Borgia 2nd, Neill & Rizzuto 3rd in County, WMC Wrestlers Keep Winning

1/28/24

By David Yaskulka
Photos by Olivia Montuore

West Morris Central wrestlers sparkled at this weekend's Morris County Championship, with sophomore Tommy Borgia winning silver, and freshman Brody Neill and senior Sam Rizzuto bronze at Mt. Olive Jan. 26-27.

Underclassmen were especially outstanding, with sophomore AJ Codella (5th) and freshman Jacob Harrison (6th) reaching the podium, along with junior Mark Montuore (5th). Taking public school bronze was the culmination of an outstanding week for the Pack in which it upset both Sparta and Morris Hills for six victories in their last seven matches.

“I'm very proud of the team, all our guys wrestled hard,” said co-captain Rizzuto. “We had very skilled opponents and worked through adversity.”

Sophomore Robert Fazzino finished top-eight making it five underclassmen (and two upperclassmen) to place.

Delbarton as usual ran away with the team championship, draping the podium with 11 champions from across the state, including the non-Morris County wrestler who defeated Borgia for the county title. Delby wrestlers also ended championship runs for Neill, Harrison, Rizzuto and Fazzino on the way to their 15th consecutive title.

Mount Olive took public school gold, and Jefferson silver. WMC narrowly bested Parsippany Hills and Hanover Park for bronze.

Codella, Borgia and Brody tied for second among all wrestlers for the most pins, with two. Fazzino tied for fifth in seed-place difference (exceeding expectations).

Silver

Borgia (215 lbs., 22-4 record) pinned his way to the semifinals, including a 42 second decking of Morris Hills’ Brady Gaeb, whom Codella pinned earlier in the week. In semis, Borgia topped Mount Olive’s Tyler Cumming 8-0, calling him “one of my very close friends, which was a tough obstacle to overcome when stepping on the mat with him.

“But when the headgear got strapped on, we both knew we needed to compete. I was able to get offense quickly and efficiently.” Delby’s Vincent Lee, who had pinned Borgia prior, won 9-4 in the finals. Borgia reflected, “now I have more confidence if I run into him again. I think a well executed match could be in my favor.” Borgia’s silver improved on his freshman County bronze.

Bronze

Rizzuto (138, 17-9) majored Hanover Park’s Joey Tantawi 17-7 for bronze, putting him in the company he’s always wanted to be in. “The key sequence was in the first period when I hit my 2nd blast double. He didn't defend it and he was strong so I knew I had to go on offense the whole match.” Prior, Rizzuto won by tech fall and major, losing only to Delbarton’s state bronze medalist Jayden James, ranked #1 in NJ. Last season Rizzuto failed to medal, making his senior year bronze even more rewarding.

Neill (106, 21-4), clearly the second-ranked wrestler in his bracket, was seeded fifth. He dominated all opponents, including a 43 second pin in consolation finals, but lost in the semifinals to Delbarton’s top-ranked Cameron Sontz.

More Medals

Montuore (113, 19-7) won by tech fall to open the tournament, then in consolations by fall and then finally 4-2 over Roxbury’s Daniel Visha for fifth.

Codella (HWT, 14-12) won three times as well, including a 15 second pin over Morristown’s Joseph Deleg in the fifth place match.

Harrison (126, 15-12) shined with three wins at the tournament, including a dramatic double-overtime 2-1 battle versus Morris Knolls Ryder Stambach in pre-quarters.

MCT Day 1

Vincent Caruso scored for the team with a 7-4 victory over Jefferson's Carson Frank. Brendan McBride delivered even more with a pin of Montville’s Zyad Medhat, before falling to a returning state medalist.

Fazzino became one of only two wrestlers seeded 12th or below to make the quarterfinals.
Montoure and Rizzuto recorded two of the fastest tech falls of the day.

Codella Crushes Morris Hills’ Best as Rizzuto’s Major Completes 39-30 Victory at Morris Hills

On Jan. 24, Codella threw Gaeb, Morris Hills’ top-ranked wrestler, to the mat for a 28 second pin, leaving the Wolfpack with another team victory in sight.

“Watching film, I knew Gaeb liked to throw,” said Codella, “So I let him set up the throw and I countered and set up mine. It felt amazing because it’s a big win for the team”

Prior, dynamic sophomore transfer Fazzino won his eighth straight with a tech fall. Henry DeFrance, wrestling up again, upset senior Ivan Gomez 8-4 for his fourth win in the last five bouts. Borgia won his tenth straight via fall, starting a streak that would lift the team to victory.

Codella delivered his massive pin, then Neill pinned a winning-record wrestler, and Montuore made it four Pack pins in a row. Montuore delivered six team points in eight straight bouts, including all five at 113 lbs.

Jacob Fahmi, Harrison and Vincent Caruso treated the crowd to three straight dramatic, incredibly hard fought bouts, with Harrison escaping with his eighth straight win, against a 12-win foe.

With WMC up by five, Rizzuto knew he needed to stay off his back to secure the team victory, but he delivered much more than that, winning 10-2 for the 39-30 Wolfpack win.

WMC Hands Sparta its Second Loss of the Season, 41-36

In one of its best performances of the season, the Wolfpack visited a 9-1 Sparta squad Tuesday Jan.23 and left with a 41-36 win.

WMC jumped to a fast start behind a Montuore 45 second pin. Fahmi won via injury forfeit against #93 ranked Peter Donnelly, and Harrison pitched a 10-0 shutout of a nine-win sophomore. After Sparta pins from top-30 ranked Ryan and Logan Hrenko, Rizzuto turned the momentum with an 8-2 decision.

Fazzino and DeFrance both added huge pinfalls to their recent successes.

Two Sparta pins followed, and then Borgia won 13-3 against a game Tahg Herbison who would not be pinned. Sparta’s top-ranked Connor White, an HWS champion, won by pin to give his school a 36-35 lead going into the last decisive bout.

But freshman Neill is already used to that kind of pressure. He delivered the pinfall as the first period ended to send the Wolfpack home victorious.

MCT History

This reporter has only covered four WMC County champs, Jesse Windt (2013), Shane Metzler (2016 and 2017), Marco Gaita (2018) and Brandon Dean (2023). Prior, Dillon Landi won in 2006.

In 2023, sophomore Brandon Dean became WMC’s first County Champion since Marco Gaita in 2018. Borgia won bronze, Montuore was fourth with Fahmi and Rizzuto finishing top-eight. Wolfpack legend Michael Campanaro (who recently attended WMC’s home quad) won silver, falling to Luke Stanich, now the NCAA #1 ranked 125 lb. wrestler as a true freshman for Lehigh (FloWrestling).
In 2022, Dean led the team with bronze. Montuore, Campanaro, Henry Frayne, Michael Ferrante and Malachi Shepard all took fourth. Hare placed fifth, and Dean Muttart top-eight. Dean and Montuore’s accomplishments were unprecedented among WMC rookies. The team took public bronze.
There was no Morris County Tournament in 2021. In 2020, WMC placed third among public schools, with Campanaro placing fifth in a legendary bracket, in which three wrestlers who placed above him went on to become state finalists, including two champions. Colin Loughney and Eli Shepard took silver, Kevin Ramos and Malachi Shepard bronze, Robert Bohr fourth, Matt Borgia and Jorge Montenegro sixth.

In 2019, WMC placed third among public schools, highlighted by silver for Eli Shepard and Justin LeMay, and bronze for John DeVito and Luke Stefanelli.

Prior to 2023, the last champion for the Wolfpack was Gaita in 2018, as the team won the public school crown for the second time. Prior, Shane Metzler won back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017, on his way to two of his three NJ state medals. In 2013 the team won public gold for the first time, as Jesse Windt was WMC’s first champion since 2006.
Windt was the ninth County Champion in WMC wrestling history. Dillon Landi won 2006 gold. Prior was Daren Carfaro in 1995.

Next Up

January concludes with Senior Night vs. Mendham at home 1/31. The D11 championship is 2/17. Ranking and records based on RankWrestlers.com’s algorithm, which pulls from TrackWrestling.com data.

About David Yaskulka

David began living his sportswriter dream to avoid concession duty when his sons Noah and Ben began wrestling for the Wolfpack in 2012. His day job is Senior Vice President Corporate Social Responsibility for Mid America Pet Food, whose family of brands is led by VICTOR Super Premium Pet Food and Nature’s Logic. He also serves as Board Chair of the Pet Sustainability Coalition, and as Board Director at Greater Good Charities.