WEST ORANGE/UNION, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep wrestling team is sending six wrestlers to Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City to participate in the 2025 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association/IBEW Local 102 state championships, Thursday to Saturday, March 6-8.
On Friday and Saturday, Feb. 28-March 1, the Pirates participated in the Region 4 tournament at Louis J. Rettino Gymnasium at Union High School. The top-four finishes in each weight class qualified for the state championships.
Rocco Salerno, a 215-pound junior, captured his first regional title, as he pinned Timothy Smith (Elizabeth) in 2:52. His record this season moved to 23-1. He was a region runner-up in 2024 and a third-place region finisher in 2023.
SHP’s other four region finalists finished in second place:
113 pounds: junior Joseph Viola lost to Zachary Belverio (Arthur L. Johnson), 16-10. Viola was a region runner-up in 2024.
120: senior Anthony Pellegrino lost to Jack Abramson (Pingry), 11-0. Pellegrino was a region runner-up in 2024.
175: junior Brandon Papa lost to Evan Kinney (No. Hunterdon), 13-5.
190: senior Clark Rich lost to Jake Zemsky (Westfield), 10-2. Rich was a region third-place finisher in 2024.
Junior 126-pound Andre Morero finished in third place, as he won by a 17-2 technical fall over Reid Buzby (NorthHunterdon). Morero was a region runner-up in 2024.
Freshman 144-pound Michael Pocius pinned Luke Sluberski (Westfield) for a fifth-place finish in 1:15.
Before the finals, among the awards announced was the Alex Sebahie Never Back Down Foundation Scholarship. The 2025 recipient was Pellegrino. The Alex Sebahie Never Back Down Foundation believes in the power of community, the strength in giving back and the importance of standing beside those who face life’s greatest challenges.
Following his finals match, Salerno said, “It feels great to be going back to Atlantic City. I believe in my training and that it would lead me back to where I wanted to go. I have been working hard to be a better wrestler to get back to the podium and now I am ready to make a great run in Atlantic City.”
Note: This was the Pirates’ first appearance at Union HS since 2022. The NJSIAA moved the Pirates to West Orange High School in 2023 and West Milford in 2024, as they and the other non-public schools were moved around. Seton Hall participated at regionals at Union HS from 1969 through 2022.
The regionals have fifth-place finishers, in case any top-four regional finisher is not able to participate at the state championships.
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