Meet the 2024 All-Shore teams
The 2023-24 wrestling season was a memorable one in the Shore Conference.
For the fourth straight season, four Shore Conference wrestlers won state championships.
St. John Vianney's Anthony Knox won his third state title and continued on what appears to be an inevitable path to four state championships and New Jersey wrestling immortality.
Brick Memorial's Harvey Ludington, like Knox, went unbeaten and won his second state championship in dominant fashion. Southern's Matt Henrich won a state title for the second straight season in effcient fashion and freshman Sonny Amato made it two straight seasons Rumson-Fair Haven has had a state championship with an electrifying run to the 144-pound state title.
The Shore Conference had eight state finalists and 30 state medalists. The number of medalists is four more than last year. The conference had at least one medalist at 13 of the 14 weights, with five medalists at 144, four at 120, three at 113 and 157 and two each at 106, 132, 165, 190, 215 and 285.
Nineteen medalists return next season, including Knox, Ludington and Amato.
It was also a very good season on the team side as Southern rolled to its second straight NJSIAA Group 5 championship; St. John Vianney (Non Public B) won its first group championship since 1995 and Rumson-Fair Haven (Group 2) won its first group title and first sectional tltle.
Brick Memorial (Central Group 4) won its Shore Conference-best 18th sectional championship; Colts Neck (Central 4); Point Pleasant Borough (Central Group 2) and Point Pleasant Beach (Central Group 1) advanced to sectional finals. For Point Beach, it was the 10th straight season it was in a sectional final.
.Divisional winners were Christian Brothers Academy (Class A North); St. John Vianney (Class A Central); Southern (Class A South); Colts Neck (Class B North); Point Beach (Class B Central) and Jackson Liberty (Class B South). It was Jackson Liberty's first divisional title since 2016.
It is now time to unveil the Asbury Park Press' All-Shore first, second and third teams by weight, our Wrestler of the Year and Coach of the Year. Congratulations to all who were selected and to everyone in the Shore Conference on a successful season.
The conference was so deep at 120 and 144 that we created a special honorable mention for the first time for three state medalists who did not make the regular three teams.
FIRST TEAM
Criteria: Head to head results; State medal; State advancement; Region champion.
106 Killian Coluccio
School: Christian Brothers Academy
Year: Freshman.
The Skinny: Coluccio, who finished third in the state, gets the nod over state runner-up Anthony Mason of Southern because he went 2-0 against Mason. Both wrestlers also lost to the same wrestler in the state tournament - champion Cameron Sontz of Delbarton. Coluccio's defeat to Sontz came in the semifinal. He defeated Mason 3-0 in a Powerade Tournament quarterfinal and 4-2 in CBA's 30-28 win over Southern on Jan. 9. Coluccio also defeated Sontz 8-5 in Delbarton's 49-13 win over the Colts Feb. 8 in a NJSIAA Non Public A semifinal. Coluccio won the Region 7 and District 27 championships and the Escape the Rock 107-pound championship. He was fourth at 107 pounds in the Powerade Tournament. Coluccio went 34-3 on the season.
113 Paul Kenny
School: Christian Brothers Academy
Year: Freshman
The Skinny: Kenny, the reigning Under 17 48 kg (approixmately 105 pounds) World Champion, finished third in the state tournament. He advanced to the semifinal with two one-point wins and a three-point win before he was defeated 4-3 by eventual state champion Tyeler Hagensen of Mount Olive on a takedown with four seconds left. Kenny won the Region 7 title with a 5-0 win over state eighth-place finisher Matthew Gould of St. John Vianney and the District 27 title. He was second at 114 pounds in the Escape The Rock Tournament and third at 114 in the Powerade Tournament. His defeats in the Escape The Rock and
Powerade tournaments were to Rutgers Universityrecruit Ayden Smith of Notre Dame of Green Pond, Pa. The defeats were by a combined three points. Smith is ranked No. 2 nationally by flowrestling.org; Kenny is ranked No. 3. Kenny went 35-3 on the season.
Wrestler of the Year 120 Anthony Knox School: St. John Vianney Year: Junior The Skinny:
Knox became the 32nd three-time champion in NJSIAA history and the ninth - boy or girl - in Shore Conference history with a 15-8 win over Donovan Catholic's three-time medal winner Kurt Wehner. The clock has started ticking for Knox to become the fifth four-time state champion. The others are current Cornell University head coach Mike Grey (Delbarton, 2003-2006); Andrew Campolattano (Bound Brook, 2008-2011); Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, 2010-2013) and Nick Suriano (Bergen Catholic, 2013-2016). Ashnault and Suriano both went unbeaten in their careers and became Rutgers' first national champions in 2019. Suriano added a second national championship at Michigan in 2022. Knox, who is ranked No. 1 nationally at 120 and No. 14 overall by flowrestling, went 35-0 on the season and is 107-1 for his career. He is unbeaten against New Jersey wrestlers. In the state tournament, recorded three technical falls, a pin and outscored his opponents 7622. He began the season by winning the Beast of the East 126-pound championship. Knox has made a nonbinding oral commitment to Cornell.
126 Sawyer Ostroff School: Donovan Catholic Year: Senior The Skinny:
Ostroff concluded a solid career that saw him earn three state tournament berths by finishing eighth. He advanced to the quarterfinal before he was defeated by eventual champion Ryan DeGeorge of Delbarton. Ostroff clinched the state medal with a 6-5 win over Matawan's Lawrence Liss. Ostroff won the Region 6 championship with a 5-3 win in sudden victory over state sixth-place finisher Laudan Henry of St. Peter's Prep to make it the first time Donovan Catholic had two region champions in the same season. He also won the District 23 title and was the runner-up in the Shore Conference Tournament to Knox. Ostroff, whose medal, made it the first time Donovan Catholic had two state medalists in the same season, went 18-6 on the season and 67-27 for his career.
132 Bryce Manera School: Southern Year: Junior The Skinny:
Manera, who transferred from Holy Spirit to Southern last summer, finished fourth in the state. He advanced to the semifinal before he was defeated 3-2 by Pope John's Carson Walsh. Manera had advanced to the semifinal with a 3-1 win in sudden victory over eventual third-place finisher and unbeaten at the time Chase Hansen of Lower Cape May. He defeated Hackettstown's Nicolas Balella 9-2 in a wrestleback semifinal. Manera won the Region 7 title with a 5-2 win over state sixth-place finisher and three-time medalist Patrick O'Keefe of St. John Vianney. He also won the District 25 title and was second as the No. 11 seed at 133 pounds in the Escape The Rock Tournament. Manera went 37-6 on the season.
138 Jake Zaltsman
School:
Year:
The Skinny: Zaltsman came from the No. 13 seed to finish seventh in the state. He defeated Bergen Catholic's Noah Kochman 5-2 in the seventh-place bout. Zaltsman clinched his medal with a 5-0 win over
St. John Vianney Junior.
St. Joseph (Metuchen's) Morgan Schwarz. He advanced to the quarterfinal with a 2-0 win over No. 4 seed Josh Lee of Warren Hills. Zaltsman won the Region 7 title with a 1-0 win over CBA's 2023 region champion A.J. Falcone. He also won the District 26 Tournament title and was sixth in the Sam Cali Invitational and eighth at the Beast of the East. Zaltman, a three-time state qualifier, went 28-7 on the season and is 82-28 for his career.
144 Sonny Amato
School: Rumson-Fair Haven
Year: Freshman
The Skinny: The fearless, confident, but not arrogant and always talkative Amato stormed to the state championship with an ultra-impressive 11-5 win over No. 1 seed and four-time state medalist and Rutgers recruit Alex Nini of Christian Brothers Academy. He was named the state tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Amato is the second state champion in Rumson-Fair Haven's history. The other was Hudson Skove at 215 in 2023. In the state tournament, Amato also beat third-place finisher August Hibler of Leonia and eighth-place finisher Nick Villani of Bernards. He also went 2-0 against seventh-place finisher Zach Reilley of Raritan, with the wins coming in the Region 5 and Shore Conference tournament finals and defeated fifth-place finisher and two-time top five finisher Jack Myers of Morristown in a Sam Cali Invitational. Amato also won the District 20 title and was fourth in the Beast of the East after he advanced to the semifinal and second in the Sam Cali Invitational. Two of his three defeats on the season were to Blair Academy's Logan Rozynski by a combined three points. Amato was 41-3 on the season.
150 James Farina School: Ocean Year: Senior The Skinny:
Farina gets the nod over both CBA's Tyler Venet and Raritan's Alex Delaurier, who both also came within one win of being a state medalist because he was a region champion. He won his first region title with a 5-3 win over St. Peter's Prep's twotime state top five finisher Jonathan Fuller. His defeats in the state tournament were both by a point to Bergen Catholic's fifth-place finisher Jayden Iznaga and Delsea's seventh-place finisher Jamar Dixon. Farina also won the District 22 and Shore Conference Tournament championships. He defeated 144-pound sixth-place Donovan DiStefano of Wall in the 144 final. Farina, a four-time state qualifier, went 39-4 on the season and 110-20 for his career.
157 Matt Henrich School: Southern Year: Senior The Skinny:
Henrich became the second two-time state champion in Southern's history with a 2-1 win over Camden Catholic's Kage Jones. He rode Jones out the entire third period with a stalling warning to clinch the win. The other multiple Southern state champion is current Arizona State assistant coach Frank Molinaro, who won three straight from 20052007. Molinaro went on to win the NCAA 149-pound title in 2012 at Penn State and wrestled in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Henrich allowed just two points in the state tournament as he grinded out wins of 1-0, 3-0 and 2-1. He majored state seventh-place finisher Nick Campagna 13-4 in the Region 7 final to become the sixth three-time region champion in Southern's history. Henrich was also second at 152 pounds in the Escape The Rock Tournament and fourth at 152 in the Powerade Tournament. He was 41-3 on the season, unbeaten against New Jersey wrestlers and went 124-17 for his career with three state medals. He was also seventh at 138 in 2022. Henrich has signed a National Letter of Intent to wrestle at Virginia Tech.
165 Hayden Hochstrasser
School: Southern Year: Junior
The Skinny: Hochstrasser finished third in the state by avenging a defeat by sudden victory in the Region 7 final with a 3-2 win over Gloucester City's Jacob Zearfoss. He defeated Howell's talented freshman and state sixth-place finisher Tanner Hodgins in the wrestleback semifinal and clinched a state medal with a 13-3 major decision over CBA's Brendan Boyer. It is the second state medal for Hochstrasser. He was eighth at 144 in 2023. Hochstrasser had advanced to the quarterfinal before he was defeated 13-10 in tiebreaker No. 1 by fifth-place finisher John Quinonez of Paramus Catholic. Hochstrasser won the District 25 title and was eighth at 160 pounds in the Escape The Rock Tournament. A three-time state qualifier, Hochstrasser was 37-9 on the season and is 93-28 for his career.
175 Brock Oizerowitz School: Year: The Skinny:
Christian Brothers Academy
Freshman
The son of Toms River High School North head football coach Dave Oizerowitz, Oizerowitz was eighth in the state. He clinched his state medal by pinning Southern's Mitch Bivona. It was his second win in less than a week over Bivona. He defeated Bivona 9-4 in the Region 7 final. Oizerowitz also won the Region 7 championship with a pin of Cherokee's John Hangey. Oizerowitz was also fifth in the Sam Cali Invitational and went 24-12 on the season.
190 Harvey Ludington School: Brick Memorial Year: Junior The Skinny:
Ludington, who is a three-time state finalist, became Brick Memorial's fourth two-time state champion with an 11-3 major decision over Hanover Park's Vincenzo LaValle. Brick Memorial's other two-time state champions are Nick Angen (1994 and 1996); Evan Tallmadge (2021 and 2022) and four-time state finalist Anthony Santaniello (2021 and 2023). Ludington had a pin, two technical falls and two 11-3 major decisions in the state tournament. He became Brick Memorial's ninth three-time region champion and 26th three-time district champion Ludington also won the Beast of the East championship with a pin of state fourth-place finisher Daniel Rella of Paramus Catholic. He also defeated state third-place finisher Tyler Bienus of Mount Olive in Brick Memorial's Mustang Classic final. Ludington was 35-0 on the season and is 111-3 for his career. He has made a nonbinding oral commitment to Arizona State.
215 Hudson Skove School: Rumson-Fair Haven Year: Senior The Skinny:
Skove became Rumson-Fair Haven's first two-time state finalist before he was defeated 3-1 in sudden victory by Delbarton's Vincent Lee. He was also defeated 5-3 by Lee in the Region 5 final. Skove, the nephew of three-time state champion Luke Skove and state champions Jude Skove and Andrew Skove, became the Bulldogs' first state champion in 2023. Skove won the District 20 championship to become the third three-time district champion in Rumson-Fair Haven history, the Sam Cali Invitational title, was second in the Beast of the East after he forfeited the final and won his second straight SCT title. A four-time state qualifier, Skove went 39-2 on the season and 122-11 for his career. He will wrestle collegiately at Harvard.
285 James Lynch School: Toms River East Year: Junior The Skinny:
Lynch finished seventh in the state with a 3-2 win over Red Bank Catholic's two-time state medal winner and three-time state qualifier Lorenzo Portella. He clinched a state medal with pin of Jefferson's Timothy Connolly. Lynch advanced to the quarterfinal and was unbeaten before he was majored 15-5 by eventual state champion and No. 1 seed Rocco Dellagatta of St. Joseph (Montvale). He won the Region 7 title with a pin in 25 seconds of Rancocas Valley's Hunter Matthews and the District 25 title with a win by technical fall over Lacey's Brody Sager. Lynch also won the Shore Conference Tournament championship by defeating Donovan Catholic's twotime state qualifier Sam Rock. A two-time state qualifier, Lynch went 39-2 on the season and 93-17 for his career.
Coach of the Year Eleazar DeLuca (Rumson-Fair Haven)
DeLuca, in his third season as Rumson-Fair Haven's head coach and a NCAA qualifier at 149 pounds in 2018 for Rutgers University, oversaw what was by far the greatest season in the history of the Rumson-Fair Haven program.
The Bulldogs, who went 18-1 overall, rolled to the NJSIAA Group 2 championship for thei first group wrestling championship in school history. The Central Group 2 title was Rumson-Fair Haven's. The Bulldogs won their five state tournament matches by a combined 199 points or an average of 39.8 points a match. Rumson-Fair Haven, whose only defeat was to St. John Vianney, finished the season ranked No. 4 in the Asbury Park Press Top 15 and No. 16 in the New Jersey Wrestling Writers Association. It is the Bulldogs' highest-ever Shore ranking and the first time they have been ranked in the NJWWA Top 20.
Amato, who is a workout partner of DeLuca, then capped the season with his run to the 144 pound state title.
The Bulldogs also won the NJSIAA District 20 team championship for their first district team title and then sent a school-record eight wrestlers to the NJSIAA Individual Championships out of the Region 5 Tournament.
SECOND TEAM
Criteria: Head to head results; State medal; State advancement; Region medal.
106
Anthony Mason, Southern; Sophomore; Record: 37-8; State 2nd; 3rd in Region 7; 1st in District 25.
113
Brady Klinsky, Middletown North; Senior; Record: 43-6; State 6th; 3rd in Region 5; 1st in District 18
120
Kurt Wehner, Donovan Catholic; Senior; Record: 33-4; State 2nd; 1st in Region 6; 1st in District 23.
126
Dominic Terraciano, Keansburg; Senior; Record: 36-4; State Wrestleback 3; 2nd in Region 5; 1st in District 19.
132
Patrick O'Keefe, St. John Vianney; Junior; Record: 3310; State 6th; 2nd in Region 7; 1st in District 26.
138
Giovanni Scafidi, Howell; Senior; Record: 23-6; State Wrestleback 4; 2nd in Region 5; 1st in District 18
144
Alex Nini, Christian Brothers Academy; Senior: Record: 32-3; State 2nd; 1st in Region 7; 1st in District 27.
150
Tyler Venet, Christian Brothers Academy; Senior; Record: 17-12; State wrestleback 4; 4th in Region 7; 1st in District 27
157
Nick Campagna, Christian Brothers Academy; Senior; Record: 17-4.; State 7th; 2nd in Region 7; 1st in District 27.
165
Tanner Hodgins, Howell; Freshman; Record: 35-6; State 6th; 3rd in Region 5; 1st in District 18.
175
Mitch Bivona, Southern; Senior; Record: 28-9; State Wrestleback 4; 2nd in Region 7; 1st in District 25.
190
Alex Reyes, Holmdel; Sophomore; Record: 41-5; State 7th; 1st in Region 5; 1st in District 19.
215
Collin French, Southern; Senior; Record: 40-7; State 3rd; 1st in Region 7; 1st in District 25.
285
Lorenzo Portella, Red Bank Catholic; Senior; Record: 36-5; State 8th; 2nd in Region 5; 1st in District 20.
THIRD TEAM Criteria:
Head to head results; State medal, state advancement, region medal.
106
Michael DiBiase, Red Bank Catholic, Junior; Record: 36-7; State Wrestleback 4; 3rd in Region 5; 1st in District
20.
113
Matthew Gould, St. John Vianney, Sophomore; Record: 30-11; State 8th; 2nd in Region 7; 1st in District 26.
120
Noah Michaels, Red Bank Catholic; Senior; Record: 36-5; State 6th; 1st in Region 5; 1st in District 20.
126
Tucker Pazinko, Jackson Liberty; Sophomore; Record: 32-9; State Wrestleback 3; 3rd in Region 6; 1st in District 24.
132
Xavier Ortega, Howell; Junior; Record: 31-7; State Wrestleback 2; 2nd in Region 5; 1st in District 18.
138
Vincent Kain, Manalapan; Senior; Record: 37-5; State Wrestleback 3; 2nd in Region 6; 1st in District 24
144
Wyatt Stout, Southern; Junior: Record: 36-7; State 4th; 2nd in Region 7; 1st in District 25.
150
Alex Delaurier, Raritan; Junior; Record: 36-7; State Wrestleback 4; 2nd in Region 5; 1st in District 19.
157
Jake Clayton, Point Pleasant Borough; Freshman; Record: 41-5; State 8th; 2nd in Region 6; 1st in District 24.
165
Ryan Acquisto, Point Pleasant Borough; Senior; Record: 40-7; State Wrestleback 4; 1st in Region 6; 1st in District 24
Cole Stangle, St. John Vianney; Junior; Record: 32-7; State Wrestleback 4; 3rd in Region 7; 2nd in District 26
175
Tyler Palumbo, Red Bank, Sophomore; Record: 33-8; State Wrestleback 3; 2nd in Region 5; 1st in District 19
190
Conor Delaney, Rumson-Fair Haven; Junior; Record: 36-7; State Wrestleback 4; 2nd in Region 5; 1st in District 20
215
Ben Szuba, Brick Memorial; Junior: Record: 37-6; State Wrestleback 4; 1st in Region 6; 1st in District 22.
285
Matt Smith, Rumson-Fair Haven; Junior; Record: 31-11; State Wrestleback 2; 4th in Region 5; 2nd in District 20
Special honorable mention for remaining state medalists only
120
Kevin Ruland, Red Bank, Junior; Record: 37-6; State 8th; 3rd in Region 5; 1st in District 19
144
Donovan DiStefano, Wall, Senior; Record: 38-6; State 6th; 1st in Region 6; 1st in District 22
Zach Reilley, Raritan, Senior; Record: 39-6; State 7th; 2nd in Region 5; 1st in District 19.