Long Island wrestlers Xavier Seabury, Jake Nieto and Devin Downes win state titles
Xavier Seabury of North Babylon celebrates a win over Ethan Andreula of Long Beach, 1-0, in the 110-pound Division I final match at the state boys wrestling championships on Feb. 28, 2026, at the MVP Arena in Albany. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
ALBANY — Xavier Seabury suffered one loss this season and believed it was simply a fluke. The North Babylon sophomore knew if he performed up to his standards, he would be victorious against anyone. At the Division I state wrestling championships, he earned an opportunity to test those beliefs.
Seabury earned a 1-0 decision over Long Beach’s Ethan Andreula in the 110-pound final at MVP Arena on Saturday.
“All these years of hard work, I was ready going into this,” Seabury said. “I always told myself I’d be a state champion. It’s a great feeling.”
Second-seeded Seabury scored the lone point on an escape early in the third period, forcing top-seeded Andreula into a more aggressive approach.
“I just tried to keep good position, make sure my head is in the way,” Seabury said. “He got my legs at the end but I stayed strong and kept wrestling.”
Andreula handed Seabury his only loss of the season, a 3-1 decision at the Eastern States Classic in January.
“I knew Eastern was a fluke. I hopped off the mat still believing I was better,” Seabury said. “I worked even harder from that moment and wanted a rematch. I told myself if it happened at states, this time I would win.”
Seabury’s semifinal earlier in the day against Newburgh Free Academy’s Will Soto almost ended his championship run. He earned a sudden victory in overtime with a takedown.
“I wasn’t the first seed and that got me even more fired up coming into the tournament,” Seabury said. “I was ready for anything that was coming my way. Nothing was going to stand in the way of getting to the final.”
Nieto earns championship
Jake Nieto of Massapequa defeats Anthony Severino of Lindenhurst, 6-4, in the 138-pound Division I final match at the state boys wrestling championships on Feb. 28, 2026, at the MVP Arena in Albany. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Massapequa’s Jake Nieto had never placed at the state tournament, but this year, he made a grand entrance to the podium, earning the top spot.
Second-seeded Nieto decisioned Lindenhurst’s top-seeded Anthony Severino, 6-4, in the 138-pound final. Nieto scored a take down in the first period and maintained his advantage throughout the match, earning the 150th victory of his high-school career.
“I couldn’t get on the mat and let all the hard work that my coaches and I have put in,” Nieto said. “I had to accomplish this for my family and everyone who believed in me.”
Nieto persevered through a tough semifinal match, defeating Carthage’s Louden Elliott in the second overtime. The junior earned a takedown and two-point nearfall in overtime to win, 16-11.
“That match was a little sloppy. A lot of injuries, but everyone is banged up at this point of the season,” Nieto said. “That match showed me that even if I wasn’t at my best, I’m still on the mat and I have to wrestle with my all.”
Nieto provided his family the opportunity to celebrate a state championship for the second straight year, after his older brother, Luke, claimed the 152-pound title last season.
“It’s great to build a legacy as state champion brothers,” Nieto said. “But hopefully I can win another one next season and rub it in his face a little bit, that I have one more.”
Downes dominates for three-peat
Devin Downes of Plainedge defeats Zach Filip of Minisink Valley with a pin in the 215-pound Division I final match at the state boys wrestling championships on Feb. 28, 2026, at the MVP Arena in Albany. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Plainedge’s Devin Downes continued a dominating stretch of wrestling in the 215-pound final, pinning Minisink Valley’s second-seeded Zach Filip in 2:43 to become state champion for a third time. Top-seeded Downes earned pinfalls in all four of his matches at the tournament.
“Throughout the year, you always manage those highs and lows,” Downes said. “Sometimes it gets pretty hard to do this, but in the end, there’s nothing like this feeling. This is the ultimate thrill. No words can describe what it’s like to be a state champ.”
The senior earned the Division I 170-pound title as a sophomore and the Division II 190-pound title as a junior. He is Plainedge’s first three-time state champion.
“Anybody who steps onto the mat can be a threat. I work too hard to let anyone take this away from me,” Downes said. “I don’t take anyone lightly. As soon as the whistle blows, I’m trying to end the match as quickly as possible because everyone in this tournament earned their spot to be here.”
The Maryland commit earned three takedowns in the first period of the final before pinning his opponent in the second.
“Despite the success, there are times when it’s been a real struggle over the past couple of years,” Downes said. “Sometimes I’ve taken a bad loss that I shouldn’t have and said, man, I thought I was better than this. But these moments reassure me that I belong. When I’m down, these moments remind me that one match can never define you."
Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.
