3-11-20 Volume-XII Issue-4 2020 NJSIAA Wrestling State Champions

March 11, 2020 Volume-XII Issue-4

Kevin WILLIAMS Shore Sports Network Director kevin.williams@townsquaremedia.com

Steve MEYER Shore Sports Networkn Director High School Division steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com

732-233-4460 Managing Editor BOBBadders // bob.badders@townsquaremedia.com

Senior Content Providers MATTManley // mmanley21@gmail.com GREGGlerner // glerner3@verizon.net

Shore Sports Network Journal is published by: Townsquare Media 8 Robbins Street Toms River, NJ 08753

Copyright 2020 Townsquare Media . All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Shore Sports Network is prohibited

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2020 ALL-STAR

GAME DAY PROGRAM Be part of a tradition at the Jersey Shore that reaches a large and enthusiastic Basketball audience from Monmouth and Ocean counties by having your business featured in this year's 2020 Shore Sports Network Shore Basketball Coaches Senior Boys AllStar Game official game day program. The detailed game program put together by the Shore Sports Network staff not only recounts the past season and highlights this year's group of All-Stars, it also serves as a keepsake for all the players, coaches and fans involved. Not only is the program a chance for your business to reach a wide and passionate audience, it is a chance to become a permanent part of a lasting memory for many members of the Shore Conference Basketball community.

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or the past several years the Shore Sports Network has been involved in the annual end-ofseason boy’s basketball game that gives graduating seniors one more chance to represent their high schools and with the help of others that game will be played on Thursday, March 26 at Freehold Township High School With the status of this year’s game up in the air it was the officials from Shore Board 194 of IAABO who stepped up to insure an outstanding group of seniors would be able to end their careers playing in a game that started in 1983.

Mike Fogarty and Nelson Ribon are among the basketball officials who spearheaded the effort to make sure the game would played and they have received a big boost from P.O. Michael Smith of PBA 209 (Freehold Township Police) who is helping present and sponsor the game. Their commitment will also allow all proceeds from the game to be donated to the newly created Stephanie Nicole Parze Foundation which aims to help victims of domestic violence and missing children.

As usual the game will feature many of the top senior players from the Shore Conference and will include a dunk contest at halftime.

Rosters and further details are being finalized and for updates visit shoresportsnetwork.com.

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hroughout the 2020 season, Jersey Mike’s and Shore Sports Network selected a Team of the Week based on Their performance for that week.

t By

Matt Manley - Senior Staff writer

By

Gregg Lerner - Staff writer

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In Saturday's final, the Warriors started the game like they finished Thursday's semifinal against Holmdel and did not stop until they were finally Shore Conference champions.

An eerie cloud of deja vu' descended upon the Lady Lancers. The 8-0 start to the Shore Conference Tournament final that put defending champion Manchester on its heels, the nine-point lead built during that opening quarter replaced by the haunting reality of a one-point deficit with just over two minutes left in regulation.

n Thursday February 29th, it was a furious finish after a suspect start that got the Manasquan boys basketball team to its second straight appearance in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game.

Last week, Manasquan survived an upset bid by Holmdel before routing Toms River North to win the program's first Shore Conference Tournament title since 1957. For ending their 63-year conference title drought in impressive fashion, the Warriors are the ninth Jersey Mike's Team of the Week of 2020.

Manasquan was the tournament's No. 1 seed and the considerable favorite to win the whole thing, especially when senior Alex Galvan suited up and returned to the starting lineup for Thursday's semifinal showdown with Class A Central division rival Holmdel.

Galvan did his part by scoring 14 of his 16 points in the first half but Holmdel held a 24-19 that ballooned to 36-26 by the 1:45 mark of the third quarter. At that point, sophomore Ben Roy, senior Kieran Flanagan and junior Connor Walsh took over the game and led the Warriors on a 14-0 run that gave them the lead for good.

Roy scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half, Flanagan scored all four of his points in the fourth quarter and Walsh scored six of his eight in the fourth, including 4-for-4 from the foul line in the last 1:03 of the game.

Having survived a tough test from the Hornets, Manasquan did not mess around in the final at OceanFirst Bank Center. Roy and Galvan combined on an 8-0 run to open the game, junior Jack Collins scored eight points in the first quarter and Manasquan opened up an insurmountable, 32-7 lead on Toms River North by early in the second quarter.

When the smoke cleared, Manasquan had defeated the Mariners, 75-49, with Roy scoring a careerhigh 31 points, Galvan adding 17 points and nine rebounds and Flanagan pitching in 11 points and seven assists.

Manasquan opened up its Central Jersey Group II title defense Monday with a 77-37 win over Metuchen, which also doubled as the team's Senior Night.

The Warriors host Rumson-Fair Haven Thursday in the sectional quarterfinals the third meeting between the two heated rivals after Manasquan swept the regular-season series during Class A Central play.

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Week eight

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hat subtly cascaded from the rafters of OceanFirst Bank Center on Saturday 29 th triggered the final impetus for what will go up in the rafters at St. John Vianney.

Once upon a time, St. John Vianney was synonymous with success in the SCT, but the stauncing competition the Shore annually offers was not kind to the Lady Lancers in recent years. Three consecutive setbacks in the title game did not sit well with a program counted 13 banners noting their championship stock in the event hanging in its gym.

Thanks to its resiliency, defensive tenacity and poise in the face of mounting crisis, St. John Vianney will add a 14th to its unmatched collection courtesy of a 57-50 triumph over Manchester, earning the Lady Lancers the Jersey Mike's Team of the Week honor.

In a clash that featured eight lead changes in the second half, SJV owned the most important one. Down, 48-47, the Lancers reclaimed the advantage for good on a putback by sophomore guard and tournament MVP Madison St. Rose with 1:49 to go, the trigger to a 10-2 closing tear that sealed the outcome.

St. John Vianney went 8 for 10 from the foul line down the stretch with St. Rose, who accounted for 23 points, going 4 for 4 and junior guard Katie Hill, who finished with 15, sinking 3 of her 4 attempts.

In between,Hill and junior guard Ashley O'Connor neutralized Manchester's voracious appetite on the offensvie glass with critcial defensive rebounds and St. Rose added a steal amid a conditioned defense that held Manchester without a field goal or a rebound over the final 2:47.

Week seven

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Monmouth

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very week this regular season, Shore Conference Basketball fans will have their chance to vote for the Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey/ Shore Sports Network Basketball Player of the Week on our website.

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eek 9 Player of the Week winner is Manasquan’s Connor Walsh

As is the case with most championship teams, Manasquan had a lot of heroes during its first SCT title run in 63 years.

Ben Roy and Alex Galvan were at the forefront in the final two games and senior Kieran Flanagan made his usual impact throughout the tournament as well. Junior Casey Mulligan was a defensive stalwart who knocked down a big shot here and there. Senior Tim McEneny and junior Jack Collins came up huge in the championship game – McEneny in guarding Najae Hallenbeck and Collins in scoring eight points in the 24-7 first quarter.

Manasquan does not make it to the final, however, without Walsh rising to the occasion in the semifinals. The 6-5 junior

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alex

Baker

With a narrowed-down field of candidates this week, Walsh collected 52 percent of the votes cast to win the Player of the Week prize - a gift card to Surf Taco. Holmdel's Pete Cannizzo checked in at second place with 26 percent of the vote while Red Bank Catholic sophomore Alex Bauman came in third at 19 percent.

Troy

Buxton

Lacey

Holmdel

scored six of his eight points in the fourth quarter and every shot was huge. His give-and-go layup with Galvan tied the game at 36 after the Warriors had trailed 36-26 and Walsh put the game away by going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in the final 1:03. He was also a good fit defensively against Holmdel’s quick, athletic, versatile lineup.

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Manasquan Beats Holmdel, Wins 2nd Straight CJ 2 Title

By

Matt Manley

- Senior Staff writer

n its toughest challenge within the Shore Conference this season, it took the Manasquan boys basketball team three quarters to snap into form in surviving a scare vs. Holmdel in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals.

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Against the same opponent Tuesday - the fourth meeting between the two Shore Conference Class A division rivals this season - Manasquan didn't need quite so long to find its championship form.

After another fast start by Holmdel, top-seeded Manasquan took over the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championship game in the second quarter and did not relent, beating the No. 2 Hornets, 53-38, to capture its second consecutive sectional title and third in the last five years.

"We are very impressed with this group," said Manasquan coach Andrew Bilodeau, who has directed the program to four Central Group II titles in 12 seasons. "Being number one in the Shore from start-to-finish and being able to play with pressure - that's not something we're unfamiliar with here. We're successful because we have great kids, and that's what it's all about, but these guys have impressed us with their ability to play with pressure throughout the year."

Seniors Kieran Flanagan and Alex Galvan each scored 12 points to lead a balanced overall offensive attack by Manasquan, with Flanagan also added three first-half assists and Galvan grabbing eight rebounds. Holmdel shut down Galvan in the first half, holding the 6-foot-7 senior to one point on two shot attempts while he operated with two fouls. Galvan then came back with 11 points in the second half to help the Warriors pull away.

"He wasn't really in there in the second quarter because of the two fouls but in the first half, we didn't do a very good job of feeding the post," Bilodeau said. "Thank god we did it better in the second half."

"I feel like they have been physical in every game," Galvan said. "Whether it's just a smack of the ball, a little shove that the ref doesn't see, but they did a good job. I just have to keep moving if I'm not getting the ball. Obviously, I wasn't moving enough if I couldn't get it."

Despite Galvan's quiet first half, Manasquan shook off Holmdel's 13-6 first-quarter advantage by putting together a big second quarter on both ends of the floor. After Holmdel inched its lead to 14-6, the Warriors ripped off an 18-3 run, including 11 straight points to end the second quarter and grab a 24-17 lead at the break.

"We knew they were going to come out with a bunch of energy," Flanagan said. "They are fighting for a state championship too. We just had to absorb it and then come back stronger."

During the first half, Flanagan, sophomore Ben Roy and junior Jack Collins each scored six points while the defense found another gear in the second quarter. Roy finished with 10 points, Collins poured in nine and junior Casey Mulligan also chipped in eight points.

"Holmdel did a really good job again of taking away passing lanes, Bilodeau said. "He let Ben go a little bit in the first quarter to break them down and I thought he did a good job of that.

"They did a good job of taking Casey and Kieran away so we let Ben go a little bit. Then they kind of flipped to where they were working Ben real hard and that opened some things up for Casey and Kieran."

For the second straight game, Manasquan's front court quieted Holmdel junior forward and leading scorer Alex Baker, who scored six points Tuesday night, just as he did in the 4440 Manasquan win in the SCT semifinals. Baker scored six points in the first half and led the defensive effort on Galvan but did not score in the second half.

Senior Derek Chan led Holmdel with nine points and no other Hornets player, other than Galvan, scored more than five.

With Tuesday's win, Manasquan is just about assured of finishing undefeated against Shore Conference teams this season, unless the Warriors were to somehow play Wall in the Tournament of Champions and lose that game. Twenty of Manasquan's 31 wins have come against Shore Conference teams and four of those 20 have come against Holmdel. The two games in Manasquan's home gym saw the Warriors handle the Hornets by an average margin of 21 points while the other two games - one at Holmdel and another on a neutral court were decided by an average of five.

"It's a tough thing to do, especially against a team like Holmdel, who our guys think is one of the best teams we have played all year," Bilodeau said of sweeping the Hornets. "It's tough."

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Manasquan will take its 31-1 record and 21-game winning streak to Toms River and the RWJ Barnabas Health Arena Thursday night to take on Camden - the state top-ranked team, according to NJ.com. The Panthers have not lost to an opponent from New Jersey and will head east to Toms River with a 24-game winning streak.

"We knew based on our paths that we would have a chance to meet them but we didn't really want to look to far ahead," Flanagan said. "We have been looking at a little bit of film but not totally because it wasn't our next game. Now, it's our next game, so we're going to get on the film tonight and tomorrow after school The winner of Thursday's game will have a real chance to become the first public school to win a Tournament of Champions title since Camden did it in 2000 and while Manasquan faces some frustrating recent history in the Group II semifinal as well as an imposing opponent, the Warriors are excited for the chance to measure themselves against the state's best.

"It's a great opportunity and our guys haven't shied away from any opportunities yet," Bilodeau said. "We'll be prepared and our guys will be very much looking forward to it."

"Obviously, we don't see ourselves as the underdog, but many people see us as the underdog," Galvan said. "That should relieve the pressure and allow us to go out and just compete against the number one team in the state." by:

Matt Manley www.shoresportsnetwork.com

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very week this regular season, Shore Conference Wrestling fans will have their chance to vote for the Thrive Spine & Sports rehab / Shore Sports Network Wrestler of the Week on our website.

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WK-7

106-pd Southern Regional FR.

Nick Bennet

WK-4

The Shore Conference Wrestler of the Week for the NJSIAA Team Tournament is Southern Regional freshman Nick Bennet, who came through with two huge victories during a three-win week to help the Rams secure back-to-back NJSIAA Group 5 state titles.

Kyle Nase

Bennet won by technical fall in the South Jersey Group 5 quarterfinals when Southern wallopped Washington Township, 55-11. In the sectional semifinals, the Rams took on Class A South rival Toms River North, which handed Southern its only loss of the season when they met on Jan. 14. This time, Southern emerged victorious in large part thanks to Bennet's lastsecond 11-10 victory over Mark Fedeli at 126 pounds where he won with a takedown at the buzzer.

Southern won the South Jersey Group 5 sectional title with a 36-30 victory over Howell and although Bennet was defeated, he limited bonus points by allowing just a major decision to Howell standout Nieko Malone.

In the Group 5 final against Manalapan, Bennet helped swing the pendulum Southern's way when he defeated Calvin Burke, 4-2 in sudden victory. Burke led 2-0 after the first period but Bennet rode him out the entire second period, getting two stalling calls and one point in the process. Bennet took top in the third period, rode out Burke again and forced another stalling call to produce the bout-tying point. He quickly got on Burke's leg in overtime and finished off the takedown for the thrilling victory, sending Southern on its way to a 38-24 win and its second straight state championship.

Bennet sacrificed much for the greater good this season, weighing down at 120 pounds often to give Southern flexibility. He was routinely asked to face one of the Rams' opponents' top wrestlers and try to save bonus points, and he did his job well. With senior Jayson Scerbo going 120 and junior Matt Brielmeier going 126 for the individual postseason, Bennet did not have a spot. He concludes his freshman season with a 16-15 record. His attempt at individual accolades will have to wait, but he was an invaluable asset for a championship team.

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120-pd Howell jr.

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285-Pd Donovan Cath. so.

Dominick Brogna

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285-pd Howell Sr.

126-pd Howell jr.

Justin Wright

Nieko Malone

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138-pd Colts Neck Jr.

106-pd Brick So.

Logan Waller

Evan Tallmadge

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By

Bob Badders

- Managing Editor

riding her while working toward nearfall points and eventually securing two back points with 26 seconds left.

he NJSIAA girls wrestling state tournament is just two years old but the Shore Conference already has its first superstar.

Manalapan junior

Jessi Johnson

completed an unbeaten season and captured her second straight state championship when she defeated West Orange’s Precious Opara, 7-2, in the 151-pound state final on Saturday afternoon at Boardwalk Hall.

“I was able to show what I’m made off and all the hard work I put in,” Johnson said.

“Everything paid off.”

As the South Region champion, Johnson received a bye into the semifinals where she built an 8-0 lead before pinning High Point’s Sophia Lombardo in 2:49 to reach the championship bout. In the final, Johnson took Opara down 32 seconds into the match but a locking hands call against her cut the lead to 2-1.

Johnson took bottom to start the second period and escaped to take a 3-1 lead. She added another takedown to stretch her lead to 51 heading into the third. Opara chose bottom in the third and Johnson never let her get out,

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“It was definitely the most exhilarating match since it went the distance,” Johnson said. “She put up a good fight. It was good to finally get someone I can go the distance with and show my skill off.”

Johnson was a Fargo All-American the summer before her sophomore year. Before New Jersey sanctioned girls wrestling in September 2018, those national-level tournaments were the only opportunities for girls like Johnson to compete at a high level. That all changed last season and Johnson has certainly made the most of the exposure.

“I want to go far with wrestling, not just wrestle in high school, so it’s great to get as much experience as I can and enjoy the moment,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to come by and we’re lucky this is a thing now in Jersey.”

The experience in Atlantic City was also a little different this year. For one, the competition was better across the board.

Johnson has been wrestling since the seventh grade but many others just started out last season. Also, the girls finals were contested on the center mat this season all by themselves whereas last year they ran simultaneously with the boys semifinals.

“It felt great being able to look up and see everyone cheering me on or cheering for the other girl,” Johnson said.

“It was great to have that moment.”

Next year Johnson will seek to end her career as a three-time state champion before she heads off to college. Part of her wishes girls wrestling became sanctioned a year earlier and she would have the opportunity to be a four-time champ, but mostly she’s grateful for the opportunity.

“It would have been great to be a year younger but I’m lucky I got to do it in the first place,” Johnson said. “Three times, four times, it doesn’t matter.”

The Shore Conference had three state finalists and 12 total medalists. Jackson Memorial’s Avery Meyers and Jordyn Katz finished second at 128 and 143 pounds, respectively. Jackson Memorial’s Skyelar Smith was third at 135 and Central Regional freshman Jayla Hahn was third at 143. Finishing fourth were Lakewood’s Estefani Cortez at 114 and Lakewood’s Ana Gonzalez at 161. Placing sixth were Manalapan’s Julia Manolas at 107, Lakewood’s Jessica Rivera at 121 and Jackson’s trio of Abigail Stanberry (151), Madison Pesavage (161) and Gina Novello (180).

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By

Bob Badders

- Managing Editor

ne of the greatest careers in the history of Shore Conference wrestling is unfolding right before our eyes.

On Saturday night the 7th at Boardwalk Hall,

St. John Vianney junior

Dean Peterson

completed another unbeaten season by defeating Brick Memorial junior Vincent Santaniello, 1-0, to claim the 2020 NJSIAA 120-pound state championship and become a two-time state champion. He continues to make the SJV wrestling record book his autobiography as the program’s only state champion.

mat. His impenetrable defense was once again on display, not just in the final, but throughout the entire three-day tournament in Atlantic City. Incredibly, Peterson did not allow a single point in five bouts to win in dominant fashion.

The state final was the fifth meeting between Peterson and Santaniello over the past three years and Peterson has now won all five. Their previous meeting came in the finals of the Shore Conference Tournament and was the closest one to date.

Santaniello took Peterson down – one of the few times he’s been taken down in his career – and held a 30 lead before Peterson roared back to win 5-3 and claim his third SCT title.

“It feels amazing,” Peterson said. “I’m putting my school on the map and repping it the best I can.”

A rideout of Santaniello in the second period and an escape in the third was all Peterson needed to win his second state title in his third appearance on the center

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o honor the school’s wrestling state champions, Toms River North puts a cutout of the state of New Jersey up on a wall with the wrestlers’ name down the middle. There were three prior to Saturday.

It’s time to start working on one for Nick Boggiano.

Toms River North senior

nick Boggiano

won by 7-3 decision over Paramus junior Aaron Ayzerov on Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall to bring home the NJSIAA 152-pound state championship. He is the Mariners’ fourth state champion in program history and the first since Matt Oliver in 2007.

“It feels good that I will be up there forever,” Boggiano said. “It took a lot of work and I finally did it in my last year.”

After using a move he learned on his first day at Toms River North to pin the No. 1 seed in the semifinals, Boggiano again utilized his flexible frame to build a big lead in the second period of the state final.

Boggiano jumped on Ayzerov quickly with a takedown in the first 15 seconds of the match and rode him out the rest of the way to lead 2-0 after the opening two minutes.

Boggiano deferred his choice in the second period and Ayzerov chose neutral. Thirty seconds into the period, Ayzerov shot on Boggiano but only had a hold of one leg.

It was a costly mistake.

Boggiano countered quickly to put Ayzerov in a cradle, and although he wasn’t able to secure the fall, the 5-point move gave him a 7-0 lead heading to the third.

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SJV champion

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Against a wrestler the caliber of Santaniello, who is a now a three-time state medalist and two-time top-three finisher, Peterson knows he has to continue to make adjustments.

“I wanted to win by more but I wasn’t on top of my game and my gameplan didn’t really work too well,” Peterson said. “I wanted to get into the tie and work from there because when I wrestled him in Shore Conference I stayed from the open and my shots weren’t on point. He’s a good counter-scorer so I wanted to stay inside and control the elbows.”

After a scoreless first period, Santaniello had choice and chose defense. He worked tirelessly from the bottom but Peterson stayed with him every step of the way. Santaniello came close to a reversal and then nearly escaped in the final 30 seconds of the period but Peterson kept control to keep it scoreless going into the third.

Peterson then earned an escape point in the final period and kept Santaniello at bay to repeat as a state champion.

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“I think (another difference) is my gas tank,” Peterson said.

“In that second period as soon as I rode him for about a minute I could tell he was breaking and getting tired. I could go for another hour if I wanted to on that mat.”

Peterson has now won 72 consecutive bouts since losing in the 106-pound state final as a freshman. His only two losses of his career came during his freshman year and both came to state champions: Hunter Central’s Brett Ungar in the 2018 Region 5 final and Hanover Park’s Joey Olivieri in the 2018 state final.

Ungar is now at Notre Dame (Green Pond) High School in Pennsylvania and ranked fifth in the country at 113 pounds. Olivieri won the 132pound state title on Saturday to become a two-

time state champion. Peterson is now a three-time Shore Conference champion, three-time district champion, two-time region champion, two-time state champion, three-time state finalist and ranked No. 3 in the nation at 120 pounds.

The Princeton University commit is 108-2 for his career and can join an exclusive list next year with another state championship, joining Central’s Mark Worthy, Jackson’s Scott Winston, Lakewood’s Damion Hahn, Long Branch’s Luke Skove, Manchester’s Jimmy Lawson, Middletown South’s Glenn Pritzlaff and Southern’s Frank Molinaro as three-time state champs from the Shore.

“I can’t wait to come back down here next year and win it again,” Peterson said.

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TRN champion

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“My knee is pretty bendy so I usually just sit it, crunch him and then I just take him over,” Boggiano said. “I practice that a lot.”

“If you don’t get to two legs on Bogg’ it’s real hard to score,” said Toms River North head coach Bill Wilbert. “You attack one leg and Bogg’ is in business. He jumps sides, looks cradle and that’s exactly where he was at. Off (Ayzerov’s) attack it was just Bogg’ being Bogg’, just stingy and fighting it off. Some people go limp arm, Bogg’ goes limp body.

Boggiano took top in the third period and yielded an escape and a takedown, but the lead he built through two periods was plenty to see him have his hand raised as a state champion.

situations. We call it ‘Bogg’ time’.”

Boggiano concluded his career with 149 wins and as a three-time district champ, a two-time Shore Conference champ, a four-time state qualifier, a two-time state medalist and now, a state champion.

“We’ve been talking about getting him his own New Jersey cutout and now he’s going to have his own with Boggiano down the middle of it,” Wilbert said. “For him to finish it off like this is perfect."

“Once you get more than a threepoint lead it’s pretty hard to lose if you’re wrestling smart,” Boggiano said.

Boggiano’s senior season was exceptional and had only one blip: a loss to Camden Catholic’s Brandon Mooney in the Region 7 final. Boggiano trailed 5-3 late, went for a desperation shot and was put to his back and pinned in the final seconds. The sport of wrestling has broken men far more seasoned and grizzled than Boggiano but he picked up in the state tournament like nothing ever happened. His only regret was that the region loss prevented him from winning 150 career matches.

“You have to have a short-term memory,” Boggiano said. “I was really mad after that loss so I went for a long run to get my head right. I had to stay focused.”

For all his physical talent on the mat, Boggiano’s greatest strength is his mental toughness.

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“He’s just so mentally tough,” Wilbert said. “We’ll go through times in (practice) where I’m tr ying to break ever yone in the room.

G u y s a re c r y i n g a n d s c re a m i n g a t e a ch o t h e r a n d B o g g ’ i s l i ke, ‘ L e t ’s d o s o m e m o re m o n ke y r o l l s ! ’ . Yo u j u s t c a n ’ t b re a k h i m . H e t h r i v e s i n t h o s e

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By

Bob Badders

- Managing Editor

ll the heartbreak, the sacrifices, the weight cuts, the grueling nature of being a wrestler; it was all worth it for what Tyler Klinsky got to experience on Saturday night.

Middletown North Senior, Tyler Klinsky put the finishing touches on an outstanding career by defeating Don Bosco Prep’s Kelly Dunnigan, 6-3, to win the 113-pound NJSIAA State Championship at Boardwalk Hall. One season after losing in the state final, Klinsky returned to the center mat and became Middletown North’s first state champ in 46 years.

“This is as big as it gets,” Klinsky said. “Just bringing it back for my town is what I’m most proud of. We haven’t had a state champ in 30, 40 years, however long it’s been. It’s bigger than me, bigger than I can put into words. It can’t get any better than this, going out on top.”

Klinsky is Middletown North’s second state champion in program history and first since Ken Hopfsensperger won the 115-pound state title in 1974.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Middletown North head coach Matt Sirchio. “As his coach it’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had. It’s a big win for Middletown and it couldn’t happen to a better kid.”

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To achieve the ultimate goal of every New Jersey wrestler, Klinsky had to vanquish the one opponent who bested him this season. At the Sam Cali Memorial Invitational in January, Dunnigan defeated Klinsky, 10-5, in the championship bout.

This time, Klinsky scored first with a takedown with five seconds left in the opening period. Dunnigan chose bottom and escaped in the second period but Klinsky took him down again and held him there to take a 4-1 lead into the third period. In the match at the Sam Cali Tournament, Dunnigan beat Klinsky on the mat by scoring nearfall points, but this time Klinsky turned the tables with a reversal to go up 6-1. Dunnigan scored a late reversal but it wasn’t enough to derail Klinsky’s run to the top.

“It’s definitely hard beating someone two times in a row, so I learned a lot from (the loss),” Klinsky said. “This time I was wrestling smarter and getting to my attacks and finishing clean. My coaches put it in my ear so much that no one can beat me if I stick to my gameplan.”

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“We were able to get to the Sam Cali and get our guys great matches,” Sirchio said. “Tyler was able to meet up with (Dunnigan) and although it didn’t finish the way we wanted to, he was able to see a lot of the things he did and he made every adjustment. He spent a lot of time perfecting his craft and he put it all together here.”

Klinsky will go down as the most accomplished wrestler in Middletown North history. He is the Lions’ only four-time district champion and one of just seven Shore Conference wrestlers to win four region titles. He is Middletown North’s only two-time state finalist and his 169 wins are the most in Shore Conference history.

“This is the ultimate goal in everybody’s eyes,” Klinsky said. “It doesn’t matter if you lose ever y tournament before states, if you win states it’s the biggest deal. I’ll be honest, the heartbreak (of losing in the state final) is one of the worst things I’ve ever felt in my life and finally punching through and getting it, you almost forget about last year. It was part of my journey and what had to happen, I guess.”

For the last four years, Tyler Klinsky’s life has revolved around wrestling and the pursuit of winning a New Jersey state championship. When the final buzzer sounded and he was victorious he knew he had made the right decisions.

“Just finally, everything is worth it,” Klinsky said. “All the hours and sacrifices I made. My family can count so many times I’ve been in a bad mood from cutting weight and stuff like that or not being able to hang out with my friends because I’m training so hard. They’re always asking me why I’m always training and now I can just point up at my bracket and say, ‘That is why’.”

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Fight to the Finish: Southern’s Eddie Hummel wins 7 straight to take 3rd, lead 22 consolation medalists

by Bob Badders

Managing Editor

E

ddie Hummel entered the state tournament in Atlantic City with a singular goal: win a state championship.

But after only one bout on Thursday night, Hummel’s dream was shattered. He almost gave up right then and there.

“I was feeling down on myself after I lost and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to try to wrestle back,” Hummel said.

After a bit of convincing Hummel regrouped and decided to give it a go. What followed was a run for the ages.

After losing in the preliminary round as the No. 7 seed at 138 pounds, Hummel went on a prolific tear in the consolation bracket with seven straight wins to finish third at the NJSIAA Championships at Boardwalk Hall. Hummel won by 4-2 decision over Long Branch’s Ryan Zimmerman in the consolation final.

“To lose first round and get back on track, it just shows great character not stopping, not quitting,” said Southern head coach Dan Roy. “He wasn’t feeling great and he had to pick himself back up.”

Ironically, it was a conversation with Long Branch assistant Nick Visicaro that helped Hummel recover.

Visciaro, a two-time state champion for Long Branch who wrestled at Rutgers, is also a coach at Triumph Wrestling Club where Hummel trains.

“It actually kind of sucks that it came down to me beating Zimmerman for third because I did privates with Nick Visicaro all summer long,” Hummel said. “(After the loss) he came up to me and said he was proud to be my coach and that kind of helped flip the switch and I just went out there and wrestled.

Winning seven straight bouts is impressive unto itself. Who Hummel beat along the way makes the accomplishment even more incredible. He started his run to third with a 17-10 win over Morris Knolls’ David Turner. He then won by fall over Colts Neck junior Logan Waller, the Shore Conference Tournament champion. In the third round of wrestlebacks, Hummel won 8-3 over Seton Hall Prep’s Connor Decker. That brought up the one opponent he wanted the most: Woodstown’s Hunter Gandy. Hummel was undefeated until Gandy defeated him in the Region 8 final.

Tied 1-1 in sudden victory overtime, Hummel fought off a takedown attempt, got into a scramble and came out the back for a takedown and a 3-1 overtime win over Gandy to clinch a state medal.

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Southern’s Eddie Hummel mong the Shore Conference’s “To get that rematch from the record total of 31 medal region final and win, it felt so winners were 22 wrestlers who good,” Hummel said. “That meant so placed between third and eighth. much to me.”

A

Hummel then won 6-3 in double overtime over Shore Regional senior Al DeSantis, who would go on to finish seventh. In the consolation semifinals, Hummel bea t returning sta te finalist Jacob Perez-Eli of Paulsboro, 6-4.

“It’s a very deep weight class and he had to go through a lot of good wrestlers and win a lot of barnburners,” Roy said. “He beat all good kids and it’s amazing. That’s up there with being a state champ. I’m very impressed.”

Hummel is familiar with Zimmerman since they both train at Triumph and that knowledge was key in the third-place bout.

“It helped a lot. I knew second period not to go o n b o t t o m a n d I k n e w t o w a t c h f o r t h e f u n k ,” Hummel said. “I tried to say out of singles as much as I could and use a little bit of hand fighting; just b e f u n d a m e n t a l l y s o u n d . Yo u c a n ’ t m a k e m i s t a k e s on him.”

Also finishing third was Hummel’s teammate, senior Robert Woodcock. In the 160-pound consolation final, Woodcock defeated Manalapan senior Matt Benedetti, 6-4. Woodcock had takedowns in the first and second periods to outduel Benedetti.

“It would have been better to win but third is third and it’s on the podium, so I’ll take it,” Woodcock said.

Five of the eight medalists at 182 are from the Shore Conference and St. John Vianney’s Blake Clayton ruled the consolation bracket by beating Brick Memorial senior Joe Colon, 5-0, to finish third. After losing in the quarterfinals he pinned Piscataway’s Nicholas Lodato to clinch a state medal, pinned Point Beach’s Jason Sherlock in the consolation quarterfinals, won by injury default over Wall’s Jake Whitworth in the consolation semifinals and then beat Colon to take third.

“It feels amazing. I worked so hard to be here and I’m glad to see it pay off,” Clayton said.

Last season Clayton reached the third round of wrestlebacks.

On Thursday night, Hummel almost let a loss end his season. On Saturday afternoon he stood on the podium, head high, knowing he didn’t give in.

“I learned that I’m better than I think I am,” Hummel said. “And that it takes a lot of heart to win.”

Brick’s EVAN TALLMADGE

“Last year, even though it’s terrible, I was just happy to be here,” Clayton admitted. “This year I knew I was here to make a statement.”

“It’s going to feel good,” Messina said. “I hope I set a trend with kids getting there name up there for Boro now.”

Freehold senior Nico Messina has four district titles and three region titles to his credit. The only thing missing was a state tournament medal and he filled that void on Saturday to end a very long drought for the Colonials.

Another senior in a similar position to Messina was Shore Regional’s Al DeSantis, and he too got it done in his final try to claim a state medal. DeSantis finished 7th at 138 pounds, beating High Point’s Billy Tallmadge in his final high school bout. Tallmadge had beaten him four times in a row.

Messina finished sixth in a loaded 126-pound weight class to become Freehold’s first state medalist since Carlos Fontanez finished second at 130 pounds in 1964.

“All the hard work paid off. All the early mornings and late nights, it was all worth it,” Messina said.

Messina lost 7-6 to Bogota/Ridgefield Park’s Andre Ruiz in the prequarterfinals. He then won two straight bouts to clinch a state medal, ultimately winning 12-7 over St. Peter’s Prep’s Sean Rendeiro.

He then won 8-5 over Westfield’s Luke Hoerle to reach the consolation semifinals. He was defeated by two former state champions to finish sixth, Delbarton’s Nico Nardone and then Pope John’s Eddie Ventresca.

“This wasn’t an easy task, losing the second match and wrestling back,” Messina said. “It was a battle. I gave it my all. After that first loss I just wanted it more. It was a do-or-die type of thing.”

He can’t wait until his name goes up on the board as the latest Freehold state medalist.

“I put so much work in during the offseason; I was on a mission and wanted it so bad,” DeSantis said. “I wanted revenge and to prove to everyone I do belong here, that I am one of the best in the state, one of the best in the country. I proved myself and I’m very happy and thankful for it.”

After losing in the quarterfinals to St. Joseph’s Michael Cetta, DeSantis defeated Perth Amboy’s James Rodriguez, 5-3, in the blood round to clinch a state medal. He fell to Southern’s Eddie Hummel in the wrestleback quarterfinals and then got revenge on Tallmadge to close his career in style. DeSantis finished his career as a four-time state qualifier, a three-time district champion, a region champion and now a state medalist. His 156 career wins are the most in Shore Regional history and seventh in Shore Conference history. He also helped Shore win the program’s first state sectional title in 2019.

Southern’s ROBERT WOODCOCK

“I’m so proud and thankful,” DeSantis said. “It’s a great program. I love all the coaches and everyone who supported us.

I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but Shore.”

Brick mem’s JOE COLON The most improbable state medalist from the Shore was Long Branch senior Patrick O’Dwyer. He was the No. 19 seed at 195 pounds and lost his first match of the tournament before winning four straight to clinch a state medal. He finished eighth in the state.

“I just started winning match after match and I was in the (blood round) and I was like, ‘Screw it, I’m placing’,” O’Dwyer said.

Rumson finished with three state medalists for the first time in program history. Sophomore Shay Addison was fifth at 160, junior Jack Kelly was fifth at 170 and junior Max Brignola was eight at 145.

Barnegat senior Griffin Jackstadt became the first state medalist in program history by finishing eighth at heavyweight.

Photos by:

Richard O’Donnell richardodonnellphotography.com

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Complete list of state medalists from the Shore Conference

By

C

Bob Badders

- Managing Editor

omplete list of state medalists from the Shore Conference at the 2020 NJSIAA Wrestling Championships.

106 nd

2 – ANTHONY SANTANIELLO, Fr., Brick Memorial 4 th – EVAN TALLMADGE, So., Brick 5 th – JACK ZALESKI, Fr., Middletown South

113

STATE CHAMP – TYLER KLINSKY, Sr., Middletown North 6 th – RYAN ROSENTHAL, Sr., Toms River North

1 20

STATE CHAMP – DEAN PETERSON, Jr., St. John Vianney 2 nd – VINCENT SANTANIELLO, Jr., Brick Memorial 8 th – FRED LUCHS, Sr., Middletown North

126

6 th – NICO MESSINA, Sr., Freehold

132

7 th – JACK NIES, Sr., Ocean

138

3 rd – EDDIE HUMMEL, Jr., Southern 4 th – RYAN ZIMMERMAN, Sr., Long Branch 7 th – AL DESANTIS, Sr., Shore

145

8 th – MAX BRIGNOLA, Jr., Rumson-Fair Haven

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152

STATE CHAMP – NICK BOGGIANO, Sr., Toms River North

160

3 rd – ROBERT WOODCOCK, Sr., Southern 4 th – MATT BENEDETTI, Sr., Manalapan 5 th – SHAY ADDISON, Jr., Rumson-Fair Haven

170

2 nd – SHANE REITSMA, Sr., Howell 5 th – JACK KELLY, Jr., Rumson-Fair Haven

182

2 nd – LUKE RADA, Sr., Colts Neck 3 rd – BLAKE CLAYTON, Jr., St. John Vianney 4 th – JOE COLON, Sr., Brick Memorial 6 th – JAKE WHITWORTH, Jr., Wall 7 th – JASON SHERLOCK, Sr., Point Beach

195

2 nd – DAVID SZUBA, Jr., Brick Memorial 5 th – KYLE EPPERLY, Sr., Jackson Memorial 8 th – PATRICK O’DWYER, Sr., Long Branch

HWT

2 nd – JT CORNELIUS, Sr., Southern 6 th – JUSTIN WRIGHT, Sr., Howell 8 th – GRIFFIN JACKSTADT, Sr., Barnegat

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2020 Shore Conference Wrestling Statistics

by Bob Badders

Managing Editor

Statistics compiled from results reported to TrackWrestling through Jan. 14.

2020 Wrestling Statistics POUNDS-FOR-POUND WINS LEADERS Wrestler Weight Dean Peterson, St. John Vianney 120 Tyler Klinsky, Middletown North 113 Fred Luchs, Middletown North 120 Al DeSantis, Shore 138 Matt Benedetti, Manalapan 160 Thomas O’Keefe, Middletown North 126 Jack Zaleski, Middletown South 106 Anthony Santaniello, Brick Memorial 106 Shane Reitsma, Howell 170 Nico Messina, Freehold 126 Jack Nies, Ocean 132 Mike McGhee, Shore 152 Luke Rada, Colts Neck 182 Ryan Zimmerman, Long Branch 138 Robert Woodcock, Southern 160 Nick Boggiano, Toms River North 152 Griffin Jackstadt, Barnegat 285 Jack Maida, Shore 120 Ryan Rosenthal, Toms River North 113 Eddie Hummel, Southern 132 Justin Wright, Howell 285 Nico Cerbo, Middletown North 220 Blake Clayton, SJV 182 Jason Sherlock, Point Beach 182 Joe Teresi, Ocean 285 Kyle Epperly, Jackson Memorial 195 Michael Conklin, Toms River East 132 Shay Addison, Rumson 160 Evan Tallmadge, Brick 106 Vincent Santaniello, Brick Memorial 120 Julian George, CBA 126 Tyler Pepe, Central 132 Conor Collins, Southern 106 Logan Waller, Colts Neck 138 David Rubin, Matawan 113 Harrison Gordon, Marboro 106 JT Cornelius, Southern 220 Max Brignola, Rumson 145 Kamrin O’Neil, Matawan 132 Gavin Claro, Manalapan 182 Jack Kelly, Rumson 170 Michael Richardson, Brick Memorial 126 Nico Vargas, Wall 152 Neiko Malone, Howell 126 Brad Galassi, Jackson Memorial 220 Mike Nakano, Toms River North 220 Joe Colon, Brick Memorial 182 Sabino Portella, Red Bank Catholic 160 David Szuba, Brick Memoriasl 195 Michael Pavlinetz, Holmdel 220 Ryan Carey, Long Branch 152 Alex Poniros, Ocean 138 Vin Ceglie, Lacey 220

Record 37-0 49-1 43-9 43-4 43-3 42-8 42-6 42-1 42-1 41-5 41-4 41-4 41-3 41-3 41-2 41-1 40-7 40-5 40-4 40-2 39-7 39-7 39-6 39-6 39-5 39-5 39-4 39-4 39-3 39-2 38-8 38-6 38-4 38-4 37-9 37-7 37-5 37-4 36-7 36-6 36-6 36-6 36-6 35-8 35-7 35-7 35-6 35-6 35-3 34-8 34-7 34-6 34-5

Hunter Konstantoulas, Manalapan Ken Koenig, Colts Neck Victor Wladika, Holmdel Zach Vasile, Marlboro Cole Velardi, Southern Jackson Brandt, Lacey Jesse Bowers, Point Beach Tyler Barrett, CBA Joseph Giordano, SJV Hunter Smith, Jackson Memorial Nick Aquilano, Raritan Colin Bradshaw, Howell Dylan Waller, Manalapan Aidan Shaughnessy, Rumson Dante Powell, Brick Thomas Lidondici, Colts Neck Tracey Taylor, Long Branch Ty Bailey, Point Boro Edward Jang, Marlboro Angelo Messina, Freehold Jared Tracey, Ocean Brett Blaess, Jackson Memorial Nathaniel Levie, Neptune Justin Schifter, Manalapan John O’Donnell, Toms River North Shane Zimmerman, Keyport Jake Whitworth, Wall Kyle Nase, Howell Nick Ammirati, Holmdel Phil Stolfa, Red Bank Adam Coleman, Matawan Collin Rolak, Lacey Zander Silva, CBA Paul Jakub, Howell Kevin Cartagena-Walsh, Monmouth Gabe Scalise, Shore Jack Bailey, Point Boro Gavin Stewart, Pinelands Dom Brogna, Donovan Catholic Ethan Diamond, CBA Joe McCullough, Toms River East WINS BY FALL Wrestler Nathaniel Levie, Neptune Jason Sherlock, Point Beach Ryan Zimmerman, Long Branch Jack Maida, Shore Matt Benedetti, Manalapan Ty Bailey, Point Boro Nico Messina, Freehold Jack Zaleski, Middletown South Sabino Portella, Red Bank Catholic Conor Collins, Southern Jack Kelly, Rumson Fred Luchs, Middletown North

145 95 70 138 152 170 145 145 106 170 182 113 170 113 106 285 220 160 160 106 160 106 132 113 285 182 182 120 113 126 145 132 132 152 145 126 152 160 285 170 126

34-10 34-10 34-10 34-10 33-8 33-6 33-4 32-9 32-12 32-10 32-10 31-9 31-7 31-6 31-6 31-6 31-5 31-5 31-13 30-9 30-9 30-8 30-8 30-7 30-6 30-6 30-5 30-11 30-11 30-11 30-10 30-10 30-10 25-5 24-6 23-6 23-6 22-5 22-2 21-8 21-8

Pins 28 28 27 26 26 25 25 2 25 24 24 23

Joe Teresi, Ocean Shane Zimmerman, Keyport Vin Ceglie, Lacey Max Brignola, Rumson Shay Addison, Rumson Zach Vasile, Marlboro Nick Sura, Central Nick Boggiano, Toms River North Griffin Jackstadt, Barnegat

23 22 22 22 22 21 21 21 21

TECHNICAL FALLS Tyler Klinsky, Middletown North Evan Tallmadge, Brick Shane Reitsma, Howell Mike McGhee, Shore Logan Waller, Colts Neck Dean Peterson, St. John Vianney Ryan Rosenthal, Toms River North Chris McCarthy, Middletown North Robert Woodcock, Southern Thomas O’Keefe, Middletown North Tyler Pepe, Central Nico Vargas, Wall Jack Nies, Ocean Anthony Santaniello, Brick Memorial Eddie Hummel, Southern Julian George, CBA Jack Zaleski, Middletown South Lucas Torre, Point Boro David Hussey, Middletown South Isaiah Fenton, Howell Al DeSantis, Shore Fred Luchs, Middletown North

TF 24 15 11 11 11 10 9 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 5

MAJOR DECISIONS Al DeSantis, Shore Robert Woodcock, Southern Thomas O’Keefe, Middletown North Blake Tarnowski, Ocean Jesse Bowers, Point Beach Alex Poniros, Ocean Gavin Stewart, Pinelands Chris Balzano, Manalapan Kyle Epperly, Jackson Memorial Alex Poniros, Ocean Dylan Waller, Manalapan Thomas Cleary, Holmdel Ryan Carey, Long Branch Mike Lonnay, Raritan David Hussey, Middletown South Thomas Clearly, Holmdel Adam Coleman, Matawan Owen Fitzgerald, Middletown South

MD 10 9 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

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