Panther dominance continues for another evening.
An historic season for the Roselle Park wrestling team now includes the program’s 23rd sectional state championship and record 19th in North 2, Group 1.
Top-seeded Roselle Park rolled second-seeded Bound Brook 58-12 in Friday night’s North 2, Group 1 state championship match at Roselle Park’s T. Ralph Williams Gymnasium.
Roselle Park, which improved one of its best records ever to 24-1, is now two wins shy of capturing its first group state championship since 1997.
The Panthers will seek to get those two wins Sunday (Feb. 11) at Toms River High School’s Pine Belt Arena when the Group 1 semifinals and final are contested.
The NJSIAA website lists Pine Belt Arena as the site.
Sunday’s Group 1 field includes the only two schools in state history to win 1,000 matches – Paulsboro achieved the milestone in 2011 and Roselle Park this year – in addition to Emerson Boro/Park Ridge and Point Pleasant Beach.
At 9 a.m. it will be Roselle Park vs. Paulsboro and Emerson Boro/Park Ridge vs. Point Pleasant Beach in the semifinals. The winners will battle for the championship at 2 p.m.
Here are Friday night’s Group 1 sectional state champions:
NORTH 2 – Roselle Park (24-1)
Roselle Park won its 23rd sectional title and record 19th in North 2, Group 1
Previous title: North 2, Group 1 in 2014.
NORTH 1 – Emerson Boro/Park Ridge (27-0)
Emerson won its 10th sectional title and ninth in North 1, Group 1.
Previous title: North 1, Group 2 in 2016.
CENTRAL JERSEY – Point Pleasant Beach (23-3)
Point Pleasant Beach won its third sectional title – the last 3 in this section.
Previous title: Central Jersey, Group 1 in 2017.
SOUTH JERSEY – Paulsboro (18-0)
Paulsboro won its record 38th sectional title, which is
38 of the 39 contested in South Jersey, Group 1.
Paulsboro won the first 28 from 1980-2007 and then after
Collingswood won in 2008, Paulsboro has now won the last 10.
Previous title: South Jersey, Group 1 in 2017.
Roselle Park won a sectional title for the first time since last capturing North 2, Group 1 in 2014.
Roselle Park’s only loss was to North 2, Group 5 sectional state champion Watchung Hills 45-19 in the Jan. 6 Paul Finn Tournament at Millburn. Roselle Park won two of the three matches it wrestled that day and has not lost since.
Elvin Guerrero, Jon Mejia and Abel Crespo lost by fall and Devin Hillburn was shut out 5-0 in his match two years ago when visiting Bound Brook came back to oust Roselle Park 37-34 in a North 2, Group 1 semifinal.
On Friday night all four rebounded to win their match and score important points for the Panthers, starting with Union County Tournament champion Mejia getting bumped up to 138 where he won by fall over Mike Meola in just 50 seconds.
Bound Brook won by forfeit at 160 and at heavyweight and that was it. Roselle Park won five bouts by forfeit and all seven of the matches that were contested, including two by fall and one by major decision.
Roselle Park senior Matt Armamento improved to 33-1 when he won a 6-4 decision over Xavier Pena at 120.
Roselle Park standout junior grappler Mark Montgomery, ranked No. 8 in the state at 126, won by forfeit to improve to 33-0.
Mejia, a senior, improved to 31-1 and Guerrero, a junior, to 29-4.
Paulsboro is the two-time defending Group 1 state champion, defeating North 1 champ Kittatinny in the last two finals. Paulsboro has won a record 30 state championships, all in Group 1.
Roselle Park defeated Paulsboro in the 1982 final to win the first Group 1 state championship. Roselle Park and Paulsboro wrestled to a 31-31 tie (each team winning seven bouts) to share the 1997 crown.
Emerson’s lone state championship was in 2016 when the Cavaliers defeated Delaware Valley in the Group 2 final.
Point Pleasant Beach has not won a state championship.
2018 NORTH 2, GROUP 1 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
132: Eddie Hummel, Roselle Park, won by forfeit.
Roselle Park leads 6-0.
138: Jon Mejia, Roselle Park, pin Mike Meola, Bound Brook, :50.
Roselle Park leads 12-0.
145: Dylan Camilo, Roselle Park, pin Mark Venson, Bound Brook, 3:33.
Roselle Park leads 18-0.
152: Elvin Guerrero, Roselle Park, dec. Carlos Ugalde, Bound Brook, 7-1.
Roselle Park leads 21-0
160: Joe Casey, Bound Brook, won by forfeit.
Roselle Park leads 21-6.
170: Abel Crespo, Roselle Park dec. Jahman McNeil, Bound Brook, 3-1.
Roselle Park leads 24-6.
182: Devin Hilburn, Roselle Park, dec. David Ugalde, Bound Brook, 4-1.
Roselle Park leads 27-6.
195: Ryan Urban, Roselle Park, won by forfeit.
Roselle Park leads 33-6.
220: Sean Matthews, Roselle Park, won by forfeit.
Roselle Park leads 39-6.
HWT: Jervey Sistrunk, Bound Brook, won by forfeit.
Roselle Park leads 39-12.
106: Gabe Leo, Roselle Park, maj. Dec. Brandon Bowles, Bound Brook, 16-5.
Roselle Park leads 43-12.
113: Antonio Antonucci, Roselle Park, won by forfeit.
Roselle Park leads 49-12.
120: Matt Armamento, Roselle Park, dec. Xavier Pena, Bound Brook, 6-4.
Roselle Park leads 52-12.
126: Mark Montgomery, Roselle Park, won by forfeit.
Roselle Park defeats Bound Brook 58-12.
RECORDS: Bound Brook (11-10), Roselle Park (24-1).
NORTH 2, GROUP 1
SEEDS: 1-Roselle Park. 2-Bound Brook. 3-Manville. 4-Belvidere.
5-Verona. 6-Secaucus. 7-Whippany Park. 8-Becton.
FIRST ROUND:
Roselle Park 63, Becton 13
Bound Brook 51, Whippany Park 18
Manville 67, Secaucus 10
Verona 35, Belvidere 30
SEMIFINALS:
Roselle Park 47, Verona 19
Bound Brook 49, Manville 21
FINAL:
Roselle Park 58, Bound Brook 12
ROSELLE PARK SECTIONAL TITLES (23)
North 2, Group 1 (19):
1980 (the first one), 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989,
1990, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2014, 2018.
Central Jersey, Group 1 (4):
2004, 2008, 2009, 2011.