By Tim Mastro

LEWES — When Gabe Giampietro was in middle school his youth wrestling coach told him just how good he could be.

And Giampietro knew to listen, his coach after all was Damien Craighton who won four career individual state titles during his high school career at William Penn High from 1993-1996. Entering Saturday, Craighton was one of only 10 wrestlers to accomplish that feat in Delaware.

Giampietro joined him Saturday night as the Smyrna High 120-pounder clinched the fourth title of his career with a pin.

“That’s who I always looked up to — Coach Damien,” Giampietro said. “When I was in middle school, he told me I could get on that board four times. Ever since then, that’s been my goal and I’m grateful I fulfilled that. It’s unbelievable, a dream come true.”

The four-time champion club got another member later on in the night. Caravel Academy’s Alex Poore earned his fourth title with a 2-1 decision in the 160-pound bout to make it 12 four-time title winners in Delaware high school wrestling history.

It is the first time two wrestlers have won their fourth title at the same state championship meet. Poore and Giampietro are the first four-time winners since Smyrna’s Brett Fleetwood who wrestled from 2011-2014.

Giampietro, who is headed to wrestle at Drexel University, grew up watching Fleetwood star in Smyrna and would work out with him in the offseason.

“We’re good friends and we would get together all the time for little practices together,” Giampietro said. “Every time he came back from college or came back from work, we would practice together. I love that man, It’s great to have that talent you can go against.”

The three-time champion club also grew thanks to a trio of wrestlers picking up their third career title — Luke Poore (126 pounds) and Nick Hall (170), who is from Kent County and attended Fifer Middle School, of Caravel and Jack Thode (132) from Milford High.

Thode is only the second wrestler to win three state titles from Milford along with Skip Jones (1960-62).

“It feels great to be part of history but I’m really happy about my growth,” Thode said. “I thought I was a really good wrestler my freshman year but I didn’t get the results I wanted. The years after that, I won but it was by barely anything.

"This year I wanted to make a statement that I was hear to win and get ready to go off to college, leave Delaware behind and thank everyone who ever gave me an opportunity here.”

Caravel posted the most champions with five as the Buccaneers also topped the team standings with 247 points. Eddie Radecki (113) and John Antonio (152) also finished first in their respective weight classes.

Radecki earned his second consecutive title as the freshman was able to wrestle as an eight grader last year for Caravel. He is currently on pace to become the first five-time state champion in Delaware history.

Cape Henlopen finished second in the team standings with 184.5 points and had a pair of title winners. Seniors Mikey Frederick (145) and Lucas Ruppert (285) each went out on top with their first individual championship of their careers.

“I don’t even know how to put it into words,” Fredrick said. “The last two years I’ve come up just short and it stung both times. Now being able to finish it, it’s almost more of a relief. Finish it and come out on top.”

The Henlopen Conference had five of the 14 state champions as Malachi Stratton of Sussex Central won the 106-pound bracket.

Daniel Sinclair of William Penn at 138 pounds, Justin Griffith of Sanford at 182, Max Agresti of Salesianum at 195 and Tyler August of Delaware Military Academy at 220 rounded out the individual winners.

Follow @TimMastroDSN on Twitter.