Belleville HS wrestling team has two runner-ups at District 14 Tournament

BELLEVILLE – Joseph Nguyen and Brad Murillo each placed second in their respective weight classes to lead the Belleville High School varsity wrestling team at the District 14 Tournament at Livingston High School on Feb. 20.

In the finals, Nguyen lost to Nutley’s John Zarro, 4-3, in the 160-pound bout, and Murillo lost to Nutley’s Frank DeMaio, 6-4, in the 132-pound bout.

Joseph Buonanno took third in the 138-pound class. In the third-place consolation, Buonanno pinned Damony James of Montclair in 56 seconds.

The three BHS wrestlers will advance to the Region 4 Tournament at West Orange High School, Feb. 24, 26-27.

Louis Avondo (120-pound class) and Justin Ungab (152) each finished fourth for the Bucs, just missed qualifying for the Region Tournament. In the third-place consolations, Avondo lost to Newark Academy’s Griffin Seyfried, 15-5, and Ungab lost by pin against Livingston’s Kenneth Newman in 3:32.