UNION, NJ — While the Union Farmers advanced one step further in team state tournament wrestling action this year, it was the same school that took them out.
Last year, Union High School wrestled Bayonne High School in the North 2, Group 5 playoffs on the side of the bracket that was at Phillipsburg High School and lost 38-27. The Farmers rebounded to win three of their final four matches after the states to come in with a solid winning record of 18-9.
This year, Monday, Feb. 10, to be specific, Union played host to one of the two brackets in North 2, Group 5 as the No. 2 seed. The Farmers first trimmed Middlesex County foe Piscataway High School, the seventh seed, by the commanding score of 64-17. The match, which included 10 falls and one Farmer forfeit victory, took only 46 minutes.
Union, at its Louis J. Rettino Gymnasium, then had to wait for third-seeded Bayonne and sixth-seeded East Side High School, Newark, to complete their quarterfinal competition, which took more than twice as long as Union’s triumph against Piscataway. Bayonne finally prevailed, 44-21, after some very lengthy and somewhat controversial matches.
The match between Union and Bayonne began at 175 pounds and the visiting Bees jumped out to a 21-0 lead after winning the first four bouts, including a one-point overtime victory at 215.
Union rebounded to pull to within 35-27 after winning by fall at 150; however, Bayonne came back to win by major decision at 157 and by fall at 165 to produce a 45-27 triumph.
That advanced Bayonne to the Wednesday, Feb. 12, sectional championship match at top-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School.
Union meanwhile fell to 17-8, but had very much to be proud of, as the program took another step forward by hosting three sectional matches at Rettino gym on the first night of the states.
There was a large crowd supporting the Farmers and they were very much into it.
“This was something special for us,” Union head coach Dino DeBellonia said. “By the season we had, we were able to garner enough power points to earn the second seed and host. It was great for the kids and the community.
“The crowd was great and our kids were feeding off of them.”
Aidan Cross, who was one of eight Union grapplers and the last one to win by fall against Piscataway, was also able to pin his Bayonne opponent, although this time he trailed 3-0 after the first period. Just 18 seconds into the second two-minute stanza, Cross flipped over his counterpart, put him on his back and then just waited for the official to slam his hand to the mat.
“That brought a lot of excitement to the crowd,” DeBellonia said.
The Cross victory at 150 pounds moved Union to just eight points behind, with still two matches to go.
Earlier at 126, Gabriel Hargrove produced a technical fall victory that gave Union five points and brought the Farmers to within nine. Hargrove gave it his all in an attempt to gain a fall for six points, but the Bayonne wrestler did just enough to avoid getting pinned.
“No doubt, Gabe wanted the pin,” DeBellonia said. “He put a lot of points on the board, but the kid did just enough to fend him off.”
Union lost two matches by one point, at 215 and 113, on late escapes. Had those decisions gone Union’s way, the Farmers may have advanced to the final.
“Bayonne had some tough fighters,” DeBellonia said. “They fought for every point.”
Union will next prepare for a season-ending match at Bloomfield High School, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 15, at 10 a.m.
“This was good for the community and the school and, hopefully, it will be something we’ll be able to build off of,” DeBellonia said.
The Farmers will then compete in District 14 at North Hunterdon Regional High School on Saturday, Feb. 22, with the hopes of getting some of their wrestlers through to Region 4 competition at Union, which is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28, and Saturday, March 1.
This year’s season-ending NJSIAA Tournament at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall will take place from Thursday, March 6, to Saturday, March 8.
Photos by JR Parachini