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BEDFORD, N.Y. Once Joe Amuso became the varsity wrestling coach at Fox Lane, his alma mater, he was not thinking for the long-term.
Once I got started, I was just taking it one year at a time, said Amuso with a laugh. Before you know it, 41 years later and here I am.
Amuso is the dean of Section 1 wrestling coaches and one of the most highly-respected coaches in the state. His list of accomplishments throughout his brilliant career is lengthy. On Tuesday, his team presented him with another milestone.
Fox Lane defeated visiting Clarkstown South, 44-38, giving Amuso his 400th wrestling win. Amuso is the only Section 1 wrestling coach to reach this milestone.
The match was held in the Fox Lane Middle School gymnasium, where Amuso taught physical education for more than 35 years. His wife, Carmen, was in attendance, supporting her husband and the team.
It feels good, said Amuso, who was keeping an eye on one of his junior varsity wrestlers match. I am pleased with all of the kids who have come through the room and have worked so hard through the years. They are the ones who deserve all of the credit.
Clarkstown South made it difficult on Fox Lane as the Vikings led, 38-28 going into the final three bouts at 152, 160 and 170 pounds. However, those weight classes were Fox Lanes strengths with Tommy Grippi, Giancarlo Morreale and Matt Pasqualini, respectively, there.Grippi and Morreale both registered technical falls, evening the score at 38-38. Pasqualini stepped on the mat knowing a win would equal 400. He did so with a pin in the first period.
Coming into the match we were definitely pumped up because we wanted to get the win for Coach Amuso, Pasqualini said. It is a big achievement and we did not want to let him down.
Amuso continued monitoring his junior varsity wrestlers along with JV coach Michale Esteves. When asked if he is looking ahead to win No. 500, Amuso laughed and said he was planning on taking it one match at a time the remainder of this season.
Fox Lane 44, Clarkstown South 38
182 -- Austin Maurer (CS) pin. A.J. DAmbrosio, 1:11; 195 -- Wilmer Quintero (CS) pin. Alex Karaqi, 5:02; 220 -- Danny Clune (FL) pin. Matt Cummings, 4:39; 285 -- Andriy Lychuk (FL) pin. Matt St. Onge, 3:59; 99 -- Brandon Fay (FL) technical fall Michael Alvarado, 20-5; 106 -- Alex Notaro (CS) technical fall Nick Engert, 18-2; 113 -- Brian McLiverty (CS) pin. Warren Gabrillo, 3:31; 120 -- Luciano Toledo (FL) major dec. Matt Pace, 19-5; 126 -- Frank Surace (FL) dec. Austin Fox, 5-3; 132 -- Joe Hughes (CS) pin. Steven Robare, 2:38; 138 -- Danny Ventura (FL) pin. Paul Moiseaum :48; 145 -- Liam Gallagher (CS) pin. Ari Faust, 5:12; 152 -- Tommy Grippi (FL) technical fall Sean Maloney, 16-0; 160 -- Giancarlo Morreale (FL) technical fall Drew Breyfogle, 20-5; 170 -- Matt Pasqualini (FL) pin. Hassan Auwarter, 1:37.
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