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WRESTLING

WRESTLING: Watchung Hills captures Somerset County Tournament title with four champs; Bound Brook's Casey wins fourth championship

Andy Mendlowitz
@andy_mendlowitz
Somerset County Wrestling Tournament 132lb Matthew Lisanti Montgomery lrft and Nick Ciraulo Wahung Hills Saturday January 13, 2018 photo by Ed Pagliarini

HILLSBOROUGH – Try to choose the top storyline for the Watchung Hills wrestling team in the Somerset County Tournament – it’s hard. Do you pick Jake Stasil, the Most Outstanding Wrestler after taking the 145-pound title as the fifth seed? Or Justin Hayward earning his 100th career win in the 182-pound final? Maybe first-year varsity wrestler Vince Mattaliano pinning to win the 170 championship.

How about this for a headline: Watchung Hills won the team championship with 218.5 points, snapping Bound Brook’s six-year run as SCT winners Saturday at Hillsborough High School. Bound Brook placed second with 136 points followed by Hillsborough's 119.5 points in the 13-team tournament.

Rob Saum, who earned his 100th career win in the semifinals, repeated as a gold medalist by capturing the 152-pound title on an injury default as the Warriors had 11 wrestlers place in the top three.

LOOK BACK: At the predictions we made in our comprehensive tournament preview

“I’m super proud of these guys,” Watchung Hills coach Dan Smith “They’ve worked hard to get to here. This is one of their goals at the preseason so it was great to see them accomplish it.”

Somerset County Wrestling Tournament 113lb Brandon Spellman Pingry left and Nick Sacco Bridgewater-Raritan Saturday January 13, 2018 photo by Ed Pagliarini

Other highlights in the 14 weight classes included Bound Brook’s Joe Casey getting a third-period reversal to defeat Hillsborough’s Kevin Faulkner 3-2 at 160 to capture his fourth-straight county title; Bound Brook’s Xavier Pena (120) and Hillsborough’s Anthony Donnadio (126) repeating as SCT champs by defeating a defending champion in the final and Manville’s Michael Tyle edging Bound Brook’s J.J. Sistrunk 3-2 in overtime in a matchup of two of New Jersey’s best heavyweights. 

CONVENIENT LINK: All of Saturday's GMC and Courier News area wrestling coverage

Here’s a look at the tournament.

Watchung Hills Cruises to Title

Yeah, Stasil was a little peeved.

The undefeated senior (11-0 entering the tournament) had placed second last season at 138, but was given the fifth-seed. That was mainly because he didn’t have any head-to-head matches this season with opponents in the weight class. 

“I came in here with kind of a grit when I heard it,” Stasil said. “I didn’t let it faze me, though.”

So Stasil earned respect on the mat. In the semifinals, he beat the top-seeded Zach Dobson of Pingry 7-3. In a surprise 145 final, Stasil remained undefeated with an 11-3 win over Montgomery’s sixth-seeded Jacob McCarthy. 

He helped the Warriors win their sixth SCT in the program’s history. Watchung Hills was the favorite heading into the tournament, and they delivered, going 4-3 in the championship matches.

“The team’s wrestling really hard,” said Stasil, who credited his coaches. “We’re going hard in the room. Wrestling really well. Pushing each other. So we came in here today with one goal – let’s get the title. And we did. … We have high expectations. High goals but we’re very humbled and we work really hard.”

At 182, Watchung Hills’ Hayward earned his 100th career win by beating Hillsborough’s Mike Dooley 4-2. On Dec. 27, Hayward pinned Dooley in the finals of the Walter Woods Tournament in 3:24, but it was a close match before the fall.

Somerset County Wrestling Tournament 285lb Michael Tyle Manville left and Jervey Sistrunk Bound Brook Saturday January 13, 2018 photo by Ed Pagliarini

Saturday after a scoreless first, the wrestlers traded reversals. In the third, Hayward used a spladle, without getting a leg in, to get two back points for the win.

“I knew coming in he’s a tough competitor,” said Hayward, who improved to 20-0. “I knew it was going to be a tough challenge and I knew he was coming after me so I was ready.”

Afterwards, fans greeted him with a 100-win banner and held a large cut out of his head as they celebrated off to the side.

At 170, Watchung Hill’s Mattaliano pinned Montgomery’s fifth-seeded Josh Perera in 59 seconds. Perera had upset top-seeded Kevin Fern of Ridge in the semis.

At 152, Watchung Hills’ Saum won by injury default over Bound Brook’s Carlos Ugalde, who suffered an arm injury.

Watchung Hills wrestlers taking second were Danny Miller (126), Nick Ciraulo,(132) and Mike Salerno (220). Placing third were Blake Bahna (120), Eddie Williams (138), Frank Medina (160) and Tim Searfoss (190).

“We have a great team this year and everyone’s come together, feeding off of one another,” Hayward said. “It’s really awesome. I’m having a lot of fun with these group of guys. It’s awesome.”

Somerset County Wrestling Tournament 120lb Brock Laggini Somerville left and Xavier Pena Bound Brook Saturday January 13, 2018 photo by Ed Pagliarini

Casey Wins Fourth Title

The 160-pound final produced some of the most drama of the day. Bound Brook’s Casey, who has committed to Rider, was going for his fourth county title. Hillsborough’s Kevin Faulkner took him down in the third period to take a 2-1 lead. Casey got a reversal with 43 seconds left and rode him out for the title.

He flashed four fingers when it was over, but he wasn’t pleased with how close it was. For the record, Casey won at 106 as a freshman; at 120 as a sophomore and at 145 as a junior. He also won three medals at the state tournament in Atlantic City.

Champ vs. Champ As Pena and Donnadio Prevails

At 120, Bound Brook’s Pena, who won the 106-pound title last winter as a freshman at North Plainfield, defeated Somerville’s Brock Laggini 11-4. An impressive win, considering that Laggini was a two-time county champion. Pena led 4-2 entering the third period, but got a takedown and two back points off a half nelson to open an 8-2 lead. After a Laggini escape, Pena fended off a throw attempt to get his own takedown for an 10-3 lead.

“This is just the beginning for a state championship,” said Pena, who hopes to continue on Bound Brook’s impressive wrestling legacy.

At 126, in another marquee match, Hillsborough’s Donnadio – last season’s 126-pound champ – got a quick single-leg takedown against Watchung Hills’ Danny Miller, who won the 120-pound title last winter. Donnadio (20-0) rode him out for the rest of the period and the second period. In the third, he got an escape and another takedown for the 5-1 win.

Donnadio had been wrestling at 132 for a chunk of the season, but wants to get settled in at 126 as the stretch run nears. Donnadio’s performance was even more impressive considering that he said he didn’t sleep much the night before, noting, “I was thinking about food and winning this.”

He put the pressure on from the beginning.

“My theory going into the match was if I got the first takedown then it’s a different match,” Donnadio said. “So I just wanted to make sure he knew I was coming for the title and not just to have fun and games. I wanted to win it. I didn’t cut seven pounds in two days to not a win title, do you know what I mean?”

Heavyweight Battle

At heavyweight, Manville’s Tyle won 3-2 against Bound Brook’s Sistrunk. They were one-two, respectively, in the Star Ledger’s statewide ranking at 285. With it tied 1-1 in the first overtime tiebreaker, Tyle got a reversal the buzzer to take a 3-1 lead. He simply kept moving and circling Sistrunk until he got the call in the nick of time. In the second tiebreaker session, Tyle didn’t allow a shot.

It was their sixth meeting in the last 13 months. Will they meet again? Check back in the postseason.

Bloodied But Not Out

Wrestlers are tough and bloody noses are no big deal. But at 132, Montgomery’s Matt Lisanati started bleeding in the first period and it bothered him throughout the final against Watchung Hills’ Nick Ciraulo. With about 40 seconds left and leading 7-3, the trainers put a bandage wrap around his forehead and extending down to his nose, like a V-shape.

“I was very worried,” Lisanti said. “I asked my coach how much blood time we got left because I was a little worried that I was going to run out. But he said we got a lot, so we’re good.”

Ciraulo cut it to 7-5, but Lisanti held on to win the title.

Lisanti thought about wrestling at 126 and then 138, but feels 132 is a better fit and that he feels “really quick at 32” and “energized at practice.”

In the first period, he scored a takedown off a scramble, which set the tone.

“I feel really confident on my feet,” Lisanti said. “So when I get a takedown from there, I feel pretty good that I’m going to win the match, especially if it’s the first one.”

A Near Cinderella Finish

At 195, Franklin’s Michael Espinal Grullon shocked his way to the final as the eighth seed. In the championship, though, Bound Brook’s David Ugalde took the title with a 3-2 win. Espinal Grullon was in on the leg in the final 10 seconds, but Ugalde fended him off for the championship. Espinal Grullon beat Somerville’s top-seeded Hamza Akel 3-1 in the quarterfinals and Watchung Hills’ Tim Searfoss in the semifinal 9-4.

Other Champs

At 220, Ridge’s Jake Hendershot pinned Watchung Hills’ Mike Salerno in a close match to that point. He was cheered by Red Devils coach – and proud dad – Steve Hendershot. Hendershot won the Robert E. Gleason Award for the most pins in the least amount of time.

At 106, Bernards’ Justin Villani kicked off the tournament by pinning Hillsborough’s Cole Psemeneki with 32 seconds left in the match.

At 113, Pingry’s Brandon Spellman defeated Bridgewater-Raritan’s Nick Sacco 7-2. Spellman built a 5-0 lead heading into the second period, nearly getting a quick pin.

At 138, Bridgewater-Raritan’s Matt Sacco beat Pingry’s Aidan Dillon 6-0. Earlier in the season, Sacco had a 4-0 win over the Pingry wrestler.

 

Team Scores

1. Watchung Hills 218.5

2. Bound Brook 136

3. Hillsborough 119.5

4. Bernards 91

5. Somerville 85

6. Montgomery 83.5

7. Ridge 81

8. Manville 67

9. Pingry 66.5

10. Bridgewater-Raritan 62

11. Franklin 46

12. North Plainfield 21

13. Rutgers Prep 11