NUTLEY, NJ — The Nutley High School boys wrestling team enjoyed an outstanding showing at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s District 10 tournament at NHS on Feb. 28.
The Raiders, under head coach Mike DiPiano Jr., finished in second place overall and boasted six champions out of 14 weight classes.
Senior Patrick Chell (132 pounds), senior Christopher Cifelli (138), junior Aidan Rotbaum (157), junior Antonio Maiden (165), senior Sean Vilchez (215) and junior Nolan Brewer (285) won their weight classes for the Raiders.
Sophomore Evan Blanchard took second place at the 120-pound weight class.
Junior Valen Delaney (106) and freshman Luke Finkelstein (113) each took third place in their weight classes.
The nine NHS wrestlers qualified for the NJSIAA’s Region 3 tournament at West Orange High School, March 6-7. The top three finishers in each weight class from districts 10-13 earned berths for the Region 4 tournament.
Senior Adam Youssef (126) and freshman Jesse Quinn (150) each finished in fourth place in their weight asses for NHS at the district tournament.
The Raiders had 213 points, 15 points shy of first-place Ridge High School. There were 10 schools at the District 10 tournament.
The top four finishers in each weight class from the eight region tournaments will advance to the NJSIAA state championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, March 12-14.
District 10
Finals
120: Owen O’Leary (Ridge) p. Evan Blanchard (Nutley) 3:23.
132: Patrick Chell (Nutley) d. Thomas Michael (Verona) 9-6.
138: Christopher Cifelli (Nutley) m.d. Matthew Miller (Bloomfield) 14-0.
157: Aidan Rotbaum (Nutley) p. Christopher Belcuore (Livingston) 3:42.
165: Antonio Maiden (Nutley) t.f. Ryan Ross (Livingston) 21-5 (3:19).
215: Sean Vilchez (Nutley) d. Terrence Taylor (Bloomfield) 3-2.
285: Nolan Brewer (Nutley) d. Ayden Fox (Bloomfield) 4-1 (OT).
Third-place bouts
106: Valen Delaney (Nutley) p. Luke Benanchietti (Verona) 4:26.
113: Luke Finkelstein (Nutley) m.d. John Loudon (Verona) 14-5.
126: Aidan Matias (Bloomfield) p. Adam Youssef (Nutley) 0:43.
150: Jerome Johnson (East Orange) d. Jesse Quinn (Nutley) 4-1.
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