Thursday, February 28, 2013

Wrestling: Ten Region 1 quarterfinals to watch

Here are the 10 quarterfinal bouts that Open Mike will be keeping a close eye on Friday night at Wallkill Valley Regional High School:

106 pounds

4-Fr. Garrett O'Shea (34-3, D2-2), Morris Knolls, vs. 5-Jr. Austin Sisco (25-7, D3-2), Pope John.
3-Sr. Stephen Caserta (29-6, D2-1), Roxbury, vs. 6-So. William Kui (29-5, D4-1), DePaul.

Note: O'Shea is an impressive-looking freshman who defeated Sisco, 5-2, in the finals of the Parsippany Tournament on Dec. 27. Sisco picked up his second win in his third appearance at regions -- 4-3 over Hopatcong's Joe Aumann on Wednesday. Caserta-Kui is good enough to be a final most years here, but this weight class is stacked.

120 pounds

4-So. Peter Lipari (25-7, D2-1), Lenape Valley, vs. 5-Sr. Joey Spaziani (30-7, D2-3), Hopatcong.

Note: Fourth meeting between these two. Lipari is 3-0 -- winning 5-0, 3-1 in sudden victory and 5-1 in their most recent encounter in the District 2 semifinals. Winner likely gets High Point freshman Jared Kobis in the semifinals for an All-Sussex matchup in the Final Four.

132 pounds

4-So. Mike Derin (13-3, D3-1), High Point, vs. 5-Sr. Anthony Johnson (12-7, D1-1), Phillipsburg.

Note: This is a quarterfinal? Wow. Derin was a third-place finisher last year at 120, while Johnson was a finalist at 138. The High Point sophomore, who left the team earlier this season, has been nothing short of sensational since his return -- sans a 5-2 loss to Roxbury's Jake Legotte, the No. 3 seed here -- in his first match back on Jan. 19. Johnson, who missed most of the first month while serving a suspension, decked the No. 6 seeded Joe Hocking of Wallkill Valley and beat No. 7 Eric Friedman of Mendham, 6-4.

138 pounds

4-So. Jason Gaccione (34-4, D3-2), High Point, vs. 5-Sr. Brandon Carcuffe (31-7, D1-3), West Morris.

Note: Gaccione was one win away from finishing in the top four at 132 last year. You can bet he's refocused after that stunning 11-6 loss to Kittatinny's Nick Romyns in the District 3 finals. Carcuffe has kind of been flying under the radar a bit, finishing third in a loaded District 1 field. He's one of nine West Morris wrestlers still going in Friday's quarterfinals. High Point has a tournament-high 11 still alive.

152 pounds

3-So. Luke Bohn (31-5, D3-1), Jefferson, vs. 6-Fr. Dean Drugac (33-3, D2-2), Morris Knolls.

Note: Bohn won his first District 3 title on Saturday, nearly giving up the tying takedown at the buzzer in a 3-1 win over Vernon's Ryan Ward, the No. 8 seed. Drugac is among some impressive freshmen for the Golden Eagles, including his brother, Luke, at 145.

170 pounds

3-Sr. Richard DiZenzo (26-6, D4-1), West Milford, vs. 6-Jr. Broderick Bupivi (22-12, D1-1), Phillipsburg.

Note: Bupivi has really come on in the second half and looked strong in winning his first District 1 title at Warren Hills. DiZenzo is returning at this weight, where he came within one win of finishing in the top four.

182 pounds

2-So. Nick DePalma (30-5, D4-1), DePaul, vs. 7-Sr. Josh Sibblies (31-4, D3-2), Newton.

Note: This could end up being the best bout of the night. DePalma majored Belvidere's Evan Bray, the No. 3 seed, in December. Sibblies being a No. 7 seed tells you how deep this weight is. He won the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex title, while Bray finished third. They were in opposite brackets. 

220 pounds

3-Sr. Robert Levine (21-5, D4-2), Wayne Hills, vs. 6-Jr. Garrett Armstrong (32-3, D3-1), Kittatinny.

Note: Levine finished fourth last year at 220 after being pinned by Belvidere's J.B. Lawson in the consolations. Lawson is the top seed here and has split with Armstrong this season. Since a 3-2 loss to Lawson in overtime in the HWS finals, Armstrong has won 16 in a row -- including 11 pins.

285 pounds

4-Jr. Noa Merritt (28-3, D3-1), Pope John, vs. Sr. William Wenzel (27-3, D4-2), West Milford.

Note: Merritt went 1-2 in his first trip to regions last year, including a 3-1 loss to Belvidere's Ryan Appleby in the first round of wrestlebacks. He used a tremendous drive double-leg takedown in winning the District 3 title. Wenzel survived a scare on Wednesday with a 7-5 win in sudden victory over Phillipsburg's Jarrett Williams.

No comments:

Post a Comment