MAPLEWOOD, NJ – Devin Rocha finished second in the 126-pound weight class to lead the Columbia High School varsity wrestling team at New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association District 10 tournament held at Nutley HS, Feb. 17-18.
Rocha, a sophomore, took second after dropping a tough 7-6 decision to Delbarton’s John Cuming in the final.
With his second-place finish, Rocha advanced to the NJSIAA Region 3 tournament to be held at West Orange HS, Feb. 22, 24-25. The top three finishers in each weight class advanced to the regions.
Columbia finished eighth overall out of 10 teams in the district tournament.
Hunter Dallison, a junior, finished fourth in the 182-pound weight class after losing to Verona’s Billy Fauerbach by an 8-1 decision in the third-place consolation.
The top four finishers in each weight class in the regions will advance to the NJSIAA state tournament at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, March 3-5. This year, the NJSIAA expanded the number of state tournament qualifiers from three to four wrestlers in each weight class in the regions.