Wrestling: Harry Frezza's state tournament analysis and predictions
106
The skinny: Half of the bracket are freshman. The top eight placers last year were all sophomores. Delbarton junior Ty Agaisse, now at 120, won it, beating P'Burg's Brandon Paetzell. One of the returners is St. Joseph-Montvale unbeaten top-seeded junior Jon Tropea (41-0). He was eighth last year after going one and out as a freshman. Emerson-Park Ridge junior Paco Robles, a runner-up to Tropea at Region II the last two years, returns after making it to the quarterfinals last year. He didn't place.
The locals: Bound Brook freshman Joe Casey, 31-3, the Region V champ, will face Kingsway's unbeaten freshman and Region VIII champ Quinn Kinner (38-0) in a pre-quarterfinal. Hunterdon Central freshman Hunter Graf, 31-9, the Region V runner-up, meets Caldwell freshman Gerald Jones (36-3) in a preliminary bout. Jones beat Graf 4-0 in the final of the season-opening Caldwell Tournament. Hillsborough junior Austin Schimmel, 31-8, third at Region V, gets DePaul Catholic sophomore Daniel Percelay, the Region II runner-up
Dark horse: Pat Glory, Delbarton
Pick: Tropea
113
The skinny: Five placers at 106 last year as sophomores have graduated to 113 with St. Peter Prep sophomore Alec Kelly (33-5) the top seed, looking to improve on last year's third. Other placers from a year ago at 106 are Steinert junior Brandon Cray (4th), Christian Brothers' junior Sebastian Rivera (5th), Morris Knolls' junior Garrett O'Shea (6th) and Haddon Township junior Chris Wolf (7th). Kelly and Cray are three-year state qualifiers.
The locals: Manville junior Brian Kuhlman (33-3) was 1-2 at 106 last year in his first trip to Atlantic City. The Somerset County and District 18 champ, a two-time Region V third-place finisher, will meet top-seed Alec Kelly in a pre-quarterfinal if he can beat Paulsboro's Region VIII runner-up Anthony Duca in a prelim. Duca, a sophomore, is 30-8. One of those losses was to Bound Brook sophomore Anthony Lopez, who Kuhlman beat twice this season. Hunterdon Central sophomore Peter Nace (35-5) made his first state tournament qualification with a Region V runner-up. He meets Highland Regional junior Lucas Siegfried (28-3) in a prelim. East Brunswick sophomore Mark Schleifer, 31-1, who looked very dominant in beating Nace in the region final, has Kingsway sophomore Trace Kinner (33-4) in the pre quarterfinals. Kinner was the Region VIII champ.
Dark horse: Schleifer
Pick: Kelly
120
The skinny: Bergen Catholic junior Nick Suriano (36-0) of Bergen Catholic is top of the class here after winning at 113 and 106 the past two years. He's not alone though. Delbarton junior Ty Agaisse (25-2) is after a second state after winning his second Region III crown last week. He won the state title at 106 last year after finishing seventh the year before. Clearview junior Zach Firestone (33-0) was fifth at 113 last year.
The locals: Edison sophomore Robert Cleary makes his second state tournament, but this time as a Region V champ after making it as a region runner-up at 106 last year. He went 1-2 a year ago in AC. He will open with Hackettstown junior and Region I champ Joe Renne (34-6) in a pre-quarterfinal. Voorhees' junior Kyle DiNapoli also went 1-2 last season in the state tournament at 113. Old Bridge junior and Region V runner-up Steve Nadera (34-2) will see Roxbury junior Troy Stanich (33-2) in a preliminary.
Dark horse: Firestone
Pick: Suriano
126
The skinny: Pretty good class with a bunch of state place winners among the 24. North Hunterdon senior Ryan Pomrinca (36-0) is the top seed down below with Hanover Park's senior and two-time state champ Anthony Cefalo up top. Cefalo (34-1) won at 106 as a freshman and at 120 last year. Pomrinca was third here last season and seventh at 113 as a freshman. He also made the quarterfinals as a sophomore, but a broken hand stopped him from a place. Also in the cast is Holy Spirit junior Pat D'Arcy, a state runner-up at 113 last year and Jackson Liberty senior Mike Russo, third at 120 a year ago. Bergen Catholic's Pete Lipari – a two-time state tournament place winner – was sixth in the weight last year. Randolph's AJ Vindici was third at 113 two years ago and seventh at 106 as a freshman. One-time Bridgewater-Raritan wrestler Matt Noble, now a senior at DePaul, was seventh two years ago at 113 before transferring to DePaul.
The locals: Pomrinca, the two-time Region V champ. Somerville junior Evan Drill (35-4), beaten 3-1 by Pomrinca in the region final, returns after qualifying as a region 113-pound runnerup last year. He went 0-2 at AC. He will wrestle Washington Township sophomore Evan Fisher (34-4) in a preliminary.
Dark horse: Russo.
Pick: Pomrinca
132
The skinny: The challenge will be the same as last year for former Bound Brook two-time state champ Craig De La Cruz, now a 29-1 Summit senior. He's 148-13 for his career. Can he rebound from a loss in the Region III final to Delbarton junior Nick Farro? Farro, sixth last year at 120, beat De La Cruz 6-5 in the region final at Union High last Saturday. Last year, De La Cruz lost a ultimate tiebreaker to North Hunterdon's Ryan Pomrinca in the 126-pound Region V final, but battled back to beat Don Bosco Prep's Kyle Bierdumpfel and win a state title. Monroe senior Region V champ Sal Profaci (37-0) has some history with De La Cruz. De La Cruz beat Profaci in OT in the state semi last year, and beat him in a tiebreaker two to win a region title two years ago on the way to a 120-pound state title.
The locals: Profaci was fourth last year at 126, losing to De La Cruz 5-1 in a semifinal, then to Pomrinca 3-1 in a tiebreaker two. Bound Brook senior Nick Accetta, beaten by Profaci in the region final, makes his second state to tournament appearance. He was 0-2 when he was at 138 last year after finishing second in the region. Accetta will meet Burlington Township junior Vincent Foggia in a prelim. Del Val senior Ryan Erwin wrestles junior Robert Rodolico of Holy Cross in a prelim.
Dark horse: Profaci
Winner: De La Cruz
138
The skinny: Can Don Bosco Prep junior Kyle Bierdumphel (29-1, 92-12) win one? He was second to Bound Brook's Craig De La Cruz at 126 last year and runner-up to Bergen Catholic's Nick Suriano at 106 two years ago. Contenders to frustrate him are Camden Catholic junior Mark McCormick, fourth last year at 132 and Bound Brook sophomore Mehki Lewis, who was the only freshman to place in the state tournament last season. He was seventh at 132. Another familiar name here is St. Peter Prep senior Connor Burkert, fourth at 138 last season and seventh at 132 two years ago.
The locals: The most of any weight. Lewis (37-2) is coming off his second Region V, District 18 and Somerset County tournament titles. South Plainfield junior Dan Hedden has been one win and two wins away from placing at the state the last two years. He was beaten 3-1 in overtime by Bergen Catholic's Peter Lipari at 126 in a bout where Hedden could have clinched a spot in the top eight. Two years ago, fell short at 113. New Providence junior and Region III champ Tyler Gazaway won a 126-pound prelim last year, lost by major to North Hunterdon's Ryan Pomrinca, won a wrestle back, then was eliminated in the next round of wrestle backs. This year as a region champ he won't have to wrestle until the pre-quarters. Monroe's Chris Muce makes his second appearance after qualifying last year and going 1-2 at AC. Hillsborough senior Jack Donnadio, who clinched his first state spot by beating Muce in a Region V semi, wrestles Hedden in a prelim. Scotch Plains-Fanwood senior JT Beirne, who beat Hedden in a Region III semi before losing to Gazaway, wrestles Robbinsville junior Dylan James in a prelim.
Dark horse: McCormick
The pick: Bierdumphel
145
The skinny: Very good weight class with several contenders to take it all. Delbarton senior Travis Vasquez- the No. 1 seed in the upper bracket - was third at 138 last year. St. Peter Prep senior Ryan Burkert was the state runner-up at 145 last year DePaul's David McFadden of DePaul. Burkert was also eighth at 138 two years ago. Edison senior Will Povalac was fifth at this weight last season. High Point senior Jason Gaccione was fourth two years ago at this weight and Brick Memroial's Alec Donovan was seventh at 145 last season.
The locals: Povalac, beaten in the Region V final by Bound Brook sophomore Stephan Glasgow, will get the opportunity to bounce back in a prelim with against Don Bosco sophomore Dominic Mandarino. Glasgow collected his first region title and could see his buddy Alex Murray of Watchung Hills in a pre-quarterfinal. Murray, the Region III runner-up, has to beat West Morris' senior David Migliaccio for that to happen. Murray, a senior, was one win shy of placing last year at 138. Junior Derek Ciavarro of North Hunterdon gets Paramus sophomore Kyle Cochran in a preliminary.
Dark horse: Gaccione
Winner: Vasquez
152
The skinny: Cranford senior Gavin Murray just missed winning the state title at 138 last year, losing to Paulsboro's Ronnie Gentile 6-5. He lost to Delbarton senior Joseph Tavoso in last week's Region III final. Tavoso was fourth here last year. Paramus' senior Joe Trovato was seventh at 138 last year and fifth at 120 two years ago.
The locals: How far can Bound Brook senior Sean Glasgow go? He's been one win shy of placing the last two years at 145 and 132 respectively. Last year he was beaten 4-2 in overtime by Southern's Zach Wilhem. A win would have clinched at least a top eight spot for Glasgow. Woodbridge's Bryan McLaughlin suffered his first loss of the season to Glasgow in the Region V final. He meets Delsea junior Dom DeMarco in a preliminary. District 17 champ Brian Smolinsky of North Hunterdon is making his first AC appearance. His losses have been to Glasgow and McLaughlin, who pinned him in the region semis. He meets Jake Maxwell of Buena in the prelims and could see McLaughlin in the quarterfinals
Dark horse: Glasgow
Pick: Tavoso
160
\The skinny : DePaul Catholic's returning champion and four-time Region I champ David McFadden is 42-0 - the most of any wrestler in AC. Nobody from DePaul has repeated, but he has a good chance of becoming the Passaic County school's fifth state champ. Old Tappan Region II champ Tyler Mullen is 38-0. Phillipsburg senior Max Elling (38-3) was upset 6-5 by Roxbury's Craig Roumes in the Region I semis, but the Stateliner still has to be considered a threat. He will meet St. Joseph-Montvale's Vin DiFilippo in the prelims.
The locals: Piscataway freshman and Region V OW Mike Petite gets a pre-quarterfinal match against the winner of the prelim between Kingsway junior Rory Bushby and Clifton junior Patrick De Pasque. The way Petite is performing it wouldn't be a surprise if he placed. North Hunterdon senior Mike Sicola, beraten with seconds to go by Petite in the region final, makes his second state tournament appearance and Bridgewater-Raritan sophomore Van Miller his first. New Providence senior Daniel Kourakos gets Toms River South senior Antrez Clagon in a prelim.
Dark horse: Elling
Winner: McFadden
170
The skinny: Bound Brook senior Josh Ugalde (34-1, 139-20) won his first Region V title Saturday after two seconds and a third. Now he goes after Bound Brook's 21st state title after placing second (160) last year and sixth (152) the year before. Ugalde, a state qualifier as a freshman at 152, was beaten 4-2 in the pre-quarters by Trenton Central's Raamiah Bethea, who went on to win the title. As a sophomore he was beaten 6-3 in the 152 quarters by Northern Burlington's Wayne Stinson, who went on to win the title. Last year, he lost 6-5 to East Brunswick's Jon Schleifer in the 160-pound state final. Ugalde beat Bergen Catholic junior and Region II champ Joe Grello (23-3) 1-0 in a Feb. 1 dual meet.
The locals: Bridgewater-Raritan junior Kyle Murphy (38-2) makes his Atlantic City debut after coming very close last year. Both of his losses have been 1-0 setbacks to Uglade in the Region V and District 18 finals. He wrestles Parsippany's Region III third-place finisher Aarin Feliz in a prelim. Rahway's Region III champ Evan Goodridge (39-1) and John F. Kennedy senior Brandon Farrell are the other area wrestlers here. Farrell was third at Region V.
Dark horse: Kenny Long (Holy Cross)
Winner: Ugalde
182
The sklnny: Region II champ Kenny Mulligan, a Bergen Catholic junior, is the top seed in the upper bracket. He was sixth here last year. St. Joseph of Hammonton Region VIII champ Christian LaFragola was seventh. Brick Township senior Dean Sherry (34-0) and West Orange senior Chris Morgan (36-0) are the unbeaten.
The locals: Region V champions Eti-ini Udott of Piscataway is making his first trip to AC along with Plainfield senior Rohan Philip and Hunterdon Central senior Nick Suk. Philip was runnerup to Cranford junior Niko Cappello (31-3) at Region III. Old Bridge senior Mike Gargano, beaten by Udott in the region final, will wrestle Delbarton sophomore L.J. Castellano in a prelim.
Dark horse: Jason Martinak (Haddon Township):
Winner: Mulligan.
195
The skinny: Keansburg senior Tyree Sutton was sixth at 195 last year, losing 3-1 in the state semifinal on a late takedown to Montgomery state champ Anthony Cassar. Holy Cross junior Matt Correnti, beaten 8-2 in the pre-quarterfinals by Cassar, came all the way back for third. He was eighth at 195 in 2013.
The locals: Bound Brook's Region V champ and three-time state qualifier Aaron Saavedra is 0-3 at the tournament. He will meet Region III champ Andrew Massefski of Parsippany in a pre-quarter. North Plainfield senior J.T. Valley, beaten by Massefski in the region final, is in the lower bracket after going 1-2 at the state tournament last year. Scotch Plains-Fanwood senior Alex Mirabella, who lost to Valley in the region semis, is making his first AC appearance as is Hunterdon Central senior Nestor Crespo. Monroe senior Pat Dressel will wrestle Haddonfield junior Frank Fortino in a prelim.
Dark horse: Michael Carfagno (St. Joseph-Montvale)
Pick: Correnti
220
The skinny: The weight may be open to the unknown. Morrestown's Tyreek Smith, Moorestown was eighth at 220 last year and he was a Region VII runnerup to Pennsauken senior David Dow (36-4).
The locals: Mornoe junior Nick Goff was a Region V champ and faces St. Peter Prep top seed Christian Colucci -- the Region IV champ -- in a pre-quarterfinal. Bound Brook junior Abe Saavedra, whose brother Aaron is at 195, qualified for the first time. He meets Region IV runnerup Nick Kovacks of St. Mary of Rutherford in a prelim.
Dark horse: O'Brien (Bergen Catholic).
Pick: Dow
285
The skinny: Don Bosco Prep senior and top seed Zack Chakonis (28-0, 150-19) is looking for that first state title after losing in the state final the last two years to Delsea's Bryan Dobzanski. Chakonis was beaten in tiebreaker two last year and 5-4 the year before. He was sixth also sixth as a freshman at 220. Warren Hills senior Andrew Pacheco was sixth at 285 last year.
The locals: Sayreville's junior Region V champ Anthony Porcaro will get the winner of the bout bertween Anthony Dellafav of St. Joseph-Montvale and Jon Beltre of Union City in the pre-quarterfinals. Edison senior Keith SErio can get a crack at Chakonis if he beats Randolph senior David Vargas in a preliminary bout.
Dark horse: Antonio Rodriguez (Buena).
Pick: Chakonis.