Westbury High School senior and varsity wrestler Raeco Jackson finished second in the Section VIII Wrestling Championship on Feb. 15 at Hofstra University. This finish, coupled with his first place finish the previous season, earned him an at large bid to compete in the NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championship in Albany at the Times Union Center on Feb. 27 and 28.
On Friday, Feb. 27, Jackson competed in the Division I 126 pound bracket and won two of his three matches, which advanced him to the wrestleback quarterfinal round. The winner of this round would at minimum finish as one of the six top wrestlers in New York State for 2014-’15. A top six finish is the criteria that makes a wrestler All State. Jackson came ready as always for this match and defeated his opponent 1-0 with exceptional agility and quickness.
Jackson was coached by Head Coach Pat McGovern and Assistant Coach Savalis Charles throughout the season and throughout the NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championship. According to the Westbury wrestling coaching staff, Jackson is Westbury’s first All State wrestler since 1975 when Scott Arnell achieved All State status. Jackson was voted as the Captain of his Section VIII team by his teammates. This is an exceptional honor. Eventually Jackson finished fifth among all NYS public school students in his weight class, an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations to Jackson and his coaches for this outstanding accomplishment.
