Bronco Campsey, East Hampton High’s standout 108-pound wrestler who is a Pierson High sophomore, was a finalist last weekend in the state tournament in Albany, losing 12-4 to the division’s top seed, Will Soto of Newburgh.
The division’s third seed, Campsey received a first-round bye, after which he decisioned Uniondale’s Joshua Pierre-Paul 6-0 before winning two 1-0 nail-biters, over MacArthur’s Vincent Orandello and Hauppauge’s Connor Sheridan, that propelled him into the final.
His quarterfinal win in triple overtime over Orandello was said by Newsday to be the day’s most exciting match. Campsey and Sheridan, whom Campsey defeated 6-1 for the Suffolk County championship recently, met for the third time this season in the semifinal round.
Beau Campsey, Bronco’s father, said Monday that though his son “fell short of his ultimate goal, it was an amazing accomplishment. He made one mistake in his match with Soto and it cost him. He was more upset by the likelihood that he won’t get another opportunity to wrestle Soto — because they’ll be in different weight classes — than he was by the loss. I’m absolutely amazed by Bronco’s composure and mental approach. . . . I’m so happy he had the opportunity to wear the Section XI singlet.”
Ethan Mitchell, East Hampton’s coach, said Monday that “Bronco proved himself on the biggest stage. As a first-time competitor, he didn’t allow a single point against him until the finals. His quarterfinal bout was especially thrilling, a triple overtime one that ended 1-0 in his favor after 8 minutes and 20 seconds of wrestling. Bronco’s persistence and conditioning wore out his opponent; his escape in the ultimate ride-out period showcased his confidence.”
“It’s an old saying in wrestling that it’s difficult to defeat an opponent three times in a row, but Bronco rose to the challenge against Sheridan, winning 1-0 by sticking to his plan and maintaining his composure. In the finals, he went head to head against Will Soto, who was third in the state as an eighth grader, won the state title as a freshman, and went undefeated, at 48-0, this season as a sophomore. Bronco became the only wrestler all season to put Soto on his back, taking an early 4-0 lead. Although Soto battled back to win 12-4, Bronco’s performance against such an elite opponent was nothing short of inspiring.”
Mitchell added that “Bronco finished the season with a remarkable 34-3 record, bringing his career record to 83-20, and he’s only a sophomore. Last
year, Bronco’s postseason ended with a second-place finish in League IV. This year, he not only captured the League III title, but also dethroned the two-time defending county champion, Connor Sheridan, who has committed to wrestle at the Naval Academy in the fall. Bronco was the youngest Bonac wrestler to win a county title, giving up only 2 points throughout the entire tournament.”
“Everyone in Bonac is immensely proud of Bronco. His growth this season was extraordinary, and we are all eager to see what he accomplishes in the coming years.”
