Nutley HS wrestling team finishes in third place at District 10 tournament

Correction: The district tournament was held at Belleville HS.

NUTLEY, NJ – The Nutley High School varsity wrestling team finished in third place at the NJSIAA District 10 tournament held at Belleville HS on Feb. 17.

The Raiders, under head coach Mike DiPiano Jr., had 126 points among the 10 teams. Delbarton won the team title with 314 ½ points and West Orange HS was second with 134 points.

Frank Gabriele and Joseph Dalessio each finished second at the 170- and 220-pound weight classes respectively to lead the Raiders.

Dominick Cofone, at the 106-pound weight class; Jacob Gonzalez, at 126; Sal Maniero, at 138; and Frank DeMaio, at 160, each finished third for Nutley.

The six NHS wrestlers advanced to the Region 3 tournament held at West Orange HS, Feb. 21, 23 and 24. The region tournament consists of the top three finishers in each weight class from the District 9, 10, 11 and 12 tournaments. The top four finishers in each weight class from the region tournament will advance to the NJSIAA state finals at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, March 2, 3 and 4. This marks the first year that the NJSIAA state finals have been expanded. Prior to this year, the state finals consisted of the top three finishers in each weight class from the regions.

Daniel Jennings, at 182; Justin Luna, at 195; and Luis Abreu, at 285 heavyweight, each finished in fourth place for NHS at the district tournament.

District 10 tournament

Finals

170-pound weight class: AJ Lonski, Delbarton, decisioned Gabriele, 11-4.

220: Trey Zgombic, Delbarton, pinned Dalessio, 5:20.

Third-place consolations

106: Cofone pinned Michael Garcia, Verona, 3:01.

126: Gonzalez pinned Ebenson Macenat, Orange, 5:17.

138: Maniero pinned Frankie Lopez, Union City, 2:51.

160: DeMaio pinned Jake Reiter, Wood-Ridge, 3:00

182: Billy Fauerbach, Verona, pinned Jennings, 4:37

195: Hunter Dallison, Columbia, decisioned Luna, 12-10.

285: Gerard Eatman, West Orange, decisioned Abreu, 5-4.

NOTE: NHS originally was the host for the District 10 tournament, but the tournament was moved to Belleville HS due to security concerns.

  Nutley High School wrestling