There isn’t much you can do to top an undefeated state championship wrestling season — except to do it again.

That’s exactly what Newburgh sophomore Will Soto did over the weekend, as he finished off his second straight undefeated season with a NYSPHSAA Division 1 108-pound state title.

Although Soto kept his winning streak alive, Saturday’s state final at Albany’s MVP Arena was perhaps one of the closest calls the sophomore has had all season.

Early in the second period of the final bout against East Hampton’s Austin Bronco Campsey, Soto found himself on his back and inches away from being pinned.

Despite giving up four points on the nearfall, he was able to escape the jam.

“I knew that when he gave up those backs early on, it was going to fire him up and get him working,” said Newburgh head coach Will Parks. “He bounced right back and rattled off 12 points. He’s a tough kid, and he really hasn’t been put in that position at all this year.”

After getting back onto his feet with just over a minute remaining in the second period, Soto tallied one point on an escape, three on an escape and put Bronco Campsey on his back twice for a pair of four-point nearfalls.

Entering the third period with a 12-4 lead, Soto just had to hold on, and he’d once again be a state champion.

“I had to stick to what I knew best. I just needed to stick to the basics and the fundamentals, to keep my position strong,” Soto said. “I got tilted in the second period, but then I was able to recover to get an escape and a takedown, and two sets of backs.”

Even though he was able to recover, the feeling of being down in a match was unusual for Soto.

“I’ve yet to be down in points, so I got a little nervous,” he said. “But I just remembered that I had to stay calm and do what I do best. I knew the points would come in time.”

“He’s not on the bottom a lot, so it was definitely uncomfortable,” Parks added, “but he fought out of it and defended his lead the rest of the match. … Especially once he gets on top, he can turn anybody. His takedown defense to his offense, the way he moves on his feet, he’s a scoring machine.”

Despite Bronco Campsey’s best efforts, Soto proved to be a rock throughout the third period, as he held on to win a 12-4 major decision.

“I think I came out here and proved myself pretty well,” Soto said. “It wasn’t my best showing, but it doesn’t have to be pretty, you just have to win.”

With back-to-back undefeated state championship seasons under his belt, it begs the question as to when was his last loss.

“It’s been a long time,” said Parks.

“My eighth-grade year, in the quarterfinals here,” Soto recalled.

His previous loss came at the state tournament in 2023 in the 102-pound quarterfinals to Longwood’s Anthony Lagala-Ryan.
However, following that loss, Soto proceeded to win out his next three matches at that tournament, securing a third place finish as an eighth grader. He went 51-0 during his state title run last season, and finished his 2024-25 campaign with a 48-0 record.

In total, Soto’s scholastic winning streak stands at 102 straight matches.

“I try not to think about it. It’s a lot of pressure and adds to the nerves,” Soto said. “I try not to think about it, but at times it’s hard not to.”

Other Newburgh wrestlers to place at the state tournament include 116-pounder Cooper Merli finishing in second, 215-pounder Chris Leggett coming in fourth and 131-pounder Matt Mercado taking eighth.

Leggett, who advanced to the semifinals, went 3-2 during his trip upstate. In the third place match, he dropped a 4-1 decision in overtime.

Mercado went 2-3 at MVP Arena in his eight place finish, while 116-pounder Jordan Busby and 190-pounder William Coughlin were eliminated after two matches.