NEW MILFORD ""-- Mike Bellagamba has always been a smart and responsible young man. But back when he was in third grade, like any boy his age, he couldn't turn down a dare.

New Milford’s Mike Bellagamba, top, wrestles his nemesis, Danbury’s Dean Smith, during a match Dec. 19.

In Bellagamba's case, it came from a classmate who dared him to sign up for New Milford's just-started youth wrestling program.

"I brought it (the permission form) home to my parents and they were like, 'You want to do this?'"‰" Bellagamba recalled. "They didn't quite understand. I just kind of got into it off a dare, and I've been wrestling ever since."

No one's questioning Bellagamba's decision to wrestle now. The New Milford senior has established himself as one of the top wrestlers not only in the state, but in New England, playing a key role in New Milford's rise to a program that in last week's state poll was second behind long-time powerhouse Danbury.

Three weeks into his senior season, Bellagamba has a career record of 124-25. He has won two South-West Conference individual titles, finished in the top four in the Class LL state meet each of his first three seasons and finished fourth in New England last year.

Bellagamba's academic achievements are equally impressive. He ranks 19th academically out of nearly 400 students in his class, and is applying to an impressive collection of schools, including Ivy League members Brown and Penn.

Not surprisingly, Bellagamba, who is wrestling this year at 152 pounds, is a thinking man's wrestler.

"I run through matches in my head all the time," he said. "I'm always videotaping them. I see what one guy, maybe, likes to do. I'll watch his match before I actually wrestle him just to get an idea of what he likes to do, where he likes to be. I'm trying to get into his head."

It wouldn't do Bellagamba much good, though, to outwit his opponent if he also didn't have the conditioning and wrestling ability to back it up. That's why his wrestling workday often continues long after practice is over.

"I go home and I'll work out on my own a little bit," Bellagamba said. "I'll do a little bit of extra running, or lifting, or pushups . . . sit-ups. Whatever I can fit in."

Unlike many of the opponents he faces in championship matches, Bellagamba doesn't wrestle seriously 12 months of the year. He played Pop Warner football through his freshman year, and played baseball until his sophomore year.

"I usually take the spring off (from wrestling) to relax after a hard winter season," Bellagamba said. "I wrestle a couple of times in the summer. I've gone to some camps. And I'll jump into a few tournaments."

For Bellagamba, the biggest appeal of wrestling is that the results are directly related to the effort.

"I like how it's whatever I put in, I get out, "he said. "So if I work really hard, I know I'm going to be able to wrestle hard whenever I need to. It takes a special kind of person to wrestle, you've got to be self-motivated and you have to know how to work and do the work yourself."

The only thing Bellagamba can't do is pack the stands for wrestling matches. New Milford may be ranked No. 2 in the state poll behind Danbury, but that doesn't mean wrestlemania has hit the student body.

"It's a little disappointing," Bellagamba said, referring to the lack of student support at matches. "We work really hard and some people just don't see that. They think all wrestling is kind of barbaric . . . that it's just two guys fighting. But it's really a lot of technique and a lot of effort that you've got to put in.

"I'd like to see a lot more people. I've been asking kids around school. I've been saying, 'Hey. Do you want to come to our wrestling match?'"‰"

No matter how many people are in the stands, though, Bellagamba always gives his best effort. He's also fortunate to have teammates who can push him in practice. He and fellow senior captain Cody Griswold, last year's New England runner-up in his weight class, pair up nearly every day.

"We'll start wrestling pretty hard, almost to the point of fighting, but controlled," Bellagamba said. "We go at it hard. That makes us better. It's a friendly rivalry, but it's a rivalry."

A rivalry that isn't as friendly is New Milford's attempt to dethrone Danbury as the top team in the state. New Milford finished second to Danbury last year both in the Class LL state meet and in the State Open. Danbury's Dean Smith is Bellagamba's personal nemesis.

"He usually beats me, but it's always been a good match," Bellagamba said. "It's always high intensity, really good. I want to beat Dean. He's my rival."

An especially painful loss for Bellagamba was the five-point defeat he suffered to Smith in the consolation final of last year's New England Open. By winning that match, Smith finished third in New England and Bellagamba fourth.

The two teams wrestled again Dec. 19, with Danbury prevailing, 61-8 and Smith once again defeating Bellagamba, this time 15-4, in a major decision.

New Milford and Bellagamba will have to wait until the state meet for a chance to settle the score.

"We're catching them," Bellagamba said. "We're creeping up to them. They (Danbury) just have a lot more kids to draw from. They have a big elementary school program, while ours is developing. It's really becoming stronger."

Bellagamba knows that firsthand, as he often goes down to help coach the younger wrestlers.

"I find that really exciting and really fun," he said.

Bellagamba is also a member of New Milford's Athletic Council, a group that makes decisions about extra funding for programs and supports athletics both at the high school and middle school.

As much as Bellagamba loves wrestling, he's not sure he'll continue to compete in college. He's choosing a school based upon academics first.

"If wrestling helps me get into college, that's just another tool I can use," said Bellagamba.

Williams College, a Division III powerhouse in nearly every sport, is one school recruiting Bellagamba for wrestling.

New Milford coach Daryl Daniels hopes Bellagamba can find a school which permits him to juggle academics and athletics.

"His personality doesn't allow for much down time, so hopefully the college he chooses will have a program that he can compete with," Daniels said.

First, though, Bellagamba has some unfinished individual business to take care of. After losing in last year's SWC final at 145 pounds, he'd like to add another SWC to the ones he won at 135 pounds as a freshman and 140 as a sophomore. He'd also like to improve on his fourth-place finish at last year's New Englands.

"Barring any setbacks or injuries, I am sure he will do what he needs to be done to complete the tasks that he has set to reach his goals," Daniels said.

As for himself, Bellagamba admits that he is proud of what he's accomplished so far, calling his achievements "not bad."

"But I know I can do better," he said.