Wrestling: Goles 3xers talented trio (HWS rankings)

When it comes to the sport of wrestling, achieving what only a few others before have done can be a special feeling. The 66th John Goles Invitational on Saturday featured a rare moment as three from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area put their names in the history books in securing a third individual title.

Delaware Valley seniors Jaden Perez (132 pounds) and Jackson Bush (150), along with Warren Hills senior Charlie Piccione (126), joined a list that previously included only 38 other three- or four-timers in what was formerly the nation's second-longest consecutive holiday event. All three received plaques bearing the name of former tournament director Bill Lunger, who also served as the school's outstanding public address announcer for many years. Lunger died in 2019, but his love for this event and dedication to detail is missed to this day.

Warren Hills has produced 201 Goles champs

Piccione, whose second-place finish as a junior was a big motivator in his final attempt, became just the 19th Blue Streak to win at least three. Ryan Kanewski (1993-96) is the school's only four-time Goles champ.

Piccione (7-1), who has 92 career wins, also earned the distinction of capturing the program's 200th individual title and was later joined by senior Tyler Redfield (7-1), who won the gold at 144 pounds and snapped his string of three straight runner-up finishes vs. Del Val wrestlers. The names of all Streaks winners are prominently displayed on the practice room walls. Former Hills state champ and current assistant coach Marty White won twice (1989-90).

"It's definitely an honor," said Piccione, who is the school's first three-time winner since Matt Valli (2013-16) and got Hills on the title board after being shut out a year ago for the first time since 2002. "I was going for four [titles], but it didn't happen. It's an honor to be up on the wall with those guys."

Piccione's third title seemed to be a lock as he cruised to an 11-0 lead against Hopewell Valley's Dylan Hersh behind two four-point turns off tilts after one period. He added an escape before surrendering a pair of second-period takedowns and Hersh closed the gap to 13-9 with another takedown at the 26-second mark in the third, but Piccione held on for a 14-9 win.   

"I started putting the skates on and was getting too lackadaisical," Piccione, a Stevens Institute commit said of his finals performance. "Tried to pick it back up, got a little nervous and started slipping a little bit. But I got it done."

Junior Augie Szamreta (120), who weighed in light as he descends to 113, will get one more crack at a title next season. Szamreta (7-1) dropped an 8-2 decision to St. Joseph-Metuchen's Nico DeRado (OW) for a second straight runner-up finish after placing third in his freshman season.

Three for two Terriers 

Perez (second from right) on the 2024 podium in AC

Perez had a much easier time nailing down his third Goles title as the returning state medalist received a forfeit in the finals. Still, the historical importance of his accomplishment was not lost on Perez (10-0), who is plenty motivated after a fifth-place finish at 126 pounds last season in AC.

"It was definitely something that I needed to accomplish going into the season, but I'm chasing stuff a lot bigger," said Perez, now 95-18 overall. "I've gotten a lot better from last year. I've grown. I'm not a kid anymore."

Bush, who was a runner-up as a sophomore, also won with ease as he scored a 17-2 technical fall win over Verona's Joel Gonzalez in 2:57. Bush (9-1), a returning state qualifier, scored his 83rd career victory in the finals. Bush and Perez had previously ended Redfield's title bids in 2021 and '22, before Matt Roche knocked off the Blue Streak with a 12-2 major in '23.

Awards show

The John Goles Invitational hands out plenty of hardware, including two awards bearing the names of a former Blue Streaks wrestler (who tragically died days before the 1998 Region 1 Tournament in an auto accident) and another honoring a front-row superfan. For those who did not know, here's hoping more people will stick around after next year's finals and a proper introduction of the history behind these honors is made to all in attendance. 

Ryan M. Storm Memorial Award (Most pins in least time by a champion) -- Thomas Borgia, West Morris (3 in 2:55).

Alonzo Widenor Memorial Award (Fastest pin) -- Deacon Frayne, West Morris (5 seconds).

Area team rankings

1. Phillipsburg (2-0) -- Stateliners finished sixth in the rugged Bethlehem Holiday Classic this past weekend behind five placewinners -- Anthony Pettinelli (8-3, sixth at 113), Massimo Gonzalez (11-2, third at 127), Owen Garriques (7-3, fifth at 133), Luke Geleta (9-1, third at 145) and Gavin Hawk (8-1, second at 160). Hawk, a four-time medalist and three-time finalist (champ in 2022), who moved into seventh place on the program's all-time wins list at 118-20 and 13 back of leader Brian Meyer (131-35 from 2014-18).

Up next: Cranford Duals on Saturday. 

2. Delaware Valley (4-0) -- Terriers finished second behind St. Joseph-Metuchen (256 1/2-193) in the John Goles Invitational team race behind three-time champs Perez and Bush, while senior Luke Sinkewicz (10-1 at 157) was denied in his bid for a second straight title. Junior Olivier Paul (8-2, runner-up at 165) made his first Goles finals appearance.

Up next: at Immaculata on Friday; Kittatinny, Mendham and Morris Knolls at home on Saturday.

North is 41-24 all-time against Warren Hills

3. North Hunterdon (0-1) -- Lions have been idle since finishing first in the Ron Mazzola Memorial Tournament at Old Bridge on Dec. 21. Coach Dave Bell's team is set to host Warren Hills in a key Skyland Conference Raritan Division clash on Friday and earned the No. 2 seed in the 19th Henry Boresch Duals on Saturday.

Up next: Warren Hills at home on Friday; South Plainfield in the Boresch Duals on Saturday.

4. High Point (4-0) -- Wildcats have a huge weekend on tap after scoring their second NJAC non-divisional victory -- a 56-12 thumping of Morris Hills on Monday and the program's 794th win overall -- as senior Nick Clayton (9-3 at 157) picked up his 93rd career victory. Clayton, who looks to become the 18th member of the school's 100-wins club, was one of four 'Cats to place top five in the Mustang Classic at Brick Memorial on Saturday. He was third, while Carter Drouin (10-3 at 120) and Gavin Mericle (7-1 at 285) finished second and Donald Weiss (10-2 at 215) was fifth. 

Up next: Southern and West Essex at Mount Olive on Saturday; Hackettstown at home on Tuesday.

5. Pope John (3-2) -- Lions recently competed in the Sam Cali Invitational this past weekend and the Gary Vittorio Classic at Parsippany Hills on Monday. Star senior and Pitt recruit Carson Walsh (138), a three-time state finalist and runner-up in 2024, won a Sam Cali title, while junior David Thomson (190) struck gold in the Gary Vittorio Classic.

Up next: Camden Catholic at Paramus Catholic tri-meet on Saturday; Morris Hills at home on Tuesday.

Hills and North meet for the 66th time on Friday

6. Warren Hills (1-1) -- Blue Streaks finished fifth in their own John Goles Invitational on Saturday behind two champions -- Piccione and Redfield -- and a pair of runners-up -- Szamreta and David Kocsor (4-4 at 215). Davey Rhinehart (7-1 at 132), Aidan Webb (5-3 at 138) and Ethan Drazek (4-4 at 150) all finished third. Hills seeks its first three-match win streak against North Hunterdon since 1989-91, when the teams meet on Friday. 

Up next: at North Hunterdon on Friday; Dan Trainer Duals at Collingswood on Saturday.

7. Kittatinny (3-1) -- Cougars, who are sitting on 691 dual-meet wins as a program, finished fifth in their Linn Crawn Memorial Classic on Friday. Though coach John Gill's team did not crown a champ for the first time since 2016, senior runners-up Aiden McClain (6-4 at 157) and Ethan Dalling (9-2 at 175) were among five placers as junior Nikolas Martinez (10-2 at 132) finished third, while sophomores Justin Tighe (5-5 at 106) and Shane Weiss (5-2 at 285) were fourth.

Up next: at Morris Hills on Friday; Mendham and Morris Knolls at Delaware Valley quad on Saturday; at Jefferson on Tuesday.

8. Sparta (0-2) -- Spartans split their squad for the Linn Crawn Classic and Sam Cali Invitational as junior Trevor Ekeland (4-4 at 165) placed third at Kittatinny, while junior Patrick Bruseo (5-4 at 126) and senior Garrett VanHouten (2-5 at 157) placed fourth. Logan Hrenenko (144) finished fifth and Ryan Hrenenko (132) was sixth at Sam Cali.

Up next: Jefferson on Thursday; at Ramsey Duals on Saturday; Mount Olive at home on Tuesday.

Washleski is 81-12 overall

9. Hunterdon Central (1-2) -- Red Devils dropped a 46-30 decision to Monroe before earning their first win of the season -- 53-30 over Voorhees at the Field House on Monday. Jace Brownlie (5-3 at 126), Rhett Washleski (11-2 at 150), Grant Thompson (9-3 at 157) and Nehemiah Bugash (4-3 at 175) all went 2-0 on the day.

Up next: at Williamstown Duals on Saturday.

10. Hackettstown (4-0) -- Tigers swept their home quad on Monday with wins over Rutherford (48-29), Vernon (54-21) and Whippany Park (47-33). Bryan Dougherty (7-1 at 126) and Giovanni Gutierrez (6-2 at 132) -- both sophomores -- went 3-0 in the quad. Another sophomore, Joseph Rowinski (113) placed sixth in the Sam Cali Invitational last weekend.

Up next: at Ramsey Duals on Saturday; at High Point on Tuesday.