WMC Dozen Dazzles D11 as Rosen, Stefanelli, Gaita and LeMay Reign

West Morris Central wrestlers nabbed a team-best 12 medals at the District 11 tournament in Morristown Saturday. Four -- Robert Rosen, Luke Stefanelli, Marco Gaita and Justin LeMay -- won championships, tying the school record.

Mike Caso, Colin Loughney, Eli Shepard, A.J. Hill, John DeVito and Kevin Ramos nabbed silver as Robby Bohr and Jonathan Vazquez took bronze. All 12 advance to the Region 3 Championships at West Orange this week, where top-four finishers advance to State Championships in Atlantic City.

“We qualified 12 guys!” exclaimed LeMay. “We have been working so hard, we deserve it.” Indeed, Gaita repeated as champ, and every teammate improved on last year’s districts.

Ken Rossi was again honored as District 11 Coach of the Year, as the Wolfpack nearly upset Hanover Park for the team title, falling 248-236 1/2. Kearny was third (of nine) with 127 points.

“I thought we wrestled great,” said Rossi. “Our goal was to peak for the postseason and it is shaping up to happen.”

All that glitters

Gaita pinned Shane Exley at 1:45 to join Shane Metzler, Jesse Windt and Nick Matthews among Wolfpack back-to-back champs in the last quarter-century.

Dissatisfied with last year’s silver, LeMay (152) utterly vanquished his opponents with a tournament-best three pins – in under two minutes combined. The returning state qualifier will no doubt get to break a sweat at regions.

“Justin dominating his opponents is always fun to watch,” quipped Stefanelli.

Stefanelli (182) was workmanlike, using a front head and arm bar to dominate the finals 10-1 for his first championship – way up from fourth last year.

“It felt pretty good,” he said.

Rosen (220), the tournament’s only wrestler to defeat Hanover Park in the finals, used heavy hand fighting and his gas tank to outlast Daniel Jimenez 3-1 and top last year’s silver.

“Winning gold today felt incredibly humbling and morale boosting,” said Rosen. “The first step to Atlantic City is complete.”

Sterling

One of the best stories of the day was newbie HWT Ramos winning silver. Parents Club president Jeff Hill quipped, “Technically, he doesn’t have enough matches to earn a varsity letter.” Now, he’s going to regions.

“My goal was to get one win,” said the sophomore. “I am very, very happy with how I did … I hope to continue the success I have had so far,” saying he plans to work hard for gold next year.

Ramos got a solid win over Hanover in quarters, but got a break when the #1 seed withdrew injured, causing Ramos to face the #8 seed. Ramos won 10-4, then showed he belonged in the finals by coming within a takedown of the championship, 4-3.

“Ramos overcame adversity and secured a trip to regions as a first year wrestler,” noted Rosen. “That encapsulates the Wolfpack work ethic.”

Caso (113) topped last year’s bronze medal, taking silver with a pin over Hunter Lensi in the semis. Hanover’s Jake Bursese avenged an MCT loss for gold, 5-2.

Loughney, the top seed at 120, quickly took down Hanover’s Dom Merola in the finals, then was injured on a reverse and heartbreakingly had to withdraw, settling for silver and possibly an end to his first post-season action.

Shepard (126) nabbed silver with a 12-2 major over Kristian Panetta before falling to Hanover’s state-ranked Domenic Difrancestecan, and improving on last year’s bronze.

Hill advances after returning from injury last year, dominating the way to finals with a pin, and one of the tournament’s two tech falls (Shepard had the other). He fell to Hanover’s state ranked Sean Conley.

DeVito, who was 14-19 last year, improves to 27-8 and advances for the first time. He topped eventual bronze medalist Travis Witt before falling to Hanover state ranked former Wolfpack member Matt Liberato.

Bronze

Bohr (106) and Vazquez (132) each had two of the state’s best in their brackets, but dominated the rest of the field to advance for the first time.

Bohr nailed two of the tournament’s four fastest pins, including one for bronze.

Vazquez pinned in the quarters and consolation finals for bronze, but his best bout may have been a heartbreaking 6-4 loss to state ranked Sebastian Cornejo in semis.

Of note

Chris Parisi (138) completed his wrestling career Saturday, finishing a breakout senior year. He won 10 times as a first-time starter, including dual meet triumphs versus Kearny, Paramus, and Morris Knolls – and two critical tossup wins in the team playoffs, helping lead the team to the section finals.

Newcomer Jorge Montenegro (195) made his varsity debut, leading the eventual bronze medalist 9-2 before heartbreakingly getting head locked and pinned.

Sophomores Montenegro and Ramos offer an exciting influx of upper weight talent for next season, for which. Rossi thanked his assistant coaches and WMC’s football coaches on recruiting.

“Gaita and LeMay look ready to roll for Regions,” said Rossi. “Caso, Shepard, DeVito, Stefanelli and Rosen will all get good draws and have the firepower to make a run.

“Great to see DeVito, Vazquez, Loughney, Hill, and Stefanelli get in this year after falling short the last year and Hill the year before. Their off-season commitment has developed incredible improvement and it is fun to watch that process unfold at this time of year.”

Team History

Recent district champs (and number of region qualifiers) were Gaita last year (8), Kade Loughney and Metzler 2016 (5), Metzler and Dylan Luciano 2015 (7), Windt 2014 (7), Windt and Cory Fleming 2013 (9), and Mathews 2012 and 2011.

Saturday was just the third time WMC’s had more than two district champs, with four in 1990, and three in 1965.

Next Up

Region 3 Championships at West Orange, 2/21-24. State Championships in Atlantic City, 3/2-4.

Photo Credits

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