Ward, Miller reach NJSIAA quarterfinals

ATLANTIC CITY - Billy Ward has had quite the career while wrestling for Buena.

He entered Friday's pre-quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA state championships at Boardwalk Hall with a school-record 136 wins, four district titles, and four region titles.

But there is one milestone missing: a state title.

Ward (31-3) came one step closer to reaching that final milestone, beating Point Pleasant Boro's Ryan Budzek, 7-4, to advance to the quarterfinals for the 126-pound weight class. It's the fourth time that he has reached the state quarterfinals.

"It's the big show, the last one," Ward said. "The biggest thing you can do is win it. That's what I'm trying for."

Ward will wrestle North Bergen's Anthony Giraldo (37-2) in Saturday's quarterfinals.

Camden Catholic's T.J. Miller, another four-time region champion, also advanced to the quarterfinals. Miller (38-2) pinned Hackensack's Amir George in just 22 seconds at 145 pounds.

The victory was No. 156 for Miller, setting a South Jersey record for career wins. It also put Miller one step closer to a second state championship.

"It's not always about the milestones for me," Miller said. "I take things year by year, and I did win my sophomore year and it would be nice to get another one, but right now I'm focused on being the best in this tournament."

Miller will face Howell's Ashanti Maurice (35-8) in the quarterfinals.

Sam Morina from Paulsboro also advanced. Wrestling at 126, Morina (34-7) defeated Marcus Iwama of Rumson-Fair Haven, 7-4, in the preliminary round. He then pinned Saddle Brook/Glenn Rock's Mike Andreano in three minutes in the pre-quarterfinals. Miller will face top-seeded David McFadden (38-1) of DePaul Catholic next.

Delsea's John Hennelly also had to win two bouts to advance to the quarterfinals. In the preliminaries, Hennelly (36-5) won a 6-3 decision over Long Branch's Jacob George, before beating West Essex's Carlo Zazzaro, 7-4, at 152.

Also advancing at 152 was Camden Catholic's Chad Walsh, who beat Bergen Catholic's Joe Grello, 1-0, in the pre-quarterfinals. Walsh (38-1) and Hennelly will square off in the quarterfinals.

Delsea's Dylan Dobzanski kept his undefeated record intact, winning by a 14-4 major decision over Roselle Park's Phil Woods at 170. Dobzanski (38-0) will wrestle Don Bosco's Luke Farinaro (34-5) next.

First-round wrestlebacks will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday. Quarterfinals and second-round wrestlebacks will be at noon, and third-round wrestlebacks will start at 5 p.m. Semifinals and fourth-round wrestlebacks are set for 7.

The Results

FIRST ROUND

106: Dean Caravela, Caldwell, dec. Eric Pruszinski, Lower Cape May, 7-1; Ferdinand Mase, Eastern, dec. Anthony Cruz, Passaic Valley, 5-4; Patrick D'Arcy, Holy Spirit, dec. Adam La Bracio, Hillsborough, 4-0; Louis Arensberg, Audubon, bye; Zack Firestone, Clearview, bye.

113: Daniel Hedden, South Plainfield, dec. Zach Hicks, Lower Cape May, 7-2; Matthew Noble, Bridgewater-Raritan, pin Jodeci Robinson, Clayton/Glassboro, 5:07; Jake Forsman, Eastern, bye; Bryan Damon, Jefferson Township, maj. dec. Tyler McBride, Camden Catholic, 12-2; John Amato, Timber Creek, bye; AJ Vindici, Randolph, dec. Kyle Davis, Burlington City, 4-2.

120: Salvatore Profaci, Monroe, pin John Gentile, Paulsboro, 1:02; Alex Baider, Cherokee, bye; Ryan Pomrinca, North Hunterdon, dec. Tyler Kaminski, West Deptford, 1-0; Tom Gattinella, St. Augustine Prep, bye; Jon Mele, Governor Livingston, maj. dec. Michael Lenihan, Bishop Eustace, 9-0; Christian Innarella, Delbarton, dec. Marcus Miraglia, Delran, 7-2.

126: Mark McCormick, Camden Catholic, bye; Sam Morina, Paulsboro, dec. Marcus Iwama, Rumson Fair Haven, 7-4; Anthony Racobaldo, Williamstown, pin Mohamed Farhan, Clifton, 1:55; Joseph Kratochvil, Warren Hills, dec. D.J. Mele, Cherokee, 5-3; Billy Ward, Buena, bye.

132: Matthew Joskowitz, Cliffside Park, dec. Jarred Hodges, St. Augustine Prep, 3-2 (ultimate tiebreaker); Justin McTamney, Bordentown, bye; Jake Legotte, Roxbury, dec. Shawn Bryant, Egg Harbor Township, 5-3; Kyle Wojtaszek, Brick Township, dec. Connor Muli, Shawnee, 10-5; Nick Anderson, Delbarton, dec. Joseph Lemerise, Cherokee, 7-2; Ronald Gentile, Paulsboro, bye.

138: Max Elling, Phillipsburg, pin Rian Lamanteer, Delsea, 1:46; Humberto Argueta, Perth Amboy, maj. dec. Brandyn Bush, Seneca, 8-0; Juan Rivera, Paulsboro, dec. Brennan Humphrey, Shawnee, 4-2 (sudden victory); Brandon Keller, Timber Creek, bye; Sean Pryzbylkowski, New Egypt, bye.

145: Nick Romyns, Kittatinny, dec. Mike McCutcheon, Haddon Township, 6-2; John Vanbrill, Clearview, bye; T.J. Miller, Camden Catholic, bye.

152: Patrick VanDuyne, West Milford, pin Brock Worrell, Eastern, 1:01; Dom Ruggierrio, Timber Creek, bye; Wayne Stinson, Northern Burlington, pin Anthony Bassolino, Hanover Park, 1:35; Chad Walsh, Camden Catholic, bye; John Hennelly, Delsea, dec. Jacob George, Long Branch, 6-3; Edward Lenkowski, Clearview, dec. Brad Krosser, Livingston, 7-5.

160: Cesar Balmaceda, Atlantic City, pin Kenny Long, Holy Cross, 3:22; Mike Campbell, Collingswood, dec. Sean Roesing, Secaucus, 5-4; Bryce Shade, Timber Creek, dec. Jake Kocsis, Phillipsburg, 9-8; Connor Donahue, Clearview, bye; Sonnieboy Blanco, Burlington City, bye.

170: Jadaen Bernstein, Voorhees, bye; Luke Fernandez, Lacey, maj. dec. Rahmil Davis, Northern Burlington, 13-4; Dylan Dobzanski, Delsea, bye; Luke Farinaro, Don Bosco, dec. Nick Dell-Priscoli, Cinnaminson, 10-3; Brandon Simon, J.F. Kennedy, dec. Tyler Sentman, St. Augustine Prep, 10-3; Austin Wetterau, Shawnee, bye; Nick Elmer, Penns Grove, dec. David Fenton, Hunterdon Central, 6-5.

182: Phillip Azzari, Haddon Heights, bye; Nicholas Costa, Brick Memorial, maj. dec. Victor Defrance, Delsea, 12-0; Glenn Cross, Matawan, dec. Billy Leone, Kingsway, 8-6 (sudden victory); Michael Silano, St. Joseph (Montvale), pin Matt Correnti, Holy Cross, 3:20; David Williams, Hammonton, bye; Brad Schwarze, New Egypt, dec. Zach Hunko, Saddle Brook/Glen Rock, 7-0.

195: Ed Shockley, Millville, pin Mauro Altamura, Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge, 0:56; Tyreek Smith, Moorestown, dec. Erik DeJonge, Old Bridge, 3-2; Cory Damiana, Lower Cape May, dec. Jake Regina, Rutherford, 5-4; Rory Bonner, West Deptford, bye; Brian Keyser, Shawnee, bye.

220: Bryan Dobzanski, Delsea, bye; Mauro Correnti, Holy Cross, bye; Nigel Toussaint, Egg Harbor Township, dec. Lloyd Terry, Northern Burlington, 3-2; Obie Kali, Millville, dec. Evan Wayns, Shawnee, 7-6 (tiebreaker).

285: Roy Lucas, St. Joseph, bye; Andrew Stevens, Camden, dec. Amiran Odzelashvili, Spotswood, 5-1; Jeff Miller, Camden Catholic, dec. Marvin Hayden, Toms River South, 2-1 (tiebreaker); Alex Thompson, Haddon Heights, bye; Nicholas LaShell, Hanover Park, dec. Ray Ellis, Holy Spirit, 7-3; Rodney Cenat, Columbia, dec. Cody Dooley, Pennsville, 5-2.

PRE-QUARTERFINALS

106: Patrick D'Arcy, Holy Spirit, dec. Ferdinand Mase, Eastern, 3-1; Owen McClave, Toms River South, dec. Louis Arensberg, Audubon, 7-3; Stephen Caserta, Roxbury, dec. Zack Firestone, Clearview, 6-2.

113: Jean DuBois, Clifton, pin Jake Forsman, Eastern, 0:38; Michael Russo, St. Peter's Prep, dec. John Amato, Timber Creek, 3-1.

120: Alex Baider, Cherokee, dec. Tyler Hrycak, Wayne Valey, 5-3 (sudden victory); Jon Mele, Governor Livingston, maj. dec. Tom Gattinella, St. Augustine Prep, 15-6.

126: David McFadden, DePaul Catholic, pin Mark McCormick, Camden Catholic, 5:16; Sam Morina, Paulsboro, pin Mike Andreano, Saddle Brook/Glen Rock, 3:00; Mike Pongracz, Delaware Valley, dec. Anthony Racobaldo, Williamstown, 4-3; Billy Ward, Buena, dec. Ryan Budzek, Pt. Pleasant Boro, 7-4.

132: Justin McTamney, Bordentown, pin Jake Legotte, Roxbury, 3:25; Ronald Gentile, Paulsboor, dec. Nick Anderson, Delbarton, 6-3.

138: Richard Lewis, Toms River East, tech. fall Juan Rivera, Paulsboro, 18-3; Brandon Keller, Timber Creek, dec. Alec Donovan, Brick Memorial, 3-2; Brian Hamann, Jackson Memorial, pin Sean Pryzbylkowski, New Egypt, 4:09.

145: John Vanbrill, Clearview, dec. Manny Dominguez, North Bergen, 7-1; T.J. Miller, Camden Catholic, pin Amir George, Hackensack, 0:22.

152: Colin Barber, Westfield, dec. Dom Ruggierrio, Timber Creek, 4-2; Wayne Stinson, Northern Burlington, pin Christopher Serpico, Southern Regional, 3:22; Chad Walsh, Camden Catholic, dec. Joe Grello, Bergen Catholic, 6-1; John Hennelly, Delsea, dec. Carlo Zazzara, West Essex, 7-4; Dylan Painton, South Plainfield, dec. Edward Lenkowski, Clearview, 7-1.

160: Jonathan Schleifer, East Brunswick, maj. dec. Cesar Balmaceda, Atlantic City, 21-7; Dan Wojtaszek, Brick Township, maj. dec. Mike Campbell, Collingswood, 12-3; Kevin Mulligan, Bergen Catholic, dec. Bryce Shade, Timber Creek, 4-2; Sonnieboy Blanco, Burlington City, dec. Connor Donahue, Clearview, 4-3.

170: Jadaen Bernstein, Voorhees, maj. dec. Luke Fernandez, Lacey, 12-3; Dylan Dobzanski, Delsea, maj. dec. Phil Woods, Roselle Park, 14-4; Austin Wetterau, Shawnee, dec. Kieran Gerrity, Kittatinny, 3-1; Joey Balboni, Brearley/Dayton, maj. dec. Nick Elmer, Penns Grove, 13-4.

182: Phillip Azzari, Haddon Heights, dec. Nicholas Costa, Brick Memorial, 3-1; Nicholas Zak, Jackson Liberty, dec. Matt Correnti, Holy Cross, 8-4; David Williams, Hammonton, dec. Isaiah Soto, Bound Brook, 11-4; Brian Bulger, Westfield, dec. Brad Schwarze, New Egypt, 4-3.

195: Tyreek Smith, Moorestown, dec. Cory Damiana, Lower Cape May, 6-5; Rory Bonner, West Deptford, pin Stephen Arthur III, Roxbury, 3:21; Dominic Carfagno, St. Joseph (Montvale), dec. Brian Keyser, Shawnee, 14-9; Ed Shockley, Millville, dec. Michael Oxley, Christian Brothers Academy, 2-0.

220: Bryan Dobzanski, Delsea, pin Jeff Weiss, Cranford, 2:13; Mauro Correnti, Holy Cross, pin John Seidle, Neptune, 1:52; Nigel Toussaint, Egg Harbor Township, dec. Pete Andrich, Mount Olive, 5-2; Ralph Normandia, Franklin, maj. dec. Evan Wayns, Shawnee, 12-4.

285: Jose Palomino, St. Peter's Prep, def. Roy Lucas, St. Joseph, forfeit; Kevin Wilkins, St. Joseph (Montvale), dec. Andrew Stevens, Camden, 4-2; Jeff Miller, Camden Catholic, dec. Thomas Tehan, Monroe, 3-1; Alex Thompson, Haddon Heights, dec. Nicholas LaShell, Hanover Park, 3-0.