SHP's Calas Stands Alone as 103-Pound Champion

ATLANTIC CITY — The size of the accomplishment and the realization that there is no better 103-pound wrestler in New Jersey finally cracked the calm demeanor of Brenden Calas.

The Seton Hall Prep sophomore outlasted North Bergen's Luis Gonzalez in overtime Sunday to capture the title at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Wrestling State Championships inside Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

When Calas registered the winning points, he immediately jumped to his feet and pointed to his cheering section.

"It's a great, great feeling," Calas said. "All my hard work paid off. I had to point at the crowd to my parents because I couldn't do it without them."

He added: "Overtime in the state finals, it doesn't get any better than that. Everyone is watching you. It's amazing."

Calas is the first state champion from Seton Hall Prep since Joe Spinazzola had his arms raised in triumph in 1980.

In the final, Calas found himself down 2-0 after the first period. However, he rode out Gonzalez for the full two minutes in the second period.

"I think that took a little starch out of (Gonzalez)," said Pirates coach Jack Decker, who in 2004 was the last Pirate before Calas to make it to the state final.

Calas worked hard to register the tying points in the third period, and finally got it done with five seconds remaining in the third period. He scored his winning takedown with eight seconds left in the one-minute sudden victory period.

Only a sophomore, Calas didn't take his opportunity for granted.

"I just wanted to win a state title this year because I might not get a shot to do it next year or the year after that. I had to make sure to get it this year."

Calas ends the season with a 31-2 record and improves his career mark to 63-6. He has two more years to add more state hardware.

"The sky is the limit," Decker said when asked what Calas can accomplish in his career.

The Pirates' Louis Mascola finished his career with a sixth-place finish after a wild match at 135-pounds. The Seton Hall Prep senior lost 11-8 in overtime to St. Peter's Alexander Richardson on Sunday.

The Seton Hall Prep 135-pounder, who finishes the season with a 37-4 record, found himself down 8-0 going into the third period. The Pirates wrestler mounted a comeback, eventually tying the score at 8-8 with 12 seconds remaining.

However, Richardson scored an escape and a takedown in the tiebreaker period to clinch fifth-place.

"Lou is explosive and he is dangerous on top," Decker said. "There are not many people who can say they can handle Lou on top so he knew what he had to do and he did it."

West Orange's Emiliano Betancor, who finished fourth last year, never hit the mat on Sunday.

The heavyweight finished in sixth-place after forfeiting his match because of a knee injury. Betancor tore his meniscus on Feb. 28, but battled his way through the pain. However, with each match, the pain got worse and worse.

"I talked to my parents and coaches, it was torn and it locked in middle of matches," Betancor said. "I didn't want to come down here and make excuses. I just got the support of my coaches and parents that I needed to come out here and wrestle."

"We decided it was in his best interest not to wrestle today," West Orange coach Stephan Zichella said. "To medal with what transpired over the week we are very, very happy with him."

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