PUMP IT UP: Following his pin victory over Manchester in the 126-pound battle on February 5, Barnegat’s Nicholas Speer responds to the applauding audience. (Image courtesy of David Biggy)
The Barnegat and Pinelands Regional programs received a welcome change when the Shore Conference reorganized the wrestling divisions before this season. Losing to established Shore Conference Class B South powerhouse like Lacey, Point Pleasant Borough, or, more recently, Jackson Liberty was a thing of the past.
In order to give the teams in each division a more competitive divisional schedule, the conference switched to an eight-division lineup.
After his Bengals defeated Manchester 43-24 on February 5 to win the Shore Conference G Division, Barnegat head coach Brendan McCarthy remarked, “We were a bottom-tier team in B South for years and years and years, and there really wasn’t a path, ever, for us to win that division.” From the beginning, we weren’t hesitant about it. We were given the chance to compete as a team in our division. The objective was to win this division, which we could win.
McCarthy’s team defeated Point Pleasant Beach, Freehold Township, Marlboro, Toms River North, and Shore Regional during their unbeaten run, which ended with a comeback victory over the Hawks. The Bengals went on to win the program’s first division title in Barnegat’s 21-year history.
Greg Mamola of Barnegat scored a 17-7 major decision to cut the gap to two points after John Giblock had the lead early but was eventually pinned at 132 pounds. At 144 pounds, however, Xavier Figueroa lost 3-0 to maintain the Hawks’ edge, at least for the time being.
Trey DeMeo, weighing 150 pounds, put the Bengals (12-8) up with a swift takedown of Nick Hubiak and turned it into a pin at 33 seconds. Then, at 157 pounds, Jayden Nieto defeated Victor Hubiak via 17-2 technical fall, putting Barnegat up to stay.
GOING FLAT: To give the Bengals the lead for good, Barnegat’s Trey DeMeo snatches Manchester’s Nick Hubiak as he attempts to pin him at 150 pounds. (Image courtesy of David Biggy)
After the squad gathered for a picture to commemorate the historic championship, Nieto remarked, “I wanted to stick the guy, but he didn’t go to his back so easily.” I simply performed a technical fall, which was the team’s next best option. All I needed to do was score five points to put us ahead.
Although Charles Black lost at 165, the rookie wrestler put up a good fight, losing by a 5-2 score. Then, in the first 30 seconds of the 175-pound match, Gerald Miller jumped all over Scott Buccine of Manchester, taking him down and nearly falling him. At 1:59, he pressed his opponent to give the Bengals a 21-12 lead.
Regretfully, David DeNichilo was pinned in less than a minute after colliding with Dante Mortellite, the Hawks hammer. Then Jean Marrero emerged for the bout with Jaeshon Smith, weighing 215 pounds. By going up a weight class, Marrero was losing around 30 pounds and almost 7 inches of height, but he made it matter by winning 7-1.
According to Nieto, that fight truly set the tone for the remainder of the battle. Jean, who is only in his second year of wrestling, took it to the man. He had a fantastic victory, and that gave us a lot of energy. We were excited.
Heavyweight Cuinn Pascavage, who scored a 3-2 victory by making an escape in the fourth overtime period in a traditional grudge bout between two huge men, added to the excitement. The Bengals’ three-point lead grew into a 19-point victory despite a pin to Michael Baccigalupi at 106 pounds. Casey Bonett defeated Tyler Costa in an 8-0 major decision, Evan Herbert pinted Braden Zayas in 39 seconds, and Nicholas Speer defeated Dylan Castles at 126 pounds in 1:57 to win the division title.
ROLL OVER: In the opening period of the 157-pound match on February 5, Barnegat’s Jayden Nieto puts Manchester’s Victor Hubiak on his back, extending the lead and securing the Shore Conference G Division title. (Image courtesy of David Biggy)
DeMeo stated, “We knew we’d be at the top of the G Division before we played (Point Pleasant) Beach early in the season.” This was the first opportunity we’ve ever had to do something similar, and I started the program in middle school. We were transferred to a division where we could demonstrate our abilities, and this year we destroyed every team. We had previously been in a division with hammers. It’s wonderful to get the chance at last. It’s a wonderful moment.
McCarthy, who was able to secure a bagpiper from the Jersey Shore Pipes and Drums to perform the Bengals’ pre-fight warm-up music, was credited by DeMeo with leading the program to the team’s greatest victory ever.
He stated that our program is changing. Our program is being developed by Coach McCarthy in a fantastic manner. Every year, we gain new wrestlers, learn how to improve, and expand. We were prepared to win this season, no matter what the Shore Conference threw at us.
McCarthy referred to this division-title-winning season as a “building block.”
“We’re a stronger team than we are a collection of individuals who win a lot,” he said, adding that the wrestling IQ has increased this season. When we competed in our G category bouts, our children gave it their all and defeated everyone. They fought throughout the season and fulfilled our requests. This is for everyone who has helped us, including the children, coaches, parents, and others.
For the first time in 22 years, the Wildcats win a division.
Similarly, Pinelands Regional, located roughly 12 miles to the south, defeated Lakewood 71-10 last week to win the H Division and the Wildcats’ first division title since 2003.
WILD CREW: To commemorate the program’s first division title in twenty-two years, the Pinelands Regional wrestling team comes together. On February 3, the Wildcats defeated Lakewood to win the Shore Conference H Division championship. (Photo supplied)
“That drought goes a long way,” said head coach Joe Adelizzi, whose team went undefeated in the division, defeating Monmouth Regional, Lakewood, Asbury Park, Neptune, New Egypt, and Keyport. “The last time this program won a division title, I was a senior in high school at Toms River South.” From Day One, we ve been beating the drum that this was a chance for us to go out there and win a division. I see the realignment of the divisions by the Shore Conference as a positive development. Who we wrestled with didn’t matter. We were supposed to win the division if we showed up and gave it our all.
The Wildcats tasted the division crown and went for it on February 3 against the Piners. The Wildcats took a 36-0 lead after Brody Rawa won by forfeit at 144 pounds, Owen Taylor pinned at 150 in 1:11, Antonio Esposito pinned at 157 in 1:14, Hans Francis scored a pin at 165 in 3:34, Jake Greenberg won by injury default at 175, Shayne Gordon pinned at 190 in 2:34, and Jason Allen pinned at 215 in 1:21.
Pinelands lost the heavyweight match, but the Wildcats’ scoring was capped by Adam Ahmed’s pin in 3:56 at 132, Wyatt Pharo’s technical fall victory, 19-4, at 126, Michael Kirk’s pressure on his opponent at 120 in a minute, and Dan Platti’s 1:23 at 106 before Joey Wainen added a pin in 18 seconds at 113.
According to senior Greenberg, the realignment offered the Wildcats some optimism for the future.
I recall thinking we might win the division as soon as summer practices began when I saw that switch, he added. Right away, as one of the leaders on the team, I pushed the pace in the practice room, getting everybody hyped up for these matches, because they were big. Matches have significance when you are able to compete. This marks the start of something. There s more this program can do. It all comes down to going forward.
Even though Pinelands (11-10) lost a 37-31 contest to Freehold Borough on Feb. 8, the day ended up being a split; the Wildcats knocked off Spotswood, 50-24. Nonetheless, there s another banner going up on the gym wall after the season, and things are looking upward.
Instead of getting smashed four times in our division, getting kids injured and losing morale, this schedule actually allowed us to build some depth. Our kids could compete at a varsity level and get mat experience, Adelizzi said. I believe the intent of the Shore Conference was to try to eliminate matches that are 80-0 because that doesn t help anybody, or the sport.
Being able to have that morale, and looking ahead, saying, This is a big match for us, is really great. We re able to set goals that are attainable, and that s exciting for the kids. Being in the hunt for a division title generated some excitement around the building, too, and that s always a good thing, too.
David Biggy
