SPORTS

Wrestling: GMC Tournament 120 pound preview

Greg Tufaro

@GregTufaro

120 POUNDS

CHECK IT OUT: Convenient link for previews of the 13 other weight classes

Favorite: Reigning Hunterdon Central Invitational and Matawan Icebreaker Tournament champion Stephen Nadera of Old Bridge owns a 20-0 record. He scored a 9-3 decision over East Brunswick's Alex Gleason, a 5-3 decision over Monroe's Shawn Gardini, a 3-1 decision over Edison's Robert Cleary and pinned Woodbridge's Jack Quinn. Nadera has benefited from the presence of assistant coach Dave Kiley in the room and is among the state's most improved wrestlers.

Top contenders: Robert Cleary (Edison, 15-4), Alec Gleason (East Brunswick, 14-2), Ryan Duhamel (South Plainfield, 8-10), Shawn Gardini (Monroe, 13-8).

Others to watch: Luke Pero (Colonia, 17-3), Jack Quinn (Woodbridge, 16-5), Enrique Cuevas (New Brunswick, 15-4).

Rest of the field: Andrew Rich (Bishop Ahr, 5-13), Ethan Doda (Carteret, 0-20), Kumayl Qureshi (Highland Park, 3-9), Jamari Lake (J.P. Stevens, 6-9), Victor Torress (J.F. Kennedy, 11-6), Chris Little (Metuchen, 6-5), Carlos Lopez (Middlesex, 1-6), Mario Castellanos (North Brunswick, 12-7), Pedro Vera (Perth Amboy, 6-13), Aron Wright (Piscataway, 4-3), Dylan Taillefer (Sayreville, 8-10), Neel Patel (South Brunswick, 0-1), Mark Pacheco (South River, 9-11), Michael Egan (Spotswood, 4-15).

Top GMCT returner to weight class: Gardini placed seventh last season.

Notes: A .500 wrestler a year ago, Gleason is among the league's most improved. Cleary won the GMCT and District 19 titles at 106 pounds last year and is capable of reversing his regular-season loss to Nadera. Nadera was third at 126 pounds in the GMCT last year. Duhamel placed fifth at 113 pounds in the GMCT last year and is dangerous. Quinn placed fifth in the GMCT at 106 pounds last year. Quinn dropped a 3-1 decision to Pero over the weekend. Pero's only losses are out of conference. He is the younger brother of Colonia standout Sam Pero.

INTRACONFERENCE RESULTS OF FAVORITE AND TOP CONTENDERS

Stephen Nadera (Old Bridge) over Giuseppe Capasso (Bishop Ahr) (Fall 1:34)

Stephen Nadera (Old Bridge) over Alec Gleason (East Brunswick H.S.) (Dec 9-3)

Stephen Nadera (Old Bridge) over Albert Wang (South Brunswick Hs) (Fall 0:46)

Stephen Nadera (Old Bridge) over Shawn Gardini (Monroe Township) (Dec 5-3)

Stephen Nadera (Old Bridge) over Aron Wright (Piscataway) (Fall 0:24)

Stephen Nadera (Old Bridge) over Kumayl Qureshi (Highland Park) (Fall 0:26)

Stephen Nadera (Old Bridge) over Jack Quinn (Woodbridge) (Fall 5:36)

Stephen Nadera (Old Bridge) over Robert Cleary (Edison) (Dec 3-1)

Robert Cleary (Edison) over Dylan O`Connor (Bishop Ahr) (MD 16-4)

Robert Cleary (Edison) over Mark Schleifer (East Brunswick H.S.) (Dec 3-1)

Robert Cleary (Edison) over Shawn Gardini (Monroe Township) (Dec 5-1)

Robert Cleary (Edison) over Pedro Vera (Perth Amboy) (Fall 3:09)

Robert Cleary (Edison) over Dylan Taillefer (Sayreville War Memorial) (Fall 1:35)

Robert Cleary (Edison) over Mark Pacheco (South River) (Fall 1:51)

Robert Cleary (Edison) over Michael Egan (Spotswood) (Fall 0:52)

Robert Cleary (Edison) over Ryan Duhamel (South Plainfield) (Dec 5-2)

Alec Gleason (East Brunswick H.S.) over Tyler Jacobs (Spotswood) (Fall 1:28)

Alec Gleason (East Brunswick H.S.) over Aaron Eisen (Edison) (Fall 3:47)

Alec Gleason (East Brunswick H.S.) over Justin Justiniano (Perth Amboy) (TF 16-1 4:11)

Alec Gleason (East Brunswick H.S.) over Ryan Duhamel (South Plainfield) (Dec 7-1)

Alec Gleason (East Brunswick H.S.) over Enrique Cuervas (New Brunswick) (TF 16-0 4:26)

Alec Gleason (East Brunswick H.S.) over Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) (MD 14-5)

Alec Gleason (East Brunswick H.S.) over Aron Wright (Piscataway) (Fall 3:51)

Ryan Duhamel (South Plainfield) over Pedro Vera (Perth Amboy) (Fall 3:02)

Ryan Duhamel (South Plainfield) over Leonard Gomero (Piscataway) (Fall 1:01)

Ryan Duhamel (South Plainfield) over Shawn Gardini (Monroe Township) (Dec 4-0)

Shawn Gardini (Monroe Township) over Tyler Jacobs (Spotswood) (Fall 0:48)

Shawn Gardini (Monroe Township) over Pedro Vera (Perth Amboy) (MD 11-0)

Shawn Gardini (Monroe Township) over Neel Patel (South Brunswick Hs) (Fall 2:22)