Hillsborough Comes Back Late Against Watchung

The referee’s hand hit the mat. Mackey Price pumped his fist  He had won his team the match. After all, he wanted it to come down to him.

“It’s nerve-racking, but it’s actually a great feeling," Price said. "When everything’s put on your shoulders to finish it out, it’s an unbelievable feeling when it works out.”

Hillsborough (8-11) took down Watchung (5-8) by a final score of 35-31 on Monday night in the first round of the state tournament.

Down 31-29 in the final match, the 130-pounder went up against Watchung’s Matt Coppola. Price dominated from the start, going up 6-2 in the first period and closing out the second period up 12-2.

With time ticking down in the third period, Price scored a pinfall, triumphantly ending the match for the Raiders.

“Either way I was going to go out and wrestle the same match [no matter who the opponent].  I had one job to do,” said Price, whose Raiders will get to face #1 seed Franklin on Wednesday in the second round of the tournament.

Steve Molinaro, head coach of the Raiders,  was extremely pleased with the turnaround from the last time his team faced the Warriors—a 42-26 defeat at home.

“We had a couple more guys in the lineup that we didn’t have last time," he said. " The overall effort of the kids…it was embarrassing last time we faced them.  Our mental state of mind was a little different.  They were ready to go today, they all gave a great effort.  I’m proud of them.” 

The match started at the 135 weight class with Mike Caver up for Hillsborough.  After one period, Caver built up a 10-2 lead over Watchung’s Craig McInerney thanks to a takedown and a pair of full back points.  But over the next two periods, Caver would only outscore McInerney by a count of 5-2 and had to settle for just a major decision, putting the Raiders up 4-0 early on.

In the 140-pound weight class, Rhys Weinberger of the Raiders could not gain a single point against Watchung’s Mike DiVito and fell by decision 5-0. 

At the 145 level, TJ Guidice scored a pinfall on Watchung’s Matt Mandel just a minute into the 2^nd period, making the Raider lead 10-3.

At the 152- weight class, the Raiders were on the opposite side of a pinfall as Matt McLaughlin was pinned by Chris Gardner for the Warriors in the second period, closing the Raider lead to 10-9.

In the 160 bout, Hillsborough’s Tyler Workman and Watchung’s Kyle Murray battled to the final seconds.  After a period, Workman led by a slim 2-1 mark thanks to a takedown.  In the second period, Murray worked his way back with an escape and take down of his own, putting himself up 4-3.  Then the wild third period would unfold, as Workman scored a reversal on Murray, putting himself in the lead at 5-4.  An escape by Murray made it 5-5 with 45 seconds left.  And with the clock running down, Murray took down Workman with 12 seconds left, and held on for the decision, and put Watchung on top 12-10.

At 171, Brian Campanale of the Raiders battled Mike Caroccia of Watchung.  Campanale scored a pair of 5-0 periods, thanks to a pair of takedowns and full backpoints.  In the third period, Campanale earned an escape and takedown, but could get no more points as he major decisioned Caroccia by a mark of 13-0, making it 14-12 Hillsborough.

The 189-matchup turned out to be the most crucial of the match.  Down 3-2 with just seconds remaining, Watchung’s Alex Fornelos extended himself for a takedown but didn’t connect and Hillsborough’s Tom Cellamore made him pay, taking him to the mat and earning a pinfall with just 32 seconds left, making the lead 20-12 for the Raiders.

“[The 189 match] was huge," Molinaro said.  "We were expecting to be pinned in a couple of other [matchups] and didn’t get them.  So that was awesome to make up for that."

In the 215 level, Andrew Roessner of Hillsborough was pinned a minute into the match by Watchung’s Anthony Carbajal, bringing Watchung to within 20-18.  The Raiders fell behind 24-20 as they forfeited the Heavyweight matchup.

The 103 matchup was a tight one, as Hillsborough’s Deric Winston edged Watchung’s Alex Pollera by a 1-0 margin.  With no scoring in the first period, Winston scored an escape in the second period and held on the rest of the way for the decision, closing the Watchung lead to 24-23.

At 112, Hillsborough’s Adam LaBracio fell to Watchung’s Mike Magaldo by a 6-0 mark, making it a 27-23 lead for the Warriors.

In the 119 bout, Joey DiCarlo scored a pinfall for the Raiders about a minute into the second period over Watchung’s David Mupo, making it 29-27 Hillsborough with just two matches to go.

In another crucial matchup at 125, Hillsborough’s Shane Oryniak gave Hillsborough a huge boost going into the final match, as he avoided a pinfall over the last 20 seconds.  Watchung’s Anthony DiRosa had him in a prone position over that span, inches away from a pinfall.  But Oryniak held out and, although lost his match 10-1, he kept his team close, as Watchung’s lead was only 31-29 going into Mackey Price’s match.

Next up for the Raiders are the Warriors of Franklin, the #1 seed in the North 2 Group 4 Section.  The Raiders fell at home to the Warriors this past Friday by a score of 38-27.

“If we put together an effort like we did last time with them and tonight, and some other things work in our favor….who knows?” said Head Coach Steve Molinaro.

“We’ve been talking constantly about how everyone has to give 100 percent out there and wrestle their [expletive] the whole time.  It’s starting to click now.  Everyone is coming through,” said Mackey Price.

“It was close last time.  It could be even better this time.”

After all, it may come down to Mackey Price again.

 The match is scheduled for Wednesday with a time to be announced.