Hunterdon Central wrestling tops Monroe to win Central Group V title

RARITAN TOWNSHIP - The Hunterdon Central High School wrestling team's big guns did exactly what was expected of them on Friday night and the Red Devils captured another sectional title because of it.

Four-straight victories from 113 through 132 pounds lifted top-seeded Hunterdon Central (23-2) to a 28-24 win over No. 2 Monroe in the NJSIAA Central Group V sectional final. It was the Red Devils' 21st sectional crown.

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Monroe (18-2) led 21-15 after 106-pounder Joseph Fiordaliso’s win. Central won the next four of five, clinching the decision with one bout left on 132-pounder Vincent Romaniello’s 10-3 win.

“We knew we had to scrap and claw and try not to give up bonus points in certain spots and we did, so made it a bit closer than we anticipated, but I knew we were in a good spot with our hammers down below and we were going to pick up some matches,” Hunterdon Central coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm said.

The Red Devils won their 17th dual meet in a row and haven't lost since a 34-24  setback to Phillipsburg on Jan. 11. Monroe, which was beaten by Central two years ago in the sectional final, had the potential to keep the match close, and it was. But wins by Jack Bauer (114), Hunter Graf (120), Peter Nace (126) and Romaniello gave Central a ticket to the Group V semifinals on Sunday at Pine Belt Arena at Toms River North  High School.

“They have been kind of the glue that has held us together through the season,” Cantagallo-Rohm said. “We have a few holes, kids with not as much wrestling experience, but when we wrap back around and I have those guys I know we are in good shape. They came through when we needed them. Nace wrestled an awesome match and went after Lombard.”

The Red Devils lost a heartbreaker in the sectional semifinals last year to Old Bridge. Two years ago, they beat Monroe in the sectional final and beat North Hunterdon in the Group semis, but lost to Brick Memorial in the final.

“We had some guys not wrestle their best tonight, but we had other guys pick up the slack and that's what good teams do,” Cantagallo-Rohm said.

Cantagallo-Rohm said the Red Devils will likely wrestle the North 2 or North I champions in Sunday's Group semifinal. Monroe, on the other hand, fell just short of winning its first-ever sectional title

“I told coach (Bill) Jacoutot that they gave us all we could handle,” Cantagallo-Rohm said. "They really went after it for six minutes."

Monroe's only other loss this season had been to South Plainfield, which won the Central Group III final on Friday night.

“We have to wrestle with better mat sense,” Jacoutot said.