Paulsboro, Camden Catholic win state team wrestling titles

TOMS RIVER, N.J. - South Jersey's most decorated wrestling programs added more hardware to crowded trophy cases on Sunday.

Paulsboro won its 28th state title and Camden Catholic won its 13th state title at the end of a long day of wrestling at the Poland Springs Arena at Toms River North.

Paulsboro (22-1) defeated Roselle Park by a 40-20 decision in the state semifinals and took down Kittatinny by a 37-25 score in the state finals.

Camden Catholic (22-6) won its eighth consecutive state title and second in a row in Non-Public B with a dominating, 67-3 decision over DePaul.

"This stuff doesn't get old," Camden Catholic coach Gerry Boland said. "Nothing is a given. Nothing is easy in this sport."

Paulsboro's wrestlers regained their focus after Friday night's emotional, 31-23 victory over rival Haddonfield in the South Jersey Group 1 finals.

"We knew we had to come up here and take care of business," said Paulsboro senior 152-pounder Dymere Rappa, who won both of his bouts on Sunday. "We had to keep the tradition."

The Red Raiders got pins from Rappa, 215-pounder Eric McMullen, heavyweight Nick Curl, 112-pounder Mike Zold, and 130-pounder Donte Scott in the semifinals against Roselle Park.

In the finals against top-seeded Kittatinny, Paulsboro got pins from Curl; 103-pounder John Gentile; and Scott, a senior whose victory clinch the state title.

"This team had some struggles early in the year, but in the last three weeks they've pulled together as a team," Paulsboro coach Paul Morina said. "They really stepped it up in the [wrestling] room."

Rappa said a 33-31 loss to Haddonfield on Jan. 21 served as a "reality check" to Paulsboro.

"We were determined to show what we could go after that," Rappa said.

Camden Catholic has overwhelmed Non-Public B competition since the Irish were dropped down from Non-Public A before the 2009-10 season in NJSIAA enrollment classifications. The Irish won six consecutive Non-Public A titles from 2004 to 2009.

Overall, Camden Catholic has won state titles in 12 of the last 13 seasons.

The Irish won 13 of 14 bouts and registered nine pins in topping 60 points in the state finals for the second consecutive year.

"A lot of people underestimated us because we're so young," said 152-pounder Matt McBride, Camden Catholic's only senior in the lineup. "It shows what this young team can do."

Group 1 semifinals

Paulsboro 40,

Roselle Park 20

140: Tyree Ellis, P, dec. Phil Woods, 10-3; 145: John Acosta, RP, dec. Mike Silvestro, 10-1; 152: Dymere Rappa, P, pin Zach Fahoury, 3:33; 160: Anthony Dawson, P, dec. Steve Loevsky, 12-4; 171: Vic Pozonyi, RP, dec. Matt Cosgrove, 3-1; 189: Connor Gabriel, RP, dec. Ryan Dick, 14-6; 215: Eric McMullen, P, pin Luis Galindo, 5:30; Hwt.: Nick Curl, P, pin Marc Signoriello, 0:51; 103: John DeVito, RP, dec. John Gentile, 10-7; 112: Mike Zold, P, pin Jovanni, 4:48; 119: Dan Pisauro, RP, dec. Juan Rivera, 8-3; 125: Anthony Bennett, P, dec. Fred Luna, 7-0; 130: Donte Scott, P, pin Matt Swain, 1:14; 135: Nick Luongo, RP, dec. Nick Knauer, 4-1.

Group 1 finals

Paulsboro 37, Kittatinny 25

145: Tyree Ellis, P dec. Matt Parkyn, 3-1; 152: Dymere Rappa, P, dec. Clarke Moynihan, 3-1; 160: Kieren Gerrity, K, dec. Anthony Dawson, 8-6; 171: Matt Cosgrove, P, dec. Pete Klimek, 9-5; 189: Matt Simpson, K, dec. Ryan Dick, 12-1; 215: Eric McMullen, P, dec. Jake Drelich, 9-1; Hwt.: Nick Curl, P, pin Ryan Pascale, 4:32; 103: John Gentile, P, pin Nick West, 1:02; 112: Brandon Logan, K, pin Mike Zold, 3:25; 119: Juan Rivera, P, dec. Dave Popek, 3-0; 125: Donte Scott, P, pin Nick Romyns, 1:31; 130: Derek Conrad, K, pin Anthony Bennett, 0:32; 135: Garret Scriviani, K, pin Nick Knauer, 3:55; 140: Mike Silvestro, P, dec. Joe Maio, 3-0.

Non-Public Group B finals

Camden Catholic 67, DePaul 3

145: Frank Varallo, CC, pin Matt DeLallo, 3:22; 152: Matt McBride, CC, dec. Phil Esposito, 4-3, 3 OT; 160: Colin Pierlott, CC, pin Dan Mulligan, 1:26; 171: Joe Mazzochette, CC, pin Gavin Gregory, 3:08; 189: Carmen Iossa, CC, pin Zach Manley, 2:39; 215: Jeff Miller, CC, pin Joe Cobuzio, 3:35; Hwt.: Marcus Coleman, CC, pin Nick Toro, 5:45; 103: Tyler McBride, CC, dec. Lou Carusillo, 8-0; 112: John Amato, CC, dec. Mike Griess, 2-0; 119: Alex Smyth, CC, dec. Kevin Rojas-Nunez, 4-2; 125: Chad Walsh, CC, pin Donte Porazzo, 1:09; 130: Brad Trump, D, dec. Tom Nolan, 8-6; 135: Aaron Lambert, CC, pin Nick Carey, 1:21; 140: T.J. Miller, CC, pin Eugene Park, 0:47.