STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.— It’s rare for both teams to leave a dual meet in great spirits given there’s a winner and a loser, but that was the case Wednesday evening in Huguenot when St. Joseph by-the-Sea faced St. Peter’s.
Not only did the host Vikings cap their Senior Night with a commanding 51–18 victory, but Eagles grappler Sean Foley also reached a major milestone by earning the 100th win of his career, leaving both schools with something to be proud about.
“I think the seniors did very well tonight,” Sea head coach Corey Hannah said after the meet.
“I actually have two or three brand-new wrestlers on the team who are seniors and have come a long way, and it definitely shows in their maturity and in how they performed out here today,” he continued.
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St. Joseph by-the-Sea vs. St. Peter’s Wrestling
While the seniors deservedly commanded the spotlight, Vikings freshman Salvatore Ferraioli (110 pounds) stole the show in the first contested match of the night, grinding out an overtime victory that sent the Sea gym into a frenzy.
“He’s actually a brand-new wrestler and that kid has no quit in him. He wrestles to the very last second of the match, and that’s what I look for in my guys,” Hannah said of Ferraioli’s thriller.
“I always tell them it’s not about winning or losing, it’s about going out there and giving 100 percent. Either way that match ended, I would have been proud of him, but of course he got the victory, and so I’m extra proud of him.”
Thanks to Ferraioli’s tone-setter, the Vikings ultimately tallied eight wins in 11 contested matchups; also taking home victories were Michael Arena (132), John Gogarty (138), Steven Caruso (150), Michael Balzano (157), Luca Arnone (175), Justin Stassi (190) and Noah Ocasio (285).
Hannah said he believes his team’s comprehensive win came from “hard work day in and out.”
“We know that five days a week we have to go hard in the room, and the guys have fed into the program by giving me their all every time they go out there,” he went on.
Reflecting on where the Vikings go from here following a special win on Senior Night, Hannah said, “I think we’re doing very well; we’re right where we should be. We had a couple of tough losses against good teams, but overall, I’m very proud of our guys. Like I said, as long as they give me 100 percent, it’s not about winning or losing — I get 100 percent.”
As for the Eagles’ night, in addition to individual wins from James Barry (165) and Matteo Gioia (215), Sean Foley earned his aforementioned 100th career victory — an accomplishment he said is the result of “working hard for something you love.”
St. Peter’s senior Sean Foley poses with his coaches after collecting his 100th career win during a meet against St. Joseph by-the-Sea on Dec. 17, 2025.Michael O’Brien
He was also quick to praise his team’s efforts so far this season, saying, “Everyone’s working their butts off. It shows. Sea is a good team, so they’re going to win meets — it happens. But all the hard work will come out on the mat eventually.”
St. Peter’s head coach Joe DeSimone was certainly thrilled by his senior’s landmark win, saying, “From the jump four years ago, it’s been nothing but hard work and dedication from Sean.”
“To see him grow not only as a wrestler but as a man has been great. He’s one of my best wrestlers on the team, and the 100 wins speak for themselves,” he continued.
DeSimone also hopes to see other members of the Staten Island wrestling community hit 100 wins in their own time, helping to grow the sport in the borough.
“To have a guy not only from St. Peter’s, but from Staten Island reach 100 wins is huge. You ask (Farrell coach) Peter Hamm, Corey Hannah, and me, we’re all focused on growing wrestling on Staten Island. There was a time at St. Peter’s when we only had five guys on the team; to go from those five to a team with 20-plus kids is a huge accomplishment, and we’re working to keep growing it every day,” he concluded.