Opening Weekend Wrestling Scoreboard, 12/15-12/16/17
Results and recaps from the opening weekend of the Shore Conference wrestling season on Friday, Dec. 15 and Saturday, Dec. 16.
BATTLE AT THE BAY (Middletown North)
Middletown North won the team title by edging Mendham, 194.5 to 189.5. The Lions had five champions and two second-place finishers as Thomas O'Keefe at 106, Tyler Klinsky at 113, Stanley Wojdylak at 145, Nicko Cofone at 182 and Austin Dewise at 285 each won individual titles. Fred Luchs took second at 120 pounds and Nate Pujols was second at 132.
O'Keefe defeated Butler's Ben Bariso 3-1 in overtime to secure the title at 106 pounds. He won by fall over Newton's Nathan Fitt in the semifinals. Klinsky won all three of his bouts by bonus points and defeated Mendham's Tristan Navarino, 10-1, in the championship bout.
Wojdylak won by fall in his first two bouts and defeated Mendham's Alex Winant via 9-1 major decision in the 145-pound final. Cofone pinned both of his opponents in the first period en route to the 182-pound title, decking New Providence's Joseph Delia in 52 seconds in the championship bout. Dewise also won both his bouts by fall and stuck Kyrollos Makram in 4:32 to win the heavyweight crown.
Luchs was defeated by Mendham's Dom DiGena in overtime, 5-3. Pujols also lost a tight bout in his final, losing 11-10 to Mendham's Peter Tringali. Nick Cerbo placed third at 170.
COLT CLASSIC (CBA, Wall, Toms River North, Brick, Marlboro, Pinelands, Donovan Catholic)
Toms River North led the contingent of the Shore Conference teams by finishing fourth with 161.5 points. Wall was fifth with 98 points and Donovan Catholic was sixth with 95 points.
The Mariners had three runners-up and two-third place finishers. Nick Boggiano was defeated by Wall's Jack Kelly, 8-6, in the 145-pound final. Ryan Rosenthal lost to High Point's Devon Liebl, 6-4, at 106 pounds and Juan Nakano was defeated by Donovan Catholic's Conor Panzarella, 11-3, at 170 pounds.
Kelly, Jake Whitworth and junior Rob Kanniard each won individual titles for Wall. Kelly had the win over Boggiano while Kanniard, the fourth-place finisher in the state tournament last season, pinned Pinelands' Jacob Mena in 1:36 to capture the 160-pound title. Whitworth, a freshman, defeated Hopewell Valley's Amos Barnes, 6-5, to win the 152-pound bracket.
In addition to Panzarella's win at 170, Donovan Catholic senior Sal DiSalvo defeated CBA's Cam DiGiorgio, 2-1, to win the 220-pound championship.
ICEBREAKER (Middletown South, Red Bank Catholic, Matawan, Manasquan)
Matawan's Kamrin O'Neill, Middletown South's Jack Hardzewicz and the Red Bank Catholic duo of John Columbia and Michael Griggs each won individual titles while host Middletown South finished second to Old Bridge in the team standings.
O'Neill defeated Middletown South's Owen Fitzgerald, 14-7, to win the 113-pound title.
Hardzewicz won by 5-2 decision over East Brunswick's Mina Meshriky to take the 182-pound crown.
At 195 pounds, Columbia pinned Manasquan's Luke Hessinger in 5:21 to win the bracket. Fresh off a football season where he earned SSN first-team All-Shore recognition as an offensive lineman, Griggs won the heavyweight title by blanking East Brunswick's Youseff Gammel, 6-0.
Along with Fitzgerald, James Piehler (120), Danny Ward (145), Justin Weimer (170) and Brady Smith (220) each finished second for Middletown South.
Red Bank Catholic's Daniel Brewton was the runner-up at 132 pounds and Matawan's Alwayne Mitchell finished second at 160.
JOHN AND BETTY VOGEDING INVITATIONAL (Howell)
The Rebels dominated the field with eight champions, five runners-up and three third-place finishers, led by individual titles from Ethan Liptzin, Jerry Lleshi, Darby Diedrich, Kyle Slendorn, Dan Esposito, Paul Jakub, Shane Reitsma and Christian Murphy.
Liptzin, the District 22 third-place finisher last season, won by 11-3 major decision over Paulsboro's Jason Lucci to win the 106-pound title and Lleshi won by 15-6 major decision over Washington Township's Nick Flamma.
Diedrich the state seventh-place finisher at 120 last season, won by 5-0 decision over Paulsboro's Geno Duca to claim the 120-pound championship.
Slendorn, the state runner-up at 126 pounds last season, had two pins before winning by 15-0 technical fall over Paulsboro's Rick Eli in the 132-pound final.
Esposito, a Region 6 runner-up and state qualifier last season at 132 pounds, edged Paulsboro's Shawn Williams, 4-3, to win the 138-pound bracket.
A highly-touted freshman, Jakub won by fall in his semifinal match before beating teammate Pierce Gomez by 15-4 major decision in the 145-pound final.
Reitsma, the Region 6 champion as a freshman at 170 last season, clipped Paulsboro's Brandon Green, 3-2, to win at 170 pounds.
Murphy, a state qualifier last season, won by fall in all three of his bouts to take home the 195-pound title. He pinned Paulsboro's Anthony Morina in overtime in the championship bout.
Luke Rada (126), Xavier Kelly (152), Evan Richard (160) and Rashaun Hansford (182) each finished second. Eli Orford took third at 120 pounds, Chris DeMarco was third at 182 pounds and Joe Sardina was third at 220 pounds.
KURT MEISTER INVITATIONAL (Raritan)
With five champions, two runners-up and three third-place finishers Raritan captured the team championship at Archbishop Wood High School.
Senior Russell Benson led the way by winning the 132-pound title and earning his 100th career victory to be selected as Outstanding Wrestler. Robert Taddeo at 113, A.J. Erven at 138, Anthony Aquilano at 170 and Ethan Wolf at 220 also won individual titles. George Burdick finished second at 182 pounds and James Ecklyn was also second at 160 pounds.
Benson, the Region 5 and District champion at 132 last season, pinned Archbishop Wood's Max Shaffer in 3:01 in the championship bout. Benson won by fall in his quarterfinal bout and defeated Downingtown East's Lukas Richie, 10-3, in the semifinals.
Taddeo also won by fall in the final, pinning Bangor's Dominic Vicario in 2:26 to take the 113-pound title. Taddeo also won by fall in his semifinal bout after having a bye in the quarterfinals. Erven edged Notre Dame's Nicholas Vonelli, 4-3, to win the 138-pound title.
At 170 pounds, Aquilano needed just 1:27 to pin Downingtown East's Matt Romanelli to take the title. Aquilano won by fall in the first period in all three of his bouts. Wolf shut down Bangor's Nick Nittoli to win 3-0 in the 220-pound final.
Carmen Rafalko took third at 126, Justin Acevedo was third at 195 and Matt Spirko finished third at 285.
NEPTUNE CLASSIC (Neptune, Long Branch, Toms River East, Jackson Liberty)
Ryan Zimmerman, Luke Arnold, Peter Wersinger and Kevin Cerruti each won individual titles to lead Long Branch to the team championship.
Zimmerman, a state qualifier last season. won the 113-pound championship in dominant fashion by scoring an 18-2 technical fall over Highland's Adam Aquilano.
Arnold won the 170-pound title when Northern Highland's Gabe Robles had to injury default at 1:25 of the first period.
Wersinger, a state qualifier last season, won by 3-2 decision over Blair Academy's Eli Anthony to claim the 195-pound championship.
Also a state qualifier last season, Cerruti defeated Collingswood's Matt Meloni, 2-1, to win at heavyweight.
Isaac Shohet (152) and Jael Cordero (220) each finished second and Dan Santos-Silva was third at 182.
Toms River East's Mike Conklin won the 120-pound title with a 7-2 decision over Northern Highlands' Devin Iannelli.
ROBIN LEFF INVITATIONAL - (Southern, Jackson Memorial, SJV)
Delsea won the team title with 202.5 points followed by Southern with 180.5 points, Jackson Memorial at 157.5 and St. John Vianney with 130.
Nick O'Connell and Sebastian Delligatti won individual titles for the host Rams while Nick Pepe and Dan Gorman each finished second. O'Connell, the eighth-place finisher in the state tournament last season, won by 10-5 decision over Buena's Jaden Roberts in the 160-pound final. Delligatti pinned St. John Vianney's Seth Rotendella in 3:41 to win the 126-pound title.
Vinnie Scollo placed first for Jackson at 106 pounds, defeating both of Delsea's entrants to win the title. He beat Asa Walton, 8-1, in the semifinals before winning by 15-0 technical fall over Pierce Lightfoot in the championship bout.
Dean Peterson, Tyler Pepe and Steve Giannios each won individual titles for St. John Vianney. Peterson, a star freshman and a state title-contender, made his highly-anticipated debut a pin, technical fall and major decision to win the 113-pound title. Peterson won by 13-1 major decision over Delsea's Chris Recinto in the championship bout.
Pepe beat Jackson's Chris McDonald, 7-2, in the semifinals and then defeated Southern's Owen Kretschmer, 7-2, in the 120-pound final.
Giannios won by fall over Mt. Olive's Daniel Izquierdo in 4:43 to win the 220-pound title.
Rotendella and Nick Caracappa each finished second. Caracappa was pinned in 3:40 by returning state champion Billy Janzer of Delsea.
TCNJ PRIDE TOURNAMENT (Point Boro, Brick Memorial, Point Beach, Colts Neck, Freehold Township, Lacey)
WENDY PANDY-LEH INVITATIONAL (Ocean)
Ocean had two individual champions and finished second in the team standings behind Cherokee.
Senior Jake Benner, a returning state champion and Rutgers recruit, won the 145-pound title with a 42-second pin of Cherokee's Nick Moffa. Benner won by fall in all three of his bouts.
Freshman Demetri Poniros won the 106-pound title with a 5-3 decision over Cherokee's Andrew Aromando.
Saif Ali finished second at 138 pounds, falling to Pingry's Aidan Dillon, 5-3 in the final.
Will Tisony (113), Adam Manzo (120), Jack Nies (126), Emerson DeRose (152) and Dino Poniros (220) each finished third.
GARDEN STATE CLASSIC (Freehold, Barnegat)
Barnegat's Sean Foley and Charlie Cotton and Freehold's Nico Messina each won individual titles while Barnegat finished fourth and Freehold eighth in the team standings.
Messina, the District 23 champion and Region 6 runner-up at 106 pounds last season, defeated Bridgewater-Raritan's Nick Sacco, 8-2, to win the 113-pound title. Messina won by fall over Somerville's Nick Chabrak in the semifinals.
Foley, a state qualifier at 120 pounds last season, defeated Somerville's Brock Laggini, 7-5, in the 120-pound final. Foley won by fall in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Cotton pinned Bridgewater-Raritan's Brett MacMath in 2:19 to take the 182-pound championship. Cotton also won his first bout by fall and shut out Somerville's Andrew Diodato, 6-0, in the semifinals.
Freehold's Jamie Cautlacautl was third at 160, Barnegat's Juan Abraham was third at 195 and Barnegat's Griffin Jacksadt was third at 220.
PINE BARRENS INVITATIONAL (Shore)
BLUE DEVIL INVITATIONAL
Holmdel, Keyport
EDISON TOURNAMENT
Red Bank
NOTTINGHAM INVITATIONAL (Manalapan)
Matt Benedetti won the 160-pound title to lead Manalapan to a third-place finish in the team standings.
Benedetti defeated Spotswood's Shea Obado, 10-7, in the championship bout. He won by fall in his first two bouts and had a 12-3 major decision over Rahway's Jordan Winters in the semifinals.
CALDWELL TOURNAMENT
Theo Addison captured the 170-pound title and Rumson-Fair Haven finished seventh in the team standings.
HADDONFIELD TOURNAMENT
Toms River South
CLASS B CENTRAL
Asbury Park 24, St. Rose 12
CLASS B SOUTH
Manchester 48, Lakewood 33
NONDIVISIONAL
Monmouth 63, Asbury Park 18
Monmouth 51, St. Rose 15
CENTRAL QUAD
Central 51, Keansburg 27
Central 37, Middlesex 36
Allentown 54, Central 13
Middlesex 46, Keansburg 30
Allentown 58, Keansburg 23
FRIDAY NIGHT
CLASS A SOUTH
NON-CONFERENCE
Barnegat 60, Cedar Creek 21
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