Day dominated the action on his feet, racking up three takedowns in a workmanlike 11-4 decision over Caldwell senior Mark DeAngelis in their quarterfinal matchup at 113 pounds in the Region 3 Tournament on Friday night at West Orange High School.
Phillipsburg, which had 11 in the quarterfinals, advanced six to Saturday's semifinal round, including returning champion Brian Meyer, that begins at 9 a.m. Third-place and fifth-place consolations are slated for 1:30 p.m., with the championship finals to follow at approximately 3:30. In all, 13 wrestlers from the Open Mike area are still seeking region titles.
Day (28-9), the No. 2 seed and a runner-up at 106 last season, is in familiar territory in the semifinals where he will square off against Hanover Park sophomore Jake Bursese (27-6), the No. 3 seed, in Saturday's semifinals. The winner punches his ticket for the upcoming state tournament in Atlantic City while the other will have to navigate through the wrestlebacks to earn the required top-four finish.
"It's kind of the same as last year -- [facing] Bursese in the semis and probably Clark in the finals," said Day, who beat Bursese twice last season, including a fall in the Region 3 semis, before dropping a 3-1 decision to Clark, the eventual state champion. "I like the setup. This is a good start."
Day, a two-time District 9 champion, gave up a takedown in the first period and trailed, 3-2, before getting an escape and a second takedown with 22 seconds left and never relinquished the lead. He had DeAngelis in deep trouble in the third period, using a turk and a half-nelson for three back points to seal it.
"I stepped way too heavy on my left foot and he capitalized," Day said of giving up the takedown. "It happens. I got right out and didn't lose my composure. If you lose your composure, you lose the match."
After falling two wins shy of a state medal a year ago, Day knows this is his last shot as a senior and is confident moving forward.
"It's definitely fueling me. I set high goals for myself and when I don't accomplish them, I analyze everything," he said. "Hopefully this year I can turn it around and get on the podium in Atlantic City."
In addition to Meyer, who advanced by decking Whippany Park's Nicholas Graessle in 1:59, juniors Travis Jones (120), Kyle Tino (132) and Cody Harrison (138), and senior Lance Wissing (170) advanced for the Stateliners.
P'burg has five still going in the wrestlebacks with Logan Maczko (106), Jayson Zinsmeister (145), Josh Ramos (160), Austin Roth (182) and Shamyr Brodders (195).
Streaks storm into semis
O'Rourke (25-6), who has the unenviable task of facing unbeaten Delbarton state champ Patrick Glory (33-0) in the semifinals, decked Salem with a cradle in 2:44 during their previous meeting in the District 12 semifinals.
"I knew [Salem] was either going to pick top or neutral, not bottom [like the first meeting]," said O'Rourke, whose stepfather, Corey Miller, was a two-time region champion and state runner-up in 1990 for the Blue Streaks. "He took three or four shots and got in deep on every one [in the district match]. I just kept my elbows in tight and let him come to me. I just tried to slow it down [in the third period] because I knew I had the lead. It's regions and the end of the year, so you don't want to risk anything."
I'm just going to wrestle the best I can tomorrow and do what I can do," O'Rourke said. It's my last year. You can't hold back."
Ostir (26-1), a runner-up at 170 last season and considered one of the area's best shots at region gold, had no trouble advancing as he turned Randolph senior Kyle Winbush twice -- with a front-head and crossarm and then with legs in -- before posting the fall in 1:23.
Galka (23-3) also advanced with a dominating performance, racking up three takedowns in a 7-2 victory over West Orange senior Jordan Delvalle.
Ajayi (20-13), a first-year wrestler who has captured fans' attention this postseason, rolled to a 10-3 win over Columbia senior Galileo Hetherington. Ajayi led, 3-2, late in the bout before putting Hetherington to his back for five points with 36 seconds left in the third period to break it open.
Quinn-tessential win
"I feel good, strong," said Melfochik, who recently became just the seventh at his school to record 100 career wins. "I should have a tough match tomorrow [vs. Delbarton freshman Nicholas Nardone (28-4)]. I'm looking forward to it. I just have to keep doing what I'm doing. I'm confident. I don't think there's any added pressure [this season as one of the favorites]. I wrestled [one of the best] in the state in the district finals and I was right there with him."
Melofchik, who is bidding to become the County Seaters' 20th champion and first since J.B. Lawson (220) and Ryan Appleby (285) won Region 1 titles in 2013, nearly had a pin earlier in the quarters, turning Hufnagel with a bar and sinking in a half deep, but he was unable to hold him down. Later, Melofchik got another chance and finished the job.
"If I get someone there, I have to keep him there," Melofchik said. "I was happy I was able to turn him again and get the fall."
Back points
Hackettstown's 1-2 senior punch of Alex Carida (145) and Joe Andes (285) moved into the semifinals without incident. Carida, one of eight returning champions in the field, scored a 14-9 decision over Randolph's Alex Vindici, while Andes pinned Bloomfield's Xavier Gulley in 3:29 in their District 9 finals rematch, where Andes needed just 22 seconds to record the fall.
Wissing (36-3), who is looming in the bracket as a No. 4 seed, handed Glen Ridge senior Joseph Marchesano (29-2) his second loss in seven days with a 12-5 decision in the quarters. It was a rematch of last weekend's District 9 final, where Wissing won by pin in 1:26.
The seeds pretty much held true as the top four advanced in 10 weight classes. All 1s and 13 2s pushed through, while all but three No. 3 seeds moved on in the winners' bracket. There was a 7 to reach the semis as Mendham's Peter Tringali scored a 4-2 decision over Morris Catholic's Sebastian Cornejo, a fourth-place finisher last season.
Hanover Park's Domenic DiFrancescantio (126) and Caldwell's Gerald Jones (152) both notched milestone wins. DiFrancescantio got his 100th career victory by pinned Mendham senior Alex Schlegel in 3:53, while Jones decked Morristown freshman Aidan Watson in 59 seconds to become the Chiefs' all-time wins leader with 123.
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