Sports
West Orange Wrestler in State Finals
Seton Hall Prep's Brenden Calas has a shot at the 103 pound title.
ATLANTIC CITY — You wouldn’t know it by his reaction when the final buzzer sounded or his demeanor after the match, but Seton Hall Prep’s Brenden Calas is one win away from winning a state championship.
The Pirates 103-pounder was in complete control of his emotions and his match Saturday, as he shut out Delaware Valley’s Cody Barbiche, 8-0, in the semifinals of the state wrestling tournament.
“Everyone makes fun of me because I don’t show emotion when I wrestle, but that’s the way I am,” Calas said.
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Maybe that will change if he is crowned state champion on Sunday at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall. Calas is attempting to become the first state champion from Seton Hall Prep since Joe Spinazzola accomplished the feat in 1980.
Callas takes on North Bergen’s Luis Gonzalez in the finals on Sunday. Gonzalez made it to the championship bout with a 9-0 major decision over Morris Knolls’ Jan Rosenberg.
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“It’s the state finals, and winning a state championship is my goal, so I’m not stopping until then,” Calas said.
Seton Hall Prep’s Lou Mascola (135 pounds) dropped his semifinals match, and is still alive in the wrestlebacks, competing for fifth-place. West Orange High School heavyweight Emiliano Betancor, who is battling through a torn meniscus, will also be wrestling for fifth-place. The wrestlebacks begin at 10 a.m.
Despite a swelling in his knee Betancor came back from a 5-3 loss to Keyport’s Greg Velesco to beat Jackson Memorial’s Joseph Nolan, 7-1, and Newton’s Evan Chrustic, 4-1 in the wrestlebacks.
The West Orange heavyweight, who finished fourth last season, was one win away from the third-place match, but lost to New Providence’s Zach Troutman, 5-2, in overtime.
“For him to come back and battle the way he has, shows what kind of character he has,” West Orange coach Stephan Zichella said. “We are really proud of what he is trying to do and of his effort.”
Mascola lost 3-1 to Tyler Scotton of Willingboro in the semifinals before losing to Delbarton’s Jeff Canofa, 2-1, in the tiebreaker.
