Long Island Wrestling Association

Lou Giani Named Suffolk County Wrestling Coach of the Year

A lifetime of honors, including induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Oklahoma won’t prevent Blue Devil mat mentor Lou Giani from savoring being named Suffolk County Wrestling Coach of the Year.  The award follows another stellar year by Huntington, which saw the team win both the Section XI and New York State tournaments.

It came as no surprise to anyone in the crowd of 800 at the annual Suffolk County Wrestling Coaches Association awards banquet at Sports Plus in Lake Grove when Giani was announced as 2004’s top coach.  After all, he shattered several records this past winter, winning his 400^th dual meet, establishing a new consecutive win streak mark and breaking the 40-year record of Bay Shore’s Cliff Clark for the most individual county champions coached.

“It feels great to be recognized by my fellow coaches with such an award,” Giani said.  “Suffolk has a lot of super coaches so being given this award means a lot to me.  It’s only because we have such great kids in Huntington and a coaching staff that works hard that I was given the award.”

Not only did the Blue Devils win the Section XI team title, but four Huntington wrestlers – Shawn Riley, Shaheim Bradshaw, Jack Sullivan and Pierre Delva won individual crowns and Frank Sangiovanni , Chris Holland, Charlie Paar and Jeremy Pellot earned all-county honors.

The season saw Giani become the first Suffolk coach to win 400 dual meets (400-29-1), surpass Clark with 57 county champs and set a new win streak mark of 81 straight.  Huntington went on to win its second state team title in three years.  Riley won the state 130 lb. crown, Giani’s 23^rd New York champ – another record.  The famed coach has now coached a Suffolk-best 172 all-county wrestlers.