As the tournament reached its final bout, Jake Nieto made sure it ended on a high note. The Massapequa wrestler delivered a dominant performance in the closing match, controlling the action from the opening whistle.

Nieto defeated Mepham’s Christopher Notti, 18-3, by technical fall in 2:37 at 144 pounds during the 50th annual Sprig Gardner Wrestling Tournament on Saturday at Mepham High School. The event honors Sprig Gardner, the iconic Mepham wrestling coach from 1936 to 1958, and celebrates his lasting impact on the growth of wrestling in the Bellmore-Merrick Central School District and across Long Island.

“It means a lot to me to be able to participate in a tournament honoring such an important person in the Long Island wrestling community,” Nieto said. “I had great matches, and compe

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