Beat the Streets caps 2024 Junior League season with City Championship

Lena Gao and Lilly Do each claim titles in the boys and girls standard divisions.

More than 30 New York City student-athletes became champions on the wrestling mat at the 2024 Beat the Streets Junior League City Championship on Sunday at Harry S. Truman High School in The Bronx.

Lilly Do and Lena Gao brought the hundreds of spectators to their feet by winning individual titles in the boys and girls standard divisions. Do won her first two matches without allowing a point then scored a takedown in the final minute to win the boys division. Do secured two wins by fall and a forfeit for the top spot in the girls division. Gao had a second-period fall and 8-1 win to claim the girls title, while 29-second fall secured the boys crown. It is the second straight year Gao has accomplished the feat.

Coached by BTS Junior League Manager and BTS alumnus Jon Alicea, Cornerstone Academy repeated as standard boys division champions with 117.5 points ahead of Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy (107). Cornerstone Academy also took third (50.5) in the Novice division behind champions Hunter College M.S. (75) and runner-up Eagle Academy for Young Men in The Bronx (56). P.S. 178 Saint Clair Mckelway lifted the girls division championship belt by just 2.5 points over P.S. 5 Port Morris.

Each season, New York City elementary and middle school students participate in the Junior League season during the fall semester. Students learn new wrestling technique during their weekly practices at their school then compete in three Family Afternoon Match (FAM) Days, two mini-tournament and the city championship. In addition to wrestling, BTS also implements the Wrestler’s Mark Enrichment curriculum, in which common phrases or techniques used on the mat are translated to real-life learning scenarios off the wrestling mat.

Individual champions - Boys

Wartell Jesse (Fox Portella Wrestling)

Lena Gao (M.S. 51 William Alexander)

Richard Gonzalez (Cornerstone Academy)

Kaedon Covington (Eagle Academy for Young Men)

Devin Akyali (Akyali Wrestling)

Lilly Do (Hunter College M.S.)

Michael Lamattina (Petrides)

Mory Suleymaine (Cornerstone Academy)

Johan Suriano (P.S. 5 Port Morris)

Terrance Mason (Bronx Studio)

Ian Lukanich (Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy)

David Tweneboah (Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy)

Raymond Guthy (Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy)

Luke Roman (Cornerstone Academy)

Individual champions - Girls

Lena Gao (MS. 51 William Alexander)

Lahaqura Douglas (P.S. 5 Port Morris)

Allison Pichardo (Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy)

Aniyah Jackson (P.S. 178 Saint Clair Mckelway)

Angelina Ramirez (Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy)

Lilly Do (Hunter College M.S.)

Heaven Aspinall (Bronx Studio)

Brooklyn Abramshe (Conselyea Prep)

Tatiana Pacheco (P.S. Port Morris)

Selayria Fortune (P.S. 178 Saint Clair Mckelway)

Individual champions - Novice

Jeremiah Benjamin (Eagle Academy for Young Men)

Oskar Zheng (Christa McAuliffe I.S. 187)

Hansum Mcculum (Eagle Academy for Young Men)

Izzy Nunez (I.S. 25 South Richmond)

Jesse Han (Hunter College M.S.)

Nick Gonzales (I.S. 25 South Richmond)

Andres Estevez (P.S./M.S. 218 Rafael Hernandez)

Roy Burgos (Bronx School for Medical Science)

Jayden Campbell (P.S. Port Morris)

Isaac Taveras (Bronx School for Medical Science)

Since being founded in 2005, Beat the Streets has pioneered a movement that now includes 150 individual wrestling programs, a youth league and the first girls high school league.

BTS works to develop the full human and athletic potential of the urban youth and strengthen the NYC wrestling culture. We aim to make a lifelong impact on student-athletes through the lessons learned on the wrestling mat -- discipline, perseverance, self-reliance, humility and a strong work ethic. Discover how you can make a meaningful contribution to our work at btsny.org/donate.