Wrestling: Terriers find eight is great in Group 2

TOMS RIVER -- Delaware Valley wrestling teams have endured some heartbreaking moments at this time of the season, but the Terriers erased nearly two decades of frustration with a 30-28 win over Hanover Park on Sunday to capture the Group 2 championship at Pine Belt Arena.

Del Val (23-3) ended two long droughts in the process, capturing the program's eighth state title and first since 1999, while becoming the first Hunterdon County team to hoist a trophy since North Hunterdon claimed the Group 3 title in 2002.

Del Val coach Andy Fitz is presented with the Group 2 trophy.

"This feels really good right now," said Terriers coach Andy Fitz, who won his first title at the helm of his alma mater after winning four as wrestler under his father Vince from 1987-90. "There's a whole generation [of wrestlers] that had no idea [we had won seven before today]. Now, they get a picture on the wall to cement their legacy."

Del Val, which came up one point short against Emerson-Park Ridge in last year's final, had some tense moments against Hanover Park (17-5), which was seeking its second title in three years. In a key bout at 145 pounds, senior Rhys Zigich gave up a takedown with 20 seconds left in the third period in a 2-1 loss to Hornets junior Sean Conley.

After splitting the next two bouts, senior Sean Lessig converted a takedown with 21 seconds in the third period to a secure a 13-4 major at 170. That win gave Del Val a spark, and after losing a tough bout in overtime at 182, juniors Eli Kalfaian (195) and Kyle Lightner (220) registered back-to-back pins in a combined 1 minute, 45 seconds to give the Terriers a 24-13 lead. Senior Josh LaDuca gave them some more breathing room with a 2-1 win at 285.

"[LaDuca] has had several good dual-meet wins for us of late," Fitz said. "We don't have a lot of big guys in the room, so I give our coaches a lot of credit for working with him. That major [by Lessig] got the momentum back on our side."

Senior Dylan Uderman came through with a big effort at 106, even though he didn't get his hand raised by only giving up three team points in a 1-0 loss to heavily favored Jake Bursese. Those saved points were big, as sophomore AJ DeRosa only needed a regular decision in the next-to-last bout at 120, with state runner-up Nick Raimo looming for Hanover Park at the end.

With Del Val holding a 27-22 lead, DeRosa wrestled a smart match and used a third-period takedown for a 3-1 win to ice the championship.

"We were happy to put the match in DeRosa's hands," Fitz said of his region runner-up. We let two bouts slip away with Zigich and [Shawne] Ramsby [at 182], but we were able to pull off wins somewhere else."

The smiles all around after told the story, as Del Val bounced back from a tough loss a year ago to end their title drought.

"We lost to a better team last year -- Emerson-Park Ridge was better than us," Fitz said. "At one point, I thought we were going to lose two Group 2 finals by a total of five points. This is only our second in the last 27 years. We've always done well, but for some reason, it didn't go our way. Today it went our way. This was a total team effort."

Del Val and Hanover Park survived tough semifinal matches.

The Terriers got pins by Tommy Schlittler and DeRosa in the last two bouts to pull out a 34-24 win over Collingswood, while the Hornets held off High Point for a 32-30 victory.

DELAWARE VALLEY 30, HANOVER PARK 28
132 -- Sr. Lou Raimo (27-7), HP, d. Sr. Connor Mills (23-12), 9-2.
138 -- Sr. Matt Kolonia (34-1), DV, tf. Sr. Marco Zecca (12-11), 19-3, 4:37.
145 -- Jr. Sean Conley (23-5), HP, d. Sr. Rhys Zigich (29-5), 2-1.
152 -- Sr. Chase Bauberger (22-8), DV, d. So. Nick Zarra (17-15), 4-2.
160 -- Jr. Matthew Liberato (17-7), HP, md. Sr. Tanner McLaughlin (15-15), 11-2.
170 -- Sr. Sean Lessig (17-5), DV, md. Jr. Sebastian (13-18), 13-4.
182 -- Sr. Rory DeLuca (25-6), HP, d. So. Shawne Ramsby (15-10), 2-1 TB.
195 -- Jr. Eli Kalfaian (16-10), DV, p. So. Pasquale Dimaiolo (3-20), :48.
220 -- Jr. Kyle Lightner (31-2), DV, p. Jr. Daniel Jimenez (12-16), :57.
285 -- Sr. Josh LaDuca (15-14), DV, d. Sr. Giancarlo Dellanno (9-15), 2-1.
106 -- Fr. Jake Bursese (22-12), HP, d. Sr. Dylan Uderman (14-9), 1-0.
113 -- So. Dominic DiFrancescantonio (27-8), HP, p. So. Tommy Schlittler (11-12), :25.
120 -- So. AJ DeRosa (29-6), DV, d. Jr. Michael Rubin (21-10), 3-1.
126 -- So. Nick Raimo (25-1), HP, forfeit.
Records -- Delaware Valley 23-3; Hanover Park 17-5.
Referees -- Tony Tabbachino and Andy Tonnessen.

SEMIFINALS

DELAWARE VALLEY 34, COLLINGSWOOD 24
126 -- Fr. Gage Crater (24-10), DV, d. Jr. Joe Downing (13-11), 7-4.
132 -- Fr. Gabe Onorato (15-5), C, d. Sr. Connor Mills (23-11), 2-1.
138 -- Sr. Matt Kolonia (33-1), DV, md. Sr. Will West (22-11), 16-4.
145 -- Sr. Rhys Zigich (29-4), DV, d. Jr. Riley Onorato (17-13), 3-0.
152 -- Sr. Chase Bauberger (21-8), DV, d. Jr. Billy Plianthos (17-13), 8-1.
160 -- Sr. Sean Miles (25-9), C, p. Sr. Tanner McLaughlin (15-14), 3:00.
170 -- Sr. Sean Lessig (16-5), DV, d. Jr. Aaron Carter (29-5), 3-2.
182 -- Sr. Nick Barnes (29-5), C, d. So. Shawne Ramsby (15-9), 3-0.
195 -- Jr. Kyle Lightner (30-2), DV, p. Sr. Kingsley Ayeni (13-15), 3:16.
220 -- Sr. Michael Taulane (30-2), C, d. Jr. Eli Kalfaian (15-10), 6-1.
285 -- Jr. Matt Meloni (17-17), C, d. Sr. Josh LaDuca (14-14), 3-2.
106 -- Fr. Andrew Clark (29-5), C, p. Sr. Dylan Uderman (14-8), 3:33.
113 -- So. Tommy Schlittler (11-11), DV, p. Fr. Brian Cole (8-15), 1:32.
120 -- So. AJ DeRosa (28-6), DV, p. Sr. Joe Tenuto (16-10), 1:37.
Records -- Delaware Valley 22-3; Collingswood 25-6.

HANOVER PARK 32, HIGH POINT 30
126 -- So. Nick Raimo (24-1), Ha, forfeit.
132 -- Sr. Lou Raimo (26-7), Ha, p. Fr. Billy Talmadge (17-10), 1:39.
138 -- Jr. Sean Conley (22-5), Ha, d. Jr. Shane Kobis (18-8), 6-1.
145 -- Jr. Trey Osborn (17-9), HP, d. Sr. Marco Zecca (12-10), 4-1.
152 -- So. Nick Zarra (17-14), Ha, d. Sr. Trevor Kocher (6-10), 4-1.
160 -- Jr. Matt Liberato (16-7), Ha, tf. Jr. Sawyer Fenlon (4-6), 17-1, 3:34.
170 -- Sr. Aric Wingle (22-7), HP, p. Jr. Sebastian Bassolino (13-17), 3:58.
182 -- Sr. Rory DeLuca (24-6), Ha, p. Sr. Matt McDonnell (9-13), 3:24.
195 -- Jr. Hunter Flores (13-5), HP, p. So. Pasquale Dimaiolo (3-19), :14.
220 -- Sr. Cliff Rutter (16-6), HP, p. Jr. Daniel Jimenez (12-15), 3:36.
285 -- Jr. Thomas Hubmaster (16-8), HP, d. Sr. Giancarlo Dellanno (9-14), 4-1.
106 -- So. Brandon LaRue (27-2), HP, d. Fr. Jake Bursese (22-11), 2-0.
113 -- So. Domenic DiFrancescantonio (26-8), Ha, d. So. Devin Flannery (21-3), 12-6.
120 -- Jr. Maverick Liebl (17-7), HP, d. Jr. Michael Rubin (21-9), 4-2.
Records -- High Point 16-6; Hanover Park 17-4.