New Talent Fills Big Wrestling Shoes for WMC

Amateur wrestler Abraham Lincoln said, “I will prepare and some day my chance will come.” New faces on the West Morris Central wrestling team will soon have that chance.

With eight Regional qualifiers – including three State qualifiers – the 2018-19 squad boasts more returning stars than ever before.

But this year’s 14 projected starters include fewer tournament medalists, and fewer collective wins than last year’s 15-3 division championship squad. That team began the season with 10 returning double-digit win wrestlers, vs. this team’s seven.

Graduates Marco Gaita, Mike Caso, Robert Rosen, Jonathan Vazquez, Chris Parisi, and Billy Apostolico gave Coach Ken Rossi 129 wins last season. He hopes a half dozen new starters are prepared to step into big shoes.

Senior Justin LeMay is optimistic. “We have new guys really making an effort for themselves and for the team,” observed the returning captain. “Just coming to practice every day shows a lot about their character.”

Honest Abe would approve.

Returning Stars

State qualifiers Robby Bohr, John DeVito and LeMay -- and fellow Region qualifiers Eli Shepard, Colin Loughney, AJ Hill, Luke Stefanelli and Kevin Ramos – all return. All but late-season addition Ramos had 20+ wins, and are ranked top-35 in the state (RankWrestlers.com).

LeMay singled out Shepard: “Eli has been working in all positions and just getting better all around. He should be an impact wrestler for the team this year.”

Hill and Loughney could make the difficult jump of three weights, with Bohr and Shepard expected to ascend as well.

New Faces

Two freshmen may get their chances right away. “Michael Ferrante and Malachi Shepard [Eli’s brother] could start at 106 and 113 respectively and both be tough at those weights,” said Rossi. “They both have a good youth wrestling background and will transition to high school well.” Both bring youth league championships to the team; last year, no experienced freshmen wrestled.

Senior Dan Kern returns to the team as the projected starter at 126. Wrestling JV as a freshman, he pinned 10 opponents and won four tournament medals.

LeMay says senior first-year wrestler Brian Cherifi has already impressed, bringing Jiu Jitsu and grappling skills to the room.

Additional new faces include senior gridiron standout Zach Miller, junior Zach Hedworth; sophomore James Robinson, and freshman Kevin Moore.

New Roles

HWT Ramos made the most of his nine starts, ascending to District finals as a sophomore. His first full season should convert several Wolfpack forfeits into wins.

“Matthew Borgia, Nick Chisari, Nicolas Kaltenhauser, Jayden Melicharek, and Tyler Torner are all experienced wrestlers in the program who could work their way into full time or part time starting roles,” said Rossi.

Borgia and Jack Lyden dominated the JV circuit and often wrestled varsity. Lyden showed enoughto start this season ranked #65 out of 243 wrestlers at 170. X-Calibur medalist Kaltenhauser comes in ranked #80 at 170. Chisari, Melicharek, and Jorge Montenegro were JV medalists.

A Full Lineup

This team could field a complete 14-man lineup for the entire season. Last year, the team averaged nearly two upper weight forfeits per dual before Ramos joined. Returning starters Adrian Hefner (ranked #69 at 195), Stefanelli and Ramos, along with Lyden, Kaltenhauser, Montenegro, Carifi, and Miller could all wrestle at the upper weights this season.

New Competition

NJAC re-alignment sends the Wolfpack into the American Division with Delbarton (ranked #5 in New Jersey by Full Circle), Pope John (#6), Roxbury, Montville, Sparta, and Mendham – making a 3-peat division titleunlikely. For Sections, WMC will compete with unranked Mendham, Voorhees, Warren Hills, and Passaic Valley in North 2 Group 3. WMC moves to District 12 (to be wrestled at Becton), in a mostly-unchanged Region 3 (except the departure of Phillipsburg).

Next Up

The Pack starts the season at the grueling X-Calibur Tournament in Wilkes-Barre, PA 12/15-16. WMC hosts Montville Tuesday 12/18, and Union City Saturday 12/22. The Goles Tournament is 12/27 at Warren Hills. The team is home 12/29 vs. top-25-ranked North Hunterdon, away at Roxbury 1/3 and the Mt. Olive quad 1/5 with Paramus and #7 ranked Southern. Pin Cancer night is 1/22 at Mendham.

Top Photo

Penn State Wrestling Camp

L-R, front: Ken Rossi, Robby Bohr, Nick Kaltenhauser, Justin LeMay, Nick Chisari. Back: John DeVito, Eli Shepard, AJ Hill, Dean Muttart , Mike Campanaro, Luke Stefanelli, Colin Loughney, Mike Ferrante, Matt Borgia.

Credit: WMC Wrestling Parents Club