Frank Greco and Joe Festa lived to wrestle another week on Saturday at the annual Region 4 Championships at West Orange High School. Both took third place in their respective weight classes and will move on to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City this weekend for the state championships.
Festa (220) outlasted Carlos Rosa from Nutley High School, 4-3, through four overtime periods, earning a sudden victory by escaping in the final period. Festa defeated second-seeded Emmanuel Soriano in the second round of wrestle-backs, earning a third-round pin, after losing to Armond Cox in the semifinals.
Greco (182) pinned Jordan Nochimsom in the third-place final, getting the fall in 2:49, after advancing past Rutherford's David Choi with a 1-0 decision in the second round of wrestle-backs. Greco lost in the semifinals, 13-6, to Bryan Loughlin of Becton Wallington.
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Joe Cordasco reached the 160-lb. semifinals for the Hillbillies, but ran into top seeded James Dugan and was pinned in 1:01. He fell in the third place bout to James Kellner, 2-1.
Moving on to AC
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Joe Festa: Third place 220 lbs.
Frank Greco: Third place 182 lbs.
Finals
106: Michael Russo (SPP) def. Jean DuBois (Clif), 4-1.
113: Luis Gonzalez (NB) def. Marc Mastropietro (HH), 15-3.
120: Anthony Giraldo (NB) def. Robert Trombetta (Nut), 5-3.
126: Justin Colon (Bell) def. Anthony DePasque (Clif), pin 3:47
132: Katon Washington (Mont) def. Jason Estevez (Liv), 5-1.
138: John Boyle (Ruth) def. Desalegne Fried (WO), 6-4.
145: Alexander Richardson (SPP) def. Michael Paskas (Ruth), 7-6.
152: Pelal Deeb (PT) def. Francisco Colom (SPP), 3-2.
160: James Dugan (Bect) def. Brandon Keena (Nut), 12-3.
170: Anthony Pafumi (SPP) def. Nathan Bueno (Bect), 7-4.
182:Bryan Loughlin (Bect) def. Donte Bellamy (Mont), 3-1.
195:Eric McMullen (NB) def. Nick Gaeta (Nut), 12-4.
220: Armond Cox (SPP) def. Anthony Angelone (WO), 18-9.
HVY: Dominic Valeriani (WE) def. Andre Hamlin (Nut), 3-0.