Brzozowski finishes runner-up in state

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep wrestling team sent four wrestlers to Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City to participate in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association State Individual Championships, Thursday through Saturday, March 2-4. 

Junior 113-pound Logan Brzozowski (36-6 season record, 71-17 career record) completed an outstanding season with a second-place finish. The last Pirate wrestler who reached the finals was Brenden Calas who won the title in 2011 and 2012 and finished in second place in 2013. 

Brzozowski’s results were:

• Round 1 –  pinned Tyler Thomas (Egg Harbor) – 3 minutes, 01 second.
• Round 2 – decisioned Anthony Rossi (Hunterdon Central) – 5-2.
• Quarterfinals – major decision Ethan Smith (Paramus Catholic) – 13-4.
• Semifinals –-decision Devin Ryan (New Milford) – 11-5.
• First-place match – lost decision to Logan Roman (Old Bridge) – 3-1.

Following the finals, Brzozowski said, “I thought it was the best tournament I wrestled all year. My mindset was to be consistent throughout the tournament. It was just another tournament to me. You can’t make a big deal out of it or you will psych yourself out. I knew that I was well prepared and went in to have some fun and wrestle as well as I could.”

SHP head coach Lou Mascola added, “Logan has been on a mission all year and has stayed confident throughout the season no matter any ups or downs. He believed in the process and we knew that he was prepared for this moment. Logan is a special kid who works so hard and it showed with the success that he had in the state tournament.”

Three other wrestlers competed in Atlantic City for the Pirates and held their own. They were:

• Sophomore 106-pound Anthony Pellegrino (20-5): lost by decision to Michael DiBiase (Wall) 3-2; won by major decision over James McGinty (Parsippany Hills) 11-2; lost by decision to Gage Summers (Delsea) 7-6.
• Senior 150-pound Stephen O’Neil Jr. (14-8 record): won by decision over Lorenzo Caamano (Caldwell) 12-6; lost by decision to Brady Conlin (St. Augustine Prep) 7-0; won by decision over Colin Palumbo (Matawan) 6-1; lost by decision to Landon Kearns (St. Thomas Aquinas) 7-0.
• Freshman 215-pound Rocco Salerno (33-7 record) won by decision over Alejandro Camarena (Pascack Hills) 10-7; lost by decision to AJ Fricchione (Bergen Catholic) 10-4; pinned Joey Toner (Gateway Reg./Woodbury) 1:12; lost by decision to Jonathan Graham (Highland Regional/Triton) 8-5.

  Seton Hall Prep wrestling