Eastchester senior Nunzio Crowley came into the 2015-2016 season as a reigning Section I champ with a reputation as one of the finest defensive wrestlers in the state. Over the weekend of Feb. 13, however, Crowley’s offense was on display as well, as the standout claimed his second-straight title at 170 pounds with a dominant showing at the section championships.
Crowley scored three pinfall victories before earning an 8-0 major decision over Suffern’s Stephen Lauro in the finals to win Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at Clarkstown South High School on Sunday, Feb. 14.
According to Eastchester coach Steve Crowley, Nunzio’s father, the Eagles grappler, has shown flashes of offensive dominance late in the year, stemming from a lackluster performance at the prestigious Eastern States Tournament on Jan. 16. Nunzio Crowley, whose record currently sits at 40-2 on the year, finished a disappointing fourth at the Sullivan County-based event, but has been on a tear over the final few weeks of the season.
“Ever since Eastern States, [Nunzio] has become a much more offensive wrestler,” Steven Crowley said. “He had a couple of losses and I think he realized that the best way to do things is to go out and score points.”
The results have been impressive, as Nunzio Crowley closed out the season with 15 wins coming by way of pinfall and another two—including the section final—coming by major decision.
“I think he’s right where he should be; he’s starting to get the offense going and his defense is still great,” Steve Crowley said. “He hasn’t had a point scored on him in about a month right now.”
Nunzio Crowley and the rest of Section I’s champions will spend the next few days training for the state championships, which will take place on Friday, Feb. 26 in Albany.
Other local wrestlers headed to states include a pair of Huguenots, as Jake Shore, who beat John Jay’s Louie Cree 11-8 in the 126-pound finals, and Jake Logan, who pinned Ketcham’s Aiden Folster to win the 160-pound division, both scored high for New Rochelle.
The Huguenots’ 106 team points gave them a solid fourth place finish at the two-day event. Eastchester, which had Nunzio Crowley’s teammates Matt Occhicone, Phil Capriglione and Jeyfer Chacon in the mix, finished with 38 total points, good enough for 19th.
Mamaroneck, which had four wrestlers in contention, came in 31st place with nine total points.
“The Section I state team will get together for the next two weeks up at John Jay Cross River, where they will train as a group,” Steve Crowley said. “On the days that we’re not together, we will run some practices with a smaller group of other section winners.”
