Shoreham-Wading River wrestler Gavin Mangano earns third straight state title
Gavin Mangano of Shoreham-Wading River defeats Ashten Haley of Cobleskill/Richmondville, 7-5, in the 144-pound Division II final match at the state boys wrestling championships on Feb. 28, 2026, at the MVP Arena in Albany. Credit: Newsday/William Perlman
ALBANY – State titles feel better when you can stand on top of the podium.
For the second year in a row, Shoreham-Wading River’s Gavin Mangano wrestled Ashten Haley of Cobleskill/Richmondville in the Division II state final. Mangano was glad to enjoy his victory on his feet and out of a wheelchair Saturday evening at MVP Arena.
Top-seeded Mangano defeated No. 2 Haley by 7-5 decision for the 144-pound title. It’s his third straight state title.
Last year, Mangano scored a takedown on Haley early in the first period. He got up gimpy at the end of the first period and finished the match with a heavily taped up ankle. He gutted out a 6-3 decision with a broken right ankle. He had to celebrate his second state title with his coaches and family on the trainer’s table and partook in the podium ceremony in a wheelchair.
“It feels a lot better to be standing up this time, rather than being wheeled around,” Mangano said.
Mangano scored two takedowns to take a 6-0 lead into the third period. He was awarded a penalty point after being illegally headbutted early in the third period. Haley scored a takedown with 1:14 left and was awarded two stalling points in the final 30 seconds.
“That’s why you have to score points no matter what the circumstances are,” Shoreham-Wading River coach Joe Condon said. “He was headbutted, which is a penalty. Maybe didn’t get the calls you want, but he just kept pushing and that’s why he’s a champion. He didn’t lose his composure. He kept his poise and he won the match.”
Mangano, a Penn State commit, embraces the biggest stages and enjoys wrestling the best competitors.
“Ashten put 100% effort towards me, which is what I want. I just wouldn’t say I was on my A-game today,” Mangano said. “I should have been scoring more offensively. I just wasn’t pushing the pace enough. I wouldn’t say my performance was where it should be at, but my dad always says, ‘A win is a win is a win.’”
“I think people think, ‘Oh, he should go through everyone with ease,’ but every guy in this tournament is a good wrestler, too. It’s not easy,” Condon said. “Three state titles is unbelievable.”
Mangano picked up three technical falls in 5:05 on his way to the finals. He finished the season with a 49-2 record and owns a career record of 216-5.
After capturing his first state title in 2024, Mangano set his sights on joining Jesse Jantzen as the only four-time state champions from Shoreham-Wading River. With each title he has earned, his desire to achieve that goal has only grown.
“I want it more now,” Mangano said. “I have that drive to be the best. I want to be better than Jesse Jantzen. I just have to keep pushing. This is a reminder that I have to keep working hard. People can catch up to you.”
“He’s kind of changed his mentality now, where he’s looking to dominate, as opposed to just winning,” club coach Khaled Dassan said. “He’s gotten so much better on his feet and getting into leg attacks and scoring.”
Division I wrapup
Division’s Ayden Delgado lost a 7-2 decision to top-seeded Marcarlo Mannello of Briacliff/Byram Hills. Delgado, the No. 3 seed, finished the season 31-3.
East Islip senior Rocco DeSetefano lost a heartbreaker in the 132-pound final. The No. 3 seed trailed top-seeded Marco Futia (Wallkill), 10-1, before scoring a reversal, hooking a cradle and scoring four nearfall points. He nearly secured the pin, but the officials determined that Futia’s shoulders were not flat. Futia held on for a 10-7 win. DeStefano finished the season 46-4 and earned a spot on the state podium for the first time in his career.
Smithtown East’s Matthew McDermott pushed top-seeded Ryan Munn (Carthage) to overtime. Second-seeded McDermott earned an escape in the third period to tie the 144-pound title match at 1. Munn scored a takedown in sudden victory to win a 4-1 decision. McDermott finished the season 44-3. The sophomore was last year’s runner-up at 131 pounds.
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
