Soldano, who scored a workmanlike 4-1 win over Manalapan senior Matt Benedetti at 160 pounds, was the lone winner among four Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area wrestlers in the semifinal round on Friday night at Boardwalk Arena.
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| Brian Soldano is High Point's 13th state finalist. |
"I'm ready to compete for the title," said Soldano, now 78-5 overall, and looking to become the Sussex County school's 11th state champion. "I can't wait for tomorrow. I want to be with coach Smith, [head coach John] Gardner, be with all of them."
Pope John senior Eddie Ventresca (126) was denied in his quest for a second straight title after winning at 120 in 2019, while Sparta senior Cooper Stewart (113) and Hunterdon Central junior Colton Washleski (145) made their first semifinals appearances.
Soldano, one of the most likable and polite young men you'd ever meet, has made this postseason run look awfully easy as he's gone 10-0 -- winning his second district and region titles -- with seven pins and one technical fall, as well as a victory by injury default.
"He has a lot of fun doing it. He really does," said Gardner, who won the Wildcats' second state title as a senior in 1990 at 189 pounds. "He works extremely hard, but he enjoys the sport and he enjoys competing. I'm looking forward to the final."
In going the full six minutes for the first time, Soldano converted a low-single shot for a takedown in the first and applied constant pressure on top -- working a half and a bar while riding with the legs in. A second-period reversal made it 4-1 and Benedetti, who chose bottom to start the third period, never came close to getting out. True to form, Soldano showed little emotion after recording his biggest win to date.
"Biggest thing I learned from last year to this year is I was able to work my offense on my feet," Soldano said. "That's why I'm able to keep these close matches where they are."
Soldano also used last year's disappointment of finishing a round shy of a medal as a motivating factor in his run this season.
"I came down here thinking this is my year," he said. "I'm coming to take anybody who is in my spot."
Ventresca, who was looking to become just the second Pope John wrestler to win multiple titles and the first since all-time great Mike Frick won three (1969, '71 and '72), surrendered an escape, after he could not get out in the first 30-second rideout, with two seconds left to Kingsway senior McKenzie Bell in a 5-4 loss. Ventresca led, 3-2, after two periods, but he gave up a second reversal in the third period and needed an escape with 52 seconds left to force overtime.
Under this year's format, the semifinal losers had to wrestle in the consolation semifinals in the next round, and Ventresca, who previously beaten St. Joseph-Montvale's Alex Almeyda twice this season, dropped a 5-2 decision in their third matchup to fall into the fifth-place match, along with Stewart and Washleski, at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
Stewart -- bidding to become Sparta's first state finalist since Jeff Predmore (188 pounds in 1984) -- dropped a 7-3 decision to Don Bosco Prep's Kelly Dunnigan, who avenged a 3-2 loss when they met in the District 4 finals with a 5-0 win in last weekend's Region 1 title bout.
Washleski, who enjoyed a fine run to the semifinals, gave up a pair of takedowns in a 6-3 loss to Delbarton's Andrew Troczynski.
Girl power
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| Andrade and Gonzalez in 2019. |
Andrade, who made history here last season by becoming the first champion for Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex, scored a 19-4 technical fall over Morris Hills' Kyara Montoya in the semifinals, while Gonzalez, the first champion for Warren County, used an arm bar to deck Kittatinny sophomore Kierra Hubmaster in 2:49.
Kling, who rallied from an early two-point deficit, pinned Pennsauken's Tatiana Walker in 5:19.
Also falling in the semifinals were Wallkill Valley's Samantha Larsen (114), Warren Hills' Courtney Hoff (121) and High Point's Randi Miley (107), Lilly Ahrendt (143), Sophia Lombardo (151) and Lacey Hums (180).
Medal count
Regions 1, 2 and 7 led the way with 18 placewinners, followed by Region 5 with 15. Region 3 is next with 13, followed by Regions 6 and 8 with 12. Region 4 was last with six.
Pope John junior Shane Percelay (120) and senior Kaya Sement (145) and High Point senior Billy Talmadge (138) are two-time placewinners, while High Point junior Josh Gervey (132), Hunterdon Central junior Norman Cella (160) and North Hunterdon sophomore Liam Akers (285) all earned their first medals. Percelay and Sement will wrestle in third-place bouts and finish higher than they did last season, while Gervey goes for fifth. Talmadge, who finished with a fifth-place medal at 138 as a junior, Cella and Akers will all be involved in seventh-place matches.
Amazingly, Warren County did not have a placewinner for the first time since 1961, when you had to make the semifinals to finish top four. Three sophomores -- Phillipsburg's James Day (113) and Nate Zastowny (160), along with Warren Hills' Tyler McCatharn (285) may have laid the groundwork for next season as all three lost in the third round of wrestlebacks. The Stateliners did not have a quarterfinalist or a medal winner for the first time since 2010.
Falling just short in the Blood Round were 11 others from the HWS area -- High Point sophomore Clayton Utter (113) and senior Devon Liebl (126), Newton junior Nathan Fitt (120), Sparta junior Spencer Stewart (132) and senior Garrett Stewart (138), Hunterdon Central sophomore Tanner Peake (138) and senior Anthony Romaniello (152), along with Pope John senior Matthew Garcia (152) and sophomore Jack Stoll (182), North Hunterdon junior James Holder (170) and Kittatinny junior Jackson Crawn (220).
Spencer Stewart (42-3), an eighth-place finisher as a sophomore, gave up a reversal with 15 seconds left in the bout in a 3-2 loss to Jefferson's Austin Jack. Garrett Stewart (42-4), who is the Spartans' all-time wins leader at 147-27, dropped a 7-3 decision to Talmadge for his third loss in as many meetings this season. Talmadge scored a 7-2 win in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament finals on Jan. 11 and the in the Region 1 semifinals last Saturday.
Boys semifinals
106: Evan Mougalian (Kinnelon) md. Luke Stanich (Roxbury), 8-0; Anthony Santaniello (Brick Memorial) d. Evan Tallmadge (Brick Twp.), 5-1.
113: Kelly Dunnigan (Don Bosco) d. Cooper Stewart (Sparta), 7-3; Tyler Klinsky (Middletown North) d. Joseph Cangro (Bergen Catholic), 7-2
120: Dean Peterson (St. John Vianney) d. Nick Kayal (Bergen Catholic), 3-0; Vincent Santaniello (Brick Memorial) d. Nick Babin (Emerson/Park Ridge), 4-3, tiebreaker.
126: McKenzie Bell (Kingsway) d. Eddie Ventresca (Pope John XXIII), 5-4, tiebreaker; Robert Howard (Bergen Catholic) d. Nicholas Nardone (Delbarton), 5-3.
132: Joey Olivieri (Hanover Park) d. Justin Bierdumpfel (St. Joe Regional-Montvale), 3-1, tiebreaker; Dylan Cedeno (Bergen Catholic) d. Anthony White (South Plainfield), 7-3.
138: William Grater (Bergen Catholic) d. Jacob Perez-Eli (Paulsboro), 2-1, tiebreaker; Anthony Clark (Delbarton) d. Michael Cetta (St. Joe Regional-Montvale), 3-2.
145: Andrew Clark (Collingswood) d. Gabe Onorato (Paulsboro), 3-1, sudden victory; Andrew Troczynski (Delbarton) d. Colton Washleski (Hunterdon Central), 6-3.
152: Nick Boggiano (Toms River North) p. Dylan Weaver (Lyndhurst/North Arlington), 2:48; Aaron Ayzerov (Paramus) d. Brandon Mooney (Camden Catholic), 2-1, ultimate tiebreaker.
160: Dante Stefanelli (Delbarton) d. Robert Woodcock (Southern Regional), 5-4; Brian Soldano (High Point) d. Matt Benedetti (Manalapan), 4-1.
170: Shane Reitsma (Howell) d. Jack Kelly (Rumson-Fair Haven), 6-4; Connor O`Neill (DePaul) d. Noah Fox (Montville), 9-4.
182: John Poznanski (Colonia) p. Joe Colon (Brick Memorial), 2:58; Luke Rada (Colts Neck) d. Jacob Whitworth (Wall), 5-3, tiebreaker.
195: David Szuba (Brick Memorial) d. Luke Chakonis (Delbarton), 10-5; Martin Cosgrove (Camden Catholic) d. Mike Misita (St. Augustine Prep), 6-5.
220: Kyle Jacob (Paramus) md. Zane Coles (Pitman), 9-0; P.J. Casale (Delbarton) d. Michael Toranzo (St. Joe Regional-Montvale), 9-2.
285: Jim Mullen (St. Joe Regional-Montvale) p. Justin Wright (Howell), 0:43; JT Cornelius (Southern Regional) d. Hector Lebron (Dwight Morrow), 3-1, sudden victory.
Girls semifinals
100: Sydney Petzinger (Parsippany) d. Alisa Safforld (Belleville), 3-1; Ava Rose (Princeton) p. Isabella Santos (Elizabeth), 1:18.
107: Johnae Drumright (Trenton Central) d. Randi Miley (High Point Regional), 5-4; Chloe Ayres (Princeton) d. Izabella Frezzo (Henry P. Becton Regional), 4-2.
114: Kira Pipkins (Bloomfield) p. Samantha Larsen (Wallkill Valley Regional), 4:42; Katrina Kling (Warren Hills Regional) p. Tatiana Walker (Pennsauken), 5:19.
121: Noran Elmahroukey (New Providence) p. Courtney Hoff (Warren Hills Regional), 2:24; Kalli Roskos (Delran) d. Emily Klein (Paramus), 4-0.
128: Stephanie Andrade (Hunterdon Central) tf. Kyara Montoya (Morris Hills), 5:41, 19-4; Avery Meyers (Jackson Memorial) d. Amanda Connors (Northern Highlands), 10-4.
135: Gabby Miller (Monroe Township) p. Carley Anderson (Mount Olive), 5:22; Emma Matera (Delran) p. Skyelar Smith (Jackson Memorial), 5:36.
143: Jordyn Katz (Jackson Memorial) p. Lilly Ahrendt (High Point), 1:53; Alexis Rosano (Overbrook) p. Jayla Hahn (Central Regional), 5:44.
151: Precious Opara (West Orange) p. Goodness Okoro (Newark Collegiate Charter), 1:03; Jesse Johnson (Manalapan) p. Sophia Lombardo (High Point), 2:49.
161: Jewel Gonzalez (Phillipsburg) p. Kierra Hubmaster (Kittatinny Regional), 2:49; Amanda Pace (North Bergen) md. Olivia Heyer (Kingsway Regional), 12-2.
180: Kerly Borbor (New Brunswick) p. Lacey Hums (High Point), 1:20; Amirah Giorgianni (Mainland Regional) won by disqualification over Haylee Adorno (Delran).
215: Sandra Guerrero (West Orange) p. Valery Alcantara (Perth Amboy), 3:15; Joelle Klein (Lower Cape May Regional) d. Donna Walker (New Brunswick), 3-0.
Boys quarterfinals
106: Luke Stanich (Roxbury) d. Nico Calello (Watchung Hills Regional), 5-2; Evan Mougalian (Kinnelon) md. John Hildebrandt (Williamstown), 10-2; Evan Tallmadge (Brick Twp.) d. Conor Collins (Southern Regional), 7-3; Anthony Santaniello (Brick Memorial) md. Brett Redner (Butler), 10-0.
113: Kelly Dunnigan (Don Bosco) p. Samuel Kotch (Cinnaminson), 0:50; Cooper Stewart (Sparta) d. Ryan Rosenthal (Toms River North), 4-3; Joseph Cangro (Bergen Catholic) d. Ty Whalen (Clearview), 6-0; Tyler Klinsky (Middletown North) tf. Garrett Totten (Northern Burlington), 4:46, 21-6.
120: Dean Peterson (St. John Vianney) d. Georgio Mazzeo (Paulsboro), 7-0; Nick Kayal (Bergen Catholic) md. Nathan Fitt (Newton), 12-2; Vincent Santaniello (Brick Memorial) d. Matt DeStefanis (Randolph), 4-2, tiebreaker; Nick Babin (Emerson/Park Ridge) md. Fred Luchs (Middletown North), 10-0.
126: Eddie Ventresca (Pope John XXIII) md. Luke Hoerle (Westfield), 13-0; McKenzie Bell (Kingsway) md. Sean Rendeiro (St. Peter`s Prep), 9-1; Robert Howard (Bergen Catholic) d. Alex Almeyda (St. Joe Regional-Montvale), 7-1; Nicholas Nardone (Delbarton) p. Andre Ruiz (Bogota/Ridgefield Park), 3:27.
132: Joey Olivieri (Hanover Park) d. Michael Conklin (Toms River East), 9-5; Justin Bierdumpfel (St. Joe Regional-Montvale) d. Spencer Stewart (Sparta), 4-1; Anthony White (South Plainfield) d. Simon Ruiz (Delbarton), 5-3, sudden victory; Dylan Cedeno (Bergen Catholic) d. Jack Nies (Ocean Twp.), 7-1.
138: Jacob Perez-Eli (Paulsboro) d. Ryan Zimmerman (Long Branch), 4-2; William Grater (Bergen Catholic) d. Billy Talmadge (High Point), 8-2; Anthony Clark (Delbarton) d. Hunter Gandy (Woodstown), 3-2; Michael Cetta (St. Joe Regional-Montvale) d. Al De Santis (Shore Regional), 5-1.
145: Andrew Clark (Collingswood) d. Max Brignola (Rumson-Fair Haven), 4-3; Gabe Onorato (Paulsboro) d. Tim Spatola (Delsea), 5-2; Andrew Troczynski (Delbarton) d. Kaya Sement (Pope John XXIII), 4-1; Colton Washleski (Hunterdon Central) d. Dakota Morris (Kingsway), 8-3.
152: Dylan Weaver (Lyndhurst/North Arlington) d. Michael McGhee (Shore Regional), 9-4; Nick Boggiano (Toms River North) d. Stefano Sgambellone (St. Joe Regional-Montvale), 5-0; Aaron Ayzerov (Paramus) p. Alex Strashinsky (Bergen Catholic), 4:19; Brandon Mooney (Camden Catholic) d. Mathew Garcia (Pope John XXIII), 3-2.
160: Dante Stefanelli (Delbarton) d. Blake Bahna (Watchung Hills Regional), 5-2; Robert Woodcock (Southern Regional) d. Harrison Hinojosa (Camden Catholic), 3-0; Brian Soldano (High Point) p. Shay Addison (Rumson-Fair Haven), 3:08; Matt Benedetti (Manalapan) d. Nate Camiscioli (Bergen Catholic), 3-2.
170: Shane Reitsma (Howell) d. Luke Benedict (Haddonfield), 1-0; Jack Kelly (Rumson-Fair Haven) p. Marcus Petite (Piscataway), 1:05; Noah Fox (Montville) d. Kieran Calvetti (Delbarton), 8-5; Connor O`Neill (DePaul) md. Colin Loughney (West Morris Central), 10-0.
182: John Poznanski (Colonia) p. Blake Clayton (St. John Vianney), 2:14; Joe Colon (Brick Memorial) d. Jason Sherlock (Point Pleasant Beach), 8-3; Jacob Whitworth (Wall) d. Isaac Dean (Shawnee), 7-3; Luke Rada (Colts Neck) d. Benjamin Liss (Fair Lawn), 6-4.
195: Luke Chakonis (Delbarton) d. Thomas Renna (South Plainfield), 5-2; David Szuba (Brick Memorial) d. Kyle Epperly (Jackson Memorial), 11-8; Martin Cosgrove (Camden Catholic) d. Michael Massa (Seton Hall), 3-1; Mike Misita (St. Augustine Prep) d. Tommy Goodwin (Pequannock), 6-0.
220: Kyle Jacob (Paramus) d. Robert Damerjian (Moorestown), 5-0; Zane Coles (Pitman) md. Joshua Darisme (Rahway), 11-1; Michael Toranzo (St. Joe Regional-Montvale) d. Gage Armijo (West Morris Mendham), 8-5; P.J. Casale (Delbarton) tf. Jackson Crawn (Kittatinny), 4:26, 15-0.
285: Justin Wright (Howell) d. Bardhyl Gashi (West Essex), 3-2, tiebreaker; Jim Mullen (St. Joe Regional-Montvale) md. Moses Olowoopejo (Elizabeth), 8-0; Hector Lebron (Dwight Morrow) d. Griffin Jackstadt (Barnegat), 3-2, ultimate tiebreaker; JT Cornelius (Southern Regional) d. Marcus Estevez (Franklin), 8-2.
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