Sports Wrap: Wrestler Mastropietro Leads Heights Five to Regionals

Hasbrouck Heights sophomore Marc Mastropietro just missed a trip to the state finals in Atlantic City last year.

As a freshman, the Aviators wrestler had finished fourth at 103 pounds at the regions in West Orange with the top three heading south to the state finals.   

But this season, as a sophomore, he is aiming for that coveted trip to the state finals.

In addition he won his first district title as Mastropietro dominated Passaic's Tykker Womack, 8-1, on Saturday to win the 113-pound title at Becton Regional High School.

"I think he has a little more confidence this year and has really matured," said Hasbrouck Heights head coach Craig Messery about Mastropietro.

Mastropietro had not wrestled Womack before so he just took it like a usual match and kept away any thoughts of winning a district title. "I just went in and looked at it as another wrestling match and did not get nervous," said Mastropietro who added what he is doing this week to prepare. "I am just practicing everyday and keeping my weight down."

Some of the top wrestlers that he will face at the West Orange regional include Luis Gonzalez, who finished second in the 103-pound weight class last year, and Paul Scully of Verona, who Mastropietro defeated earlier this season, 5-1. "I just have to go in and feel confident and wrestle my style," said Mastropietro.

Mastropietro joined senior Edward Cox (second at 145), junior Alec Claudio (third at 152), junior Alex Hodulik (second at 160) and freshman Mauro Altamaura (third at 182) to qualify into the regions.

For Hasbrouck Heights head coach Craig Messery he had seven wrestlers make it to the semi-finals with five getting bids to the regionals. "I thought we should have had all seven make it to the regionals, but I thought five was a good showing," said Messery.

The Heights head coach said that he was particularly pleased with Claudio, a junior, who started while he was a freshman but wrestled mainly on the JV last season. "Ninety percent of the wrestlers who start as a freshman and then wrestle the JV as a sophomore will quit," said Messery. "I give him a lot of credit that he stuck with it."

On Wednesday night, both Cox and Altamura passed the test in the regional preliminaries while both Claudio and Hodulik just missed making it to this weekend’s quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals in the regionals. Four of the five wrestlers will be returning for next season.

(See regional preliminaries results below)

Indoor track and field

The Hasbrouck Heights track and field teams had some nice finishes in the tough Group 1 state meet last weekend at the John Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex in Toms River.

Junior Roland Gamez led the Aviators track teams with a third place finish at 55 meter hurdles and a sixth in the boys high jump (6-feet).

Senior Chris Connors equaled Gamez with the best result, a third in the shot put with a throw of 48-feet-10-inches.

Connors led the school's best showing in an event, the shot put with three Aviators finishing in the top ten with junior Anthony Seidel just behind Connors at fourth place with a throw of 48-8. Junior A.J. Traina finished 10th with a throw of 43-3.

On the girls side junior Irene Cedano had the best result of the meet with a third place showing in the shot put with a throw of 35-3.5.

Sophomore Danielle Cannici finished ninth in the pole vault with a jump of 8-feet. The girls 1,600 meter relay team of seniors Rayn Moses and Victoria McKnight along with sophomores Jenna DiGiacinto and Daniella Macera came in ninth with a time of 4:20.79.

Girls basketball

Hasbrouck Heights hung with Wallington on the road for most of the game, but could not pull it out on Tuesday in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference Meadowlands B contest.

The Aviators were only down 18-17 heading into the third quarter, but could not pull it out in the end and dropped 28-25 decision to the Lady Panthers.

Senior Daniella Castellanos was the lone Heights team member to score in double figures with 11. Nicole Callen and Jordyn Anderson added five points each for the Lady Aviators.

Heights faces Wood-Ridge in back-to-back contests, both at Wood-Ridge, Friday in a regular season game and Monday in a state playoff game.

Boys basketball

The Aviators boys hoops team continues to struggle as they dropped a battle with Wallington on Tuesday at home.

Heights had a tough third quarter that saw a 36-33 lead dissipate in the third quarter. Heading into the fourth quarter the Aviators were down 56-52 and could not catch-up with the Panthers in the end, falling 77-68.

Sophomore guard Michael Schroback led the Heights scorers with 21 points including hitting four, three pointers. Joe Crabbe added 17 while Gabe Toledo added eight points to the Aviators scoring.

Region 4 preliminaries at West Orange

145

Edward Cox major decision over Aaron Millian, Clifton, 14-3.

152

Joe Velardi, West Essex, pinned Alec Claudio, 2:43

160

Chris Coliado, Bloomfield pinned Alex Hodulik, 1:57

182

Maura Altamura defeated Joe Carrion of Cliffside Park, 7-1

District 15 Wrestling tournament at Becton High School
(Below are top three finishers)


113

Final

Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge Marc Mastropietro defeated Passaic's Tykker Womack, 8-1


145

Final

Rutherford's Mike Paskas defeated Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge's Edward Cox, 6-3

152

Third place

Alec Claudio, Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge

160

Final

Becton/Wallington's James Dugan pinned Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge's Alex Hodulik, 2:29

182

Third place

Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge's Mauro Altamaura

Group 1 indoor track and field meet

1600 meter relay

9. Hasbrouck Heights, seniors Rayn Moses and Victoria McKnight along with sophomores Jenna DiGiacinto and Daniella Macera, 4:20.79

Girls pole vault

9. Danielle Cannici, sophomore, 8 feet

Girls shot put

5. Irene Cedano, junior 35-feet-3.50


55 boys meter hurdles

3. Roland Gamez, junior 8-feet-4-inches

1600 meter relay, boys

14. Hasbrouck Heights, seniors, Mark Monohan and Alex Sisco along with junior Roland Gamez and sophomore Javier Marte, 3:47.29

Boys high jump

6. Roland Gamez, 6-feet

Boys shot put

3. Chris Connors, senior, 48-feet-10-inches
4. Anthony Seidel, junior 48-8
10. A.J. Traina, junior 43-feet-3

Hasbrouck Heights varsity schedule

Friday, Feb. 24

Girls basketball- Heights at Wood-Ridge, 7 p.m.

Boys basketball - Wood-Ridge at Heights, 7 p.m.

Wrestling - Heights at Regional at West Orange

Saturday, Feb. 25

Wrestling - Heights at Regional at West Orange

Indoor Track - Heights at NJSIAA Meet of Champions, 9 a.m.

Monday, Feb. 27

Girls basketball -Heights at Wood-Ridge, state playoffs, 5 p.m.

Boys basketball - Heights at Waldwick, state playoffs, 7 p.m.