Camden Catholic’s Lucas Revano, Paulsboro’s Brandon Green win state wrestling titles
Revano became a two-title state champion with a stunning pin in a bout between two defending state titlists.
Lucas Revano was trying for a takedown.
The Camden Catholic crowd was screaming, “Two! Two!”
They got a whole lot more than that.
Revano scored a stunning pin of DePaul’s Ricky Cabanillas in overtime in a pulse-pounding finale to the state wrestling championships Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
“I went blank,” Revano said. “I couldn’t believe it. My coach just picked me up, and that was it.”
Revano and Paulsboro junior 170-pounder Brandon Green won state titles, while Paulsboro junior Jacob Perez-Eli took second at 138 pounds, and Paulsboro senior Santino Morina took third at 182 pounds.
Green turned the tables on Howell’s Shane Reitsma, who had beaten Green by a 6-4 score last weekend in the Region 7 finals.
“I was so hungry after losing the regions,” Green said.
Green dominated the state final, scoring five takedowns en route to a 13-9 victory.
In becoming Paulsboro’s 27th state champion, Green wrestled freely and aggressively, showing none of the nerves that sometimes constrain wrestlers on the big stage of a state final.
“He was open,” Paulsboro coach Paul Morina said. “I told him, ‘Get used to this.’ He’s going to be back here. He’s going to wrestle in college and be competing for titles. He’s that type of athlete.”
Revano’s victory at 145 pounds cemented his legacy as perhaps the best wrestler in the illustrious history of Camden Catholic’s program.
He finished with 157-16 career mark. He won four region titles. And he won two state titles, joining 2010 graduate Taylor Walsh as the only wrestlers to win twice at Atlantic City.
“I’d like to think I’m the best,” Revano said.
Camden Catholic coach Matt Walsh, Taylor’s father, said: “He could be the best ever. He’s so fast. He’s so talented.”
Revano went out in high style. His bout with Cabanillas was a fast-paced clash of defending state champions.
The bout was saved for the last on a card of 14 championship battles as it matched Revano, who won a state title at 132 pounds last season, with Cabanillas, who won the crown at 145 pounds last season.
“I was calm,” Revano said. “I was going to give it my all. If I win, I win. If I lose, I lose. But I wanted to win.”
It was 1-1 after regulation, but Revano got in deep with a shot midway through the overtime period, and, during a wild scramble, got control, leaned back and registered the pin.
“I love scrambles. That’s fun,” Revano said. “Wrestling is supposed to be fun.”