Betancor Wins Return Trip to Atlantic City

West Orange unbeaten senior 285-pounder Emiliano Betancor has waited eagerly for this week.

Betancor placed fourth in last year's New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association State Wrestling Tournament in Atlantic City. Saturday, he earned a return trip by successfully defending his Region IV title Saturday by pinning Clifton senior Thomas Trommolen.

Betancor will bring a 26-0 record with him to Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall where the tournament will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Betancor will be joined by two other 285-pound place winners from last year — North Hunterdon senior and Region V champ Jack Delia and New Providence senior and Region III champ Zach Troutman. Troutman, sixth last year, was pinned by Betancor two weeks ago in a dual meet. Delia beat Betancor 7-5 in last year's state quarterfinals, advancing to the state final where he was pinned by graduated Manchester great James Lawson.

Next Sunday's final and a state title is what Betancor is after.

"He looked good the whole tournament and never put himself in a bad position," said West Orange coach Steve Zichella. "One of the keys is to wrestle smart and to start getting into the style they will wrestle in A.C. 

"He looked good," the coach added. "He got on top and was dominant. He wound working a single wrist series."

Betancor will be the only Mountaineer to make the trip.

Senior 125-pounder Dawit Rutty, junior 130-pounder Desalegne Fried, senior 145-pounder Zach White, junior 152-pounder Jimmy Myers, senior 160-pounder Matt Dunovant and senior 171-pounder Pascal Louis all fell short.

Fried and Louis both were beaten in the consolation final.

Fried lost by technical fall in the semifinals to West Essex unbeaten senior Anthony Perrotti (34-0), rebounded to pin Montclair senior Thaddeus Brown in a wrestleback semifinal, but lost 13-4 to North Bergen senior Julian Quintero in the consolation final.

"Quintero is a work out buddy with Des, it wasn't really a good matchup for us," said Zichella.

Fried, the fifth seed, finished the season 32-9.

Louis, the fourth seed at 171, worked his way to the consolation final after losing to Becton-Wallington' junior Bryan Loughlin in Friday night's quarterfinal round. Louis rallied Saturday morning, beating Clifton senior Christain Castano 8-3 in the wrestleback quarterfinals and second-seeded Anthony Paris of Livingston in the wrestleback semifinals, setting up a chance for third place with Loughlin.

 Loughlin, a fifth-seeded junior, dropped into the wrestlebacks after losing to region champ Antony Pafumi of St. Peter Prep. Loughlin recovered to beat Louis 5-3. 

"Loughlin got a late takedown; it was a heartbreaker for Petey (Louis' nickname)," said of Louis' loss. Louis finished the season 30-11.

White, who had a strong season with a 27-10 record, looked like he was headed for the consolation final. He beat Bloomfield junior Ian Chauncey 7-2 in a wrestleback quarterfinal, but lost a heartbreaking 5-4 decision to Livingston sophomore Brad Krosser in the wrestleback semifinal.

Rutty, the sixth seed in his weight lost 7-0 to West Essex senior Jim Ciampi and was eliminated from the tournament when he lost 10-5 in a wrestleback semifinal to Secaucus senior Adam Swift.