Region champ wrestlers from 3 Woodbridge Township schools looking for state medals

The only scenario better than wrestlers from each of Woodbridge Township’s three high schools winning region championships last Saturday is for all of them to grab a spot on the podium in Atlantic City this weekend.

Colonia’s John Poznanski, J.F. Kennedy’s Aaron Coleman and Woodbridge’s Nick Nyers will represent the school district in the NJSIAA Individual Wrestling Championships, which will be contested Friday through Sunday at Boardwalk Hall.

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“More than all three being region champs, I think it’s even better that Woodbridge has a chance to put three wrestlers on the podium,” Woodbridge head coach Mike Carbone said. “If these three guys made a statement and got into the Top 8, it’s awesome. If all three are wrestling Sunday (for medals), that’s a bigger mark for the township than anything else. I definitely hope all three can keep this momentum going.”

The top ranked wrestlers in the entire country, according to InterMat, are favored to win the 138-pound weight class in which Coleman is competing and the 160-pound weight class in which Poznanski will wrestle. They are incumbent state champion Quinn Kinner of Kingsway, an Ohio State University signee who won the 132-pound title last season, and 160-pounder Shane Griffith of Bergen Catholic, a Stanford University signee.

The 220-pound weight class in which Nyers will compete features Don Bosco Prep’s Peter Acciardi, who InterMat ranks 10th nationally.

Incumbent state qualifiers Poznanski and Coleman are working out together this week at the Yale Street Wrestling Club in Scotch Plains, while first-time state qualifier Nyers is training at Woodbridge with Carbone and assistant coach Joe Liquori.

Poznanski, who Wrestling Full Circle ranks third in the state at 160 pounds, owns a 36-3 record and has won 30 consecutive bouts since dropping a 7-5 decision to nationally ranked Robert Kinniard of Wall in the Minuteman Tournament at Elizabeth. His two other losses were to nationally ranked Kevon Freeman of Ohio’s Lake Catholic High School in the season-opening Beast of the East.

“Poznanski is something special,” said J.F. Kennedy head coach Nick Cilento, a former Colonia grappler who watched Luke Pero break his school record for wins earlier this season and expects Poznanski, a sophomore, to shatter that mark. “He’s going to break all my records. That kid never stops coming. His technique, you can’t beat it.”

Poznanski has quality wins over incumbent state placewinner Michael Petite of Piscataway, who he defeated in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, and over state qualifier and Region V runnerup Kevin Faulkner of Hillsborough, who he defeated in the Minuteman Classic. Both wins were 6-4 decisions. He went 1-2 in the state tournament last year.

“The better the competition you see during the season, the better prepared you’ll be when it comes (state tournament) time,” Colonia head coach Dan Grasso said. “John has not disappointed. He goes into every match with a game plan, especially against guys like Petite and Kinniard. We are in this for the podium, that’s why he works as hard as he does, that’s why he puts in the extra time.

Coleman, who Wrestling Full Circle ranks fourth in the state at 138 pounds, enters the tournament with a 33-3 record and has won 15 bouts since Monroe’s Andy Lombard upset him with an 8-3 decision in the conference tournament final. Lombard, who lost 9-0 to Coleman earlier in the season, avenged the defeat, catching his opponent with a five-point move, countering a sweep single, early in the first period.

“That was a wakeup call for Aaron and the best thing that happened to him,” Cilento said. “He is a different kid going down there (to Atlantic City). Every loss to him is, ‘How do I get better? How do I get to my goal?’ Two weeks before the counties, we saw Lombard, and I don’t want to say we handled him, but we won the match. I think Aaron, going into the finals, thought, ‘Hey, I’m going to do it.’ We get hit with that five-point move. Their kid did a great job. They (Monroe’s staff) did a great coaching job. You’d better watch out for my guy. All the guy’s in green (J.F. Kennedy singlets) know how good Aaron is. And his head’s right. If you saw my guy, he’s on a mission. He has his motor, and he’s not going to be denied.”

As the fourth seed in Region IV, Coleman had a difficult path to the title, including a 9-7 semifinal decision over North Hunterdon’s Andrew Gapas, the top seed in the region who Wrestling Full Circle ranks fourth in the state.

Coleman’s only other losses are to Marco Regalbuto of Ohio’s Brecksville-Broadview Heights and to Imran Heard of Maryland’s Saint Paul`s in the season-opening Beast of the East Tournament.

The 138-pound weight class also features defending state champion Jake Benner of Ocean along with incumbent state placewinner Cody Harrison of Phillipsburg.

Coleman qualified for the state tournament last year, but was injured in his second bout, suffering a pinched nerve in the area of his hip, and defaulted out of the event.

Nyers owns a 33-4 record including losses to South Plainfield’s Zach DelVecchio, who InterMat ranks 13th nationally, and to Voorhees’ Scott Fernandes, who Wrestling Full Circle ranks seventh in the state at 195 pounds. Nyers dropped a 3-1 decision in the District 14 final to DelVecchio, who subsequently withdrew from the region tournament after being diagnosed with mononucleosis and an enlarged spleen. Nyers’ other losses are a 3-2 decision to Wayne Valley’s Nick Trani, who owns a 36-2 record, and a 3-1 decision to Somerville heavyweight Jake Pidgeon. Nyers four losses are by a total of nine points.

“There is no reason with his energy, his momentum, Nick can’t make a run,” Carbone said. “He can wrestle with anybody that’s there.”