Sebastian Rawls takes second place to lead West Orange HS wrestling team at Essex County Tournament

WEST ORANGE, NJ – Sebastian Rawls finished runner-up in the 182-pound weight class to lead the West Orange High School varsity wrestling team at the Essex County Tournament, Jan. 18-19, at Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange.

In the final, second-seeded Rawls lost a 10-5 decision to top-seeded Joseph McCarthy of Cedar Grove.

Rawls was among seven placewinners for the Mountaineers, who finished eighth in the team standings. West Orange neighbor Seton Hall Prep won the team title for the third straight season.

James Benjamin, at the 120-pound weight class, and Edgar Moreno, at 126, each finished third for West Orange. In third-place consolation bouts, Benjamin won by a 7-3 decision over Seton Hall Prep’s Dean Muscialowicz, while Moreno won by a 12-8 decision over Orange’s Ebenson Macenat.

Colin Morgan,at 160, and Jordan DelValle, at 220, won their fifth-place consolation bouts. Morgan pinned Thomas Hales of Newark Academy in 17 seconds, while DelValle won by a 3-0 decision over Cedar Grove’s Joseph Tanti in the consolations.

Michael Charles finished sixth at 145, while Dorian Rawls finished eighth at 138 for the Mountaineers, under head coach Stephan Zichella.

Team scores

1-Seton Hall Prep, 239.5 points; 2-West Essex, 169.5; 3-Caldwell, 150.0; 4-Cedar Grove, 142.0; 5-Livingston, 138.0; 6-Nutley, 116.5; 7-Verona, 113.0; 8-West Orange, 87.5; 9-Irvington, 83.0; 10-Columbia, 67.0; 11-Orange, 57.0; 12-Montclair, 50.0; 13-Millburn, 38.0; 14-Glen Ridge, 31.0; 15-East Orange, 25.0; 16-Newark Academy, 23.0; 17-Belleville, 22.0; 18-East Side, 14.5; 19-Barringer, 11.0; 20-Bloomfield, 10.0; 20-Newark Collegiate, 10.0; 22-Weequahic, 5.0

  West Orange High School wrestling