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Kenneth Lainez placed third at 160 pounds at the Sprig Gardner Memorial Tournament in East Hampton on Saturday.
Clint Vasquez of Hampton Bays competing against a Southampton opponent at the Sprig Gardner Tournament.
Bayman Alejandro Ceballos Rave gets set to square off against a Ward Melville opponent at the Sprig Gardner Tournament.
The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on every sport last season, but it seemed to really target smaller wrestling programs where numbers were slightly low to begin with.
Such is true for the Hampton Bays wrestling team, which prior to the pandemic was starting to gain some steam and build numbers, finishing the 2019-2020 season, which ended right before the start of the pandemic, with about 25 kids, head coach Mike Lloyd said. The Baymen began last season, which was condensed to just a month, due to the pandemic, with 13 on their roster which dwindled down to nine by the end of the season between injuries and dropouts. Of those nine, five were seniors, some county placewinners the year before in Will Krivickas and River Orlando, while others were strong teammates and postseason hopefuls in Jesse Riscen, Kevin Sohtz and Alex Velasquez.
Lloyd said those departures have left the team with a small squad for the 2021-22 season.
Leading the Baymen in terms of varsity mat experience this season will be senior Cooper Shay at 215 pounds and junior Kenneth Lainez at 160 pounds. Lainez placed third at 160 at the Sprig Gardner Memorial Tournament at East Hampton High School on Saturday. Clint Vasquez placed fourth at 285.
The rest of the team is made up of middle school wrestlers making the jump to varsity and includes Kevin Saa Pacheco (118 pounds, younger brother to 2019 graduate Nick Pacheco), Matt Scott (126), Angel Valverde (152) and Antony Choy (160).
“Between the pandemic and those we graduated last year, I’m hopeful that this younger team can continue to build their skill and self-confidence,” Lloyd said. “Our focus is to build a strong foundation to make up for the time lost away from the mat.”
Hampton Bays will compete in Division II/League VII this season with Babylon, Bayport-Blue Point, Center Moriches, Elwood-John Glenn, Mattituck/Southold/Greenport, Port Jefferson, Shoreham-Wading River and Southampton.
The Baymen will host Glenn in their first dual meet of the season this Friday, December 10, at 5:30 p.m. and will then host their annual Doc Fallot Memorial Tournament at the high school on Saturday.
