Three Bucs crowned champs at district tourney

            When it’s time to celebrate after a big victory, Belleville junior wrestler Joe Anello has an odd request from the dinner menu. He likes to eat peanut butter – by the spoonful, right out of the jar.

            Tonight’s menu? Definitely peanut butter. And lots of it.

            “A big jar tonight,” Anello smiled. “It’s a celebration.”

            Anello will celebrate after winning his second consecutive District 14 championship on Saturday afternoon at Livingston High School. The Bucs’ standout topped Nutley’s Brandon Keena, 9-7, in the championship match at 152 pounds and also took home the Most Outstanding Wrestler trophy.

            “He rose up and wrestled well,” said Belleville coach Joe Nisivoccia. “He was hungry, and he is peaking at the right time. I was very happy he was focused and he was aggressive. He didn’t stop.”

            Though the returning district champion, Anello (32-9) has battled his way through an up-and-down season this year and was seeded third for this year’s district tourney. He had lost to both wrestlers seeded ahead of him – second-seeded Cavan Penberthy of Bloomfield and top-seeded Keena of Nutley – earlier this season.

            That only seemed to make him more determined to keep his crown.           

            “Every time I lost, I wanted revenge,” he said. “I wanted revenge. I was on a mission, and my mission was to beat them. It was awesome to win it last year, and I wanted to win it again. This year, it really meant something.

            “I was nervous coming into today,” added Anello. “I knew I could win it, and if I didn’t it would be a disappointment.”

            Keena pinned Anello in overtime in the quarterfinal round of the Essex County Tournament last month, and Anello trailed Keena, 2-1, after the first period of their championship match on Saturday. Keena then led 4-1 before Anello scored two points with a crucial reversal in the final seconds of the second period.

            “Even when I’m losing, I wait for someone’s mistake,” said Anello, agreeing that the two points helped shift some momentum his way. “I saw the opening and I took it. I wasn’t going to walk off the mat losing.”

            Anello scored another reversal early in the third period to take a 5-4 lead, his first advantage of the match. He was awarded another point on a technical violation and then received two points when Keena briefly rolled onto his shoulders. The Nutley side argued against the awarding of those points, claiming Keena had initiated the move and that the referee began his count too quickly.

            An escape and a takedown by Keena cut the score to 8-7, but Anello hung on over the final 20 seconds to repeat as champion.

            In the semifinals, Anello scored an 8-7 victory over Penberthy.

            “I came in as the district champion, but I came in as the third seed and wanted revenge,” said Anello. “I liked that. You are hungrier when you’re climbing the hill. When you’re on the top, the food is already there.”

            Anello was one of three Bucs to win district crowns and one of six Bucs to reach the finals.

            Sophomore Rocco Genova (32-9) was crowned the district champion at 103 pounds. He defeated Nutley’s Stephen Scuttaro, 7-5, in the championship round.

            Junior Justin Colon (39-1) topped Livingston’s Keith Arlotta, 6-0, in the 119-pound title match. Colon won the 103-pound district title as a freshman, but finished third at 112 pounds a year ago.

            Junior Sean Carey (25-11) was the runner-up at 135 pounds, senior Mark Corino (26-13) placed second at 160 pounds and senior Joe Davis (25-13) took home silver at 285 pounds. Davis lost his finals match to East Side’s Christian Delgado, 1-0. The Bucs grappler nearly tied the match as the final buzzer sounded.

            Senior Michael Laboy (14-12) finished third at 171 pounds, and will also advance to Region 4 tournament, which begins Tuesday.

            The Bucs finished second in the team standings with 163 points. Livingston won the team title with 180 points.

            “I was very pleased with the way my team performed,” said Nisivoccia. “They seemed hungry.”

            Anello certainly was – for victory, and for peanut butter.