Goles Gold: Champs Borgia, Neill & Frayne Pace 11 Placers to WMC Team Bronze

12/31/25
By David Yaskulka
Photos by Jen Sheppard and Sheryl Reed
Special thanks to team statisticians Adriana Georgiev, Alexa Moscotello and Kaylee Viera.

West Morris Central wrestlers Tommy Borgia and Brody Neill won their second John Goles Tournament championships Monday, December 29 at Warren Hills High School. Deacon Frayne won his first title to lead 11 Wolfpack placers to a third place team finish at the 67th annual holiday classic.

“The whole team impressed me,” said Frayne. “We are hurt and bruised, and many had to step up. Everyone pushed really hard and fought out there.”

Jacob Harrison (144 lbs.) placed second, Kurt Beyer (165) and Robert Fazzino (175) third, and Alex Dymnicki (190) placed fourth as WMC trailed only St. Joseph Metuchen and Delaware Valley Regional (DVR) among 13 squads competing.

“I feel like what the team did was solid,” said Borgia. “There is always room to improve and build, but I saw a lot of promising things from the young guys, and the older guys held it down. So I hope we learn from this tournament and continue to grow through the year.”

Wolves and Terriers in the Finals

Frayne (215) won WMC’s first title of the day with a dazzling 84-second first period tech fall over DVR senior Luke Cyphert, who was 9-1 before facing the WMC sophomore. Frayne pinned both of his prior opponents.

Somehow, Frayne's tech was the fastest Goles final – and his rapid headlock nearly delivered the win in seconds, but Cyphert held on, only to be brought to his back two more times.

After winning his second straight tournament, Frayne said, “I feel like I’m starting to get into shape because of the effort in the wrestling room.” Frayne placed fifth at Goles 2024.

Borgia (HWT) followed with a workman-like pin of DVR senior Luken Alberdi in the finals. Alberdi was Borgia’s first opponent of the season to survive the first period, but did not deny the WMC senior his second consecutive Goles crown.

Goles veterans might say Borgia’s most impressive matches were narrow losses to senior state medalists his freshman and sophomore years, when he placed third and second. This year, he’s WMC’s only undefeated wrestler at 6-0.

Neill (138), who won Goles as a freshman and placed third last year, was utterly dominant. The WMC junior pinned #19 ranked (RankWrestlers.com) District finalist Tye Falkenstein as time expired in the first period for the crown. Neill contributed the maximum-possible team points for the Pack, with the second-fastest series of three pins among all 125 wrestlers competing.

Borgia and Neill join Goles two-time champions Michael Campanaro, Brandon Dean, Colin Loughney, Shane Metzler and Kade Loughney in the WMC Goles record books. Neill and Frayne will have the opportunity to pursue Marco Gaita’s record three Goles golds for WMC.

Returning champion Jacob Harrison had the toughest Terrier of the group, facing #11 ranked district champ and state alternate Michael Hasson in the finals. The WMC district champ executed multiple crowd-gasp-inducing defensive maneuvers to keep it at zero in the first and 0-1 entering the third, but ultimately fell 8-3 for silver. Prior, Harrison dominated with a tech and a pin on the way to finals.

WMC’s place in the finals looked like a dual with DVR, with all four Pack finalists facing Terriers. Mirroring the Caldwell Tournament where Caldwell won the head-to-head bouts 3-1, but WMC placed higher, at Goles, WMC went 3-1 vs. DVR in the finals, but placed just behind them as a team.

WMC faces state-ranked DVR this weekend in their toughest test of the year, and hopes to face Caldwell in the team sectional playoffs.

Bronze Brawling

Beyer and Fazzino placed sixth last season at Goles, rising to third this year.

Beyer pinned his way to the semis, where he fell to DVR fellow junior Marcus Gary. Beyer’s opponent was unable to compete in the bronze medal match. It was Beyer’s second top-three finish of the season, and of his career.

Fazzino’s bracket was one of the toughest, with two top-10 ranked competitors making it to the finals. In the bronze medal round, Fazzino dominated Dayron Ospina Posada 18-3. The frustrated Princeton fellow senior was able to extract more ivory than points from Fazzino, as an elbow chipped Fazzino’s tooth. It was Fazzino’s third straight top-three finish.

Dymnicki Steps Up

Dymnicki’s fourth place finish was his first tournament placement, as he filled in for Chris Kowalik who was injured at Beast of the East. Dymnicki pinned Westfield senior Nik Speronza in the first period to advance.

“I was just waiting for him to shoot or give me an opening. That allowed me to do what I needed to do,” said the WMC senior.

What Dymnicki did was not lost on his teammates.

“Alex coming in and taking fourth is a huge accomplishment,” said co-captain Borgia. “He’s stepping up for the team where we have an injury. So having Alex make the cut down to 190 is vital for our success and I am hoping he can build on this tournament and continue to compete at a high level, through the next few weeks.”

Securing the WMC Team Bronze

Grant Baker (150) also earned his first tournament medal, placing sixth, along with John Garcia (157), Lucas Harrison (132) and Jake Reed (120). Baker’s barn-burner 15-14 consolation semifinals victory over Westfield’s Elias Wood (who is 6-6), Baker’s first victory on the varsity mat, was a tournament highlight.

It was also Lucas Harrison’s first varsity tournament placement. As the nine-seed, his finish led the team – and ranked third in the entire tournament – in “seed-place difference," a measure of exceeding expectations. Harrison started the tournament on the right foot for the Pack with a 7-4 decision over DVR’s Justin Rosato.

The placements were critical to the team bronze finish, as the home team Warren Hills finished just behind the Pack, 152 team points to 143.5. The sixth place finishers’ team points earned were more than the difference for WMC’s second consecutive Goles bronze.

Medals from sophomores Frayne, Baker, Reed and Lucas Harrison bode well for WMC’s future, but unlike last season, WMC’s success was dominated by upperclassmen, with seven of eleven medals coming from juniors and seniors. Last year though WMC had just seven total medals, compared to 11 this year.

Early Rankings

Full Circle Wrestling 12/31/25 rankings has Neill at #10 (132 lbs.), Kowalik #16, and Borgia #3.

RankWrestlers.com has WMC ranked #18 dual meet squad in the state, based on its breadth of solid starters – 14 ranked above average.

Note that RW ranks are least accurate early in the season, and can change rapidly. Also, most Goles results are not included as of 12/31.

RW has T. Borgia #3, followed by Michael Borgia #21, Frayne #22, J. Harrison #26, Neill #31, Kowalik #46, Fazzino #52, L. Harrison #71, Ryan Tie #89, Jonathan Cabarle #90, Beyer #97, Hayden Hurst #108, Garcia #144, and Jacob Reed #164 (just above average for a NJ starter).

Here’s our cheat sheet on rankings.

WMC Goles History

The John Goles Invitational remains one of the most storied traditions in New Jersey wrestling, standing as the second-oldest holiday tournament in the state since its founding in 1958. WMC has built a formidable legacy on these mats, highlighted by dominant years like 2015, when the Wolfpack crowned a program-record five champions. The 2025 squad competed in Warren Hills following in the footsteps of Wolfpack legends like Gaita, Campanaro, Dean, Loughney and Metzler.

Last season in 2024, led by champions Jacob Harrison and Tommy Borgia, the Wolfpack came from behind to take bronze as sixteen schools competed. Freshman trio of Kowalik (3rd), Frayne (5th) and Reed (6th) among nine place winners and 13 major contributors. Former Goles champions sophomore Brody Neill (120) and senior Mark Montuore (126) took bronze and 4th respectively. Beyer (150) and Fazzino (165) placed sixth.

In 2023, Brandon Dean repeated as Goles champion (just prior to his family’s departure to Colorado), and freshman Neill won his second championship of his young career (Knolls was first). WMC placed third with contributions up and down the lineup. Sam Rizzuto and Tommy Borgia won silver medals, Mark Montuore and Michael Borgia took fourth, as Jacob Fahmi, Jacob Harrison, Fazzino, Henry DeFrance and AJ Codella all placed sixth in the 13 team tournament – an exceptional 11 placewinners for the Wolfpack.

In 2022, WMC placed third behind Warren Hills and Del Val in a 10-team tourney. Montuore, Dean, Michael Campanaro and Henry Frayne took gold,. Tommy Borgia's OT loss to state medalist Jaret Pontuso was Goles' best match, taking bronze with Michael Hare, Dean Muttart and Rizzuto. Vincent Caruso, Fahmi, and DeFrance took fifth/sixth.

In 2021, the team skipped Goles during the pandemic, and in 2020 the entire tournament was canceled for the same reason. In 2019 the team took silver as Colin Loughney became a two-time champ, joined by Eli Shepard, freshman Campanaro and Michael Ferrante with gold medals.
WMC took silver in 2018 behind Luke Stefanelli, John DeVito and Colin Loughney gold medals, while in 2017 Marco Gaita completed a “three peat” with his third championship.

Shane Metzler, Kade Loughney and Marco Gaita became two-time Goles champs in 2016, joined by Mike Caso at the top of the podium, as the team took bronze. The Wolfpack won five golden rings at the 2015 holiday tournament, with Alex Kaltenhauser, Caleb Isemann, Gaita, Metzler and Kade Loughney crowned champions.

Dylan Luciano and Metzler were champs in 2014 as WMC won team silver. The team placed fifth in 2013 with Jesse Windt representing the Pack at the top of the podium. Nick Matthews and John Sickles were 2012 Goles champs, as future coach Isemann made his varsity debut as a freshman, and notably for this writer, freshman Ben Yaskulka took gold at 150 at the Roxbury JV tournament three days later (one of the event’s many champions to later become Wolfpack letter winners).

For a terrific history of the Goles tournament, see Donald J. Brower’s 2013 article.

Next Up

The new year starts at a Kittatinny quad with Del Val and Morris Knolls Jan. 3, 2026, followed by dual meets at Mount Olive Jan. 6 and High Point Jan. 7. (Schedule based on Garden State HS Wrestling calendar). The Jan. 10 Roxbury quad includes Livingston and Holmdel. Jan. 17 competition is TBA. Mark calendars for WMC hosting Mendham Jan. 20, and the Morris County Tournament at Mt. Olive Jan. 24. WMC visits Hackettstown Jan. 26, then hosts Pope John Jan. 28, before heading to the Pascack Valley quad with Raritan and Jackson Jan. 31. February starts at Morris Hills Feb. 4, and then a tri at Governor Livingston Feb. 7. Senior night is home versus Jefferson Feb. 11, then home again Feb. 13 against Morristown.

That takes us (hopefully) to the State Section playoffs, with quarterfinals and semifinals on Feb. 16.

About David Yaskulka

To avoid concession duty when his sons Noah and Ben joined WMC in 2012, David revived his sportswriter dream, and still covers the Pack. He’s a sustainability advocate and pet industry executive, having served as CEO of Nature’s Logic, SVP of Mid America Pet Food, and Board Chair of the Pet Sustainability Coalition and Greater Good Charities. He currently advises Love, Nala cat food, Archway Pet Food, rePurpose Global plastic action platform, and New Zealand Trade & Enterprise. He invites all WMC wrestlers and their families to connect with him (and with each other!) on LinkedIn.