The top wrestlers in the area were all under one roof this weekend, as the Westchester County Center played host to the 2026 Section 1 Wrestling Championships from Feb. 6-9. For some competitors, it was a chance to test their mettle against the fiercest athletes in the section. For others—including a few local grapplers—it represented a taste of the mountain top.
New Rochelle and Eastchester each claimed winners on the weekend, with Huguenot junior Matteo Crino capturing the 132-pound crown in the Division 1 Boys Competition and Eagles’ junior Tatiana Alexander winning the 94-pound girls championship. Both Crino and Alexander celebrated their first career titles after finishing as runners-up in 2025.
Crino said that he came into the season with a refreshed mindset after his second-place finish last year, something that he believes made a difference in his pinfall finals win over Clarkstown North’s Alex Perez.
“I wanted it so bad. After last year, I was not losing in the finals,” said Crino. “This year I was a lot more calm, I was more focused, there were no nerves; I was ready to go.”
Like Crino, Alexander won her finals matchup in decisive fashion, earning a 12-2 tech decision over Port Chester’s Iliana Barrientos. The Eagles standout—who made the 2025All-State team after receiving an at-large bid last year—said that she had her sights firmly fixed on winning a section championship this year and looks forward challenging for a state title later this month.
“I wanted to win the section title this year and hopefully keep going,” she said. “I was pretty confident because I put in a lot of work in the offseason, but anything could’ve happened and I’m glad I came out on top in the end.”
Other notable performers on the weekend include Rye’s Jason Gaylord and Jack Anderson—who took home second place finishes in the 165 and 215-pound weight classes, respectively. Mamaroneck’s Nobu Homma and David Corrales place fourth and fifth at 110 pounds, while the Tigers’ Henry Cerasoli placed fifth at 150.
The NYSPHSAA State Championships will take place later this month at the MVP Arena in Albany. The girls championships will be contested on Feb. 26, while the boys will be on the mat on Feb. 27-28.
For competitors like Crino and Alexander, a state title would represent not only the pinnacle of their careers to date, it also speaks to the support of those behind the scenes who have helped them reach this point.
“I love my parents, I love my family, I love my friends and coaches,” said Crino. “They push me to win.”
