Victor Lopez pins Andrew Kyper of Roxbury for his record-breaking 127th pin.
WEST ORANGE, NJ – West Orange High School senior wrestler Victor Lopez, 17, broke the school record for career wins on Feb. 11, breaking the previous mark of 126 career wins by Tommy Lorenzo in 2006.
Lopez pinned Andrew Kyper of Roxbury in the 120-pound category to set the new school record. In addition, Lopez also got his 128th win with a pin against Brandon Olmstead of Hopatcong later in the day.
“The West Orange wrestling community is so proud of Victor and his wonderful family and his accomplishment,” said WOHS head coach Stephan Zichella. “It’s been an honor watching Vic’s transformation over the past four years from a talented wrestler into the fine young man and leader he is today. He is one of the top wrestlers in the state and is an outstanding scholar-athlete.”
Zichella said Lopez is closing in on being the first wrestler in the WOHS program to win 30 matches in each of his four seasons. He is currently 26-1 for this year and looking to become West Orange’s first four-time district champion.
“To break the school record has been one of my biggest goals since freshman year,” said Lopez. “I even went to the person who held the record and told him ‘I’m beating your record!’ “
Lopez attended Washington Elementary School, the Edison Central Sixth, and Liberty Middle School. His brothers were into soccer, he noted, and he was the only one in the family into wrestling.
“Victor’s family is so supportive,” said Zichella. “His aunt, Doyle Redington; brothers; mother, Amalia Hercules; and father, Serafin Lopez; have been in his corner his whole life and it has made a world of difference. His parents and aunt have been at just about every one of his 128 wins.”
The Mountaineers lost to Roxbury, 52-24, but beat Hopatcong, 65-9. They ended their regular season at 12-6 and were 11-3 in their last 14 matches.
So what’s next for Lopez after graduation in June?
“I still have options but my first choice is Franklin and Marshall College,” said Lopez. “I want to major in business and continue to wrestle in college. It’s part of my dream.”
The state individual qualifying tournaments will determine whether Lopez once again heads to Atlantic City in March.
“It’s an exciting time for Victor, his family, West Orange High School, our coaches, and our wrestling program,” said Zichella, whose fifth-seeded team reached the North Jersey Section 1, Group 5 state tournament semifinals where they lost to top-seeded North Bergen, 35-27, Feb. 8.
The Mountaineers will gear up for the District 10 tournament at Nutley High School, Feb. 17-18. The top three finishers in each weight class will advance to Region 3 at West Orange High School. District 10 includes host Nutley, Delbarton, West Orange, Becton/Wallington, Verona, Union City, Orange, Columbia, Newark East Side and Wood-Ridge.
About the Author
