Delsea looks to tighten its grip on state Group 3 supremacy

FRANKLIN TWP. – Alex Grippo doesn’t need directions to get to Rutgers University.

It's beginning to feel like a second home for him.

After playing a major part in the football team’s first-ever state championship at RU’s SHI Stadium in November, Grippo and the rest of the Delsea Regional High School wrestling team will be headed to Piscataway on Sunday to defend its state title.

More: The Mat Pack's individual rankings for South Jersey wrestling for Feb. 8

Delsea (18-4) will compete for its third consecutive state Group 3 title on the mat when it wrestles Cranford (19-2) at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The meet is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m.

Grippo’s first journey to Rutgers came last winter, but he played a role of a spectator. With the Crusaders’ star-studded upper weights, Grippo was relegated to competing on the junior varsity, where he had a standout season.

“It was great to be with the team last year when we won states, being a part of something special,” Grippo said. “But this is even bigger for me this year.”

That’s because Grippo has quickly made a name for himself on varsity this winter. The junior is 26-4, including 18 pins, and ranked No. 3 at 215 pounds by The Mat Pack. He started Friday’s 56-8 rout of Wayne Valley in the state semifinal with a pin, running his record to 19-0 since the calendar flipped to January.

“Outside of our room, I don’t think anyone saw this coming,” Delsea head coach Greg Sawyer said. “All we heard about coming into the season was that we graduated all of our good wrestlers up top.

“We knew we had some wrestlers there that were going to get the job done up there. Alex has performed very well, even over the top a little.”

Grippo said the waiting was the hardest part, but when he got his opportunity he was going to grab it with both hands and not let go.

“It was definitely tough,” Grippo said. “It took some time, but I was going to get here eventually. I knew I wasn’t going to quit because I didn’t make varsity. I knew I was going to get a chance to show people what I could do. Now, that time is here, and I’m showing out and getting ready for the biggest stage at states.”

Grippo knows all about performing under the brightest spotlights. A hard-hitting 5-foot-10 linebacker, Grippo had a career-high 11 tackles and a sack as the Crusaders knocked off West Essex in the state Group 3 final back in November at Rutgers.

Grippo’s breakout season included 91 tackles with six sacks, including three against Camden in the state semifinal game.

“He’s dirt tough,” Sawyer said. “He’s tough on the football field. He’s tough on the wrestling mat. That toughness is what has really helped him make the jump to varsity and dominate.”

In what could be described as two breakout seasons, Grippo points to his work on the mat as the bigger surprise.

“Football is always my sport,” Grippo said. “In wrestling, I was just going to do anything I could to help my team win. I never thought I’d be 26-4 at this point of the season. It’s a lot better than I thought I would do for a first-year varsity wrestler.”

Meet notes

Delsea’s Greyson Pettit certainly looks healthy. The freshman 106-pounder missed three weeks with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. He’s 4-0 since returning to the lineup, his first two wins were by forfeit, but the last two were by pins, including Friday’s night quick work in the first period.

“He’s at full strength,” Sawyer said. “We were patient in bringing him back after the injury. Now, he’s 100 percent.”

Wayne Valley had three team points deducted after a biting incident in a bout. Delsea’s Riley Boos won the 157 bout by a major decision, but that turned into a disqualification after he showed the official the bite marks on his arm.

Delsea isn’t messing around this postseason. The Crusaders have outscored their opponents 251-26 with 28 pins, including 20 in the first period. Against Wayne Valley, Delsea had six falls, five in the opening period.

“Our intensity level is up in the room,” Sawyer said. “We don’t have to say anything to them. They know it, there’s not a lot of talking or goofing around. They know what time of the season it is."

Delsea has won four state titles in the wrestling program's history, three under Sawyer.

The Results

Delsea 56, Wayne Valley 8

215: Alex Grippo, D, p. Adam Noufal, 2:51; 285: Jose Berrios, D, d. Diego Cruz, 5-2; 106: Greyson Pettit, D, p. Alex Holdfeld, 1:50; 113: Amari Vann, D, p. Devon Bolton, 0:33; 120: Gage Summers, D, tech fall Domenick Guerriero, 17-2, 3:05; 126: Blaise Verdino, D, d. Adam Janouk, 9-3; 132: Zavier Stokes, D, p. Dominic Lally, 0:49; 138: Cole Perry, WV, d. Matt Montalto-Summers, 8-6 (TB-1); 144: Noah Zindaki, WV, tech fall Michael Stokes, 18-3, 5:09; 150: Jamar Dixon Jr., D, p. Adam Suzay, 0:48; 157: Riley Boos, D, won by disqualification; 165: Alexander Perez, WV, d. Charles Six, 10-4; 175: Greg Sawyer, D, d. Sean Van Dalinda, 5-3; 190: Sal Marchese, D, p. Rian Zuta, 1:29.

Wayne Valley had three team points deduced for misconduct in a bout.

Tom McGurk is a regional sports reporter for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Delsea's Alex Grippo has become a heavy hitter in wrestling, football