Neidhart, Rasheed earn wild cards

UPDATE 2/25/09: Malik Rasheed of Longwood is now slated to compete at 103 after a wrestler dropped out, Longwood coach Mike Picozzi confirmed. Picozzi did not know which wrestler dropped out, but the Lions will now send three wrestlers to the state meet. Malik joins his brother Corey and 215-pounder Ernest James. Malik was originally listed as an alternate for the wild card berth.

Shoreham-Wading River senior T.J. Neidhart earned a second consecutive at-large bid to the state wrestling tournament. After placing second at 160 he'll get a chance to contend for a state title. He placed third in the state last year at 145.

Another local wrestler who will be headed to the state meet is Longwood seventh-grader Corey Rasheed, who lost his first match of the season in the 96-pound county finals. The experience of a state tournament at such a young age should go a long way in his development. His brother Malik, a freshman, is an alternate at 103. Malik also placed second in the county tournament. Twelve wrestlers in total from Suffolk County earned at-large bids and two were listed as alternates. This is the third year of the at-large bids.

That brings the total number of local wrestlers guaranteed to be competing this weekend up to 8:

96-Corey Rasheed

119-Steven Keith

135-Stephen Dutton

145-Anthony Volpe

160-Billy Coggins

160-T.J. Neidhart

189-Zach Buonaiuto

215-Ernest James

The wild card entrants from Section XI were as follows:

96-Corey Rasheed

96-Max Soria

112-Peter DeTore

119-Alex Gomez

125-Tyler Sinisgalli

125-Adam Troy

130-Kyle Wade

140-Nick Terdick

152-Chris Carlucci

160-TJ Neidhart

189-Marvin Titus-Casseus

215-Eric Wooley