CRANFORD, NJ — There have been dominant programs over the years
Roselle Park High School won the tournament seven years in a row from 1997-2003. After a two-year break, when Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School in 2004 and Rahway High School in 2005 won their last crowns, David Brearley High School hoisted the team trophy for seven straight seasons, from 2006 to 2012.
Then Roselle Park won again in 2013 and 2014.
Cranford High School was coming up. The Cougars finished fourth in 2011, sixth in 2012, fourth again in 2013 and second in 2014.
Cranford ascended to the top the next year in 2015 – for the first time since the 1980s – behind four wrestlers placing first, three second, two third and one fifth.
What was in place was not only success for the immediate present, but also for an extended future.
“We have many second-place trophies tucked away,” Cranford head coach Pat Gorman said after his Cougar grappler captured the 2015 Union County Tournament crown. “We needed to get over the hump and win the championship.”
Capturing individual UCT titles for Cranford that season 10 years ago at the 40th annual wrestling Union County Tournament at Union High School were repeat champions Gavin Murray and Tom DiGiovanni and also Niko Cappello and Chris Scorese. Cranford had the most champions.
A sophomore, Scorese, the 126 champion, was the Outstanding Wrestler for the lower weights. Murray, a senior who was the 152 champ, was the Outstanding Wrestler for the upper weights.
Two years later in 2017, DiGiovanni would become Cranford’s first four-time UCT champ and only the eighth of nine.
Gorman was the 2015 Union County Coach of the Year.
Cranford outscored second place Governor Livingston High School, 192.5 to 159, while two-time defending champion Roselle Park came in third at 129. Governor Livingston was second for the first time since 2011.
Ten years later, the Cougars will be going for 10 team titles in a row. No Union County team has won that many consecutive. Cranford has won 12 crowns in all, including its first three championships in 1981, 1982 and 1984.
Governor Livingston has also placed second the past three years. last year coming the closest to sneaking past Cranford, as the Highlanders fell just 6.5 points shy.
This Saturday, Jan. 18, will be the 49th annual wrestling UCT at Union High School’s Louis J. Rettino Gymnasium.
Cranford, once again, is the favorite.
“It will be a tight race,” Gorman said. “GL will score points and Rahway, too.”
Cranford began the week 9-2 with only out-of-county losses to Phillipsburg and Brick Memorial high schools. The Cougars lead the Union County Conference’s Watchung Division again at 2-0 and have four of the 11 returning UCT champions on their roster: sophomores Mike Daly (113) and Luke Scholz (150) and seniors Eoghan O’Hara (144) and Jordan Chapman (175). O’Hara won at 144 for Rahway High School last year, before transferring to Cranford.
In Cranford’s 60-17 win at Arthur L. Johnson High School on Wednesday, Jan. 8, in Clark, Arthur L. Johnson senior Zachary Belverio, the 113 UCT champ a year ago, defeated Daly 10-3 at 113. The two could meet again in the UCT final at 113 on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Scholz, according to Gorman, was to be back in the lineup for the matches on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Scotch Plains–Fnwood High School against Scotch Plains–Fanwood and David Brearley. Scholz suffered an ankle injury in last month’s Beast of the East Tournament at the University of Delaware.
“This is just the next rung in the ladder,” Gorman said.
Joey Acinapura, second in the UCT last year at 175, began the week 9-0; 6-0 at 175 and 3-0 at 190, which will be the weight class he will wrestle in for the UCT.
At 106 is freshman DJ Torsone, who began the week at 10-6. “He’s doing well,” Gorman said.
According to Gorman, Cranford’s first three UCT championships were won in 1981, 1982 and 1984.
The 1981 team was led by Region 3 champions Phil Sandford at 119 and Rich Briscoe at 126. Sandford was also a Region 3 champ the year before in 1980 at 112.
The 1984 squad was sparked by Region 3 champions Greg Laverda at 112, Tony Cerrato at 119 and Frank Genova at 126. Genova also won a Region 3 title at 132 in 1986.
The 1985 and 1986 Cranford teams captured North 2, Group 3 sectional state championships and both went on to be Group 3 runner-ups.
Cranford has captured North 2, Group 3 sectional state championships with Gorman in 2017 and 2024. Last year’s 2024 squad finished second in Group 3 to Delsea Regional High School. Cranford was second to Voorhees High School in Group 3 1985 and second to Brick Memorial High School in Group 3 in 1986.
Cranford Wrestling
Union County Tournament Championships
1980s: 1981, 1982, 1984
2010s: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
2020s: 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
Photo by JR Parachini