WEST ORANGE, NJ – Seton Hall Prep wrestling head coach Jack Decker, who is starting his 10th year at the helm, is really looking forward to this season.
“With only one senior, Niko Diakides, (currently ranked No. 5 in the State in his weight class at 285 pounds) and a solid group of sophomores and juniors, I am very excited about the start of the season,” Decker said. “We lost three great leaders to graduation (Charlie Cunningham, Maguire Pecci, and Danny Young) but I feel that the others will step up. We have bumped up our schedule this season and are attending The Beast of the East at the University of Delaware and the Sam Cali Battle for the Belt at West Orange HS to give our wrestlers some great exposure to some of the top wrestlers in New Jersey as well as the East Coast.
“Our team goals are to battle for the Super Essex Conference-American Division title, Essex County title, and State title. I also feel that our wrestlers are capable of qualifying for the Regionals in Union and State Finals in Atlantic City.”
Decker, who was also an outstanding wrestler and Seton Hall Prep from 2000-04 and at Penn State University, has a current record of 136-65 in dual meets. His teams’ have captured four division titles, four Essex County Tournament titles, including the last three years, and The Morris Knolls Tournament title last season.
Larry Melchionda, at the 120-pound weight class and one of the top junior returnees, said, “We are ready for the season and want to make sure we are all healthy. Everyone is confident and getting along as we push each other in practice to get better every day.”
Some of the other top returnees are juniors Zach Merlino (182 class) Michael Massa (170), Dean Musialowicz (132) and Aidan Cunningham (145). Sophomores include Conner Decker (126), Cole Carroll (138) and Jack Wilt (152).
The SHP wrestling team, which is ranked No. 8 in New Jersey in the Star-Ledger and Full Circle pre-season polls, will open the season Dec. 15 at the Morris Knoll Tournament beginning 9 a.m. The Pirates will visit Nutley on Dec. 17 and host West Orange on Dec. 19, both at 7 p.m.
Schedule
Dec. 15, Morris Knolls Tournament, 9 a.m.
Dec. 17, at Nutley, 7 p.m.
Dec. 19, West Orange, 7 p.m.
Dec. 21-23, at Beast of the East, at University of Delaware tba
Dec. 27, South Plainfield, 6 p.m.
Dec. 29, Home quad vs. Piscataway, Rumson-Fair Haven, Kittatinny, 10 a.m.
Jan. 3, at Livingston, 7 p.m.
Jan. 5-6, at Samuel Cali Invitational, at West Orange HS, tba
Jan. 9, at West Essex, 7 p.m.
Jan. 11, Irvington, 7 p.m.
Jan. 12, Quad at St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City), tba
Jan. 17-18, Essex County Tournament, at Richard J. Codey Arena, West Orange, tba
Jan. 21, Cedar Grove, 7 p.m.
Jan. 25, at Caldwell, 7 p.m.
Jan. 28, Pope John XXIII, 7 p.m.
Jan. 30, Verona, 7 p.m.
Feb. 16, NJSIAA District 16 tournament, at Scotch Plains HS
Feb. 20, 22-23, NJSIAA Region 4 tournament, at Union HS
Feb. 28, March 1-2, NJSIAA State Finals, at Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall
Photos by Rich Morris, courtesy of SHP
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