Absegami Wrestlers Fall at Region 8 Tournament

Absegami High School wrestlers Jack Willette and Yanni Pastaros each lost their quarterfinal matches at the Region 8 tournament Friday night, March 1, at Egg Harbor Township, but both still have opportunities to reach next weekend's state tournaments.

Willette, a senior and the No. 3 seed, was pinned in the quarterfinals of the 145-pound bracket by Adrian Feliciano, the No. 6 seed from Pennsville, according to trackwrestling.com. Feliciano recorded the fall at the one minute, 44 second mark, and will face 10th-seeded Zach Richard, who scored an upset pin over No. 2 Patrick McCurdy.

Willette and McCurdy, a senior from Woodstown, will face off in the first round of wrestlebacks on Saturday. The winner of that match must win two more matches to finish third, and thus qualify for next weekend's state tournament in Atlantic City.

Patsaros, a freshman and the No. 5 seed, was pinned in the quarterfinals of the 113-pound bracket by No. 4 Luis Rivera, a sophomore from Buena. Rivera recorded the fall at the 51-second mark, according to trackwrestling.com. Rivera will face No. 1 John Amato, of Timber Creek, in the semifinals.

Amato defeated No. 8 Zach Hicks, of Lower Cape May, in the quarterfinals. Patsaros will now face Hicks, a senior, in the first round of wreslebacks in the first round of wrestlebacks. Again, to qualify for next weekend's state tournament in Atlantic City, the winner must win two more matches to finish third.