SPORTS

Wrestling: GMC Tournament 182 pound preview

Greg Tufaro

@GregTufaro

182 POUNDS

Favorite: Old Bridge's Mike Gargano, the defending GMCT 182-pound champion, owns an 18-1 record. His only loss was a 2-1 decision to Cinnaminson's Zack Sireci. Sireci owns a 19-2 record including a 9-4 loss to Spotswood's Ejike Okafor in the Nottingham Tournament. Okafor and Piscataway's Eti-ini Udott, who dropped a 4-2 decision to Gargano, are the biggest threat to the defending champ.

Top contenders: Eti-Ini Udott (Piscataway, 13-2), Christian Gonzalez (South Plainfield, 14-4), Ejike Okafor (Spotswood, 21-1).

Others to watch: Andrew Brazicki (Bishop Ahr, 15-4), Kevin Ambicki (Middlesex, 15-5), Chris Cuevas (Edison, 11-9), Frankelly Rosario (New Brunswick, 17-8).

Rest of the field: Frank Coghan (Carteret, 14-10), Joe Wolfe (Colonia, 7-11), Raph Piscassio (East Brunswick, 3-7), , Anthony Siekle (J.F. Kennedy, 4-5), Clint Hetzell (Monroe, 1-0), James Duffy (North Brunswick, 15-5), Emelvis Batista (Perth Amboy, 1-7), Tyler Gilligan (Sayreville, 12-6), Hunter Delfa (South Brunswick, 2-2), Sidney Pierre (Woodbridge, 6-13)

Top GMCT returner to weight class: Gargano is the defending champion, while Udott placed third and Ambicki placed fifth at this weight a year ago.

Notes: This weight class is loaded with returning GMCT place-winners. Okafor finished fourth at 152 and Brazicki placed sixth at 160. Gonzalez will be seeded ahead of Udott, who was disqualified in their regular-season meeting. Okafor recently pinned reigning 195-pound GMCT champion Doug Ryan in Spotswood's stunning upset of South River, which could cost the Rams the Blue Division title for the third time in the past four years due to a narrow division loss. Monroe's Kaylon Bradley, who pinned Cuevas earlier this year, will miss the tournament with an injury.

INTRACONFERENCE RESULTS OF FAVORITE AND TOP CONTENDERS

Christian Gonzalez (South Plainfield) over Eti-ini Udott (Piscataway) (DQ)

Christian Gonzalez (South Plainfield) over Michael Kersh (East Brunswick H.S.) (Fall 1:06)

Christian Gonzalez (South Plainfield) over Kaylon Bradley (Monroe Township) (MD 12-2)

Christian Gonzalez (South Plainfield) over Christopher Cuevas (Edison) (Fall 0:52)

Christian Gonzalez (South Plainfield) over Emelvis Batista (Perth Amboy) (Fall 3:57)

Christian Gonzalez (South Plainfield) over Eti-ini Udott (Piscataway) (DQ)

Mike Gargano (Old Bridge) over Eti-ini Udott (Piscataway) (Dec 4-2)

Eti-ini Udott (Piscataway) over Maxwell Rhoden (South Brunswick Hs) (Dec 12-5)

Eti-ini Udott (Piscataway) over Christian Irizarry (Colonia) (Fall 1:27)

Eti-ini Udott (Piscataway) over Mina Meshriky (East Brunswick H.S.) (Fall 0:47)

Mike Gargano (Old Bridge) over Andrew Brazicki (Bishop Ahr) (MD 10-2)

Mike Gargano (Old Bridge) over Kevin Ambicki (Middlesex) (MD 9-0)

Mike Gargano (Old Bridge) over Eti-ini Udott (Piscataway) (Dec 4-2)

Mike Gargano (Old Bridge) over Emelvis Batista (Perth Amboy) (Fall 3:29)

Mike Gargano (Old Bridge) over Sidney Pierre (Woodbridge) (Fall 2:11)

Mike Gargano (Old Bridge) over Alexander Robinson (Edison) (Fall 0:53)

Ejike Okafor (Spotswood) over Dylan Boyntan (Highland Park) (MD 11-3)

Ejike Okafor (Spotswood) over Srikarth Raguraman (John P. Stevens) (Fall 0:22)

Ejike Okafor (Spotswood) over James Duffy (North Brunswick Township) (MD 17-9)

Ejike Okafor (Spotswood) over Edwin Aguilera (New Brunswick) (Dec 10-4)

Ejike Okafor (Spotswood) over Kevin Ambicki (Middlesex) (MD 13-5)

Ejike Okafor (Spotswood) over Doug Ryan (South River) (Fall 2:27)

Ejike Okafor (Spotswood) over Christopher Cuevas (Edison) (TF 20-5 4:46)

Ejike Okafor (Spotswood) over Anthony Maloney (Metuchen) (Dec 4-3)