Monday, February 9, 2015

Wrestling: Region 1 rankings

106
1. So. Shane Metzler, West Morris (D1)
2. So. Daniel Percelay, DePaul (D4)
3. So. Jacob Falleni, Lenape Valley (D2)
4. Jr. Scott Smith, Kinnelon (D4)
5. Jr. Kyle Markus, Phillipsburg (D1)

Others to watch: Austin Perrault, Morris Knolls; Ronald Rumsby, Montville; Mark DiGeronimo, Kittatinny; Christian Deehan, Pope John; Randy Wyble, Butler.

Notes: Metzler knocked off Markus in a dual meet by major decision. Percelay had to sit 30 days after transferring from Morris Knolls, but he’s a major contender here with a close 7-6 loss to Bound Brook’s Joe Casey, who gave Hunterdon Central 113-pounder Peter Nace all he could handle in a dual meet, and a 3-1 loss to Bergen Catholic’s Carmen Ferrante. Falleni is the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex champ, handing Markus an 8-3 loss in the finals. Smith’s lone defeats are by fall to Delbarton’s Pat Glory in the Morris County Tournament finals and up a weight to District 3 champion Garrett Gerndt of Sparta.

113
1. Jr. Garrett O’Shea, Morris Knolls (D2)
2. Sr. Joe Aumann, Hopatcong (D2)
3. Sr. Dino Cancellieri, DePaul (D4)
4. Fr. Jake Rotunda, Pope John (D3)
5. So. Kade Loughney, West Morris (D1)

Others to watch: Steve Pocze, Pequannock; Alex Carida, Hackettstown; Garrett Gerndt, Sparta; Chase Babus, High Point; Connor Murphy, Wayne Valley; Nick Rampone, Randolph; Nick Cassidy, Belvidere.

Notes: Phillipsburg’s Brandon Paetzell, a two-time state placewinner and runner-up last season, would be the clear No. 1 here, but unfortunately the talented junior will miss the remainder of the season with a thumb injury. MCT champ O’Shea, who placed sixth in the state at 106 last season, assumes the top spot. Aumann, an HWS champion, finished fourth in the region at 106 last season. O’Shea majored Gerndt in a dual meet. Rotunda is an impressive looking freshman, dropping a 3-2 heartbreaker to Aumann in the HWS quarters and beating Gerndt, 2-1, in a dual. Loughney has had some odd results, such as a 4-2 loss to Rampone earlier in the season, which he has since avenged. Gerndt has three losses to Aumann and an OT loss to Babus, who enters the week just 3-8 after qualifying in Region 1 at 106 last season. Cancellieri dropped to 113 late in the season and bears watching here.

120
1. Sr. Dylan Luciano, West Morris (D1)
2. Jr. Troy Stanich, Roxbury (D2)
3. Jr. Nick Klinger, Kittatinny (D3)
4. Sr. Mojahed Hamdeh, Wayne Hills (D4)
5. So. Damian Maver, DePaul (D4)

Others to watch: Dan Kee, Lakeland; Trevor Morales, Newton; Ryan Luchs, Pope John; Tyler Agans, Phillipsburg; Mark Bohn, Jefferson; Connor Meytrott, Montville.

Notes: Luciano, fourth in Region 1 at 126 last season, knocked off Stanich, 11-7 in OT, in the MCT quarterfinals to avenge a 5-1 loss. Stanich, a Region 1 runner-up at 106 last season, handed Klinger a 3-1 loss in December. Hamdeh, a returning Region 1 champ, won the Passaic County Tournament with a 2-1 decision over Maver, who beat Kee, 3-1, in the semifinals. Hamdeh also has a 6-3 win over Kee, whom he beat in last year's 113-pound Region 1 final. Warren Hills sophomore Matt Valli, a District 1 champ, will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

126
1. Sr. Matt Noble, DePaul (D4)
2. Sr. Dom Gallo, High Point (D3)
3. Sr. A.J. Vindici, Randolph (D2)
4. Jr. Joe Renne, Hackettstown (D1)
5. Fr. Brian Meyer, Phillipsburg (D1)

Others to watch: Anthony Mastroeni, Hopatcong; Marco Gaita, West Morris; Richard Reimers, Roxbury; Nick Giordano, Newton; John Fluck, Warren Hills; Dominic Koert, Pope John; Jared Inglett, Wayne Hills; Joseph Brown, West Milford.

Notes: Tough call for the top spot. Vindici, who finished third in the state two years ago and fourth in Region 1 last season, has spent a lot of time up at 132. He hammered Renne, 15-2, for first place in the Hunterdon Central Invitational in December.  Noble’s lone loss this season is 3-1 to Bergen Catholic’s Peter Lipari. Gallo, a Region 1 finalist last season who is nursing an elbow injury and has been at 132 for the most part, wrestled at 126 in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament and finished second to North Hunterdon ace Ryan Pomrinca, who beat Renne, 8-0, in the semifinals. Gallo beat Vindici, 2-1 in UTB, in last year's Region 1 semis. Mastroeni and Meyer are talented freshmen to keep an eye on. Meyer beat Gaita, 11-3, and Mastroeni topped Gaita, 5-3, so the Stateliner gets the nod for now.

132
1. Sr. William Kui, DePaul (D4)
2. Jr. Austin Scrivani, Kittatinny (D3)
3. So. Nick Palumbo, Lenape Valley (D2)
4. Sr. Gino Fluri, North Warren (D1)
5. Sr. Kyle Flynn, Pompton Lakes (D4)

Others to watch: Donald Agans, Phillipsburg; Matthew Liberato, West Morris; Michael DeClario, Kinnelon; Michael Glasser, Montville; Zach Nauta, Warren Hills; Jayson Parisi, Morris Knolls; Anthony Castiglia, Wayne Valley; Anthony Rua, Wayne Hills.

Notes: Kui, who finished third in Region 1 last season, handed Flynn, fourth in Region 1, a 7-1 loss in the PCT finals. Scrivani, whose only loss this season was 8-3 to Mendham state placer Eric Friedman up at 138, was third in Region 1 a year ago. Scrivani beat Palumbo 10-6 in the HWS finals and 5-3 in a dual meet. Liberato finished fourth in the MCT and DeClario was fifth. Glasser and DeClario have split this season with DeClario winning the latest in the MCT. Agans beat Liberato, 7-2, in a dual meet. Fluri has a double-loss to Palumbo, both one-point margins. Fluri also dropped a 2-1 decision to Mendham state placewinner Eric Friedman up at 138 and beat Liberato, 4-3.

138
1. Sr. Eric Friedman, Mendham (D1)
2. Jr. Jared Kobis, High Point (D3)
3. Jr. DJ Wissing, Phillipsburg (D1)
4. Sr. Max Nauta, Warren Hills (D1)
5. Sr. Cory Doebel, DePaul (D4)

Others to watch: Alex Zangrilli, Pequannock; Michael Nigro, Morris Knolls; Michael Roumes, Roxbury; Mike Oros, West Morris; Sean Siek, Wallkill Valley; Cole Nagle, Vernon; Sal Puglisi, Pompton Lakes.

Notes: Excellent weight class. Two extremely talented wrestlers will not make it out if all of the above enter the postseason at 138. Friedman was a Region 1 runner-up at this weight and placed eighth in the state last season, while Kobis (19-0) has been hampered by injuries the last two seasons and is battling a shoulder issue of late. Wissing, who lost a one-point match to Kobis, has split with Nauta, winning the most recent matchup in a dual meet. Nauta is a three-time Region 1 finalist and a champion two seasons ago. Doebel, who was second in the PCT, dropped an 8-0 decision to Nauta.

145
1. Sr. Jason Gaccione, High Point (D3)
2. Sr. Steve Friedman, Phillipsburg (D1)
3. Sr. David Migliaccio, West Morris (D1)
4. Sr. Ian Burke, Sparta (D3)
5. Sr. David Zeppetelli, West Milford (D4)

Others to watch: Jake Vanwingerden, Kittatinny; Kenny Kane, Belvidere; Austin Pidoto, Warren Hills; Richard Day, Roxbury; Joseph Stambouly, Wayne Hills; Chris Grecco, Pompton Lakes; Brenden Murphy, Pequannock; David Petretta, Wayne Valley.

Notes: Gaccione beat Migliaccio, 7-3, in a dual and dropped Friedman, 7-1 in the HWS finals and 3-1 in the dual meet. Friedman has a 5-4 win over Migliaccio, who finished third in the MCT. Burke, a three-time District 3 placewinner who is closing in on his school's all-time wins record, is right in the mix with a 7-4 loss to Friedman in the HWS semifinals. Zeppetelli recently dropped to 145, which is a loaded weight in this region. He pinned Vanwingerden earlier this season at 152. 

152
1. So. Brandon Kui, DePaul (D4)
2. Jr. Tommy Miller, Roxbury (D2)
3. Sr. Anthony Fano, Montville (D2)
4. So. Troy Navarino, Mendham (D1)
5. Sr. John Kaluzny, Phillipsburg (D1)

Others to watch: Jarod Ostir, Warren Hills; Ryan Cullen, High Point; Corey Zinsmeister, Phillipsburg; Anthony Carida, Hackettstown; Rene Sousa, Belvidere; Anthony Duardo, North Warren; Nathan Sowers, Sparta; Patrick Gundlah, Pompton Lakes; Anthony Azzariti, Pope John.

Notes: Returning Region 1 champ Kui beat Miller, 8-3, on Jan. 17. Miller scored a 6-0 win over Fano in the MCT semifinals and finished second. Miller beat Navarino, 3-2, in December. Kaluzny decked Cullen in a dual and beat Ostir, 5-2. Not sure what Zinsmeister's status -- he was fourth last year -- is moving forward, but Kaluzny has done a fine job this season and has a chance to make a push up the ranks.

160
1. Sr. David McFadden, DePaul (D4)
2. Sr. Max Elling, Phillipsburg (D1)
3. Jr. Craig Roumes, Roxbury (D2)
4. Sr. Luke Bohn, Jefferson (D3)
5. Jr. Christian Dalcais, West Milford (D4)

Others to watch: David Harris, Belvidere; Jake Wilkerson, Hopatcong; Lance Fischer, Newton; Walker Schmitzer, Sparta; Caleb Isemann, West Morris; Joey Schiele, Morris Hills; Mike Szynalski, Randolph.

Notes: McFadden, a returning state champ, majored Roumes, 16-7, in a dual and scored a technical fall win over Dalcais. Elling, who missed a trip to AC last season after finishing third in Region 1 two years ago, is a beast at this weight. Dalcais, who has an 8-6 loss to Morris Knolls’ Luke Drugac at 170, has appeared at 152 for one match, beating North Warren’s Anthony Duardo, 13-5, on Saturday.  It will be interesting to see what Bohn, a state qualifier last year, does for the postseason. He’s ranked fourth here, but has wrestled quite a bit at 170 this season. Roumes beat Bohn, 8-6, in the MCT finals in a battle of state qualifiers.

170
1. Sr. Jimmy Schuitema, Phillipsburg (D1)
2. Jr. Luke Drugac, Morris Knolls (D2)
3. Jr. Spencer Carey, DePaul (D4)
4. Jr. Daniel Kilroy, Wayne Hills (D4)
5. Sr. Joey LaBell, Lenape Valley (D2)

Others to watch: Kevin Merle, Belvidere; Al Falco, Sparta; Jake Brown, Pope John; Sal Negrini, Pompton Lakes; David Iodice, Pequannock.

Notes: Schuitema was third in Region 1 as a freshman and a champ two seasons ago, but he was not allowed to wrestle in the postseason last year. Drugac is a returning Region 1 champ and MCT champ, and is unbeaten this season, with a 6-2 win over LaBell. Carey beat Kilroy, 7-3, in the PCT semifinals en route to the championship. Kilroy went onto finish third. LaBell, a n HWS runner-up, dropped a 6-2 decision to Drugac and beat Merle, 7-2 in OT, in the HWS semifinals. Kilroy was a runner-up at 160 last season in Region 1. Brown lost 4-2 in OT to LaBell on Saturday.

182
1. Sr. Nick DePalma, DePaul (D4)
2. Jr. Dean Drugac, Morris Knolls (D2)
3. Sr. D.J. Barrett, Lenape Valley (D3)
4. So. Drew Horun, Phillipsburg (D1)
5. Jr. David LoCascio, Kinnelon (D4)

Others to watch: Brett Lobdell, Pequannock; Stephen Merle, Belvidere; Jack Butrymowicz, North Warren; Connor Lore, Sparta; PJ Chak, Wayne Valley.

Notes: DePalma, a runner-up at this weight last season, is the solid No. 1 choice here, while Barrett, an HWS champion, finished third in Region 1 last season. Lenape bumped Barrett away from Drugac, a returning Region 1 champ, in the dual meet, so Drugac gets the nod at No. 2. Lobdell beat Merle, 6-4, on Dec. 27. LoCascio beat Lobdell, 4-3, in the MCT semifinals, before dropping a 6-1 decision to Drugac in the finals. Horun has wrestled mostly at 195 this season, beating Lenape Valley’s Sam Palumbo, 5-2, in the HWS quarterfinals en route to a second-place finish. By comparison, LoCascio beat Palumbo, 4-3, in the Lenape holiday tournament.

195
1. Sr. Gus Protogeropoulos, Newton (D3)
2. Jr. Adam Schlereth, DePaul (D4)
3. Jr. Pat Daly, Pequannock (D4)
4. Sr. Kevin Sears, West Morris (D1)
5. Sr. Luke Nappi, Morris Knolls (D2)

Others to watch: Aaron Flitcroft, Mendham; Sam Palumbo, Lenape Valley; Ryan Stephen, Belvidere; Kurt Nemeth, Warren Hills; Zach Herbert, Sparta;; Zak Tareky, Wayne Valley; Craig Calderone, Pompton Lakes; Matthew Sportelli, Wayne Hills.

Notes: Protogeropoulos finished third at 220 a year ago and has spent a lot of time there this season, so he's a big 195. Schlereth decked Tareky in the PCT finals, while Calderone finished fourth after dropping a 3-2 decision to Tareky in the semifinals. Sears has beaten Nappi three times this season, including a 7-4 decision in the MCT semifinals. Nappi beat Flitcroft, 8-5, in a dual meet. Daly has a pair of wins over Flitcroft, including a 7-0 decision in the MCT quarterfinals. Daly also beat Nappi, 3-0, for third in the MCT.

220
1. Jr. Scott Lavelle, DePaul (D4)
2. Sr. Tim Byrne, Mendham (D1)
3. Sr. Gavin Lally, Sparta (D3)
4. So. Robert Melise, Phillipsburg (D1)
5. Sr. Payton Campbell, Morris Knolls (D2)

Others to watch: Ralph Hall, Lenape Valley; Kevin Lewis, High Point; Drew Flynn, Pompton Lakes; Mike Chak, Wayne Valley; Daniel Colabella, Mount Olive; Teddy Gurnowski, Hackettstown; Christian Burgos, Hopatcong; Joe LaScala, Montville; Clayton O’Leary, Roxbury.

Notes: Lavelle, who was fourth here last year, hardly broke a sweat in winning the PCT championship with three first-period pins. Lally avenged his only loss of the season with a 3-2 decision over Newton’s Gus Protogeropoulos in the HWS finals. Lally also has an 8-2 win over Hall, a District 2 champion last season, and a 2-1 win over Campbell. Byrne beat Campbell, 8-5, in a dual meet. Melise, an HWS runner-up at 285, has made a seamless transition to 220. Randolph’s David Morehead decked Campbell in the MCT quarters in a surprising run to the finals, where he was decked by Byrne. Have to think that result was somewhat of an aberration given Morehead’s body of work and the fact that Campbell scored a 10-2 victory when they met in a dual meet on Jan. 6.

285
1. Jr. Kyle Nothnagel, Phillipsburg (D1)
2. Sr. Andrew Pacheco, Warren Hills (D1)
3. Sr. David Vargas, Randolph (D2)
4. So. Parker Fox, Montville (D2)
5. Sr. Alex Skaltsis, Mendham (D1)

Others to watch: Johanser Joseph, Pequannock; Robbie Gennat, Sparta; Rich Fritzky, Lenape Valley; Jake Pluta, Wayne Valley; Steve Hankin, West Milford; Nick Sanders, Pompton Lakes; Jake Hanstien, Lakeland.


Notes: Clear-cut at the top where Nothnagel, a transfer from Pennsylvania, shook things up with a stunning 6-1 win in overtime against returning Region 1 champ Pacheco, who finished sixth in the state last season. That rematch at District 1 in a few weeks will be worth the price of admission. It gets a bit dicey after those two. Fox owns a 3-2 win in UTB over Skaltsis, but Joseph upset Fox, 3-2, in the MCT semifinals. Skaltsis beat Joseph twice in December, including a fall in the Linn Crawn Memorial semifinals. Pluta beat Hankin, 4-2 in OT, en route to the PCT championship. Vargas decked Joseph on Saturday, but he didn't compete in the MCT. Vargas also nipped Gennat, 1-0, in a dual meet.

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