Bloomfield Senior Repeats as District Champ

Bloomfield High senior Joe Finkler, who won the District 14 title at 171 pounds last season, won the 189-pound championship this year.

The victory was a real tribute to Finkler's commitment. He tore the meniscus of his left knee and missed the last six games of the football season, then suffered a concussion about a week before the district tournament.

Because of his injuries, Finkler's season was truncated. He came into the tournament with an 8-1 record, beat Belleville junior Daniel Giangrand 11-4 in the semifinals, then beat top-seeded Donte Bellamy of Montclair, 4-3, for the championship. Bellamy, a junior, is 32-6.

Finkler, 10-1, who placed third at the Essex County Tournament Jan. 28, avenged his only loss of the season - to Bellamy in the county semifinals.

"I just wrestled my style instead of wrestling his style,'' said Finkler, who now advances to the Region IV Tournament at West Orange High School Friday night.

Since he is a district champ, Finkler has a bye into the quarterfinals.

Bloomfield senior 112 pounder Chris Rosetti and junior 145-pounder Ian Chauncey placed second. Junior 119 pounder Michael John Costantino, sophomore 135 pounder Nate Garcia and senior 152 pounder Cavan Penberthy took third. Those six wrestlers will compete tonight against runners-up and third-place finishers from Districts 13, 15 and 16. The winners of those bouts advance to Friday night when they will face district champs.

Finkler, who played tight end, fullback and defensive end for the Bengals' football team, also placed third in the district at 171 as a sophomore.

Finkler scored first Saturday, registering a takedown off a fireman's carry. Finkler cut Bellamy with about 25 seconds left in the first period, making the score 2-1. Bellamy had choice and took bottom. Finkler rode Bellamy for awhile before letting him to tie the score at two. Finkler then scored another takedown on a fireman's carry for a 4-2 lead at the end of the second period. Finkler had been warned for stalling, so he cut Bellmany one more time and the bout was 4-3.

Finkler got in on Bellamy for a possible fireman's in the third, but Bellamy countered. Bellamy also tried a front headlock, and attempted shooting in on Finkler, but the Bengal countered as well to win his second district crown.

"He's tall and lanky and he likes to head snap and stuff like that, and he likes to score off bad shots,'' said Finkler. "I just stayed in a good stance and shot when I thought it was a good time.''

Finkler will need a top-three finish in the region to qualify for the states at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City the weekend of March 4-6.

St. Peter Prep senior James Fox and Verona senior Colin Farawell figure to have the top two seeds in the region. Finkler has some knowledge of both. He was a drilling partner with Fox at Apex Wrestling School in Teterboro and wrestled Farawell back in recreation competition.

Bloomfield placed fifth in the district team standings.