Newsday’s All-Long Island girls wrestling team 2025

Newsday Wrestler of the Year

Haley Gonzales, Hicksville, 120, Jr., 18-1

It was a year to remember for all girls wrestlers in the sport’s first season sanctioned by the state. It was even more memorable for Gonzales.

The junior turned heads in July when she won the 118-pound title in the 16U Women Freestyle title at the USA Wrestling National Championship in Fargo, North Dakota. She entered the prestigious tournament as the No. 31 seed and knocked off two of the top three seeds on her way to the championship. She became the first Hicksville wrestler, male or female, to win a Fargo title.

Gonzales carried the momentum she gained in the summer into the season, dominating her way to the inaugural Nassau and state titles at 120 pounds. She overcame a 9-0 deficit and pinned Westhampton’s Lily Blenk in 5:45 to win the state title.

Suffolk Wrestler of the Year

Julianna Hernandez, Rocky Point, 126, Fr., 16-1

Expectations were high for Hernandez after winning the 107-pound title at last year’s state invitational as an eighth-grader. Even after suffering an ankle sprain in December, she delivered.

Hernandez won the Suffolk title at 126 pounds and picked up two technical falls and a pin on her way to the state final, in which she defeated Minisink Valley’s Sara Pauls by an 18-6 technical fall.

FIRST TEAM

Taylor Aiello, Town of Huntington, 132, Sr., 12-2

Aiello wasn’t sure if she would wrestle this season because of an elbow injury, but she battled through it to win the Suffolk title and take second place at the state tournament at 132 pounds. She will wrestle at Lock Haven.

Bianca Awerman, Town of Huntington, 100, Soph., 26-1

Awerman’s only loss came in the quarterfinals of the state tournament. She wrestled all the way back to take third place at 100 pounds, defeating top-seeded Zoey Jewett (General Brown) by 10-0 technical fall.

Lily Blenk, Westhampton, 120, Soph., 28-4

Blenk was the runner-up at 120 pounds at both the state tournament and at January’s Eastern States Classic. Blenk picked up two pins and a technical fall on her way to the Suffolk title.

Mia Flores, MacArthur, 235, Soph., 14-3

Flores was the state runner-up at 235 pounds. She won a 6-4 decision over Patricia Deslandes (Minisink Valley) to win the Eastern States title.

Aaliyah Morrow, Bellport, 152, Jr., 27-4

Morrow collected three technical falls to advance to the 152-pound state final, where she lost to top-seeded Victoria Alvarado (Warwick Valley). Morrow won a 12-2 technical fall to win the Suffolk title.

Gabrielle Severin, Bethpage, 114, Jr., 6-1

Severin missed most of the season with an elbow injury but returned for the postseason and was back to her old self. Severin pinned her way to the Nassau title and was the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. She was the state runner-up at 114 pounds.

Mikaela Tepley, Town of Huntington, 165, Sr., 27-2

Tepley won a 14-13 decision over Esmerelda Braman (Hadley Luzerne) to take third in the state tournament at 165 pounds. She picked up three pins in 1:12 on her way to the Suffolk title.

Keishara Tulloch, Uniondale, 152, Soph., 30-7

Tulloch started wrestling in November and burst onto the scene, winning the Nassau title at 152 pounds. She won a 10-8 decision over Kiara Richard (Shaker) to take third place in the state tournament.

Coach of the Year: Joe Scioli, Bellport

Scioli led Bellport to the team title at the inaugural state tournament with 85.5 points. Bellport also won the team competition at the Suffolk championship with 257.5 points.