SPORTS

Wrestling: GMC Tournament 126 pound preview

Greg Tufaro

@GregTufaro

126 POUNDS

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

Favorite: South Plainfield senior Ryan Walsh was a GMCT runner-up and District 12 champion at 120 pounds last year. Owner of an 18-3 record, all of Walsh's losses are out of conference. He went 3-1 at the Virginia Duals. Walsh decisioned South Brunswick's Joe Mastro 3-1, decisioned Edison's Peter Tomasino 4-0 and pinned Monroe's Joey Zargo.

Top contenders: Tyler Burgess (South River, 17-1), Dylan Haltli (Sayreville, 16-3), Joe Mastro (South Brunswick, 13-7), Joey Zargo (Monroe, 12-9), Joey Marty (Woodbridge, 19-3), Peter Tomasino (Edison, 16-6).

Others to watch: Sam Guerrero (Highland Park, Sr., 19-2), Jeff Johnson (Middlesex, 18-2), Nick DelDuca (Bishop Ahr, 13-11).

Rest of the field: Angel Pitts (Carteret, 1-14), Nick Coppa (Colonia, 11-8), Tyler Shwartz (East Brunswick, 13-4), Tyler Troung (J.P. Stevens, 10-12), Chris Kwok (Metuchen, 8-9), Yoscar Diaz (New Brunswick, 16-7), Lane Ackerman (North Brunswick, 4-13), Luigi Luppino (Old Bridge, 4-10), Leo Gomero (Piscataway, 2-6), Shea Obado (Spotswood, 8-9).

Top GMCT returner to weight class: Guerrero placed fifth last season.

Notes: After Walsh, this weight class will be a nightmare to seed. For example: Burgess, beat Haltli, who beat Mastro, who beat Zargo, who beat Haltli but who lost to Marty and Tomasino. Mastro competed at 132 last year. Zargo was third in the GMCT at 113 pounds last year. Marty was a District 19 runner-up at 120 pounds last year. Haltli placed seventh in the GMCT at 113 pounds last season. Burgess recorded his 100th career win on Jan. 20. He was third at 120 pounds in the GMCT a year ago. Johnson's 4-3 decision over Guerrero will help him earn a higher seed. DelDuca is dangerous despite his .near 500 record. This may prove to be one of the deepest and most entertaining weight classes of the tournament.

INTRACONFERENCE RESULTS OF FAVORITE AND TOP CONTENDERS

Ryan Walsh (South Plainfield) over Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) (Dec 3-1)

Ryan Walsh (South Plainfield) over Arcelio Aponte (Piscataway) (Fall 2:54)

Ryan Walsh (South Plainfield) over Tyler Shwartz (East Brunswick H.S.) (Fall 2:39)

Ryan Walsh (South Plainfield) over Joe Zargo (Monroe Township) (Fall 3:29)

Ryan Walsh (South Plainfield) over Peter Tomasino (Edison) (Dec 4-0)

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

Tyler Burgess (South River) over Chris Kwok (Metuchen) (Fall 1:08)

Tyler Burgess (South River) over Tyler Shwartz (East Brunswick H.S.) (Fall 0:57)

Tyler Burgess (South River) over Kelvin Diaz (JFK-Iselin) (Fall 0:50)

Tyler Burgess (South River) over Pedro Vera (Perth Amboy) (Fall 1:09)

Tyler Burgess (South River) over Carlos Lopez (Middlesex) (Fall 0:39)

Tyler Burgess (South River) over Ishmael Pitts (Carteret) (Fall 0:49)

Tyler Burgess (South River) over Nicholas Coppa (Colonia) (Fall 1:39)

Tyler Burgess (South River) over Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) (SV-1 5-3)

Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) over Jose Ruiz (Highland Park) (Dec 6-2)

Joe Zargo (Monroe Township) over Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) (SV-1 5-3)

Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) over Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) (TB-1 5-4)

Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) over Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) (Dec 5-3)

Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) over Christian Vasquez (Colonia) (Fall 3:51)

Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) over Kelvin Diaz (JFK-Iselin) (Fall 2:14)

Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) over Peter Tomasino (Edison) (Dec 6-0)

Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) over Tyler Egan (Spotswood) (Fall 3:03)

Dylan Haltli (Sayreville War Memorial) over Lance Vargas (John P. Stevens) (Fall 1:31)

Joe Zargo (Monroe Township) over Michael Egan (Spotswood) (Fall 1:45)

Joe Zargo (Monroe Township) over Luigi Luppino III (Old Bridge) (Dec 5-1)

Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) over Joe Zargo (Monroe Township) (Fall 2:49)

Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) over Brandon Kuzma (JFK-Iselin) (Fall 2:40)

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) (Dec 3-2)

Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) over Luigi Luppino III (Old Bridge) (MD 13-2)

Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) over Nick DelDuca (Bishop Ahr) (SV-1 10-5)

Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) over Nasir Morris (Piscataway) (Fall 3:35)

Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) over Yoscar Diaz (New Brunswick) (Fall 5:35)

Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) over Lane Ackerman (North Brunswick Township) (Fall 5:56)

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

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Joseph Mastro (South Brunswick Hs) (Dec 3-2)

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Ethan Doda (Carteret) (Fall 0:40)

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Justin Justiniano (Perth Amboy) (Fall 1:12)

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Tyler Truong (John P. Stevens) (Fall 2:13)

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Luigi Luppino III (Old Bridge) (TF 15-0 4:45)

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Nick DelDuca (Bishop Ahr) (Dec 14-10)

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Chris Kwok (Metuchen) (Fall 0:59)

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Victor Torress (JFK-Iselin) (Fall 0:49)

Joseph Marty (Woodbridge) over Nicholas Coppa (Colonia) (Fall 1:49)

Peter Tomasino (Edison) over Nick DelDuca (Bishop Ahr) (Fall 5:58)

Peter Tomasino (Edison) over Tyler Shwartz (East Brunswick H.S.) (Dec 6-2)

Peter Tomasino (Edison) over Leonard Gomero (Piscataway) (TF 19-4 5:55)

Peter Tomasino (Edison) over Joe Zargo (Monroe Township) (Dec 2-1)

Peter Tomasino (Edison) over Shea Obado (Spotswood) (Dec 8-5)

Peter Tomasino (Edison) over Luigi Luppino III (Old Bridge) (MD 11-2)