Mount Olive’s 215-pound Nico Gonzalez was very good last year. How good? How does fourth in the state sound?
This year, he has taken it to the next level – and he has taken the MCT champion Marauders with him.
Gonzales repeated as a county tournament champion. He dominated his weight class, beating Dover’s Christopher Caamano in the first round with a 52-second pin, decking Morris Knolls’ Lucas Nagua in 1:14, winning by technical fall in the semifinals over Hanover Park’s Aeden Hamilton (17-1, 1:04), and then tecking West Morris’ Deacon Frayne (19-3, 1:22).
Gonzalez was one of five MCT champions for Mount Olive, which rolled up 279 points to outdistance West Morris (213 ½), Hanover Park (181 ½), Morris Hills (150), Morris Knolls (115 ½) and Montville (115).
Gonzalez won his weight easily because he made adjustments from last year.
“The county this year was pretty deep at my weight,” he said. “I made some improvements. My performance was much better this year. A lot of it was mental, going out and not being afraid to score points. Training over the summer, I worked on little things that I was lacking last year. That helped me during counties. I had a better mentality and I corrected the little things I had to fix and that carried my performance.”
“Nico puts in 100 percent,” Mount Olive coach Sean Smyth said. “His goal is to be a state champion. He is ready to go. This is a small step before he tries to achieve the ultimate goal of hopefully winning it all.”
Gonzalez is a strong contender for a state crown this year. He recently beat St. Paul VI Catholic High School’s two-time Beast of the East champion Cash Colbert at the Escape the Rock Tournament. Gonzales took second.
“I was nervous but I used the nervous energy and that made me at my best,” he said. “That gave me the energy to take kids into deeper waters. That became my advantage. They had a good gas tank but no one could outlast me.”
Next up for Gonzalez: districts, regions and Boardwalk Hall in the coming weeks.
“One day at a time, I’m still processing it,” he said, referring to his high placing at Escape the Rock. “I had hoped to place at Escape the Rock but didn’t know if I’d get second. I’m not surprised but I still cannot believe it. It gave me a sense of where I’m at and how much more I can improve until states. I have hopes of winning a state title.
“I didn’t have the confidence I have now.”
Part of that confidence came from winning another MCT crown.
“Mount Olive does not have a lot of two-time county champs,” Gonzalez said. “Winning one is cool. But winning another is special. Humbly speaking, that puts me on the map a little bit.”
Marauders 150-pounder Colin Smyth, meanwhile, dropped the necessary weight to pin his way through and win his weight.
Smyth decked Montville’s Michael Frank in the finals in 2:57, after pinning Madison’s Joshua Ortiz in the semis (5:19), Pequannock’s Gavin Wisz in the quarters (4:19), and Dover’s Alex Roman in the first round (1:26). Smyth was imposing in the top position.
“Colin was the No. 4 seed and it was a very balanced weight class,” Sean Smyth said. “We thought he took it to the next step and he pinned his way through the tournament and dominated. We are very proud of him.”
“It was tough competition, but after each win, I felt more confident in myself,” Smyth said. “I knew by the finals I would dominate. When I got my arm raised, it felt really nice. Even if I lose, I know what to improve on. When I win I know I have improved. But I still need work.
“It’s pretty hard to cut the weight. Looking at food and not eating it is very tough.”
Gonzalez and Smyth were two of the many Marauders who piled up points for Mount Olive.
“We had a lot of highlights,” Sean Smyth said. “They happened because of hard work. We had a demanding schedule to prepare them for the county tournament and the districts, regions, and state tournament. We have a lot of goals ahead and now the next one is team states. This was a great way to prepare the kids.”
Cole Rebels (120) won by injury default in the finals against Jefferson’s Frank Figel. Rebels pinned Kinnelon’s Steven Malfitano in 1:54 in the semifinals and decked Butler’s Brandon Trujillo in the quarters in 1:50.
“Cole Rebels … you’ll see some big things down the line from him,” Smyth said. “He is very accomplished and ready to go. The goal for him is to be on the podium (at the state tournament Atlantic City). We built a commanding schedule for him and the whole team with that in mind.”
At the next weight, Mount Olive’s 126-pound Kristian Beres beat Madison’s previously undefeated David DeFilippis in the finals, 9-3. Beres had beaten Morris Knolls’ Vincent DeSomma, 3-1, and he had defeated Morris Hills’ Andrew Gonzalez Carela by technical fall (15-0, 1:48)
“Kristian’s brother (Brandon) came through the program and set the benchmark high,” Smyth said. “Kristian grinded out a great weight. We are super proud of him and he puts a lot of time and effort into it and he reaped the results.”
Justin Bullock (165) repeated as an MCT champion when he majored Morristown’s Evan Curnow, 18-7. Bullock had three straight pins leading up to the final, flattening Mountain Lakes’ Nick Drake in the semis in 1:39, Pequannock’s Matthew Dolan in 1:06, and Boonton’s Zahier Carter in the first round (59 seconds).
“Justin looked very dominant and did what he needed to do,” Smyth said. “He was very slick on the mat. He is such a great athlete, a very good football and baseball player and a tremendous wrestler.”
Mount Olive’s impressive victory came as the result of its tremendous depth.
Other high finishers included 144-pound Thomas McDonald and 285-pounder Jared Martini (second place),113-pound Jack Bacigalupo and 157-pound Scott Coppolo (third), 175-pound Stephen Hayek (fourth) and 106-pound Jack Rawa (sixth).
“Completely a team effort,” Smyth said. “We had a lot of placers. The depth is really nice. Our Rec program does an amazing job. We do it with kids from Mount Olive. We are proud of the fact that the kids buy in at a young age and then want to wrestle for their home school.”
