Farmingdale was well-represented on Saturday, March 27, when over a dozen members of the Howitt Middle School Wrestling Team participated in the 1999 Nassau-Suffolk "STOP DWI" Junior High School Wrestling Championships held at Nassau Community College. The tournament is the culmination of the middle school wrestling season, which finished on March 19.

The mighty Howitt "matmen" competed brilliantly this season, finishing with an impressive 9-1 dual match record. Many of the student-athletes finished the season with superb records and individual accomplishments.

At the tournament on Mach 27, many of these same wrestlers put it all on the line, as they wrestled the elite in Nassau and Suffolk County. Like true "Dalers", they showed up and "conquered" the competition. Farmingdale crowned four individual champions, more than any other team at the tournament. The 1999 champions are all in the eighth grade: Greg Booth, Rob Ianne, Chris Menez and Brendon Grech. Adding to his accomplishment of county champ, Brendon finished the season undefeated against his competition.

Finishing in second place in the county were eighth graders Ryan Burtis, Joe Sheehan and Chris Hardgrove. Also performing well in competitive weight classes were Chris Kachmar, who took third place and Gary Blitenthal, who battled tough for fourth place. Also entering the tournament and wrestling in some brutal matches were Steven Bambinelli and Mike Munroe. Although neither wrestler placed, both wrestled aggresively to send the bouts into overtime.

The hard work displayed by all the wrestlers this season obviously paid off in the end. The Howitt wrestling team is coached by John Valente, Joe Romeo and Rich SantaMaria. Congratulations to all the wrestlers, coaches and parents.