Rey Has Shot to Earn 2nd NCAA Title Saturday

One more.

No. 4 heavyweight Zach Rey of Leigh defeated the top-seeded Ryan Flores of American in dominating fashion Friday night, earning a 6-2 semifinals decision en route to his second straight NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Tournament finals appearance.

Rey, a 2007 Hopatcong High School graduate, will face No. 2 Anthony Nelson in the finals. The second-ranked Nelson dropped No. 3 Clayton Jack of Oregon State to advance to the championship.

For Rey, Saturday's bout—scheduled for 7:30 p.m.—the bout represents his opportunity to repeat as national champion. Last year,

On Friday, Rey almost breezed through the the nation's No. 1-seeded heavyweight.

The two-time New Jersey state champion grabbed a 2-0 lead early. He expanded it to 6-0 by the third period before Flores nabbed a pair of third-period points. But it was too late.

Flores had won his previous four matches via pin.

The win avenged one of Rey's (28-2) two losses this season. He fell to Flores earlier in the year.