Wrestlers Have Tough Brackets Ahead in Atlantic City

Starting tonight, eight wrestlers from the River Dell area hit the mat in Atlantic City as they seek an Individual State Title in their weight class. Bergen Catholic is represented by five wrestlers while River Dell is sending three.

DuringBergen Catholic middleweights Connor Melde and Johnny Sebastian placed fourth and fifth respectively. Both are seeking a return to the finals this year.

Below are the first round wrestling pairings.

285: B1-Anthony Tufaro, Scotch Plains-Fanwood vs. B8-Carmine Goldstack, Bergen Catholic vs. Brandon Russo, Colts Neck winner. 

220: B5-Lenny Smith, River Dell vs. Morris Lawson, Belvidere, winner vs. B4-Andrew Jacobs, Scotch Plains-Fanwood.

182: T7-Lukas Iorio, Bergen Catholic vs. T2-Bryan Loughlin, Becton-Wallington. B5-Evan Bray, Belvidere vs. B4-Nick Baranello, River Dell vs. Frank Greco, Verona winner.

160: T1-Johnny Sebastian, Bergen Catholic vs. T8-Isaiah Soto, Bound Brook vs. Dylan Dobzanski, Delsea winner.

132: B1-Connor Melde, Bergen Catholic vs. B8-Joseph Lemerise, Cherokee vs. Jesse Meaney, Manchester Twp. winner.

113: B7-D.J. Tirelli, River Dell vs. Billy Bici, Passaic Valley, winner vs. B2-Kevin Corrigan, Toms River South.

106: T3-Craig DeLaCruz, Bound Brook vs. Max Rallo, Ocean Twp., winner vs. T-6 Tyler Casamenti, Bergen Catholic vs. Rinaldy Hidalgo, Passaic winner. 

The state individual tournament at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, will feature the best 336 wrestlers from across all of New Jersey. The weekend-long tournament begins on Friday with the 5pm preliminary round and the 7pm pre-quarterfinal round.

Saturday's schedule features the 10am quarterfinal round and wrestlebacks first round, 12pm wrestlebacks second round, the 5pm semifinal round and wrestlebacks quarterfinal round, and ends with the 7pm wrestlebacks semifinal round.

During Sunday, the consolation rounds for 3rd, 5th and 7th places begin at 10am with the state championship round to follow at 2pm.