Despite Second Chance, Raiders Fall Short in Sectional Finals

After being given a second chance in the state team tournament, the Hillsborough High School wrestling team gave it all it had on Friday night at Hunterdon Central.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, getting as close as they ever have was not quite good enough.

Hillsborough earned seven matches, but only one by a pin as the Raiders fell to the Red Devils 32-25 in the North 2, Group 4 final on Friday night in Flemington.

"They all showed tremendous efforts," coach Steve Molinaro said. "I couldn't ask for anything more."

The Raiders only were in the match after top-seeded Franklin was disqualified for participating with a wrestler at an illegal weight class.

"It was one of those situations in the wrestling world that pops up," Molinaro said. "We happened to benefit from it."

 Hillsborough will now wrestle in a quad meet on Saturday at Perth Amboy, despite the fact that his team is shorthanded due to the match on Friday. The Raiders will prepare for the Districts next weekend.

Hillsborough did have to adjust with a short turnover—the Raiders did not find out until Friday afternoon that they were still able to compete. But despite the quick turnover, Hillsborough's team was still ready to take on its rival the Red Devils.

"The excitement was a positive thing," Molinar0 said. "It rejuvenated them."

Molinaro was especially pleased with his squad's performance, considering that the Raiders fell to the Red Devils earlier in the year, 34-24.

"Our guys went after them every step of the way," he said. "It just was kind of stuff that happens in wrestling matches."

However, he did say his team is disappointed by the outcome.

"There's a level of disappointment," Molinaro said. "There aren't too many times that we have been that close to beating them." 

112: Gary Dinmore (HC) p. Adam La Bracio 0:38
119: Joey DiCarlo (H) d. Ryan Callahan 10-3
125: Grady Orr (HC) tf. Shane Oryniak 17-0, 3:56
130: Mackey Price (H) md. Matt Boylan 11-3
135: Mike Caver (H) d. Thomas Scerbo 5-4
140: Rhys Weinberger (H) d. Tyler Spies 5-3
145: T.J. Guidice (H) d. Tyler Cote 8-7
152: Chris Carey (HC) tf. Matt McLaughlin 18-2, 5:55
160: Tyler Workman (H) d. David Fenton 3-2
171: Jake Maffucci (HC) md. Tom Cellemare 12-4
189: Brian Campanale (H) p. Kyle Holmes 3:20
215: Derek Knoop (HC) won by forfeit
285: Jason Aurichio (HC) d. Andrew Roessner 7-4 (SV)
103: Dylan Nace (H) d. Deric Winston 3-2