Glen Ridge High 113-pound Nick Fiorello, top, shown at the Essex County Tournament, finished 19-7 this season.
GLEN RIDGE – Head coach Kendall Southerland knows there were both ups and downs to take out of this year’s season by his Glen Ridge High School varsity wrestling team.
And without a doubt, one of those big positives came from the performance out of 160-pound sophomore Joe Marchesano, who made Worrall Media All-Area first team
“Joe did a great job,” said Southerland. “He came off of injuries but still managed to earn a 14-6 record. In addition, he made it to the regions. He didn’t place in any other tournaments because he was hurt for most, but even still, he got two wins in the county and placed seventh there, which is a testament to him. He is a hard-nosed kid. He is real coachable. Next year we will look for him to be a leader as so many of our younger guys already look up to him. He was with me last year as a freshman and got a winning record and won our team’s most promising wrestler award.”
Similarly, another wrestler who enjoyed a strong performance for this year’s group was freshman Nick Fiorello, who made All-Area second team at 113.
“Nick was one match, one win away from 20 wins this year as he finished with a record of 19-7. Nineteen wins as a freshman is very impressive,” Southerland said. “Nick won two matches at the county tournament. He’s a seasoned wrestler and he knows the sport. He just needs to get into the weight room.”
Along with those wrestlers, Southerland also talked about 145-pound senior Robert Spitaleta, who made All-Area honorable mention.
“He had 18 wins with an 18-12 record and that was impressive,” Southerland said. “I had him for four years and it’s nice to see him leave on a happy note.”
Another wrestler who was with Southerland for all four years was 120-pound senior Rob Michaels.
“Rob Michaels stepped up his game this year as he earned 14 wins for us, including two wins at the county tournament,” Southerland said. “I was very pleased with his effort. He really did an outstanding job all year.”
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