Rob Sherrill’s HS Notes: Ashnault makes history
The following is the March 15, 2013 installment of Rob Sherrill’s High School Notebook.
Ashnault makes New Jersey history
The curtain came down on the 2012-13 high school wrestling season March 10 noon with Anthony Ashnault of South Plainfield accomplishing a first in the state of New Jersey.
With a 4-2 victory over Gary Dinmore of Fleming Hunterdon Central in the 138-pound final, Ashnault joined Andrew Campolattano of Bound Brook (2008-11) and Mike Grey of Morristown Delbarton (2003-06) as four-time state champions … and became the first unbeaten four-time champion.
Voted the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler, Ashnault finished his career 170-0, including a 40-0 record this season.
Scott Winston of Jackson Memorial finished unbeaten in 101 career matches from 2005-08, but won only three championships because of a season-ending injury late in his freshman season.
Ashnault’s double-leg takedown with nine seconds remaining in the match broke a 2-2 tie. Dinmore (36-1), who rode Ashnault out in the second period and tied the match with a third-period escape, had not lost since Ashnault beat him 5-2 in last season’s final at 126.
Ashnault’s South Plainfield teammate, Scott DelVecchio (132), won his second title. The seniors were among nine unbeaten champions. Ramsey Don Bosco Preparatory matched South Plainfield with four finalists and two champions, including senior two-time champion Razohnn Gross (195). Oradell Bergen Catholic also had two champions, unbeaten freshman Nick Suriano (106) and junior two-time champion Johnny Sebastian (182).
Also finishing unbeaten: juniors Dillon Artigliere (160) of Succasunna Roxbury and Bryan Dobzanski (220) of Franklinville Delsea and seniors B.J. Clagon (145) of Toms River South, a two-time champion, Ethan Ramos (170) of Hawthorne and Alex Thompson of Haddon Heights (285).
Marsteller, Racciato earn OWs in Pennsylvania
The nation’s top junior, Chance Marsteller of Fawn Grove Kennard-Dale, rolled for the third straight year in the elite Class AAA state tournament in Pennsylvania.
That three-year title run now includes back-to-back 160-pound championships and back-to-back Outstanding Wrestler awards for Marsteller (40-0). He made it look easy with a first-period pin, a technical fall and major decisions over two ranked opponents, 15-3 over Zack Zavatsky of Greater Latrobe, who finished third, in the semifinals and 17-5 over Garrett Peppelman of Harrisburg Central Dauphin in the final.
Canonsburg Canon-McMillan rolled to its second straight AAA double title, 99-75 over Central Dauphin, which finished second in both tournaments. Each team had five placewinners, but the Big Mac got titles from two-time state champion Connor Schram (126), Solomon Chishko (145) and three-time champion Cody Wiercioch (170), advancing four to the finals.
The AAA tournament featured 27 wrestlers ranked by WIN, and they advanced according to form most of the tournament. But there were some upsets in the finals.
The first took place at 138, where junior Joe Galasso of Philadelphia Father Judge put together an Outstanding Wrestler caliber run of his own. In consecutive matches, Galasso scored victories of 5-2 over previously-unbeaten John Dutrow of Newtown Council Rock North, in the quarterfinals, 3-2 over Josh Maruca of Murrysville Franklin Regional in the semifinals and 3-1 in the overtime tie-breaker over Tyson Dippery of Central Dauphin in the title match.
At 152, Garett Hammond of Chambersburg won his second title by beating T.C. Warner of Mechanicsburg Cumberland Valley 8-5, reversing a South Central region final loss. Juniors Ethan Lizak (113) of Allentown Parkland and Thomas Haines (220) of Quarryville Solanco won their second titles.
Bethlehem Catholic matched Canon-McMillan by repeating as Class AA double champion, 86.5-64 over Benton. Darian Cruz (120) won his second title to lead three finalists and six place-winners.
Three-time state champion Mike Racciato (145) of Pen Argyl was voted the Outstanding Wrestler after recording a major decision, a win by injury default and two decisions. He finished 44-0.
Ryan Diehl (126) of Camp Hill Trinity became the state’s 11th four-time champion, opening and closing with pins and adding decisions of 9-2 and 9-3. Diehl (41-3) needed just 46 seconds in his final-match pin over Zeke Moisey of Bethlehem Catholic. Diehl won a pair of West Virginia titles as a freshman and sophomore.
Another dramatic final pin came in a 106-pound match between two ranked opponents. Devin Brown of Saegertown pinned Luke Karam of Bethlehem Catholic 12 seconds into overtime as ranked wrestlers.
Junior Jason Nolf of Kittanning (135) and seniors Zain Retherford (138) of Benton and Ryan Solomon (195) of Milton all capped unbeaten seasons to win their second titles.
• Rob Sherrill can be reached at illinoisbestweekly@yahoo.com.
