WASHINGTON TWP. -- It's been a while, but this has been one tough season for High Point's wrestling team.
But senior Jason Gaccione gave the crowd something to stand up and cheer about with his thrilling 1-0 win in the ultimate tiebreaker against Cranford state runner-up Gavin Murray at 152 pounds on Saturday at Warren Hills Regional High School.
High Point dropped 49-18 decision in the nightcap of a quad, as coach John Gardner's team went 0-3 on the day with losses to Paramus (50-12) and Warren Hills (47-21). But Gaccione's triumph in a battle of state placewinners had everyone on the edge of their seats.
"It felt really good," said Gaccione, a fourth-place finisher in Atlantic City as a sophomore who bumped up to get the bout.
Murray (27-1), who was second in the state at 138 last season, was in deep on a single-leg attempt late in the first, but he could not convert as the period ended with a great scramble. After taking turns riding each other out in the second and third periods, Gaccione (26-1) came close to getting a takedown off a bear hug with 25 seconds left in sudden victory.
Neither wrestler could get out on bottom in the two 30-second rideouts and Murray won the flip for choice in the UTB. He opted for the top position and Gaccione, after a couple of near escapes, finally broke loose with one second left on the clock to win it.
"I felt like I was going to get out," said Gaccione, who improved to 130-20 overall and is one win shy of tying Gardner, his uncle, for fifth place on the school's all-time list. "I was thinking about all of the things I've been working on in the [practice] room with [assistant coach] Kellen Bradley. Just never stop going an attack in every situation. No matter what happens, keep attacking."
Gaccione, a two-time District 3 champion and a Region 1 gold medal winner in 2013, said a key moment in the bout came in the second period, where he came close to getting the go-ahead escape several times off Granby rolls.
"The second period was one of my biggest downfalls, I couldn't get my offense going. Once I got broken down, it was his match. A few times I could have scored and just didn't do it. One day it will hurt me."
Gardner said the game plan in the UTB would have been the same regardless of the flip.
"Quite honestly, we would have taken top as well," said Gardner, whose teams are 289-84-2 in 17 his seasons at the helm of his alma mater. "I think Jay is pretty confident in his ability and what he does. Both kids competed hard and have similar styles. They are stingy on their feet and are both pretty good on top. We were hoping to get that match."
Earlier in the day, another potential matchup between stars never materialized when Paramus bumped state placer Joe Trovato, who matched Nick Alpher for the school's all-time wins record of 139, to 152 looking to face Murray.
With Paramus holding an insurmountable 28-9 lead with three bouts left, Cranford inexplicably forfeited and bumped Murray to 160 as the crowd responded with a chorus of boos. Then, a visibly upset Spartans coach Steve Klass returned the favor with a forfeit to Murray.
Warren Hills (7-8) capped a brutal stretch of six matches in four days with a 51-15 loss to Paramus, while also dropping a 46-24 decision to Cranford in the opening session.
Coach Jarrett Hosbach's Blue Streaks, aiming for the No. 1 seed in the upcoming North 2, Group 3 sectional tournament, scored their first win over High Point since a 41-27 victory in the 1997 Group 3 semifinals. The 'Cats, who hold an 11-9 edge overall in the series dating to 1976, won the only other meetings since '97 in 2008, '13 and '14.
It was Warren Hills' second-largest margin of victory over the Sussex County school since a 39-12 victory in 1982.
Sophomore Brody Oberly and junior Kurt Nemeth got the Streaks off to a quick 10-0 lead with a pin and a major at 182 and 195. Freshman Cody O'Rourke added a pin at 113 before senior John Fluck's major at 126 keyed a four-match streak that iced the win.
As has been the case all season, High Point was shorthanded without three of its top four wrestlers with seniors Dom Gallo (126) and Mike Derin (132), along with junior Jared Kobis (138), all nursing injuries.
Derin was lost earlier in the season with a knee injury, while Gallo also is expected to miss the remainder of the campaign with an elbow issue. Kobis (19-0), who wrestled against Phillipsburg on Friday, is dealing with a sore shoulder.
High Point is on the bubble to qualify in the North 1, Group 2 section after winning Group 2 titles in 2013 and '14. The 'Cats have won 24 sectional titles overall, including five in a row and nine of the last 10 (missing in 2009 when they were ruled ineligible for not meeting the 70-percent rule).
WARREN HILLS 47, HIGH POINT 21
182 -- So. Brody Oberly (3-18), WH, p. Jr. Liam Gorman (1-7), 4:45.
195 -- Jr. Kurt Nemeth (14-11), WH, md. Jr. Tim Space (0-5), 11-2.
220 -- Jr. Kevin Lewis (17-9), HP, p. So. Taylan Zafis (1-15), :35.
285 -- Sr. Andrew Pacheco (17-1), WH, forfeit.
106 -- Fr. Malcolm Sinclair (7-10), HP, d. Fr. Jacob DiNapoli (7-15), 7-1.
113 -- Fr. Codey O'Rourke (7-12), WH, p. Jr. Justin Liebl (4-8), :27.
120 -- Fr. Trey Osborn (7-6), HP, p. Fr. Pedro Cruz (0-6), 4:55.
126 -- Sr. John Fluck (14-8), WH, md. Jr. Garrett Fenlon (0-4), 8-0.
132 -- So. Zach Nauta (11-11), WH, p. Fr. Sawyer Fenlon (1-4), 4:28.
138 -- Sr. Max Nauta (19-5), WH, p. Sr. Trevor Risdon (1-3), :33.
145 -- Sr. Austin Pidoto (9-12), WH, d. So. Aric Wingle (8-7), 3-1.
152 -- Sr. Jason Gaccione (26-1), HP, p. Sr. Nate Hussey (0-3), 1:00.
160 -- Fr. Jarod Ostir (13-8), WH, d. Sr. Ryan Cullen (8-11), 5-2.
170 -- Jr. Anthony Roessner (11-13), WH, d. Jr. Kurt Rosner (2-15), 5-3 SV.
Records -- High Point 4-7; Warren Hills 7-8.
PARAMUS 34, CRANFORD 18
182 -- Niko Cappello, C, d. Joe DeVito, 5-1.
195 -- Jonah Molina, P, d. Nick Ballas, 3-2 UTB.
220 -- Michael Daniele, P, d. Alex Esposito, 6-1.
285 -- Kevin Doran, C, d. Matt Lewis, 3-2.
106 -- Kyle Kaiser, P, d. Anthony Capece, 3-1.
113 -- Jack Bessen, P, forfeit.
120 -- Tom DiGiovanni, C, d. Nick Pettineo, 4-2.
126 -- Ryan Freeman, P, d. Chris Scorese, 6-4.
132 -- Brandon Loftiss, P, d. Vince Concina, 2-1.
138 -- Alex Sebahie, P, d. Dave Busch, 4-1.
145 -- Kyle Cochran, P, md. Brian McGovern, 11-2.
152 -- Joe Trovato, P, forfeit.
160 -- Gavin Murray, C, forfeit.
170 -- Andrew Tompkins, C, d. Chris Voorhis, 5-3 SV.
Records -- Paramus 13-4; Cranford 14-2.
CRANFORD 49, HIGH POINT 18
195 -- Nick Ballas, C, d. Tim Space, 1-0.
220 -- Kevin Lewis, HP, p. Alex Esposito, :26.
285 -- Kevin Doran, C, d. Henry Kuperus, 3-2.
106 -- Anthony Capece, C, p. Malcolm Sinclair, 3:47.
113 -- Justin Liebl, HP, p. Jake Quinn, 1:49.
120 -- Tom DiGiovanni, C, md. Shane Kobis, 9-1.
126 -- Chris Scorese, C, p. Garrett Fenlon, 1:39.
132 -- Vince Concina, C, forfeit.
138 -- Dave Busch, C, d. Aric Wingle, 3-0.
145 -- Brian McGovern, C, p. Trevor Risdon, 1:34.
152 -- Jason Gaccione, HP, d. Gavin Murray, 1-0 UTB.
160 -- Andrew Tompkins, C, forfeit.
170 -- Kurt Rosner, HP, d. Dylan Budnik, 9-2.
182 -- Niko Cappello, C, p. Ryan Olinger, 1:05.
PARAMUS 51, WARREN HILLS 15
195 -- Kurt Nemeth, WH, d. Jonah Molina, 5-1.
220 -- Michael Daniele, P, p. Taylan Zafis, 2:24.
285 -- Andrew Pacheco, WH, p. Francis Ventura, :52.
106 -- Kyle Kaiser, P, p. Jacob DiNapoli, :33.
113 -- Codey O'Rourke, WH, d. Jack Bessen, 5-4.
120 -- Nick Pettineo, P, p. Ryan Mosher, 1:13.
126 -- John Fluck, WH, d. Joe Capone, 4-2.
132 -- Brandon Loftiss, P, d. Zach Nauta, 9-2.
138 -- Nick Ciambrone, P, d. Cameron Nauta, 8-6.
145 -- Kyle Cochran, P, p. Austin Pidoto, 1:20.
152 -- Joe Trovato, P, p. Nate Hussey, :31.
160 -- Brian Bonino, P, d. Anthony Roessner, 3-0.
170 -- Derek De La Cruz, P, p. Brandon Winger, 2:41.
182 -- Joe DeVito, P, p. Brody Oberly, :27.
PARAMUS 50, HIGH POINT 12
170 -- Chris Voorhis, P, d. Kurt Rosner, 4-2.
182 -- Joe DeVito, P, p. Ryan Olinger, :16.
195 -- Jonah Molina, P, d. Tim Space, 3-1 SV.
220 -- Kevin Lewis, HP, p. Sam Daniels, 3:14.
285 -- Michael Daniele, P, p. Henry Kuperus, :21.
106 -- Kyle Kaiser, P, md. Malcolm Sinclair, 10-2.
113 -- Jack Bessen, P, d. Justin Liebl, 2-0.
120 -- Shane Kobis, HP, d. Nick Pettineo, 4-1.
126 -- Ryan Freeman, P, forfeit.
132 -- Brandon Loftiss, P, p. Sawyer Fenlon, 3:20.
138 -- Alex Sebahie, P, md. Aric Wingle, 12-0.
145 -- Jason Gaccione, HP, d. Kyle Cochran, 7-2.
152 -- Joe Trovato, P, p. Antonio Fancera, 1:00.
160 -- Brian Bonino, P, d. Ryan Cullen, 3-2.
CRANFORD 46, WARREN HILLS 24
170 -- Anthony Roessner, WH, tf. Dylan Budnik, 17-0, 5:28.
182 -- Niko Cappello, C, p. Brandon Winger, :56.
195 -- Nick Ballas, C, md. Brody Oberly, 13-5.
220 -- Kurt Nemeth, WH, md. Alex Esposito, 9-1.
285 -- Andrew Pacheco, WH, p. Kevin Doran, 1:24.
106 -- Anthony Capece, C, p. Jacob DiNapoli, 1:01.
113 -- Codey O'Rourke, WH, p. Jake Quinn, 1:08.
120 -- Tom DiGiovanni, C, p. Ryan Mosher, :50.
126 -- Chris Scorese, C, p. John Fluck, :52.
132 -- Vince Concina, C, d. Zach Nauta, 4-2.
138 -- Max Nauta, WH, d. Dave Busch, 9-2.
145 -- Brian McGovern, C, p. Austin Pidoto, :55.
152 -- Gavin Murray, C, forfeit.
160 -- Andrew Tompkins, C, d. Jarod Ostir, 2-1.
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