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Wrestling: Everything you need to know about the district championships in North Jersey

sean farrell, northjersey.com
·7 min read

The road to Atlantic City starts on Saturday with some new stops along the way.

The district wrestling tournaments return this weekend and the top three at each weight will move on to regions. The matchups and host sites will be a little different this year due to the statewide realignment approved last June.

No four-time champions will be crowned this year due to the COVID-shortened format back in 2021, although 19 North Jersey wrestlers will have a chance at a three-peat.

District 1 at Jefferson

Schedule: 9:30 a.m. start, semifinals around noon, finals and third-place matches around 2 p.m.

Teams: Butler, Don Bosco, Hawthorne, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Manchester, Northern Highlands, Pequannock, Pompton Lakes and Wayne Hills.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): Butler's Jason Chrostowski (113) and Logan Sykes (138), Don Bosco's Santino Rodriguez (120), Santino Danise (120), Joey Rondinelli (132), Ben Garcia (150), Nevin Mattessich (175), Dante DeLuca (190) and Robert Ekins (215), Wayne Hills' Sowzrawca Tsay (120), Ashton Fava (175) and Adam Mashfej (215).

What to watch: Don Bosco is well-equipped to win the team scoring race after finishing eighth in the final NJWWA poll. The Ironmen had five placewinners at this year's Bergen County tournament, led by gold medalists Joey Monticello at 150 and Ben Garcia at 165.

One of the weights to watch is at 113, where Hawthorne's Jack Lorper could face Don Bosco for the first time since transferring from the Ramsey school. Lorper and Ironman freshman Andrew Bonita both reached county finals this winter at that weight.

Up at 132, Don Bosco's Santino Danise and Wayne Hills' Sowzrawca Tsay headline the bracket as state qualifiers both in the North Jersey rankings. Group 2 finalist Jefferson will place high.

District 2 at River Dell

Schedule: 9:30 a.m. start, consolations around 2:30 p.m. on two mats, finals to follow.

Teams: Cresskill, Dumont, Emerson/Park Ridge, Lakeland, New Milford, Demarest, River Dell, Waldwick/Midland Park, Warren Hills and Westwood.

Jan 13, 2024; Wayne, NJ, USA; Big North Duals wrestling championship at Passaic Tech. (Right) Ryan Sullivan, of Old Tappan, and Andrew Valas, of Westwood, in their 150 pound match.
Jan 13, 2024; Wayne, NJ, USA; Big North Duals wrestling championship at Passaic Tech. (Right) Ryan Sullivan, of Old Tappan, and Andrew Valas, of Westwood, in their 150 pound match.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): Dumont's Jeremy Quezada (144), Lakeland's Jack Bergmann (106) and Sean Walker (150), New Milford's Devin Ryan (113) and Jerzey Ryan (126), Westwood's Gavin Seiler (157)

What to watch: There is plenty of talent across the board, even without a single Catholic school in this district. That much is clear with six teams from the final North Jersey rankings, including No. 6 Emerson/Park Ridge, No. 7 Westwood, No. 9 River Dell and No. 12 Lakeland. (No other district has more than four schools from the final Top 25.)

If Bergmann and Devin Ryan both go 120, the county champions could meet for the second time this season. Ryan took the first matchup, 3-1, back in January. At 175, Seiler pinned EPR's Jacob Shannon in the Bergen County third-place match earlier this year.

District 3 at Pascack Valley

Schedule: 9:30 a.m. start, noon semifinals, 3 p.m. finals.

Teams: Glen Rock, Indian Hills, Mahwah, Old Tappan, Pascack Hills, Pascack Valley, Ramapo, Ramsey, Ridgewood and Seton Hall Prep.

Christian Fojon of Ramsey, top, wrestles Branden Palcko of Paul VI in a 138-pound bout on day one of the NJSIAA state wrestling tournament in Atlantic City on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Christian Fojon of Ramsey, top, wrestles Branden Palcko of Paul VI in a 138-pound bout on day one of the NJSIAA state wrestling tournament in Atlantic City on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): none.

What to watch: Seton Hall Prep will be the favorite here after winning the Essex County title this year and taking the District 11 crown last winter before the realignment.

The weight to watch is 144 with the possibility for four Bergen County medalists: Ramsey's Christian Fojon, Indian Hills' Brady Dransfield, Ramapo's Gino Gorga and Pascack Valley's Luke Stempkowski. The field at 190 also looks deep.

District 4 at High Point

Schedule: 9 a.m. start, consolations around 2 p.m. on two mats, finals to follow.

Teams: DePaul, High Point, Kittatinny, Newton, North Warren, Sparta, Vernon, Wallkill Valley and West Milford.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): DePaul's Sam Cilento (157) and West Milford's Spencer Ribitzki (285).

What to watch: Kittatinny and the host Wildcats are primed for high finishes after placing second in their respective districts in 2023. West Milford seniors Colin Menier (138) and Spencer Ribitzki (285) both go into Saturday with unbeaten records.

District 5 at Fair Lawn

Schedule: 9 a.m. start.

Teams: Clifton, Elmwood Park, Fair Lawn, Garfield, Hasbrouck Heights, Lodi, Paramus, Passaic, Saddle Brook and St. Joseph.

Johnathon McGinty, of St. Joseph Regional is shown during his 113 pound match against Peter Terranova, of Delbarton, at the NJSIAA Wrestling Team Wrestling Championships, in Piscataway, Sunday, February 11, 2024. McGinty went on to win the match.
Johnathon McGinty, of St. Joseph Regional is shown during his 113 pound match against Peter Terranova, of Delbarton, at the NJSIAA Wrestling Team Wrestling Championships, in Piscataway, Sunday, February 11, 2024. McGinty went on to win the match.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): Lodi's Omar Asfour (106), Hasbrouck Heights' Connor Scuilla (165), St. Joseph's Johnathon McGinty (106), Mikey Bautista (113), Vincent Paino (120), Adrian DeJesus (120), James Sloan (126), Donny Almeyda (132), Frank DiBella (150), Zach Ballante (157), Ryan Burton (165), Rocco Dellagatta (175) and Aidan Schlett (215), Paramus' Daniel Elyash (285).

What to watch: The heavyweight bracket could produce one of the best matchups across the state with St. Joseph state fourth Rocco Dellagatta and Paramus state fifth Daniel Elyash leading the field.

Elyash has not wrestled since the Bergen County tournament, but Spartans coach Chris Falato confirmed Tuesday that the senior "100 percent will be back for districts". Dellagatta accepted a medical forfeit over Elyash in the Bergen County final and won by injury default in their Opening Day dual. If Dellagatta takes home gold on Saturday, St. Joseph could sweep all 14 weights.

District 7 at Bergen Catholic

Schedule: 9 a.m. start.

Teams: Bogota/Ridgefield Park, Boonton, Cedar Grove, Eastside, Kennedy, Montville, Morris Hills, Mount Olive and Wayne Valley.

Wayne, NJ -- February 7, 2024 -- Wayne Valley's Adam Janouk defats Alex Rodriguez in eh 126 lb. match. Wayne Valley defeated Montville in the North 1, Group 3 wrestling final at Wayne Valley HS.
Wayne, NJ -- February 7, 2024 -- Wayne Valley's Adam Janouk defats Alex Rodriguez in eh 126 lb. match. Wayne Valley defeated Montville in the North 1, Group 3 wrestling final at Wayne Valley HS.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): none.

What to watch: Wayne Valley and Montville on the same mat? Indeed, the two schools will meet again just 10 days after the Indians' last-bout win in the team sectional finals.

Mount Olive will be hard to stop as a reigning district champion and recent Group 4 finalist.

District 8 at Passaic Valley

Schedule: 10 a.m. start, 12:30 p.m. semifinals, 2:30 p.m. consolations with finals to follow.

Teams: Bergenfield, Dwight Morrow, Fort Lee, Hackensack, Leonia/Palisades Park, Passaic Tech, Passaic Valley, St. Thomas Aquinas, Teaneck and Tenafly.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): none.

What to watch: Expect at least three teams to be in the running Saturday with Passaic Tech, Passaic Valley and St. Thomas Aquinas all in the midst of strong seasons.

One of the big stories in this district are transfers thriving in their new homes. Teaneck's Oumar Tounkara came over from St. Benedict's this year, took first at the Bergen County tournament and could scrap with Passaic Tech's Muhammad Abuhadba (27-6) at 106.

Leonia/Palisades Park's Seach and August Hibler have been game-changers as well at 132 and 150 pounds, respectively, after their move from Bergen Catholic. A battle between August Hibler and Passaic Tech county champ James Conklin would be intriguing.

District 9 at Becton/Wood-Ridge

Schedule: 9:30 a.m. start, noon semifinals, 2 p.m. consolations and finals.

Teams: Becton/Wood-Ridge, Caldwell, Bergen Catholic, Cliffside Park/Ridgefield, Hoboken, North Bergen, Rutherford, Secaucus, Union City and Weehawken.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): Bergen Catholic's Nathan Braun (106), Christopher Nucifora (113), Noah Kochman (126), Joey Canova (138), Ryan Ford (144), Pantaleo Varga (190) and Benjamin Shue (285).

What to watch: Bergen Catholic will go for its 34th straight district title and second in a row under coach Dom Santoli. The Crusaders went 13-for-14 in the district finals last year and had a region qualifier at every weight. Trying to slow them down will be sectional champion Caldwell and Becton/Wood-Ridge senior Jordan Stallone, whose only loss this year came in the 157-pound Bergen County final.

District 12 at West Essex

Schedule: 9 a.m. start.

Teams: Barringer, Hanover Park, Irvington, Lyndhurst/North Arlington, Madison, Mendham, Newark Collegiate, Orange, St. Mary and West Essex.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): St. Mary's Anthony Moreno (144).

What to watch: Hanover Park will be riding high after beating Hasbrouck Heights on criteria in the North 2, Group 1 final. West Essex will pose another major challenge as a sectional finalist from Group 3.

Xavier Williams (right), of Paramus Catholic, is shown on his way to victory in the 215 pounds match against Ethan Mendel, of Northern Highlands, in Garfield, Sunday, January 21, 2024.
Xavier Williams (right), of Paramus Catholic, is shown on his way to victory in the 215 pounds match against Ethan Mendel, of Northern Highlands, in Garfield, Sunday, January 21, 2024.

District 13 at Millburn

Schedule: 9:30 a.m. start, noon semifinals, 3:30 p.m. finals and consolations on two mats.

Teams: Arthur L. Johnson, Brearley/Dayton, Millburn, New Providence, Paramus Catholic, Ridge, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Summit/Chatham, Union and Westfield.

North Jersey returning champions (2023 weight): Paramus Catholic's Nicholas Pallitto (120), Dylan Ross (120), John Zero (132), John Quinonez (150), Daniel Rella (165), Edward Terreri (175) and Xavier Williams (190).

What to watch: Paramus Catholic appears to be in a class of its own even with Group 4 champion Ridge lurking in this district. The Paladins not only have seven returning district champs, but five who went on to place in Atlantic City: Ross, Quinonez, Rella, Terreri and Williams.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ wrestling: Complete preview of the district tournaments