McCormick, Walsh, T.J. Miller Win Region 7 Titles

Camden Catholic’s Mark McCormick roared out of the No. 4 seed at 126 pounds, scoring a 4-2 overtime decision over Cherokee’s DJ Mele, the top seed, before beating Hamilton West’s Nick Cecala, 2-1, to claim the Region 7 championship at Robbinsville Saturday.

McCormick was one of three Irish champions in the region, along with T.J. Miller and Chad Walsh, and two other Catholic wrestlers moved on to states by finishing in the top three.

Miller, the top seed at 145 pounds, scored the title with a 5-1 win over Trenton Central’s Maaziah Bethea, and Walsh won the 152-pound championship by beating Wayne Stinson, of Northern Burlington, 4-2.

The Irish got two more through to Atlantic City in Jeff Miller and Tyler McBride. McBride was upset in the semis at 113 pounds, then came back to pin Steinert’s Josh Magee and Audubon’s Bill Henry to claim third in the region and move on to states.

Jeff Miller pinned his way through the heavyweight semis, but fell to to Haddon Heights’ Alex Thompson in the championship.

Here’s how all the other locals fared Saturday:

• 106: Cherry Hill West’s Nick Mohrfeld dropped a 4-0 decision to Cinnaminson’s Jeremy Bowen, knocking him out of the tournament in the wrestleback round.
• 113: Camden Catholic’s Tyler McBride was upset in the semis, then came back to pin Steinert’s Josh Magee and Audubon’s Bill Henry to claim third in the region and move on to states.
• 132: Alex Smyth, of Camden Catholic, won his morning wrestleback match, then lost to Aaron Lambert of Burlington Township in the second-round wrestleback.
• 145: Cherry Hill East’s Patrick Swenson beat Allentown’s Justin Miller in the first wrestleback, 4-2, but lost to Haddon Township’s Mike McCutcheon in the second round.
• 160: West’s Mike Marini saw his season end with a 5-2 loss to Audubon’s Devin McMonagle in the wrestleback round.
• 182: East’s Daishi Goto was edged out of the tournament, falling, 3-2, to Cinnaminson’s Ryan Addlesberger.
• 195: East’s Jerry Peralta fell to Haddon Township’s Tim Wolf by pin in the wrestleback round.