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Wrestling: Top GMC boys and girls performers of the week

andy mendlowitz, mycentraljersey.com
·3 min read

The week featured several intriguing duals and the girls Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, won by Old Bridge. Here are some of the top GMCT performances of the week.

Girls

Every champion from the GMCT girls tournament could be mentioned. But here are the two Outstanding Wrestlers.

Eva Altamirano, South Plainfield: The junior opened with two pins and then scored a high-level, a 1-0 win Old Bridge’s Emma Sagi in the 126 final. She was selected as the Lower Weights Outstanding Wrestler.

Saniyah Queen, St. Thomas Aquinas: The junior looked in postseason form with three falls in just over 4 minutes to claim the 145-pound title. She was named the Upper Weights Outstanding Wrestler.

More: GMCT girls wrestling notebook: Altamirano, Queen named Outstanding Wrestlers

More: 'One Team, One Town': Old Bridge wrestling tops South Plainfield on youth, alumni night

Boys

Red Division

Viktor Ilnytskyi, Old Bridge: The sophomore has a judo background, but is new to wrestling. Friday, he got the call at 120 in the seventh annual Marisa Tufaro Memorial Dual against South Plainfield to fill in for state champion Logan Roman. He delivered with a pin in 11 seconds and was selected as the Knights’ Most Valuable Wrestler of the match.

Old Bridge’s Viktor Ilnytskyi (purple) beats South Plainfield’s Benjamin Wordel (green) in the 120 lb. weight class in the seventh annual Marisa Tufaro Memorial Dual on Jan. 12, 2024 evening at the Old Bridge High School gymnasium in Old Bridge.
Old Bridge’s Viktor Ilnytskyi (purple) beats South Plainfield’s Benjamin Wordel (green) in the 120 lb. weight class in the seventh annual Marisa Tufaro Memorial Dual on Jan. 12, 2024 evening at the Old Bridge High School gymnasium in Old Bridge.

Anthony Ramirez, Monroe: The senior won 6-4 at 157 to open the dual against Howell, the No. 6 team in the Asbury Park Press' Shore Conference Top 15. That proved to be vital as the Falcons prevailed 39-36. Ramirez went 4-0 during the week. Monroe forfeited twice against Howell but had six pins from Youseph Abdeljawad, Omar Cholula-Conde, Josiah Gibson, Anthony Caponegro, Matt Shumsky and Wyatt Olma.

Jose Rodriguez, South Plainfield: The junior had a big week with two technical falls and a pin. His fall against Old Bridge in the Marisa Tufaro Memorial Dual – up two weight classes at 165 – earned him the Tigers’ Most Valuable Wrestler award of the match.

Garv Sen, South Brunswick: The junior placed second at the 18-team Buc Classic at Red Bank Regional last Saturday. The 138-pounder advanced to the final with a tech fall, a pin and a 4-2 win in the semifinal.

White Division

Mario Carbonaro and Jancarlos Mena-Rodriguez, Woodbridge: Tied 33-33 against Colonia, the big guys came through for the Barrons in the final two matches to clinch the 39-33 win in a key divisional dual. Carbonaro won 9-5 at 215 and Mena-Rodriguez prevailed 3-1 at heavyweight.

Jamelle Cockren and Fernando Grande, Perth Amboy: Cockren, a senior at 144/150, and Grande, a sophomore at 285, each scored pins in the Panthers’ 39-25 Red Division win over South Brunswick. They have eight wins apiece to lead Perth Amboy.

Blue Division

Filipe Granadiero, Cody McInerny, Thomas Nielson, Matheus Silva, South River: Each wrestler got a pin as the Rams topped Highland Park, 42-36, to snag their first win of the season.

Muhammad Abubakar and Abraheme Lowman, Carteret: Each upper weight wrestler snagged a fifth-place finish in the Buc Classic. At 190, Abubakar went 4-1 to earn his medal with three pins and pulled out a UTB 5-4 win in the fifth-place match. At 285, Lowman also went 4-1 and gutted out three decisions, including a 3-1 SV win in the consolation semifinals. He also had a fall.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Wrestling: Top GMC boys and girls performers of the week