The Rapier would like to thank Gabriel Turcios and William Portillo for contributing to this story.

The Central Islip Wrestling team recently competed in the Cliff Clark Classic. They were victorious over Patchogue Medford, Lynbrook, and Sayville, losing only to East Islip. Our very own Kris Ayala took home the Most Outstanding Wrestler trophy. Having the honor of representing Central Islip in a match is what motivates the team to do well at practice.

Proving yourself to the coaches is how you get the opportunity to represent your weight class and the wrestlers do not take that opportunity lightly. Anyone who has seen the team running in the new wing knows how serious they are about pushing themselves, and each other, to be their best. Outside of practice, the wrestlers are encouraged to do a four mile run, 100 sit ups and 100 pushups daily. Their success at the Cliff Clark Classic is evidence of their dedication to their sport.

Team members also credit their success to the friendships and connections that are built on the team. Coach Rick, Coach Brad, and Coach Thomas motivate, inspire, and teach the wrestlers how to do the same for each other. The seniors on the team use the example set by the coaches to do the same for the underclassmen who will then eventually do the same when they fill that role. A team member described the importance of building a family within the team. “Without strong bonds, it would be like trying to build a house of cards with no base. If the base is shaky, the house will fall.”

Are you thinking about attending a match? Here is what to expect: Wrestlers are paired by weight to an opponent. The goal is to pin the opponent to the mat.  A pin is when any part of both shoulders or both shoulder blades are in contact with the mat for two seconds. When a pin occurs, the match is over. If nobody gets pinned, the winner is the wrestler who has scored the most points during the match. Earning points is what makes the matches so fun to watch. Points are awarded for takedowns, escapes, reversals, and there are penalty points for violations too!

Home matches happen in the High School gym. Use the schedule below to check the dates and times and come show your support for the Central Islip wrestlers!