After placing eighth in the state championships last year, ninth-grader Colton Schmiesing said he was out for “revenge” this season.
Living up to his promise, Schmiesing placed first and earned Oyster Bay wrestling its first championship title in program history on March 1, when he defeated Holland Patent High School wrestler Andrew Juliano in a sudden victory.
Competing in the Division II 108-pound weight class, Schmiesing defeated Juliano, the title’s returning champion, in the finals and made Oyster Bay school history.
“I started from the bottom, and then I climbed my way to the top,” Schmeising said.
Schmiesing began wrestling about three years ago when he entered the sixth grade. His dad, who formerly wrestled at Hofstra University, has motivated and supported him since then.
“He puts in so much work over the summer and during the off-season,” said Jack Thibault, the program’s coach. Thibault started with the wrestling team in 2021 as an assistant coach, but this season marked his first as the varsity head coach.
He said Schmiesing’s dedication to the sport goes far beyond the team’s designated practice time. Schmiesing practices at a wrestling club apart from the school three times a week and even has a wrestling mat of his own to practice at home.
Thibault said that after team practices, Schmiesing and his teammates practiced at his home gym.
“I wanted the Oyster Bay team to get better, so we brought them all here, and my dad coached them a little,” Schmiesing said. “It was really nice.”
He said many teammates share his passion and dedication to the sport.
Thibault said this season, the team had 18 seventh—through twelfth-grade students. He said that when he first started with the program, there were only about seven kids on the team, but Schmiesing helped recruit many of his peers to the sport.
Thibault said his peers have showcased their strong support for the state champion. He said Schmiesing was barely off the mat after the final match before his teammates flooded his phone with texts and calls to congratulate him.
School staff members contacted Thibault to express their support, and Oyster Bay Superintendent Francesco Ianni attended the match in person.
“The drive to Albany was a small price to pay to see Colton’s incredible match, a display of skill and determination that filled me, and the entire Oyster Bay community, with immense pride,” Ianni said. “It was a powerful reminder that with unwavering commitment, anything truly is possible.”
Ianni said it was inspiring to see the athlete perform in Albany.
“His pre-tournament declaration, ‘I am going to win,’ wasn’t just a brag; it was a promise he fulfilled with a masterclass performance,” he said.
Gearing up for the state competition, Schmiesing said he was out for “revenge” after placing eighth last year. But he also wanted to make up for disappointing matches this season.
Schmiesing said he was unhappy with his performance at the Eastern States competition earlier in this season, which motivated him to do well at the state championship. He said he worked on his defensive strategies throughout the season.
Shannon McEntee, Oyster Bay’s director of physical education, health and athletics, said defense helped him defeat his opponent in the final match.
McEntee said he faced a 7-2 score deficit in the first period of the final match, cutting the lead to 7-4 in the second and tying it 7-7 in the third. Entering overtime, in which a “sudden victory” is given to the first wrestler to score a point, Schmiesing “thrived,” McEntee said.
“Colton, we are so incredibly proud of you,” McEntee said.
“This victory isn’t just a moment of triumph; it’s the culmination of years of relentless dedication, unwavering hard work, and a powerful, deeply held belief in his own abilities,” Ianni said.
The district celebrated Schmiesing’s victory at the board of education meeting on Tuesday, March 11.
“It was something that I will remember for the rest of my career,” Ianni said at the meeting.
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