A quick history lesson: A long, long time ago, Jefferson was the No. 1 wrestling team in the country (1992-93) and the Falcons ran over all opposition and won the Morris County Tournament. The Falcons, who won seven straight years from 1990-96, had never finished higher than fourth.
Then, it was Randolph’s turn to run the tournament. The Rams, who were second for six straight years behind Jefferson (from 1991-96), won it six straight years (from 1997-2002).
Impressed? Then along came Delbarton, which took control of the MCT and made it their own, winning it for 15 straight years (2009-2024). The Green Wave have gotten so overpowering that they didn’t compete in the MCT last year (for the time since its inception in 1986) and this year, Delbarton has opted out of the NJAC entirely.
And that leads us to defending team champion Mount Olive, which is a huge, huge favorite to repeat. The Marauders rolled up 285 points last year (three champions, five runnerups, two thirds) and won the team title over runnerup Hanover Park (205 points).
The finals was almost a dual meet for Coach Sean Smyth’s club and it looks like this year’s finals will have a distinct Black, Red, and Gold feel to it. Mount Olive has wrestled a demanding schedule (Robin Leff, Mustang Classic at Brick Memorial, Escape The Rock in Pa.) and that comes in handy here.
The real fight will be for second place in the team race between West Morris and Hanover Park.
Something interesting has happened on the wrestling beat over time. Years ago, there were many head-to-head battles at each weight leading up to the MCT and I had something to go by when picking the winners.
Nowadays, many teams have chosen to up the ante and have gone out of the area to find better competition. Iron sharpens iron is definitely true in wrestling – but it makes it tougher to pick winners if you’re Morris County’s wrestling writer since 1991.
Returning champions (last year’s weight in parenthesis): Logan Forgatch, Parsippany Hills (106), Brody Neill, West Morris (120), Anthony Piemonte, Mount Olive (126), Mario Fornini, Parsippany Hills (138), Justin Bullock, Mount Olive (150), Luke Shivas, Morris Knolls (165), Nico Gonzalez, Mount Olive (215), Tommy Borgia, West Morris (285).
Best weight: Two of them stick out in my mind. At 215, Mount Olive’s Nico Gonzalez leads a strong group that also includes West Morris’ Deacon Frayne, Mendham’s Ralph Langone, Kinnelon’s Wyatt Sisco, Montville’s Alex Husti and Hanover Park’s Aeden Hamilton.
At 150, Mount Olive’s Colin Smyth, Boonton’s Phoenix LaCorte, Kinnelon’s Roman Ritacco, Pequannock’s Gavin Wisz, Madison’s Joshua Ortiz, and Montville’s Michael Frank are all solid. Talk about a strong weight class! Some solid wrestlers will not get out of the quarters. Both semifinals should come down to the wire.
Here are the weight by weight picks:
106-Hanover Park’s Alex Spagnuolo won his first three matches at the Beast of the East before finishing 3-2. He is the man to beat at this weight.
113-Par Hills’ returning champion Logan Forgatch was 4-1 at the season-opening Robin Leff Tournament at Southern and was 5-2 at the Beast of the East. Forgatch also tecked Montville’s talented Luke Manieri and is destined to finish on the podium at Boardwalk Hall.
120-Like Spagnuolo, Mount Olive’s Cole Rebels is an impact freshman who can make a long run in Atlantic City. He should get it done here. Jefferson’s Frank Figel is a returning state qualifier and one to watch.
126-Mount Olive’s Kristian Beres, third at 106 last year, went 3-1 at both the Robin Leff and Mustang Classic against top-flight competition. He could end up tangling with Madison standout David DeFilippis.
132-There could be a battle royale brewing with Hanover Park’s Nick DiFrancescantonio and Mount Olive’s Anthony Piemonte. Piemonte beat DiFrancescantonio in the finals at 126 last year, 4-3, but DiFran gets a measure of revenge here. Piemonte has been injured and that’ll come back to bite him here.
138-West Morris’ Brody Neill won it last year at 120 and will come away with another. Boonton’s Isa Kupa and Pequannock’s Brandon Danyo are other contenders.
144-Montville’s Alex Rodriguez has been 144 all year but dropped to 138 and lost in OT to Neill. If ARod stays at 144, an MCT crown is his to lose.
150-Pequannock’s Gavin Wisz, Boonton’s Phoenix LaCorte, Kinnelon’s Roman Ritacco, Madison’s Joshua Ortiz, and Montville’s Michael Frank are all solid, but Mount Olive’s Colin Smyth is down from 157 and is the pick in what will be a very competitive weight that any of these can win.
157-Hanover Park’s Joe Monticello took second at the Beast of the East and is the pick here in what could be a terrific final with Roxbury’s Charlie Bacinsky, who is down from 165. Look out for Mount Olive’s Scott Coppolo and Mountain Lake’s Nick Drake here.
165-Bacinsky and Mount Olive’s Justin Bullock battled into OT in the 150-pound MCT finals last year with Bullock coming out on top. The Marauders gym would have been rocking again if they met in the finals, but it looks like Bacinsky is down to 157. Keep an eye out for Kinnelon’s Leo Dimitrakiou. Par Hills’ Anthony Caponegro would have been one to watch but is out. Two wrestlers from smaller schools who could make things interesting are Mountain Lakes’ Nick Drake and Whippany Park’s Gabe Saliani.
175-Morris Knolls’ Luke Shivas won it at 165 last year by beating Mount Olive’s Coppolo. This time, he’ll beat Mount Olive’s Stephen Hayek or Roxbury’s Nolan Monaghan in the finals.
190-Morris Hills’ Frank DiMarzio was fourth at 175 last year and pinned Passaic Valley’s returning state qualifier Richie Breitweiser last week. Look for Pequannock’s Dylan Roemmele, Whippany Park’s Sean Dill, and Randolph’s Andrew Zeidman to make a run here. West Morris’ Chris Kowalik would have been in the thick of things were it not for injury.
215-Mount Olive’s Nico Gonzalez has emerged as one of the best at this weight in all of New Jersey and is a big favorite in what is a very good weight with West Morris’ Deacon Frayne, Kinnelon’s Wyatt Sisco, Mendham’s Ralph Langone, and Hanover Park’s Aeden Hamilton. And now Montville’s Alex Husti has come down to this weight, making it even stronger.
285-West Morris’ Tommy Borgia, another state contender, has a 13-1 major over the next best at this weight, Mount Olive’s Jared Martini.
