PAUL GEORGEADES

132 lbs.

N.Y. STATE CHAMPION

Career Record 1972 - 1975

79 Victories - 20 Losses

1974 Section 9 Champion

1975 County Champion

1975 Section 9 Champion

1975 Scarsdale Tournament Champion

1975  New York State Champion - 132 lbs.

37 Pins in Career

SCHOOL RECORDS (at end of career)

18 Pins in one Season

155 Team Points in one Season

79 Career Wins

51 Take-Downs in one Season

No one can dispute Nanuet’s strong wrestling tradition.  Names like Jerry Leo, John Hassler, Paul Pietropaolo, Sean and Ryan Conklin, Paul Bailey and so many others quickly come to mind when we think of the many dominant wrestlers that have been borne out of the hot wrestling room Nanuet. However, despite this tradition of molding great wrestlers, county and section champs and sending numerous athletes to the state championships, Nanuet High School has only one state champion in over 50 years of fielding teams.  Although many had endured the years of battering on the wrestling mat only one had persevered long enough to step on that elusive podium and have his hand raised as the New York State Wrestling Champion.  That person was Paul Georgeades. 

Although he wasn’t a “gym rat” Paul did find one thing that the Nanuet Athletic department offered that he took full advantage of - the wrestling program.  Paul found a home as a freshman in the heat of the wrestling room and never looked back. From his first practice of his Freshman year to the moment his hand was raised as the NYS State Champion in his Senior year, Paul was an example of pure dedication. He never missed a practice and always made weight for a match. Paul was aggressive from the sound of the first whistle and was always in excellent physical condition and never stopped moving. Coach Mike Achille recalls that “Paul was a pleasure to coach and a joy to watch on the mat.”

Paul’s wrestling career gained momentum through his freshman and sophomore years leading to complete domination in his junior and senior years.  Wrestling at the 126 lb. wt. class in his Jr. year, Paul won the RCPSAL County Championship and was selected as the Sol Gordon Award winner which is presented to the most outstanding wrestler. He completed his downstate domination his junior hear by winning the Section 9 Championship at 126 lbs, defeating the defending Sectional Champion Tony Marciano, from Ramapo H.S.. Paul then went on to compete in the N.Y. State Championships in Syracuse where, after being eliminated on March 5, 1974, told his coach “I’m coming here next year and winning it.”

Paul had a stellar senior hear compiling a 32 – 1 record at the 132 lb. wt. class.  His only loss was in overtime at the Christmas Tournament on Long Island.  Mike Achille noted that Paul was "super focused” and had to be with the level of competition he was facing each week at his weight in highly competitive Rockland County.  In addition, Nanuet wrestled all comers in 1975 before the large school/ small school changes. Tournaments were all classifications and Paul won his share.  Paul had a single minded focus which was to win at all costs.  And win he did.  Paul won the Rockland County championship and the Section 9 Championship for the second consecutive year, and again defeated a defending Sectional Champion Tom Braun of Tappan Zee H.S.  Paul’s spectacular run in his senior year ultimately lead to a trip to the NYS Championships on the weekend of March 7th and 8th, 1975.  There at the Onondoga War Memorial in Syracuse Paul would battle through preliminary, quarterfinal and semifinal matches before defeating Doug Tingue of Section 6 in the Championship final by a dominant score of 9-5.  Paul’s challenge he made the year before was complete- he was the 1975 N.Y. State 132 lb. Champion.  As of this point in time, Paul is the only State Champ in Nanuet wrestling history.

One of his coaches used the words “tenacious” and “relentless” to describe Paul. "Simply stated," said Mike Achille, his Varsity Coach, "an opponent needed to be ready to wrestle the full 6 minutes, but more often less".

After graduation Paul went to Delhi in upstate New York where he competed in wrestling and took 2nd place in the Junior Nationals in Minnesota, losing 7 - 5. To date he is the only State Champion in Nanuet Wrestling history. Today Paul lives in Tampa, Florida where he owns a successful restaurant equipment supply company.