Vazquez, Apostolico, Gaita Awarded as WMC Wrestling Voted Top-25

Photos by JoAnn Vazquez, Mollissa LeMay, Susan Hill and Margaret Stefanelli.

The New Jersey Wrestling Coaches Association voted West Morris Central High School its 24th-ranked team in the state (out of 964 high schools), as Coach Ken Rossi and Parents Club president Jeff Hill hosted the team’s gala at Black Oak Golf Club Thursday. The team celebrated its 15-3 season.

WMC repeated as NWJAC National Division champions, reached the Sectional team playoff finals, and finished as the Morris County Tournament’s public school champion. A record 12 wrestlers qualified for Regions, and a record five for States. Rossi was again named District 11 Coach of the Year for what he called “one of the most prolific seasons in West Morris wrestling history.”

Awards

Jonathan Vazquez was selected for the Coach’s Award, honoring his outstanding career and contributions to the team, on the mat and off. He’s among the top-50 winningest in school history and a Regional qualifier.

Rossi called Vazquez “a charismatic and committed student-athlete, a team leader and an outstanding competitor. He represents the philosophy of the coaching staff.”

“It’s been a pleasure to be a part of such a great team and an amazing group of people,” said Vazquez. “Without the love and support from my teammates and coaches I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”

The Blue and Gray Award "for hard-work, character, and selflessness to the team" was given by his teammates to Billy Apostolico. The senior sported a winning record and placed sixth at XCalibur. He’ll be studying at The College of New Jersey in the fall.

“Billy has battled through adversity and contributed to our success in any role we ask him to fill. He is an outstanding citizen in our school and community,” said Rossi.

Marco Gaita was the clear choice for Team MVP. His career is among the greatest in school history -- third all-time with 124 wins, two-time District and Region champion, three-time Goles champion and a Morris County champion. Battling with a surgically repaired knee, torn shoulder labrum, and torn rib-area cartilage, he somehow placed fifth at the NJSIAA State Championships.

Gaita, who will attend prestigious Wesleyan University, was selected for the Cholish Family Scholarship.

The team honored its seniors, including starters Robert Rosen, Mike Caso and Chris Parisi.

Rosen completed his stellar wrestling career painfully close to Atlantic City, and #34 in WMC career wins. The District champion will study and wrestle at prestigious Washington and Lee University. Photo shows Rosen scoring zero points in his final period of wrestling at Regions.

Caso culminated his outstanding career with an Atlantic City victory. Caso’s 86 career wins rank 13th all-time at WMC. The Goles champion and many-time medalist will also wrestle in college.

Parisi had a breakout 10-win senior year, including two critical playoff victories.

Matt Borgia was given the JV Award by Coaches Chris Marold, Jim Balella and Tom Borgia. Borgia was 16-4 and undefeated in JV tournament action, taking gold twice.

Rossi and Hill thanked many – coaches, volunteer parents, administrators, their families, and not least of all the team statisticians Julia Pirrello, Bella Trimarchi, Micaela Shepard, and Kiley O’Donnell (without whom this wrestling coverage would not be possible).

WMC’s Toughest Letter

Eighteen wrestlers were honored with perhaps WMC’s toughest varsity letter, led by seniors Gaita -- winning his fourth -- and Rosen, Caso, and Vazquez, lettering for the third time.

District champion juniors Justin LeMay and Luke Stefanelli won their third, as did Jack Lyden. LeMay is a two-time State qualifier.

State qualifiers Robby Bohr and John DeVito, and Region qualifiers Colin Loughney and A.J. Hill, won their second letters, along with Parisi and Apostolico.

Mid-season walk on and District finalist Kevin Ramos won his first, along with starter Adrian Hefner, XCalibur medalist Nick Kaltenhauser, and seniors Karan Bajaj and Sean Giles.

Dual Highlights

Bohr’s leadoff pin, and Caso and Shepard’s win over District champs to top Voorhees… Parisi’s pin paving the way over Kearny... Lyden and Loughney denying bonus points to Paramus’ state-ranked wrestlers... Rosen (while ill), Gaita, LeMay and Stefanelli topping Mt. Olive’s Regional qualifiers... LeMay, Rosen, and Caso vanquishing Mendham’s state qualifiers on Pin Cancer Night... Hefner’s dramatic decking of Winbush to top Randolph. Caso over state-ranked Hoerle, and Shepard and LeMay over Westfield’s Regional qualifiers... DeVito, LeMay and Gaita beating top-40 Kittatinny wrestlers … Vazquez over Schlitter, and Bohr, Caso and Loughney’s pins to beat DelVal…

Loughney upsetting Wemmlinger, and pins from Lyden and Parisi at Morris Knolls... Hill’s leadoff pin, Stefanelli and Loughney over District champs to crush Roxbury... Pins from LeMay, Parisi, Hill, Lyden and Stefanelli at ParHills... Gaita over state-ranked Ostir, and upsets from Hill and Lyden to top Warren Hills…

Ramos’ dramatic pin, Caso’s big win to top Old Tappan... Bohr, LeMay, DeVito and Gaita topping Wayne Valley’s best... The heartbreaking, controversial finals loss to Roxbury, despite an injured Vazquez overcoming a slam for the win, LeMay’s revenge over Evan Vazquez, and big wins from Gaita, DeVito, Stefanelli and Rosen.

Season Stats Leaders

Falls: LeMay’s 17, followed by Gaita, Bohr and Hill. Techs: Shepard’s three (no one else had two). Majors: Gaita’s six, followed by Caso and Loughney. Team points: LeMay, followed by Bohr and Gaita. Takedowns: Caso, followed by Gaita and LeMay. Near falls: DeVito, followed by Shepard and Gaita. Reversals: Shepard, followed by Hill and Bohr. Escapes: Loughney, followed by Vazquez and Caso.

Next Season Pack

The team will have five starting slots to fill with the departure of Caso, Vazquez, Parisi, Gaita and Rosen.

Likely replacements include Borgia and Lyden, who dominated the JV circuit and often wrestled varsity.. Kaltenhauser with three JV tournament medals, and Nick Chisari, Jayden Melicharek, and Jorge Montenegro with two each – plus solid performers Tyler Torner and Gabe Caso (Mike’s brother) -- will create strong options for Rossi’s lineup.

Eighth graders Michael Ferrante and Malachi Shepard (Eli’s brother) both won North New Jersey Youth Wrestling League Championships, and could slot in at lightweight positions.

Ten lettermen return next season, including three state qualifiers and eight Region qualifiers – considerably more than this season. LeMay predicted “if we all put in the work this offseason, we can be better than this year. We just have to work.”

“The individuals on this team work-hard in matches, practice, the weight room, the off-season, the classroom, and they work-hard at being quality individuals,” said Rossi.

“This effort makes the coaching staff proud because we have been preaching about strong work-ethic establishing the culture of the team since I began as the head coach. This type of culture prepares the wrestlers for any adversity wrestling presents and gets them prepared for any situation on the mat. It will also transcend into a strategy to approach any aspect of life such as, work or family.”