160) both had older brothers who were on the team some years ago. Andrew Sourada (126) also comes from a family with wrestling in its background.

The Mariners had a successful run at the Sprig Gardner Memorial Tournament at East Hampton High School on Saturday. Lenahan, Moraxtitla and Cole Fox were all champions of their weight classes. Lenahan pinned his way through the tournament while Moraxtitla earned the “most pins, least time” distinction with five pins in 4:00. And Fox beat a tough opponent out of Bayport-Blue Point in the semifinals, then defeated his Ward Melville opponent in overtime in the finals.

Johan Montero placed second at 102 pounds, Dylan White placed second at 215, George Gutierrez placed second at 285 pounds and David Castillo placed third at 285. Gabe Lopes, a first-year sophomore wrestler, placed fourth at 138. Adrian Gonzalez and Alex Boyd each won three matches. Brad Bockhaus missed the tournament with a sprained ankle.

“It was a very good first outing,” Ware said. “I was most happy with Cole and Johan. Riley doing what he did, did not surprise me. I expected him to do well. And Johan Montero, I was happy with him. We had a couple of kids who did pretty well considering it was literally their first time out there so all in all I was pleased with how we did. I think the kids will just keep getting better.”

Southampton will compete in Division II/League VII this season with Babylon, Bayport, Center Moriches, Hampton Bays, Elwood/John Glenn, Mattituck/Southold/Greenport, Port Jefferson and Shoreham/Wading River.

Southampton has its first dual meet of the season this Friday, December 10, when it hosts Center Moriches at 5:30 p.m. and will compete in the Doc Fallot Memorial Tournament at Hampton Bays the following day.