Senior captains lead North Shore

The North Shore wrestling team enjoyed a solid 2022-23 campaign season until the end. A handful of injuries to their top grapplers derailed the Vikings at the state tournament. 

No one was more affected than Isaac Bratter, who finished second in Nassau County at 215 pounds to qualify for the state tournament. However, in the first state match, he injured his collarbone and got eliminated. 

Bratter is back for his senior year looking to do damage at states but a concussion forced him out of the first two weeks of action. In his debut on Dec. 13, he posted a pin against Island Trees.  

“The past year, I have been thinking of that (state) match a lot and things I could’ve done better,’’ Bratter said. “It’s been on my mind. I’m a lot hungrier because of that match. I’m a lot more motivated than I was.’’

Bratter is the ultimate wrestling workhorse and names “the bonechain’’ and “single-chain takedown” as his go-to moves. “The main thing is going hard in practice,’’ he said. “If you’re lazy and don’t put anything into practice, you’re not going to get anything out of it. I’m not the most technical wrestler but you have to be gritty and just wrestle hard. That’s my secret. I’m not the most technical wrestler but I do work hard. 

“I don’t have a huge move set but if you watch some of these college wrestlers, they’ve perfected a few moves,’’ Bratter added. “So I’m good at the ones I know and use them correctly.’’

 Another wrestler derailed late last season by the injury bug was 152-pound, Evan Giakoumas. The senior missed the end of last season due to a knee injury. He’s off to a fast start with a third place at the Manhasset Tournament and first place at a Mamaroneck event in Westchester. 

 “Evan is a skilled wrester who wrestles tough and wrestles hard in the offseason,’’ North Shore coach Anthony Facchini said.

At 160 pounds, the Vikings boast another senior in captain Luke Potapov, who dealt with an early-season shoulder injury. “He’s a tough leader in the room works hard everyday,’’ Faccini said. 

The fourth senior standout is captain Kevin Becker, slated at 118 pounds. “He’s a tough wrestler with a no-quit attitude,’’ Facchini said. 

Becker is currently wrestling up two weight classes. The plan is eventually get down to 118 pounds and give the maroon a more balanced lineup.

With those four seniors and junior Matte Porres, who might have the best work ethic on the squad, the Sea Cliff/Glen Head school will be formidable again on the mats.

“We have a lot of really good young eighth-graders and returning seniors with Becker and Potapov,’’ Bratter said. “If we all wrestle to our potential and are in the right places, we can possibly win the conference. The conference looks a little weaker than it was.’’

North Shore posted a 6-3 dual meet record last season. The major loss from that team was Kristos Viahopolous, who was a Nassau County champion in Division 2.  

The Vikings should be boosted by the eighth-grade pull-ups of Vincent Verderosa and Luke Devito.

“They have talent and are tough,’’ Facchini said. “They’ll be the future of the team but right now they’re working hard to improve. They have great attitudes and I feel the future is looking bright.’’