Hopewell stops Rahway to reach sectional final
HOPEWELL TWP. >> A 31-23 winner over Rahway in Wednesday night’s Central Jersey Group III sectional semifinals, the Hopewell Valley wrestling team (18-5) is just mentally in a really good place right now.
Now it will also find out if it can physically go to a place where only two Mercer County teams have ever gone before when it travels to top-seeded Ocean Township Friday night with a berth in Sunday’s groups at Toms River on the line.
A year ago Rahway topped Hopewell Valley by one point when it won all the close bouts. It was a much different type of match this time around and the biggest reason was the continuing development of the Hopewell upperweights.
After Rahway’s Rhise Royster picked off Mercer County Tournament champion Justin Venezia, 3-2, in the seventh bout at 152 pounds, Rahway had closed to within 18-14 and appeared like it might be in good shape with most of its best wrestlers still to come.
Instead, two of the unheralded wrestlers in the Bulldog lineup turned the match around as Sean Santora and Josh Beigman posted comfortable decisions at 160 and 170.
Rahway stayed in the match with wins at 195 and 220, but was only able to get decisions over Brian LaCross and Christian Cacciaubaudo when it badly needed bonus. Hopewell heavyweight John Snyder then locked it up with an 8-3 decision, putting his team in a position where it could afford a loss by MCT champion Christian Micikas in the matchclosing 106-pound bout.
“It’s really awesome to see how our upperweights have come along,” said Hopewell 126-pounder Chris Lanciano, who recorded one of his team’s three pins on the evening along with Jacob Venezia (113) and freshman Alejandro Lopez (132). “I think it’s a matter of getting to know what they have to do.
“There’s also the heart factor. When you first come in the Hopewell wrestling room you might not have it, but you learn to get it. Everyone wants to win.”
With the revenge win over Rahway out of the way, it was time for Hopewell to start looking ahead to Ocean Township. Whether it’s been in the sectionals or quads at Roxbury, these two teams have developed quite a rivalry over the last five or so years and it promises to be another tight match on Friday.
“It’s going to be dogfight,” said Lanciano, who was not in the lineup when Hopewell lost to Ocean, 38-28, earlier in the year. “It’s going to come down to who wants it more.”
Should it win Friday against an Ocean team that posted an easy win over Wall in its semifinal, Hopewell will join Hamilton and Robbinsville as the only Mercer teams to advance to groups.