Top performances by South Jersey wrestlers during first week of January

Each week we will feature some of the top performances by South Jersey wrestlers in our seven-county coverage area.

Here's the list from the first full week of January.

Who had the best week? Vote in the poll at the end of the story.

Burlington County League

Messiah Malik, Burlington Township. The senior 190-pounder rang in the new year with three pins and a technical fall last week. Helping the Falcons raise their record to 4-2, Malik improved to 12-2 with 11 pins on the season.

Cameron Williams, Bordentown. The senior 126-pounder earned bonus points in each of his three bouts last week, helping power the Scotties to wins over Pemberton, Lawrence and Trenton Central and running the team’s unbeaten streak to five. Williams is 9-2 on the season.

Galiano Zeppadoro, Northern Burlington. Coming off a second-place finish at the Hunterdon Central Invitational, the senior 138-pounder rattled off three straight wins to start the new calendar year, including two by fall.

More: The Mat Pack unveils its first individual rankings for the 2023-24 season

Colonial Conference

Nyheim Bennett, Collingswood. The Panthers pulled off two huge upset wins at the Dan Trainer Duals and the junior played a pivotal role in both victories. After wrestling at 285 for his first three bouts, he went to 215 and knocked off the No. 2-ranked wrestler at that weight, Cherry Hill West’s JoNathan Valentin, with a pin. He also scored an 8-2 decision at 215 to help spark a win over Highland/Triton.

Anthony Catando, West Deptford. There were plenty of huge wins that paved the way for the Eagles’ first win over Paulsboro in 56 years on Wednesday, but none were bigger than Catando’s pin at 120. The senior, who saw limited action over the season’s first three weeks, iced the Eagles’ win with a first-period fall over Aundre Hill, who was ranked No. 7 in the weight class.

Jake Zearfoss, Gloucester. The senior became the program’s all-time win leader with Wednesday’s first-period pin against Haddon Heights produced career victory No. 122, surpassing AJ Parent’s old mark. The Lions are counting 30 wins Zearfoss accumulated while wrestling his freshman year in Georgia during the pandemic.

Olympic Conference

Michael Craft, Camden Catholic. The sophomore 144-pounder produced a first-period pin to lock up the Irish’s 38-33 win over Bergen Catholic, the team’s first over the North Jersey power since a 32-31 triumph in the 2009 state Non-Public A final. After finishing third at the Mustang Classic, Craft started 2024 with four straight pins.

Grady Keebler, Moorestown. The senior 165-pounder closed out 2023 with a technical fall and opened 2024 with three pins and a forfeit victory. His third-period pin against Rancocas Valley helped the Quakers notch a 37-31 win over their rival.

David Vacca, Seneca. The senior 150-pounder produced bonus points in all four of his bouts last week, posting two pins, a technical fall and major decision. The production helped the Golden Eagles soar to four wins, including a sweep of the Lenape School District quad meet.

Tri-County Conference

Stephen Borrelli, Clearview. After closing out December with three straight wins, the senior 144-pounder kept the momentum going when the calendar flipped to January with three more victories. Borrelli recorded a pin, major decision and a 5-4 decision in Saturday’s quad meet.

Dylan Hetzel, Washington Township. The sophomore 106-pounder started the new calendar year with three wins, including a 5-3 decision over ranked-opponent Hunter Mullarkey, of Rancocas Valley. Hetzel helped the Minutemen march to their second straight Hammonton Blue Devils Duals title.

Luciano Mazzeo, Clayton/Glassboro. The senior became the first to knock off a top-ranked wrestle in his weight class this season as he topped No. 1 Nick Gellien, of Sterling, with a 4-3 UTB decision. Mazzeo improved to 6-0 with four pins.

Cape-Atlantic League

Clifford Dirkes, Ocean City. The junior ran his winning streak to seven with three first-minute pins and a 3-1 decision last week. He captured the heavyweight title at the Marinelli Tournament at Egg Harbor Township the previous week.

Maurice Matthews, Middle Township. The junior delivered three second-period pins, including one to spark a victory over Absegami. The heavyweight is 13-0 with 10 pins and a technical fall. He closed out 2023 with a first-place finish at the Palmyra Holiday Tournament.

Benjamin Rue, Lower Cape May. The senior heavyweight locked up the Caper Tigers’ 33-28 upset win over Haddonfield at the Williamstown Duals with a third-period pin. He went 3-1 for the week with three pins, raising his overall record to 12-2 – all of his wins by fall.

Girls

Isabel Diehl, Delran. Five bouts and five pins for the sophomore as she earned her way to the top of the podium at the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame Tournament. Following a third-place finish at the Rumble in the Pines tournament, Diehl reeled off six consecutive pins last week.

Isabella Prem, Lenape. The junior pinned her way to the 145 title at the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame Tournament. All four of her falls occurred in the first period, including a pin in 76 seconds in the final

Jacinda Robinson, Rancocas Valley. The senior captured the 165 title at the Lady Patriots Tournament with three pins and an overtime victory. Robinson improved to 6-0 and her 33-second pin in the final was her fifth fall of the season.

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: South Jersey wrestling's top performers from first week of January