By Rich Chrampanis
FLEMINGTON – The normal wrestling regions have eight locations with the top four finishers in each weight class earning a spot in Atlantic City for the individual state championships. The shortened season created a Super Regional which meant the coveted spots in Phillipsburg were cut in half, so qualifying for states in 2021 is even more special than previous years.
Local wrestlers competed at Hunterdon Central High School last weekend with weight classes 106 through 145 competing Saturday and the remaining seven weights (152 through 285) taking the mat Sunday.
Saturday saw CBA’s Julian George and Colts Neck’s Logan Waller take Super Regional titles. The RFH duo of Max Brignola and Jack Kelly won Sunday, along with Red Bank Catholic’s Sabino Portella.
In all, 21 local wrestlers are set to compete this weekend at Phillipsburg High School.
RBC’s Portella Makes History
An All-Shore final at 170 pounds saw two region champs go head-to-head for a Super Region crown. RBC’s Sabino Portella, the third seed, was locked in a chess match with top-seed Shay Addison of Rumson-Fair Haven, who finished fifth in the state at 160 last year.
Both grapplers scored 1-point escapes and overtime was on the horizon until Portella delivered a 2-point takedown with just 10 seconds on the clock. Portella’s 3-1 win gave RBC a two-time region champ for the first time in 47 years. Tom Seitz won back-to-back regions for the Caseys in 1973 and 1974.
“I knew he was a good scrambler and he likes to be on the mat rolling around,” Portella said. “I knew my best shot was to take a double (leg takedown) with his legs clamped so he can’t scramble out of it. He’s a great competitor. It was a good match.”
The sophomore already has had quite a career at RBC as a two-sport standout. Portella was an impact player on both sides of the ball for the Caseys football team, scoring six touchdowns and making a fumble recovery to help RBC upend Mater Dei Prep.
“They counteract each other,” Portella said. “This helps me with football, football helps me with wrestling. I can’t wrestle during the football season which is benefitting me here.”
Portella is leading a young group of Caseys who are quickly getting the reputation for being more than a football school.
“We brought four guys to the region. We haven’t done that in years. Hopefully we can build upon that and make RBC a wrestling school, not just football.”
RFH Qualifies Four, Wins Two Region Titles
For the second straight year, Rumson-Fair Haven has a pair of region champions. At 152 pounds, senior Max Brignola controlled his championship match with Shore Regional’s Mike McGhee. The Lehigh signee scored a first period takedown followed by one more in the third period for a 5-0 win and his first region title. Brignola was thinking about the state tournament moments after his triumph.
“I want to be a state champ,” Brignola said. “(Sunday’s Region win) was really important to make the line easier next week. Now I’m just worried about states.”
No one in the entire state was more dominant than Jack Kelly at 182 pounds. Kelly delivered four pins Sunday at Hunterdon Central, all in the first period. It took just 44 seconds for Kelly to pick up his first region title. His family couldn’t be there to witness the big moment but Jack is happy that his mom and dad will get to go to Phillipsburg to help him close out an outstanding high school career.
“The last year and a half or so has been wild,” Kelly said. “My sister’s senior season getting canceled (Claudia Kelly played lacrosse at Red Bank Regional), my parents not being here for this moment. I think it’s really fitting for them to watch me compete for a state title.”
Kelly makes a strong case to be the No. 2 seed at 182 behind defending state champ Bryan Saldano of High Point. Kelly knows there’s a long road to the finals, but he’d love to get there and see one of the best in the country facing him in what he hopes is the final match of his high school career.
“I’m looking to end my career on top in a bracket that features one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers,” Kelly said. “I want to prove that I’m one of the best pound-for- pound wrestlers.”
Kelly and Brignola will be joined by Shay Addison (second at 170) and Hudson Skove (second at 220) in Philipsburg. The Bulldogs continue to be an emerging program in the tradition-rich Shore Conference.
“I think it’s important that these kids love the sport,” RFH wrestling coach Bryan Heller said. “When you love it, you put in the time you do the right thing and you go out there and you have fun and you relax. I think that’s a huge part of it.”
Local State Qualifiers
113 Pounds
Alex Nini, Christian Brothers Academy (third place)
Harrison Gordon, Saint John Vianney (fourth place)
120 Pounds
Jack Zaleski, Middletown South (second place)
Garrett Totten, Christian Brothers Academy (third place)
126 Pounds
Nico Diaz, Saint John Vianney (second place)
Phil Stolfa, Red Bank Regional (fourth place)
132 Pounds
Julian George, Christian Brothers Academy (first place)
Jack Maida, Shore Regional (second place)
138 Pounds
David Hussey, Middletown South (third place)
145 Pounds
Logan Waller, Colts Neck (first place)
152 Pounds
Max Brignola, Rumson-Fair Haven (first place)
Mike McGhee, Shore Regional (second place)
160 Pounds
Zander Silva, Christian Brothers Academy (fourth place)
170 Pounds
Sabino Portella, Red Bank Catholic (first place)
Shay Addison, Rumson-Fair Haven (second place)
182 Pounds
Jack Kelly, Rumson-Fair Haven (first place)
195 Pounds
Blake Clayton, Saint John Vianney (first place)
Hudson Skove, Rumson-Fair Haven (second place)
220 Pounds
Raymond Santiago, Colts Neck (third place)
Nico Cerbo, Middletown North (fourth place)
285 Pounds
Matthew Jannucci, Colts Neck (fourth place)
This article originally appeared in the April 22 – 28, 2021, print edition of The Two River Times.
