SJ Sports: HS Wrestling

The state of New Jersey is divided into four regions, South, Central, North I and North II. In wrestling terms, everything recently has started from the South. A year after a record nine South Jersey wrestlers won individual state titles, the South almost duplicated that feat.

This year, South Jersey crowned eight of the 14 state wrestling champions, an extraordinary feat.

The eight state champions were Washington Township’s Dave Tomasette at 112-pounds, Camden Catholic’s Ed Giosa (125), Absegami’s Ryan Bridge (130), Delsea’s Don Fisch (135), Pitman’s Keros Cooper (145), Absegami’s Ryan Goodman (171), Paulsboro’s Isaac Redman (215) and Holy Cross heavyweight Adam Cooney.

Of the eight, Bridge, Fisch and Cooney, were repeat champions from the year before. However, there were a few other wrestlers who weren’t as fortunate. Sterling’s Ivan Wiggins, who won the 112-pound title last year, finished third at 130 this season. Wiggins was involved in the most controversial match. He lost in a double overtime rideout to Bridge in the semifinals after the two tied 3-3. In that bout, Wiggins was assessed two stalling points and the crowd voiced its displeasure over those calls.

Absegami’s Jeff Black, the 189-pound champion last year, fell in this year’s 189-pound final, 6-4 in double overtime to Jerry Rinaldi of Lodi.

Kingsway’s Brandon Becker, the 145-pound champ last year, finished third this season. It just goes to show how difficult it is to repeat as a state champion.

Of all the wrestlers, none was more thrilled than Giosa of Camden Catholic. He had finished fourth as a freshman, and second as both a sophomore and junior.

"I had a lot of sleepless nights thinking about this," said Giosa, who beat Zac Cumiffle of Howell, 6-4, to win the 125-pound title and finish this season 40-0. Giosa also tied the state record for career wins. He finished 144-8 in his career and now shares the all-time win mark with his good friend and former Camden Catholic wrestler Bobby Stinson, who set the mark last year and is 27-9 while wrestling for Rider.

Giosa said he could have come to grips had he not won a state championship and realized he had an outstanding career.

"But I would have thought that something was missing," he said. "Winning a state title means everything in the world."

Absegami has been the unquestioned top team in the state this year and the Braves almost equaled history in the tournament. Bridge and Goodman (171) won state titles. Had Black earned a state title, the Braves would have been the first team since 1977 to have three individual state champions. That season, Toms River South and Pascack Hills each crowned three champions.

Still, to have two champs, one runner up and seven total place winners, in addition to being undefeated in dual meets, made it quite a season for Absegami. Gene Barber, who had guided this program should merit national coach of the year consideration.

Of the eight South Jersey state champions, only Goodman isn’t a senior. That means he will be back to defend his title next year and as this year’s competition showed, winning one year doesn’t guarantee anything expect some extra pressure for the next season.

For more Local Sports features, visit our Sports page.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: Marc Narducci