Three unbeatens headline all-S.J. wrestling team

The Inquirer's All-South Jersey wrestling team is led by two seniors and a sophomore, each of whom remained undefeated throughout a rough-and-tumble season.

The seniors are Eastern's Rob Deutsch and Willingboro's James Green. Camden Catholic's T.J. Miller is the sophomore. They made their mark in the NJSIAA individual state wrestling championships March 4-6 at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall.

Deutsch was the creme de la creme of New Jersey wrestlers at his weight.

Ranked second in the nation at 119 pounds by InterMat, Deutsch distinguished himself by winning his second state championship and fourth district and region crowns.

The Old Dominion-bound senior went undefeated for the first time in his scholastic career, at 42-0. He also tied 2010 Paulsboro graduate Joe Duca as the winningest wrestler in South Jersey history with a career record of 155-12.

Green became the first Willingboro wrestler to win a state title when he registered a 16-4 major decision over Paramus senior Nick Alpher at 145 pounds. A state runner-up at 140 last year, the Nebraska-bound wrestler roared back this season to finish 29-0, with the District 26 and Region 7 crowns.

Miller accomplished a difficult task en route to his state title at 135: defeat the same wrestler twice in one season. He did that when he won a 4-1 decision over Willingboro senior Tyler Scotton in a second, 30-second tiebreaker in which he broke a 1-1 tie with two escapes and a last-second takedown.

A third-place finisher at 125 last season, Miller closed the season at 34-0.

Paulsboro sophomore John Gentile made his presence felt at 103 when he became the only area wrestler at that weight to advance to the state quarterfinals. He lost to Seton Hall Prep's Brenden Calas in the quarterfinals and failed to bounce back in the wrestlebacks. A District 29 and Region 8 champion, Gentile finished the season with a 33-6 record.

At 112, Timber Creek's Ricky Carter redeemed himself after a pre-quarterfinal loss by winning the next five wrestleback bouts to place third in the state. The junior had missed a good part of the regular season after he transferred from Washington Township and was forced to sit out. A sixth-place state-medal winner last season at 103, Carter closed the year at 10-5.

Camden Catholic's Matt Sausman took the hard road to a third-place state finish. The senior won the prequarterfinal round at 125, lost in the quarterfinals, and had to win the next four wrestlebacks to claim third place. Sausman (31-4) also won the District 27 and Region 7 crowns.

Washington Township's Chalie Huff, the top seed in the top bracket at 130, won his prequarterfinal by pin. He squeaked by, 6-5, in the quarterfinals and lost in the semifinals to Toms River South sophomore Bryant Clagon in a 2-1 tiebreaker before rallying in the wrestlebacks to place third in the state. Huff (34-2) was the District 30 and Region 8 champion.

At 140, Delran's Travis McDowell won a preliminary and prequarterfinal-round bout before losing in the quarterfinals and placing seventh in the tournament. The senior (40-7) won District 26 and placed third in Region 7.

Pennsville's Kenny Emmons (36-7) was one of a half-dozen area wrestlers at 152 at the state tournament, but the only one to advance to the quarterfinals. The senior lost there and in wrestlebacks. He was first in District 31 and second in Region 8.

The pride of Haddon Township, junior Steve Nelson went undefeated at 160 until he lost to West Morris's Ryan Harrington, 3-1, in the semifinals. A District 28 and Region 7 winner, Nelson (40-2) placed fourth in the tournament.

At 171, Collingswood's Taylor Venanzi captured the final medal spot at eighth place after losing in the prequarterfinal round and beating Paulsboro's Matthew Cosgrove in the wrestlebacks. Venanzi (36-9), a senior, placed second in District 28 and Region 7.

Cherry Hill East's lone representative at the state tournament, Brian Lussier, was unbeaten at 189 until he ran into the top seed in the top bracket: St. Peter senior James Fox, who beat him, 8-2, in a semifinal. Lussier (35-2), a senior, won twice in wrestlebacks to place third. He won District 27 and Region 7.

Cherokee's Mike Zeuli was also undefeated, at 215, until he had the misfortune of running into someone who turned out to be the tournament's most outstanding wrestler: Bound Brook senior Andrew Campolattano. Zeuli, who won District 27 and Region 7, was pinned in 47 seconds in the final and concluded the season at 28-1.

At heavyweight, Paul VI's Greg Webb had the best showing of any area wrestler when he placed eighth in the state tournament. The sophomore entered the prequarterfinal round with a 30-0 record and exited at 32-3. He won District 28 and Region 7 titles.