The best wrestlers from Union County high schools will next make Union High School’s Louis J. Rettino Gymnasium their home as they attempt to qualify for the season-ending NJSIAA Tournament at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Feb. 28, March 1 and 2.
Wrestlers who advanced – placing first, second or third – from Regions 13, 14, 15 and 16 this past weekend will be competing at Region 4, which commences Wednesday night, Feb. 20, continues Friday night, Feb. 22 and concludes Saturday afternoon, Feb. 23.
At District 13 at Phillipsburg, Roselle Park senior Mark Montgomery not only defeated highly-regarded Phillipsburg senior Travis Jones 6-4 to win the 132 weight class, but he was also named the Most Outstanding Wrestler (MOW). Montgomery was one of four Roselle Park champions, with the Panthers going 4-0 in the finals.
Montgomery won his fourth district championship, doing so as the top seed. Jones was seeded second.
At District 14 at Millburn, Westfield won the team championship and had the most champions with five.
Westfield head coach Glen Kurz was named District 14 Coach of the Year. Earlier this year he was named Union County Coach of the Year.
At District 15 at Watchung Hills, Rahway had four champions, with one of them – junior Joshua Darisme at 220 – sharing MOW honors with Colonia senior John Poznanski, the 182 champ.
At District 16 at Scotch Plains, Linden senior Alex Dorce won by pin in the 160 final to follow his UCT championship. He was Linden’s first UCT winner in 22 years.
District 13 at Phillipsburg champions from Union County high schools:
113: Gabe Leo, Roselle Park
126: Eddie Hummel, Roselle Park
132: Mark Montgomery, Roselle Park
145: Elvin Guerrero, Roselle Park
160: Joseph Delia, New Providence
170: Ki’Zuran Casey, Plainfield
HWT: Nadeem ElMahroukey, New Providence
District 14 at Millburn champions from Union County high schools:
106: Luke Jacobs, Westfield
113: Quinn Gimblette, Westfield
120: Luke Hoerle, Westfield
126: CJ Composto, Westfield
132: Dean Smith, Cranford
152: AJ Bencivenga, Cranford
160: Jordan Simpson, Westfield
195: Sebastian Iakouchevitch, Johnson
District 15 at Watchung Hills champions from Union County high schools:
106: Kaelan Francois, Rahway
113: Patrick Phillips, Brearley
120: Chris Dalmau, Rahway
145: Rhise Royster, Rahway
220: Joshua Darisme, Rahway
District 16 at Scotch Plains champions from Union County high schools:
106: Cristian Luzua, Elizabeth
113: Brandon Bowles, Scotch Plains
160: Alex Dorce, Linden
182: Michael Afolabi, Linden
195: Zachary Zimmerman, Scotch Plains
REGION COMPETITION IS FEB. 20, 22 AND 23
REGION 1 at West Milford High School: Districts 1-4.
REGION 2 at Mount Olive High School: Districts 5-8.
REGION 3 at West Orange High School: Districts 9-12.
REGION 4 at Union High School: Districts 13-16.
REGION 5 at Franklin High School: Districts: 17-20.
REGION 6 at Jackson Liberty High School: Districts 21-24.
REGION 7 at Toms River North High School: Districts 25-28.
REGION 8 at Egg Harbor Township High School: Districts 29-32.
DISTRICT 13 AT PHILLIPSBURG
TEAMS: 1-Phillipsburg 273. 2-Plainfield 133. 3-Somerville 116. 4-Roselle Park 107.
5-Bernards 89. 6-Woodbridge 68. 7-New Providence 50.5. 8-Summit 47.
9-Carteret 37.5.
FINALS:
106: Logan Maczko, Phillipsburg, pin Tanner Donato, Somerville, 3:46.
113: Gabe Leo, Roselle Park, maj. dec. Justin Villani, Bernards, 16-6.
120: Joe Innamorato, Phillipsburg, dec. Tylik Epps, Plainfield, 10-6.
126: Eddie Hummel, Roselle Park, dec. Bryce Parenti, Phillipsburg, 10-3.
132: Mark Montgomery, Roselle Park, dec. Travis Jones, Phillipsburg, 6-4.
138: Kyle Tino, Phillipsburg, tech. fall, Skyler Frye, Plainfield, 15-0, 5:41.
145: Elvin Guerrero, Roselle Park, dec. Luke Hardin, Phillipsburg, 5-3.
152: Cody Harrison, Phillipsburg, pin Luke Burns, Bernards, 2:27.
160: Joseph Delia, New Providence, dec. Jacob Vega, Carteret, 9-2.
170: Ki’Zuran Casey, Plainfield, pin Jordan Malanga, Somerville, 3:43.
182: Jacob Wicks, Phillipsburg, dec. Yusuf Elbayar, Woodbridge, 5-0.
195: Austin Roth, Phillipsburg, dec. Andrew Diodato, Somerville, 5-1.
220: Gag Horvath, Phillipsburg, dec. Stefane Ruiz, Carteret, 3-0.
HWT: Nadeem ElMahroukey, New Providence, dec. Richard Herrera, Somerville, 2-1 (tiebreaker).
THIRD-PLACE QUALIFIERS:
106: Sean Hunnewell, Bernards
113: James Day, Phillipsburg
120: Nick Chabrak, Somerville
126: Jaimen Bryant, Somerville
132: Will Kauffman, Bernards
138: Patrick Nevins, Summit
145: Shaeed Greene, Plainfield
152: Brendan Aldrick, Somerville
160: Mcrae Nkellefack, Plainfield
170: Sergio Cespedes, Woodbridge
182: Jonathan Estivene, Roselle Park
195: Jackson Burns, Bernards
220: Nick Mellusi, Summit
HWT: Cody Cruts, Phillipsburg
DISTRICT 14 AT MILLBURN
TEAMS: 1-Westfield 231.5. 2-Cranford 201. 3-Voorhees 169. 4-B-Raritan 120.
5-St. Joe’s, Met. 60. 6-Bayonne 59. 7-Metuchen 24. 8-Johnson 22.
9-Union 19. 10-Millburn 0.
FINALS:
106: Luke Jacobs, Westfield, dec. Seven Rich, Voorhees, 11-8.
113: Quinn Gimblette, Westfield, pin. Will Fernandez, Cranford, 3:32.
120: Luke Hoerle, Westfield, dec. Aidan Taylor, Voorhees, 11-5.
126: CJ Composto, Westfield, maj. dec. Huner Rinehart, Voorhees, 17-7.
132: Deam Smith, Cranford, dec. Jeremy Silber, Westfield, 3-1.
138: Derek Zelesnick, St. Joe’s, pin Erin Rivera, Bayonne, :31.
145: Matt Sacco, B-Raritan, dec. Conor Halpin, Cranford, 5-0.
152: AJ Bencivenga, Cranford, tech. fall Luke Scanlan, Westfield, 20-3 (3:36)
160: Jordan Simpson, Westfield, maj. dec. Kyell Roper, Cranford, 16-4.
170: Mike Winchock, B-Raritan, dec. Matt Brandner, Voorhees, 8-1.
182: Brett McMath, B-Raritan, dec. Tim Miller, Westfield, 5-4.
195: Sebastian Iakouchevitch, Johnson, dec. Brendan Loder, Westfield, 1-0.
220: Sam Huff, Voorhees, pin Matt Doran, Cranford, 3:43.
HWT: Lewis Fernandes, Voorhees, pin Jonathan Heard, Westfield, :27.
THIRD-PLACE QUALIFIERS:
106: Anthony Bistany, St. Joe’s, Met.
113: Michael Policarpio, Millburn
120: Patrick Kalnins, Cranford
126: Nicholas Sacco, B-Raritan
132: Joseph Delusant, Voorhees
138: Jack Korzeneski, Cranford
145: Theo Dardia, Westfield
152: Samuel Cohen, Millburn
160: Phil Osorio, Bayonne
170: Evan Kanterman, Cranford
182: Justin Alpaugh-Mclean, Cranford
195: Zach Blevins, Cranford
220: Thomas Romond, St. Joe’s, Met.
HWT: Dylan Glassberg, B-Raritan
DISTRICT 15 AT WATCHUNG HILLS
TEAMS: 1-Watchung 249. 2-Bound Brook 172.5. 3-Rahway 160. 4-Ridge 136.
5-Colonia 77. 6-Brearley 61.5. 7-Middlesex 30. 8-J.P. Stevens 18.
9-Newark Collegiate 0.
FINALS:
106: Kaelan Francois, Rahway, dec. Nico Callelo, Watchung Hills, 6-5 (sudden victory).
113: Patrick Phillips, Brearley, maj. dec. Dylan Kolakowski, Watchung Hills, 14-0.
120: Chris Dalmau, Rahway, pin Jake Bush, Watchung Hills, 1:20.
126: Maximus Parra, Bound Brook, maj. dec. Devon Capato, Ridge, 12-3.
132: Xavier Pena, Bound Brook, pin. Jake Stein, Ridge, :35.
138: Nick Ciraulo, Watchung Hills, Troy O’Connor, Middlesex, 10-7.
145: Rhise Royster, Rahway, dec. Ed Williams, Watchung Hills, 7-0.
152: Carlos Ugalde, Bound Brook, dec. Luke Stepanashvili, J.P. Stevens, 6-3.
160: Frank Medina, Watchung Hills, pin Jahman McNeil, Bound Brook, 2:47.
170: Vincent Mattaliano, Watchung Hills, pin K’Shawn Lee-Clausell, Colonia, 1:39.
182: John Poznanski, Colonia, pin Gerard Aroneo, Watchung Hills, :48.
195: Jake Fern, Ridge, dec. John Dusza, Watchung Hills, 9-3.
220: Joshua Darisme, Rahway, dec. Jake Hendershot, Ridge, 3-2 (sudden victory).
HWT: Jervey Sistrunk, Bound Brook, pin Jordan Belle, Watchung Hills, :35.
THIRD-PLACE QUALIFIERS:
106: Kevin Beck, Middlesex
113: Randall Gonzalez, Bound Brook
120: Ken Beck, Middlesex
126: Jack Murray, Watchung Hills
132: Blake Bahna, Watchung Hills
138: Nicholas Stampoulos, Brearley
145: Mike Meola, Bound Brook
152: Christopher Love, Ridge
160: Justice Harris, Colonia
170: Donnell Doster, Rahway
182: John Braun, Brearley
195: Shimei Paige, Rahway
220: Mike Salerno, Watchung Hills
HWT: Griffin Keat, Rahway
DISTRICT 16 AT SCOTCH PLAINS
TEAMS: 1-St. Peter’s Prep 220-.5. 2-Seton Hall Prep 213. 3-Linden 131.5.
4-Gov. Livingston. 5-Scotch Plains 96. 6-Elizabeth 89. 7-North Plainfield 36.
8-Iselin Kennedy 30. 9-Cristo Rey 0. 10-Weequahidc 0.
FINALS:
106: Cristian Luzua, Elizabeth, dec. Joseph Sciarraone, Seton Hall Prep, 6-3.
113: Brandon Bowles, Scotch Plains, dec. Felix Lettini, St. Peter’s Prep, 5-3 (tiebreaker).
120: Patrick Adams, St. Peter’s Prep, dec. Lawrence Melcionda, SHP, 3-0.
126: Sean Rendeiro, St. Peter’s Prep, pin Dean Musialowicz, SHP, :50.
132: Conner Decker, Seton Hall Prep, dec. David Vill, Gov. Livingston, 5-4.
138: Cole Carroll, Seton Hall Prep, dec. Alejandro Leon, SPP, 7-1.
145: Julian Todd, St. Peter’s Prep, maj. dec. Conner Vill, GL, 15-5.
152: Jack Wilt, Seton Hall Prep, dec. Thomas Kellner, SPP, 6-5.
160: Alex Dorce, Linden, pin Roger Diaz, St. Peter’s Prep, 2:45.
170: James Cruz, St. Peter’s Prep, dec. Michael Massa, SHP, 6-2.
182: Michael Afolabi, Linden, pin Zachary Merlino, SHP, 5:29.
195: Zachary Zimmerman, Scotch Plains, dec. Nour Sayed, Elizabeth, 3-2.
220: Niccolo Colucci, SPP, pin Jonathan Guardado, North Plainfield, 1:20.
HWT: Nikolaos, Diakides, Seton Hall Prep, pin Krystian Pasek, Linden, 3:13.
THIRD-PLACE QUALIFIERS:
106: Joey Larmore, Scotch Plains
113: Gabriel Jimenez, Seton Hall Prep
120: John Ojeda, Linden
126: Harrison Kelly, Gov. Livingston
132: Connor Cortese, St. Peter’s Prep
138: Stefano Del Valle, Linden
145: Aidan Cunningham, Seton Hall Prep
152: Gregory Friedenberg, Gov. Livingston
160: Joseph Scalora, Gov. Livingston
170: Jesse Fornes III, Elizabeth
182: Alex Oslislo, Scotch Plains
195: Sean MacLaney, St. Peter’s Prep
220: Gerome Abad, Elizabeth
HWT: Moses Olowoopejo, Elizabeth