Hopewell loaded up for another division and county title
It’s a very familiar story in terms of which wrestling team is favored to win the Colonial Valley Conference’s Valley Division race.
Easily one of the greatest dynasties in the history of the CVC in any sport, Hopewell Valley enters the season as a big favorite to add yet more titles to its seemingly endless string of league and county championships.
Coached by Mario Harpel, Hopewell Valley has won 27 straight and 81 out of its last 82 CVC matches. It has also won the Mercer County Tournament 10 times in the last 11 years.
Robbinsville would appear to be possibly the second best team in a division that also includes Ewing, Lawrence, Steinert, Nottingham and Hamilton.
EWING Coach: Last year:
Matt Dalessio
(13-13), No. 20 ranking in the area
106/ 113-Devon Kueny (Sr.), Alex Samayoa (So.)
138-Matt Hedrick (Jr.) 152-James Kim (Sr.)
195/ 220-Obiefuna Ezeigbo (Sr.) 220-Chris Seifert (Sr.)
Seifert is a defending MCT champion. As a junior, he went 24-8, was second at districts and just missed making states. Kim is a tough wrestler who posted a 27-8 record a year ago. Hedrick won 15 bouts and Samayoa is coming off a strong 20-11 freshman season. A first-year wrestler, Ezeigbo shows promise. Kueny posted a 10-19 record and could be a force in Atlantic City now that the state has added a girls state tournament.
Although Lavinsky Collins is gone after an impressive fourth at states and school record 122 wins, the Blue Devils will again make some noise on an individual basis. A lack of depth will make it difficult to win a lot of dual matches.
Strengths: Outlook: HAMILTON Coach: Last year:
Matt Minder
(3-17) 106—Ryan Burness (So.) 113—Isaac Salazar (So.) 120—Silvio Aparicio (Jr.) 126—Jacob Hernandez (So.) 132—Justin Canastuj-Diaz (Jr.) 138 —Kevin Gramajo-Cua (Jr.) 145—Andrew Nixon (Jr.) 152—Ryan Bennett (Jr.) 160—Matt Salehi (Jr.) 170—Josh Eget (Jr.) 182—Ashombre Ortiz (Sr.) 195—Justin Wiltsey (Sr.) 220—Hector Rosa (Jr.) Hvy—Dan Ornosky (Sr.)
Bennett came on to post a 20-13 record in his sophomore season. Aparicio has posted 25 wins over the last two years. Many of these wrestlers will benefit from their varsity experience.
Strengths: Outlook:
Although it still has a ways to go, Hamilton should improve on last year’s win total and be competitive in more of its matches.
HOPEWELL VALLEY Coach: Last year:
Mario Harpel
(18-6), CVC Patriot Division champion, Mercer County Tourney champion, Central Jersey Group III qualifier, No. 7 ranking in the area 106-Christian Micikas (Jr.) 113-Jacob Venezia (So.) 120—Joey Vannozzi (So.) 126-Chris Lanciano (Sr.) 132—Martin Flory (So.), Dylan Vaughn (Sr.)
138—Aaron Longo (Sr.) 145-Heath Trainor (Sr.) 152-Justin Venezia (Sr.) 160—Sean Santora (Sr.), Dan Amon (Sr.) 170—Josh Beigman (So.), Will Sabo (Jr.) 182-Brandon Bowman (Sr.) 195-Brian LaCross (So.), Hudson Hartman (Jr.)
220—Nick Padalino (Sr.), Christian Cacciabaudo (Jr.)
Hvy-John Snyder (Sr.)
The Bulldogs are strongest in the lightweights. Lanciano is coming off a 35-7 year that included MCT and districts titles, and a second at regions. As a freshman, Jacob Venezia was 26-7, and first at the MCT and districts. Micikas won 21 bouts. The middle is solid as well with the likes of Trainor (17 wins), Longo (16-8, second at districts) and district champion Justin Venezia (29-10). The upperweights include several wrestlers who saw significant varsity action as well as newcomers who have been waiting their turn to crack the starting
Strengths:
lineup.
Outlook:
Barring something unexpected, Hopewell will win yet another MCT title and all of its CVC matches. There’s an opportunity to break through in sectionals as well now that South Plainfield has been moved down to Group II.
LAWRENCE Coach: Last year:
Chris Lynne.
(10-16). 106-Cory Stallworth (So.) 113-Darren Ikeda (Sr.) 120-Masir Pitts Denson (Sr.), Isaiah Hancock (So.)
126-Miraj Patel (Sr.) 132-Reece Schenck (So.) 138-Brett Gallagher (So.) 145-Careem Frost (So.) 152-Sean Mills (Fr.) 160-Jake Dallarda (So.) 170-Connor Verga (Jr.) 182-Adam Zarrow (So.) 195-George Stoev (Jr.) 220-Karry Villalobos (Fr.) Hvy-Moamen Nair (Jr.)
The Cardinals made great progress last year by posting 10 wins. Considering they did it with 11 freshmen in the lineup, this year looks even more promising. Ikeda won 17 bouts and was fourth at districts. Schenk was 13-15 and third at districts. Patel (20-15), Frost (15 wins) and Verga (16 wins) should all improve on last year’s successful seasons.
With two former D1 wrestlers coaching on its middle school level, the Lawrence program certainly appears to be on the rise. A .500 or better season is a possibility.
Strengths: Outlook: NOTTINGHAM Coach: Last year:
Jason Marasco
(9-17) 106-Stalinn Arpi (Fr.)
113/ 120-Sudesh Gurung (Jr.), Melvin Deleon (So.)
126-Eddie Gonzalez (Jr.)
132 Marko Guaman (Jr.) 138-Angel Rodriguez (Sr.) 145-Duno Clenor (So.)
152 Ahmed Elnagger (Jr.)
160-Pat Lenard (Jr.), Dan Cortez (Sr.) 170-Jerry Andaluz (Sr.)
182/ 195-Josh Almanzar (Sr.), Franklin Hytegha (Sr.)
195/ 220 Ryan Toro (Sr.) 220-Bradley Toro (Fr.) Hvy-Larry Cortez (Fr.), Richardson Chery (So.)
As usual, the Northstars should be pretty tough in the upperweights. Andaluz was 30-7, a district champion and a state qualifier. Almanzar was 22-10 and advanced to regions. Dan Cortez and Hytegha both posted double-digit win totals. Elnagger showed promise as a sophomore. The program has solid numbers.
Look for the scrappy Northstars to bounce back from a rare losing season and return to their winning ways.
Strengths: Outlook: ROBBINSVILLE Coach: Last year:
Sean Flynn
(16-5), Central Jersey Group II qualifier, No. 14 ranking in the area. 106-Shailen Savur (So.), Aiden Weil (Fr.) 113-Michael Manieri (Fr.) 120-Drake Torrington (So.) 126-Isaiah Lederman (Jr.) 132-Vincent Truong (Sr.), Jeremy Murray (So.)
145-Ryan Kanner (Sr.), Nick Migliaccio (Fr)
152-Jack Milazzo (Sr.), Ian Kempton (Sr.), AJ Mackey (Fr.)
160-Stephen Perna (Sr.) 170-Garrett Bilgrav (Sr.) 195-Thomas Jennings (Fr.) 220-Eric Hill (So.)
Hvy-Mateo Cruz (Jr.), Robert Hutchinson (Fr.)
Strengths:
The team has two of the top wrestlers in the county. Bilgrav is coming off a 31-3 year in which he won MCT and district titles before taking a second at regions. After missing his sophomore season with an injury, Milazzo bounced back to go 27-11 and advance to regions. Torrington was 29-9 and second in his district. Savur was a region qualifier and Truong was 22-14. Unlike the last couple of years, the team appears to have all the weights filled.
The Ravens will again win nearly all their CVC matches and should again advance to sectionals.
Outlook: STEINERT Coach: Last year:
Adam Jankos
(14-10)
106- Nicholas Reome (So.), Nicholas Ricigliano (Fr.) 113-Salvatore Famularo (Fr.) 120-Dario Marsolone (So.) 126-Anthony Verdi (Jr.) 132-Justin Wright (So.) 138-Dante Falvo (So.) 145-Dylan Zoltanski (Jr.) 152-Dante Hawkins (Jr.), Christian Sanchez (Fr.)
170-Cameron Cox (Sr.), Clayton Resch (So.)
182-Brandon Redondo (Sr.), William Laster (Jr.)
195-Savion Cooper (Jr.) 220-Angelo Falvo (Sr.) 285-Thomas Wasylenko (Sr.)
The Spartans will be particularly tough up top. Falvo was 19-4 a year ago, while Waslyenko was 22-8 and a region qualifier. Verdi anchors a set of returning lightweights following a 17-13 sophomore season. There’s a good amount of varsity experience throughout the lineup.
Steinert will probably be a lot like year. It will win more than it loses, but will be hard pressed to knock off the tougher teams.
Strengths: Outlook: