Wolfpack Wrestler Wins Xcalibur Tourney; Team Places 7th Overall

Wilkes-Barre, Pa. - Shane Metzler took gold at the prestigious Xcalibur Wrestling Invitational this weekend, as teammates Caleb Isemann (3rd), Marco Gaita (4th), Kade Loughney and Alex Kaltenhauser (6th) helped lift West Morris Central to an impressive 7th place finish out of 28 teams.

“I feel West Morris had a great showing at Xcalibur,” said Metzler. ”A big thanks to our excellent coaching staff. Everyone wrestled tough and I’m excited for the team to wrestle Tuesday at Phillipsburg.”

WMC co-captain Metzler (4-0 on the young season) was one of just three New Jersey champions at the tournament, joining two wrestlers from New Jersey’s 5th-ranked Bound Brook.

Coach Ken Rossi’s WMC finished 7th with 102.5 points. Tournament host Wyoming Seminary – the #1 ranked team in the nation -- dominated with 250 points, followed by Bound Brook at 140, Benton High School, Stroudsburg, Scranton, Shaler and WMC.

Metzler prevailed 3-2 over top-seeded 120 lb. Seminary wrestler Jack Davis for the championship. Davis finished fourth at the prestigious Walsh Ironman national event just last week, helping Wyoming Seminary top Blair Academy for the championship.

After placing 4th in NJ at 106 last season and wrestling 113 in the off-season, this is Metzler’s first competition at 120. The Xcalibur championship ”showed me that I’ve grown into the weight class, and I’m ready to prove myself with the upcoming matches,” he said.

WMC co-captain Isemann (6-1), seeded fourth at 160, advanced to the championship quarterfinals. Always a daring grappler, Isemann was caught and pinned by Colson Meadows from St. Anthony’s. In consolations, Isemann toppled 2-seed Anthony DiNallo on his way to the finals -- where he faced Meadows once again. This time Isemann prevailed, topping Meadows 8-3 for bronze.

Gaita (4-2) won his first championship bracket 152 lb. match, then after dropping to consolations, won three more times to advance to the finals. Gaita nearly took bronze, but settled for an impressive fourth place after a 5-4 loss to North Penn’s Colin Shannon. Wrestling up four weight classes from last season, Gaita clearly proved he’s ready to compete at 152.

Loughney (3-3) won his first championship bracket bout at 138. After dropping to the lower bracket, the WMC junior won twice more, wrestling back to sixth. It’s also promising that Loughney placed in his first tournament up four weight classes from last season.

Kaltenhauser (3-3) fell to HWT #1 seed Kieffer in the championship quarter-finals, then advanced again to the consolation semis, ultimately taking 6th. It’s the senior third-year wrestler’s first-ever trip to the podium.

Justin LeMay (2-2) started his high school career falling to 132 lb. Scranton 3-seed Burgette. But the WMC freshman rallied in the consolation rounds for his first two high school wins. It might not get easier for the former Grade School League champ -- or for the rest of the Wolfpack -- with nationally-ranked Brandon Paetzell and Phillipsburg looming next week.

Sophomores Billy Apostolico (1-2) and Robert Rosen (1-2) won their first-ever varsity matches. Apostolico took down Pinkerton 8-seed Stinson by tech fall at 106, then fell to Seminary’s top-seeded Justin Hoyle, the eventual champion. Rosen contributed to the team score with a win at 170.

WMC finished 7th despite only weighing in 11 (out of 14) wrestlers. Sophomore Michael Caso (0-2) at 113, freshman Jack Lyden (0-2) at 126, and junior Christian Trimarchi (0-2) at 152 rounded out the team’s starting lineup for Xcalibur. No one wrestled at 182, 195 or 220.

Wilkes College wrestler Cory Fleming, one of the top wrestlers in WMC history, helped cheer on the team.

Next up

WMC faces state champion Phillipsburg at “The Pit” on 12/22, then travels to Warren Hills for the John Goles Tournament on 12/28. The Roxbury JV Tournament is 12/30. WMC’s first home match is 12/31 at 11 AM (9:30 AM JV) vs. Voorhees.

Photos
Credit: Susan Hill, Jeff Metzler.
WMC Xcalibur place winners (l-r) Alex Kaltenhauser, Kade Loughney, Marco Gaita, Shane Metzler and Caleb Isemann.

Shane Metzler on top of the 120 lb. podium.

Caleb Isemann, 3rd at 160.

Marco Gaita, 4th at 152.

Kade Loughney, 6th at 138.

Alex Kaltenhauser, 6th at HWT.

Correction: Shane Metzler won the finals by 3-2, not by pin as previously reported.