Wrestling: Harrison, Flannery end careers in style

ATLANTIC CITY -- Phillipsburg senior Cody Harrison wanted nothing more than to go out on top.

Though it wasn't the way he wanted his high school career to end, he gained a measure of satisfaction with a third-place finish at 152 pounds in the 86th State Wrestling Championships on Saturday at Boardwalk Hall.

Cody Harrison (third from left) on the podium at 152.

"I always said I wanted to win my last high school match," said Harrison, who scored a 5-2 victory over Delbarton junior Dante Stefanelli in their third-place matchup. "Obviously, I wanted to win [a state title], who doesn't? It feels good to at least win my last match. I'm said and happy, and a little angry. I got a higher place than last year [fourth at 138]. It just stinks I couldn't win it."

Harrison was among 16 wrestlers to earn medals, including High Point senior Devin Flannery, who also finished third at 120 pounds. Newton senior Wyatt McCarthy (145) was fourth, while Belvidere senior Quinn Melofchik (113), Pope John junior Kaya Sement (132), High Point junior Billy Talmadge (138) and Kittatinny senior Zach Mafaro (182) were fifth. Pope John sophomore Shane Percelay (106), North Hunterdon senior Michael Wilson (160) and Newton senior Luke Fischer (220) finished seventh and Sparta sophomore Spencer Stewart (120) was eighth. The area also had five state champions -- Eddie Ventresca (120), JoJo Aragona (138) and Robbie Garcia (152) of Pope John, along with Hunterdon Central sophomore Brett Ungar (106) and Voorhees senior Lewis Fernandes (285).

The road back through the wrestlebacks following a loss that ends a wrestler's state title hopes is a tough one, but Harrison, who dropped a 4-3 decision to Southern senior and eventual runner-up Nicholas O'Connell in the semifinals, rebounded to close out an excellent career in style.

"You can't let a match dictate your whole life," said Harrison, who is just the 12th Stateliner to earn three state medals and the third in the last four years as Brandon Paetzell (2013, '14 and '16) and Robert Melise (2015-17) preceded him.

Prior to those three, you'd have to back 22 years when John Garriques finished second at 171 pounds in 1997 to earn his third medal. How does Harrison, a four-time state qualifier who also finished eighth as a sophomore, feel to put his name alongside some of the storied program's greats?

"It's a huge accomplishment. I'm honored to be a part of Phillipsburg wrestling," said Harrison, who ranks sixth on Warren County's all-time wins list at 125-14. "It's sincerely been one of the great parts of my life."

Flannery cements his place

It was tough to sit and watch a year ago after sustaining a season-ending left elbow injury, but Flannery was all smiles after pinning Kingsway junior McKenzie Bell in their third-place matchup.

Devin Flannery (third from left) with his first medal in AC.

Flannery (40-9) used a cement job, a move he had never hit in a match previously, to get the fall in 1:12.

"It feels great. One of my goals all year was to be on the podium," said Flannery, who, along with Talmadge, helped the Wildcats earn at least one state medal in 12 of the last 16 tournaments since 2004. "I tried to climb as high as I could. I'll take it."

Flannery dropped a tough 2-1 decision in the ultimate tiebreaker to Jackson Memorial's Vincent Scollo in the pre-quarterfinals and then proceeded to win six straight matches to take third -- going 7-1 overall in the tournament. Along the way, Flannery knocked off Anthony White of South Plainfield, 7-1, and Stewart, 5-4, before avenging two previous losses this season to St. Joseph-Montvale's Justin Bierdumpfel, 3-2, in the consolation semifinals. Bierdumpfel had won their matchups in the District 1 finals and Region 1 semifinals -- 9-3 and 5-1.

The only other in-state losses for Flannery were to a pair of state champions -- 11-5 to St. John Vianney's Dean Peterson in the Mustang Classic finals in December and 8-6 to Ventresca on Jan. 24.

Prior to Atlantic City, Flannery got his 100th victory in the Region 1 quarterfinals.

"It's awesome. It was one of my main goals coming in," said Flannery, who finished 109-27.