Mamaroneck’s wrestling team may not have won its match against rival Scarsdale on Jan. 19, but the night itself was a huge victory for the Tigers. Taking on the Raiders last Thursday night, Mamaroneck celebrated the past, present and future of the program, as the wrestling community turned out in droves to celebrate the first-ever “Battle at Post.”
Conceived by co-coaches Scott Gilberti and Femi Wheeler, Thursday night’s event was a chance to build enthusiasm for wrestling in Mamaroneck by shining a light on the current high school program as well as the contributions made by distinguished alumni. Fans packed the Post Road gym for the event, something Gilberti admitted was a pleasant surprise.
“We got the idea from looking at events put on by the football and basketball programs and they just seemed like such community events,” he said. “Anytime you’re doing something for the first time, you never quite know what to expect, but this turned out better than we hoped.”
Mamaroneck’s opponent for the event was a solid Scarsdale team that would end up coming away with a decisive win thanks to a strong showing in the higher weight-classes, but Gilberti said that nights like this one would serve to strengthen the program in the long run.
“We want to thank Scarsdale for coming out, we have a great relationship with them,” said the coach. “They’re one of those programs where the everyone gets together and we’re all OK.”
Gilberti noted that the presence of alumni—spanning the last 30 years of the program—as well as the youth teams will be integral to the growth of the Tiger’s wrestling program moving forward.
“We’re trying to build it, last year we had a great year with two Section I champs and an All-State wrestler and we’re trying to get back to that level,” said Gilberti. “But we need to show these kids that it’s OK to be a great wrestler; it’s a tough sport where you may not get as many people out to see it, so we’re excited about the direction about the program.”
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