Tuesday, March 11, 2003
103 POUNDS
1. Fr. Travis Blasco (34-2) Blair Academy
2. So. Seth Ciasulli (42-2) Easton
3. Sr. Andrew Gewain (27-0) Hillsborough
4. Fr. Russell Souders (38-8) Wilson
5. So. Dan Boemio (27-4) Bridgewater
6. So. Brian Costello (26-3) Delaware Valley
Still alive in N.J.: Boemio, Gewain.
Notes: Ciasulli made it to state finals, where he could not deal with build of
tiny Bill Spencer of Highlands. Gewain won his first Region 5 title Saturday with
a 5-4 decision over Old Bridge's John Pagnotta. Boemio, who lost 8-2 to Pagnotta
in the semis, earned a trip to Atlantic City by tech-falling Lawrence's Ryan Friedman
for third place. Costello, who won his first District 17 title a week earlier by
pinning Friedman in the finals, went 0-2 in the regions and was pinned by Friedman
in the quarterfinals.
112 POUNDS
1. So. Alex Krom (40-5) Easton
2. Jr. Mikey Pena (32-9) Liberty
3. Jr. Robert Au (27-8) Phillipsburg
4. Jr. Sean Carr (31-8) Whitehall
5. Jr. Billy Stenack (29-14) Northampton
6. So. Ross Gitomer (26-8) Hunterdon Central
Still alive in N.J.: Au, Gitomer.
Notes: Krom took fourth and Pena seventh at Pa. states, where Krom beat Pena for third
week in a row after losing to him in the regular season. Au and Gitomer both finished
third in Region 1 and 5, respectively as each earned their first trip to the state tournament.
119 POUNDS
1. Jr. Mark Bogart (30-4) Blair Academy
2. Sr. Reinaldo Merced (37-3) Freedom
3. Jr. Joe Kushnerick (34-6) Wilson
4. So. John Paukovits (33-12) Northampton
5. Sr. Ricci Bass (27-11) Liberty
6. So. Adam Fuderer (25-10) Saucon Valley
Still alive in N.J..: So. Chris Kelly (25-4) Delaware Valley.
Notes: Merced won 4-3 overtime decision in Class AAA state seventh-place match over
Paukovits on rare caution penalty called in neutral position at start of OT. Kushnerick
took fourth in Class AA state tournament. Kelly, who finished second in Region 5, is
the only area wrestler left here. Kelly lost 6-1 to returning champ Joe Bubenheimer of
Woodbridge.
125 POUNDS
1. Sr. Robbie Preston (32-3) Blair Academy
2. Sr. Tony Curto (24-4) Wilson
3. Sr. Jared Casciole (38-9) Notre Dame
4. Jr. Kyle Ferris (34-1) Somerville
5. Sr. Joe Creazzo (31-13) Easton
6. Sr. Joey Puskas (34-10) Northern Lehigh
Still alive in N.J.: Ferris, Sr. Greg Eisenhart (29-5) North Hunterdon.
Notes: A state finalist last season, Curto didn't make it back to the finals in
Class AA this year, but did take third with another close decision (2-1) over Casciole,
who moves up from sixth. Ferris suffered his first loss of the season in the Region
5 finals -- falling 4-2 to Lawrence's Mark Savino. Eisenhart, who lost 3-1 in OT to
Savino a week earlier in the district finals, advanced to the state tournament by
finishing third in the same weight class. Creazzo made it to the medals platform at
states with an eight-place finish in Class AA.
130 POUNDS
1. Sr. Jeff Santo (33-1) Pen Argyl
2. Jr. Jay Morrison (41-4) Whitehall
3. Sr. Bryan Hart (42-6) Easton
4. So. Joe Caramanica (34-10) Nazareth
5. So. Adam Frey (33-7) Blair Academy
6. Sr. Matt Gorkos (27-11) Saucon Valley
Still alive in N.J.: Sr. Charles Balboa (29-8) North Hunterdon.
Notes: Santo lost in Class AA state finals to Delone Catholic's Dana Gingerich, whom
he had beaten at regionals the week before. Morrison and Hart maintained their standings
by placing third and seventh, respectively at Class AAA states. Balboa continued his ride
by finishing third in Region 5 with a 5-4 decision over South River's Rodney Thomas,
who ended Hunterdon Central senior Greg Alparone's season in the wrestleback semis. A
case could be made for moving Wilson's Ed Labatch, who placed sixth at Class AA states,
back ahead of Gorkos, who finished seventh. Here's why we didn't: There was no head-to-head
matchup there. Labatch did beat one of the wrestlers (Mike Krisfalusi) who beat Gorkos in
the first round, but it wasn't enough to lift him back into top six.
135 POUNDS
1. Jr. Gregg Romano (36-5) Blair Academy
2. So. Joe Ecklof (39-10) Northampton
3. Fr. Alex Caruso (30-1) Watchung Hills
4. Jr. Mike Parisi (38-3) Notre Dame
5. Jr. Mike Detsis (26-4) Hillsborough
6. So. Ryan Heard (29-12) Pen Argyl
Still alive in N.J.: Caruso, Detsis.
Notes: Ecklof became first of four Northampton Class AAA state champs Saturday night.
Parisi's only postseason loss came in Class AA state championship match, where he was
pinned by Isaiah Britton of Loyalsock. Millburn state runner-up Zach Tanelli handed
Caruso his first loss -- 9-3 in the Region 3 semis. Caruso came back to finish third
and earn his first trip to the states. Detsis finished third in Region 5 by nipping
Franklin's Rusty Hunt 3-1 in OT in the bronze medal match. Along the way, Detsis scored
his second win over Hunterdon Central's Jordan Nettuno -- 8-5 in the quarters. Hunt
knocked Nettuno, ranked fifth here last week, out all together with a 7-3 decision over
the Red Devil in the wrestlebacks.
140 POUNDS
1. Jr. Mike Rogers (38-2) Easton
2. Sr. Scott Heckman (37-3) Bangor
3. Sr. Mark Moyer (24-1) Somerville
4. Sr. Kyle Brewer (32-3) Hunterdon Central
5. Sr. Billy Matejcek (25-8) Saucon Valley
6. Jr. Greg Hagel (34-10) Blair Academy
Still alive in N.J.: Moyer, Brewer, Sr. P.J. Budd (26-10) Phillipsburg,
Fr. Dave Richmond (23-9) Warren Hills.
Notes: By now, everyone knows the story, so no use rehashing it. Even though Heckman now
has beaten Rogers in three of their five meetings over the past two seasons, there is no
way Rogers is not No. 1. Heckman won by injury default over Rogers in Class AAA state
third-place match. Moyer is the Region 5 runner-up -- falling 4-2 to Old Bridge's Vin
Iodaci in the finals. Brewer fought back for third place in the same class after being
pinned by Iodaci in the semis. Brewer majored North Hunterdon's Josh Prado 16-7 for the
bronze medal. Richmond beat Budd 7-3 in the Region 1 semis and finished second -- just
the third Warren Hills freshman ever to reach a region final. Budd came back to take third.
145 POUNDS
1. Sr. Ryan Davis (33-0) Blair Academy
2. Sr. Jeff Ecklof (42-2) Northampton
3. Sr. Allen Cozze (30-5) North Hunterdon
4. Sr. Justin Koeller (29-5) Phillipsburg
5. Jr. Mike Gatti (22-6) Watchung Hills
6. Sr. Tom Funari (32-12) Emmaus
Still alive in N.J.: Cozze, Koeller, Gatti.
Notes: Ecklof won his second Class AAA state title in three years while Funari went
two-and-out in same tournament. Cozze finished third in Region 5 to advance to AC.
The Lion was beaten 8-7 by eventual runner-up Kody Hamrah of Bishop Ahr in the semis.
Koeller claimed his first Region 1 title with a 5-3 win over Pequannock's Scott Van
Peenan. Could we see Cozze-Koeller III in AC? Gatti won his first Region 3 title.
152 POUNDS
1. Sr. Ricky Frondorf (18-0) North Hunterdon
2. Sr. Ryan Hluschak (42-1) Northern Lehigh
3. Jr. Sean Richmond (45-5) Easton
4. So. Hudson Taylor (29-3) Blair Academy
5. Jr. Billy Haydt (36-8) Northampton
6. Sr. Allen Van Ness (34-1) Somerville
Still alive in N.J.: Frondorf, Van Ness, Jr. Ricky Kurtz (26-6) Delaware Valley.
Notes: Frondorf recorded his second four-peat of the postseason by winning his fourth
straight Region 5 title. Once again, Frondorf majored Kurtz in the finals -- 15-6 after
a 17-7 win in the District 17 finals the previous week. Kurtz had a fine tournament --
pinning Van Ness in the semis. Van Ness came back to take third. Hluschak kept his spot
by winning the Class AA state title. Thanks to an alert reader who pointed out the mistake,
we inadvertently placed Richmond behind Taylor after moving him up ahead of Haydt the week
before. Both previously were behind Taylor because Haydt had beaten Richmond just after
losing to Taylor. Now that Richmond has turned the tables on Haydt, he should be ahead
of both because he also beat Taylor in their one and only meeting this season.
160 POUNDS
1. Sr. Mark Perry (28-0) Blair Academy
2. Sr. Dave Post (31-2) Phillipsburg
3. Jr. Zeke Lane (23-4) Allen
4. Sr. Mike Heist (21-12) Parkland
5. Sr. Todd Israel (27-12) Liberty
6. Sr. Andrew Cosgrove (24-5) North Hunterdon
Still alive in N.J.: Post, Cosgrove.
Notes: Post successfully defended his Region 1 title by putting on a takedown clinic
in a 16-5 major of Kittatinny's Mike Shadis. Now the Stateliner, who finished fifth
in the state last year, sets his sights on a state title. Lane had an impressive state
tournament, going 4-2 to finish fourth in Class AAA. Cosgrove makes the trip to AC after
a second-place finish in Region 5. The Lion lost 5-1 in double-OT to South Brunswick's
Mike Valentino, who also had beaten Cosgrove earlier this season.
171 POUNDS
1. Sr. Ryan Nowicki (34-6) Northampton
2. So. Nick Guida (30-7) Parkland
3. Sr. Mike Fania (25-5) Phillipsburg
4. Jr. Alex Maciag (32-6) Blair Academy
5. Jr. Mike Somma (31-3) Hunterdon Central
6. Sr. Dan Gargas (18-10) North Hunterdon
Still alive in N.J.: Fania, Somma, Gargas.
Notes: Guida jumps up to the No. 2 spot after finishing fifth in the Class AAA state
tournament. Fania, who was No. 2 last week, finished third in Region 1. The Stateliner
was caught and pinning by Pequannock's Dayton Frost in the semis. He won two matches
in the wrestlebacks, including a 10-3 win over Warren Hills junior Dan Brice, to take
the bronze. Somma beat Gargas -- for the third time in four meetings this season -- 10-6
for the Region 5 crown.
189 POUNDS
1. Jr. Josh Haines (44-1) Northampton
2. Sr. Matt Maciag (33-9) Blair Academy
3. Sr. Dave Iobst (36-6) Wilson
4. Jr. Pete Grodziak (23-15) Parkland
5. So. Zach Pizarro (30-14) Easton
6. Sr. George Peterson (28-3) Delaware Valley
Still alive in N.J.: Peterson, Sr. Bob Pellechio (25-8) North Hunterdon.
Notes: Haines maintains top spot with win at Class AAA states. Iobst went to finals in Class AA and lost on last-second takedown to Jason Mitkowski of Nanticoke. Peterson keeps rolling along -- adding a Region 5 title to his resume after a 12-9 decision over Pellechio in the championship round.
215 POUNDS
1. Jr. Jon Oplinger (41-1) Northampton
2. Sr. Mark Eberstein (35-0) Hunterdon Central
3. Jr. Marcus Millen (38-11) Easton
4. So. Bryan Reiss (31-8) Emmaus
5. Jr. Devin Derrico (26-12) Liberty
6. Jr. Rob Perricone (23-5) Voorhees
Still alive in N.J.: Eberstein.
Notes: Oplinger wrapped up a record Class AAA state tournament for Northampton by
becoming the fourth finalist to win Saturday night. Eberstein claimed the Region 5
title by pinning Sean McMahon of Bernards in 33 seconds. The Red Devil, who placed
sixth in the state at 189 last year, should earn the No. 1 seed for the state tournament
when seedings are announced today. Millen made the best of a tough draw at Class AAA
states by winning three straight consolation matches en route to a fifth-place finish.
275 POUNDS
1. Jr. Jason Groller (35-13) Easton
2. Sr. Josh Kelly (29-6) Freedom
3. Sr. Rocky Schoeneberger (23-11) Nazareth
4. Jr. John Kane (26-15) Blair Academy
5. Sr. Anthony D'Amelio (21-8) Hunterdon Central
6. Jr. Jason Acquaye (24-5) Franklin
Still alive in N.J.: None.
Notes: Groller went 1-2 at Class AAA states and was denied a medal. He lost 5-2 to the
eventual third-place finisher (Zach Sheaffer of Cumberland Valley) and 3-2 to the eventual
fifth-place finisher (Ryan Kittrick of Coughlin). All Jersey big boys were wiped out in
the regions. Hunterdon Central junior Rob Keyes (23-10) went 0-1, while Acquaye went 2-2
in Region 5. D'Amelio finished fourth in this region, pinning Acquaye in the quarters.
D'Amelio beat Morgan Lobello of Bishop Ahr 2-1 in the wrestlebacks. Lobello pinned Keyes
in the opening round Tuesday. Therefore, D'Amelio, who beat Acquaye 7-6 in the District
18 finals the previous week, is in at No. 5 and Acquaye stays at six. Keyes is out.
Rankings are compiled by Mike Weilamann, Nick Fierro, and Brian Fortner. Records reflect
matches and tournaments that have been reported to or covered by The Express-Times.
Two wrestlers from the same team cannot be included in the rankings at the same weight,
and they have to be ranked at the lowest weight that they've competed in, unless they
move up for the postseason. Questions about the rankings should be directed to
Mike Weilamann by phone at 800-360-3601 or email at mweilamann@earthlink.net.
