Hunterdon Central sweeps Robbinsville quad
ROBBINSVILLE >> It was a lot like watching an aircraft carrier taking on a bunch of PT boats.
Competing in a quad meet at Robbinsville on Saturday, the state powerhouse Hunterdon Central wrestling team ran its record to 9-0 by downing Delran, 60-12, Woodstown, 54-20, and the host Ravens, 59-10.
In other results from the quad, Delran went 1-2 on the day, beating Robbinsville, 45-33, but also losing to Woodstown, 55-18. Robbinsville was 0-3 as it also lost to Woodstown, 50-22.
The fact Hunterdon Central would crush these three teams was always a given. What hasn’t been so clear is the status of the Hunterdon Central lineup.
“It’s been a struggle; we’ve been patching things together,” said Central coach Jon Cantagallo-Rohm. “Because of injuries and skin issues we haven’t been at full strength all year.”
And nor, apparently, will it be at full strength all year because 220-pounder Lukas Bakerian is no longer on the team. Although his absence won’t matter in nearly all of Central’s matches, it could prove to be a problem in regards to the Red Devils’ ultimate goal.
Namely, finding a way to beat Howell in what could very well be the Group V Group final in Toms River early next month. Central could use him in a first-ever regular-season dual match against Paulsboro as well.
Hunterdon Central has also been missing 145-pounder Pasquale Vizzoni of late, but according to his coach he hopefully will return from a back injury “in another week or two.”
“We are lucking to have the depth this year where we can afford to have people missing at times,” said Cantagallo-Rohm. “We have flexibility.”
Central mixed and matched in its three matches Saturday and the guy who had the most noteworthy day was 152-pounder Vincent Romaniello.
In his first match of the day, Roman- iello joined Central’s ever-growing list of wrestlers who have recorded 100 career wins by posting an 8-4 win over Woodstown’s Brian Berry. (Lightweight Jack Bauer will be the next Red Devil to reach 110 with a current 98 wins).
After pinning in :33 seconds against Delran, Romaniello then had to work hard to beat Robbinsville’s Jack Milazzo, 6-5. After falling in a 4-1 hole, Milazzo rallied with fourpoint move in the second period, only to give up a match-deciding reversal midway through the third.
The few highlights for Robbinsville included three wins for both Drake Torrington (120) and 170-pounder Garrett Bilgrav. On course to possibly break the Mercer County record for career wins, the state-ranked Bilgrav recorded two pins and a major to up his total to 112.
Delran came into the quad undefeated and although losing to Central was no big deal, it was hoping to do better against Group I Woodstown.
Instead the Bears could manage only 18 points with 12 of them coming on pins from 138-pound standout Bryan Miraglia and Zach Bohn (195). The undefeated Miraglia handily beat Anthony Romaniello, 9-3, after topping the Red Devil wrestler in similar fashion a week ago at the Hunterdon Central Christmas Tournament.