WRESTLING

Old Bridge wrestling crowns five champs while winning Icebreaker Invitational

Greg Tufaro and Andy Mendlowitz
Luigi Luppino wrestles for Old Bridge during the Hunterdon Central Invitational on 12/27/16

The Old Bridge High School wrestling team crowned five individual champions en route to capturing the Icebreaker Invitational Tournament on Saturday.

Vincent Nadera (106), Dylan Ur (132), Alex Meyers (138), Justin Gonzalez (145) and Luigi Luppino (160) won their respective weight classes for the Knights.

READ: Saturday's wrestling tournament results from across the state

Old Bridge posted a team score of 188. East Brunswick, whose flagship wrestler, Mitch Polito, won the 120-pound title, finished fifth in the eight team field.

Old Bridge coach Bryan Garnett said that a handful of his wrestlers were competing out of their normal weight class because of injuries. 

“The kids were inspired and they didn’t care,” Garnett said. “They just went to work. I was very proud of them and they all wrestled with heart today. ... It was just an awesome day."

The Knights led after the first round and Garnett said he had a simple message for his team: “They can’t catch you if you keep winning.”

That they did.

Team Scores

1 Old Bridge 188

2 Middletown South 152

3 Governor Livingston 146

4 Red Bank Catholic 141

5 East Brunswick 120

6 Matawan 113

7 Fort Lee 99

8 Manasquan 63.5

106

1st Place - Vincent Nadera of Old Bridge

2nd Place - Sameer Idrees of Fort Lee

3rd Place - David Rubin of Matawan Reg

4th Place - Lee Rubin of Matawan Reg

5th Place - Stephen McGrouther of Middletown South

6th Place - Lucas Vidal of East Brunswick H.S.

1st Place Match

Vincent Nadera (Old Bridge) 3-0, Fr. over Sameer Idrees (Fort Lee) 1-1, . (Fall 3:10)

3rd Place Match

David Rubin (Matawan Reg) 2-1, Fr. over Lee Rubin (Matawan Reg) 1-2, Fr. (Dec 5-4)

5th Place Match

Stephen McGrouther (Middletown South) 2-1, Fr. over Lucas Vidal (East Brunswick H.S.) 0-2, Jr. (Fall 2:57)

113

1st Place - Kamrin O`Neill of Matawan Reg

2nd Place - Owen Fitzgerald of Middletown South

3rd Place - Harrison Kelly of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

4th Place - Nicholas Mullaney of Red Bank Catholic Hs

5th Place - Jesus Tejada of Fort Lee

6th Place - Vincent Bechler of East Brunswick H.S.

1st Place Match

Kamrin O`Neill (Matawan Reg) 3-0, Fr. over Owen Fitzgerald (Middletown South) 2-1, Fr. (Dec 14-7)

3rd Place Match

Harrison Kelly (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 1-1, So. over Nicholas Mullaney (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 1-2, Jr. (Fall 3:05)

5th Place Match

Jesus Tejada (Fort Lee) 1-1, . over Vincent Bechler (East Brunswick H.S.) 1-2, Fr. (Dec 5-1)

120

1st Place - Mitchell Polito of East Brunswick H.S.

2nd Place - James Piehler of Middletown South

3rd Place - Daniel Higuita of Matawan Reg

4th Place - Michael Holland of Middletown South

5th Place - Christopher Savino of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

6th Place - Bryan Retiz of Fort Lee

1st Place Match

Mitchell Polito (East Brunswick H.S.) 3-0, Sr. over James Piehler (Middletown South) 2-1, So. (Fall 0:52)

3rd Place Match

Daniel Higuita (Matawan Reg) 2-1, Jr. over Michael Holland (Middletown South) 1-2, So. (Dec 9-5)

5th Place Match

Christopher Savino (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 3-1, Sr. over Bryan Retiz (Fort Lee) 2-2, . (Fall 3:23)

126

1st Place - David Vill of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

2nd Place - Mike Botte of Old Bridge

3rd Place - Jake Wiatroski of Old Bridge

4th Place - Sean Hernandez of Fort Lee

5th Place - Louis LaRocca of East Brunswick H.S.

6th Place - Moises Rojas of Matawan Reg

1st Place Match

David Vill (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 3-0, Jr. over Mike Botte (Old Bridge) 2-1, Sr. (Dec 6-5)

3rd Place Match

Jake Wiatroski (Old Bridge) 2-1, Sr. over Sean Hernandez (Fort Lee) 1-2, . (Fall 1:03)

5th Place Match

Louis LaRocca (East Brunswick H.S.) 2-1, Jr. over Moises Rojas (Matawan Reg) 1-2, Jr. (Dec 6-3)

132

1st Place - Dylan Ur of Old Bridge

2nd Place - Daniel Brewton of Red Bank Catholic Hs

3rd Place - Marcelo Laygo of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

4th Place - Andre Moriak of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

5th Place - Jose Veliz of Matawan Reg

6th Place - Devon Slavin of Middletown South

1st Place Match

Dylan Ur (Old Bridge) 3-0, Sr. over Daniel Brewton (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 3-1, So. (Fall 1:27)

3rd Place Match

Marcelo Laygo (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 2-1, Jr. over Andre Moriak (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 2-2, Sr. (MD 12-0)

5th Place Match

Jose Veliz (Matawan Reg) 3-1, Sr. over Devon Slavin (Middletown South) 2-2, Jr. (Fall 1:26)

138

1st Place - Alec Meyers of Old Bridge

2nd Place - Gregory Friedenberg of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

3rd Place - Ethan Dzenis of Manasquan

4th Place - Leonard Meer of Red Bank Catholic Hs

5th Place - Alex Hinds of Old Bridge

6th Place - Anthony Dacunto of Middletown South

1st Place Match

Alec Meyers (Old Bridge) 3-0, Jr. over Gregory Friedenberg (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 2-1, Jr. (MD 17-4)

3rd Place Match

Ethan Dzenis (Manasquan) 2-1, Jr. over Leonard Meer (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 1-2, Jr. (Fall 4:43)

5th Place Match

Alex Hinds (Old Bridge) 4-1, Fr. over Anthony Dacunto (Middletown South) 1-2, Jr. (Dec 5-1)

145

1st Place - Justin Gonzalez of Old Bridge

2nd Place - Danny Ward of Middletown South

3rd Place - E`Unique Gittens Russell of Matawan Reg

4th Place - Conner Vill of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

5th Place - Bryan Sierra of Fort Lee

6th Place - Justin Schutte of Old Bridge

1st Place Match

Justin Gonzalez (Old Bridge) 3-0, Jr. over Danny Ward (Middletown South) 2-1, Sr. (Fall 3:09)

3rd Place Match

E`Unique Gittens Russell (Matawan Reg) 2-1, Jr. over Conner Vill (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 1-2, So. (Dec 13-6)

5th Place Match

Bryan Sierra (Fort Lee) 2-1, . over Justin Schutte (Old Bridge) 3-2, Fr. (Fall 1:28)

152

1st Place - James Snyder of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

2nd Place - Javi Espinosa of Old Bridge

3rd Place - Thomas Distefano of Red Bank Catholic Hs

4th Place - Jace Fanelli of Red Bank Catholic Hs

5th Place - Blake Zarzycki of Middletown South

6th Place - Nader Lasheen of East Brunswick H.S.

1st Place Match

James Snyder (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 3-0, Jr. over Javi Espinosa (Old Bridge) 2-1, Sr. (MD 16-3)

3rd Place Match

Thomas Distefano (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 2-1, So. over Jace Fanelli (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 1-2, Sr. (Inj. 4:30)

5th Place Match

Blake Zarzycki (Middletown South) 2-1, Sr. over Nader Lasheen (East Brunswick H.S.) 1-2, Jr. (Dec 10-3)

160

1st Place - Luigi Luppino of Old Bridge

2nd Place - Alwayne Mitchell of Matawan Reg

3rd Place - Nico Albanese of Middletown South

4th Place - Aidan Meyler-McAuliffe of Red Bank Catholic Hs

5th Place - Joseph Scalora of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

6th Place - Ryan Yuhas of Old Bridge

1st Place Match

Luigi Luppino (Old Bridge) 3-0, Sr. over Alwayne Mitchell (Matawan Reg) 2-1, Sr. (Fall 2:50)

3rd Place Match

Nico Albanese (Middletown South) 2-1, So. over Aidan Meyler-McAuliffe (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 1-2, So. (Fall 3:33)

5th Place Match

Joseph Scalora (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 2-1, So. over Ryan Yuhas (Old Bridge) 1-2, Jr. (Dec 4-1)

170

1st Place - Quinn Haddad of Governor Livingston Regional Hs

2nd Place - Justin Weimer of Middletown South

3rd Place - Christian Perrine of East Brunswick H.S.

4th Place - Thomas Arendt of Matawan Reg

5th Place - Arturo Andrew of Fort Lee

6th Place - Brendon Bennett of Red Bank Catholic Hs

1st Place Match

Quinn Haddad (Governor Livingston Regional Hs) 3-0, Sr. over Justin Weimer (Middletown South) 2-1, Sr. (MD 14-2)

3rd Place Match

Christian Perrine (East Brunswick H.S.) 2-1, Jr. over Thomas Arendt (Matawan Reg) 1-2, So. (Dec 6-0)

5th Place Match

Arturo Andrew (Fort Lee) 2-1, . over Brendon Bennett (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 1-2, Sr. (Dec 4-2)

182

1st Place - Jack Hardzewicz of Middletown South

2nd Place - Mina Meshriky of East Brunswick H.S.

3rd Place - Oscar Santiago of Old Bridge

4th Place - Evan Meloro of Manasquan

5th Place - Hanan Babar of Matawan Reg

1st Place Match

Jack Hardzewicz (Middletown South) 2-0, Sr. over Mina Meshriky (East Brunswick H.S.) 1-1, Sr. (Dec 5-2)

3rd Place Match

Oscar Santiago (Old Bridge) 1-1, Jr. over Evan Meloro (Manasquan) 1-2, Fr. (Fall 0:29)

5th Place Match

Hanan Babar (Matawan Reg) 0-1, Jr. over () , . (Bye)

195

1st Place - John Columbia of Red Bank Catholic Hs

2nd Place - Luke Hessinger of Manasquan

3rd Place - Shane Ownes of Manasquan

4th Place - Elijah Mack of Old Bridge

5th Place - Aditiya Singh of East Brunswick H.S.

6th Place - Andrej Schon of East Brunswick H.S.

1st Place Match

John Columbia (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 2-0, Jr. over Luke Hessinger (Manasquan) 1-1, Sr. (Fall 5:21)

3rd Place Match

Shane Ownes (Manasquan) 2-1, Jr. over Elijah Mack (Old Bridge) 1-2, So. (Dec 12-11)

5th Place Match

Aditiya Singh (East Brunswick H.S.) 1-1, Jr. over Andrej Schon (East Brunswick H.S.) 0-2, Sr. (Dec 5-0)

220

1st Place - Ivan Jones of Fort Lee

2nd Place - Brady Smith of Middletown South

3rd Place - Christian Pritzlaff of Red Bank Catholic Hs

4th Place - Daniel Mattar of East Brunswick H.S.

5th Place - Jake Louro of Red Bank Catholic Hs

6th Place - Anthony Ayala of Matawan Reg

1st Place Match

Ivan Jones (Fort Lee) 3-0, . over Brady Smith (Middletown South) 2-1, Jr. (Fall 2:59)

3rd Place Match

Christian Pritzlaff (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 2-1, Sr. over Daniel Mattar (East Brunswick H.S.) 1-2, Sr. (Dec 5-0)

5th Place Match

Jake Louro (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 2-1, Fr. over Anthony Ayala (Matawan Reg) 1-2, Jr. (Dec 2-0)

285

1st Place - Michael Griggs of Red Bank Catholic Hs

2nd Place - Youseff Gammel of East Brunswick H.S.

3rd Place - Richie Christie of Red Bank Catholic Hs

4th Place - Juan Jimenez of Fort Lee

5th Place - Daniel Cutillo of Manasquan

6th Place - Paul McDermott of Old Bridge

1st Place Match

Michael Griggs (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 2-0, Sr. over Youseff Gammel (East Brunswick H.S.) 1-1, So. (Dec 6-0)

3rd Place Match

Richie Christie (Red Bank Catholic Hs) 2-1, Sr. over Juan Jimenez (Fort Lee) 1-2, . (Fall 0:35)

5th Place Match

Daniel Cutillo (Manasquan) 1-1, Jr. over Paul McDermott (Old Bridge) 0-2, Fr. (Fall 4:49)