Three-time undefeated state champion Anthony Ashnault leads No. 32 South Plainfield (Photo/Rob Preston)
Last year's dual meet started at 160 pounds, and Bergen Catholic jumped out to a 24-0 lead, before South Plainfield won the last seven matches of the dual meet to win 34-24. Similar to last year, South Plainfield is stacked through the middle and a bit suspect down low and up top, while Bergen Catholic is the more balanced team but with less superstars.
Host South Plainfield enters the dual meet ranked No. 32 in the InterMat Fab 50, and has four nationally ranked wrestlers. Half of the Tigers' projected lineup is seniors. Visiting Bergen Catholic enters the match ranked No. 40 nationally, and will start four highly credentialed freshmen but only at most three seniors.
The following is a breakdown of the dual meet based on projected lineups. The Bergen Catholic wrestler is listed first in each matchup.
106: No. 1 Nick Suriano, freshman vs. Ryan Walsh, sophomore. Suriano enters his high school career having already won three Super 32 Challenge titles: two in the middle school division, and this year's title coming at 106 in the high school division.
113: Tyler Casamenti, junior vs. Dan Hedden, freshman. Casamenti is a two-time state qualifier.
120: Matt Rose or Colin Hanley, both sophomores vs. Ray Jazikoff, junior
126: Troy Schaafsma, junior vs. No. 18 Corey Stasenko, senior. Schaafsma was a state alternate (fourth at the regional) last year, while Stasenko placed sixth in the 145 pound weight class at state and was also a 2011 Super 32 Challenge placer.
132: J.P. Ascolese, junior vs. No. 8 Scott Delvecchio, senior. Ascolese was a regional qualifier last year, while Delvecchio was a state champion. Delvecchio also placed fourth in the Super 32 Challenge two months ago.
138: Danny Delsorenzi, freshman vs. No. 2 Anthony Ashnault, senior. Delsorenzi was a runner-up at what is an equivalent to their junior high state tournament, while Ashnault is a three-time state champion and yet to lose a match in high school. Ashnault twice earned double All-American honors as a Cadet and was fourth in Junior freestyle last summer.
145: Joseph Grello, freshman vs. No. 18 Troy Heilmann, senior. Grello was a junior high state champion and went undefeated in both styles at the Schoolboy National Duals. Heilmann is a three-time state placer, having finished runner-up at state each of the last two years. He also placed fifth in the Super 32 Challenge two months ago.
152: Zach Spira or David Brennan, junior or sophomore vs. Dylan Painton, senior. Painton is an underrated wrestler, who is finally at an optimal weight class having been stuck above the big four (was five) the last couple years for South Plainfield.
160: Gianni Hallick, senior vs. Inan Sikel, junior. Sikel was a regional qualifier last year for the Tigers.
170: Kevin Mulligan, freshman vs. Colin Lynch or Jordan Handweyer, junior or sophomore. Mulligan was a junior high state champion last year.
182: No. 7 Johnny Sebastian, junior vs. Xavier Wilson, sophomore. Sebastian is a two-time state placer, winning state last year at 160 pounds.
195: Christian Jenco, junior vs. Lucio Avelar or Luigi Gerardi, both juniors. Jenco was third in both styles at this summer's Cadet Nationals, and placed third in the Super 32 Challenge two months ago.
220: Phil Rigglioso or Tyler McGilligan, senior or junior vs. Tori Russell, senior. Russell was a state qualifier last year for South Plainfield.
285: Carmine Goldsack, senior vs. Tyler Calderone, senior. Goldsack was a state qualifier last year for the Crusaders.
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