Joey DeAngelo’s third title leads Point Boro to District 23 team championship

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POINT PLEASANT — Missing nearly the entire regular season was difficult for Point Boro senior Joey DeAngelo, but throughout his absence he kept his mind focused on his ultimate goal. Now, the time has come to achieve it.

DeAngelo began his quest for a New Jersey state medal by outlasting Jackson Liberty junior Tucker Pazinko, 7-3, to win the NJSIAA District 23 126-pound championship on Saturday inside the Point Pleasant Borough Middle School gymnasium. The victory made DeAngelo the sixth three-time district champion in program history and the first since Dan Nobbs in 2015.

A three-time state qualifier, DeAngelo did not make his season debut until Feb. 6 after being out for unspecified reasons. He recorded his 100th career win that day and is now 9-0 this season after winning his third district title. After falling in the blood round of the NJSIAA Tournament each of the past two seasons, DeAngelo is eager to finish the job in his final high school postseason.

“I’m excited. Obviously I’ve been working hard in the room and I was able to get a few matches before districts to get in a rhythm,” DeAngelo said. “I’m ready.”

In Pazinko, DeAngelo was facing a two-time state qualifier whose length and creativity on the mat make him a difficult opponent for any wrestler. After a scoreless first period, DeAngelo chose defense and hit a reversal to take a 2-0 lead. In the third, Pazinko chose defense and escaped to make it 2-1, but DeAngelo added to his advantage on a takedown with 31 seconds left, then added two nearfall points with 19 seconds on the clock to push his lead to 7-1. Pazinko quickly reversed him, but with just 17 seconds remaining DeAngelo had the necessary cushion to hold on for his third district championship.

With limited matches so far this season compared to his opponents, it was a challenge DeAngelo needed.

“Absolutely, that’s great for him,” Point Boro head coach Pat Brady said. “Pazinko is a really good wrestler and Joey stayed in great position through six minutes. He needs those matches.”

If there is a silver lining to missing most of the team portion of his senior season it’s that DeAngelo doesn’t have the usual wear and tear a wrestler accumulates over the course of a 30-bout regular season.

“I feel really fresh right now and it’s an amazing feeling,” DeAngelo said. “Wrestling an entire season can be hard on you.”

DeAngelo’s victory was part of a record-setting day for the host Panthers, who won the team title with a a program-record six district champions and will send a record 11 wrestlers to the Region 6 Tournament. Senior Frankie Burgio (132) and sophomore Jake Clayton (165) won their second district titles, while junior Michael DeAngelo (106), freshman Jaxin Corino (113), and senior Garrett Weiland (157) took home their first district championships. Senior Brayden Clark (175), and juniors West Matta (120), Luke Renna (150), Jack Scalabrini (190), and George Walsh (Hwt) each finished second.

“I feel really good for our kids,” Brady said. “We’re a really good team, we just struggled to get our best 14 on the mat all year long. Thankfully, we were able to do it at districts and you saw the result. The kids came to wrestle. They’re peaking at the right time and I’m excited for the rest of the year.”

The Panthers out-pointed second place Ocean 248-195 with Manasquan finishing third and Jackson Liberty placing fourth in the team standings. It is Point Boro’s sixth district team title in program history and first since 2018.

Another wrestler who made his return from a lengthy absence was Jackson Liberty junior Armani McCann, who steamrolled his way to the 138-pound title after missing over five weeks of action. He was voted as the District 23 Most Outstanding Wrestler.

Prior to the postseason, McCann’s last bout was during a January 11 tri-match with Southern and Long Branch. His status was uncertain for districts, but when the brackets were released on Thursday there he was as the top seed at 138 pounds.

If there was any rust it was clearly knocked off in warmups. McCann looked every bit a returning state qualifier and medal contender with a 13-5 major decision over Ocean junior Dominic Volek int he 138-pound final. Volek was a district champion and a state qualifier last season.

William Huchko also won a district title for Jackson Liberty. The junior was the No. 1 seed at 120 pounds and and won by fall in the first period over Matta in the final bout.

Ocean’s second-place finish was headlined by four district champions. Seniors Boomer Volek (144), Danny Farina (215), and Abi Andre (Hwt), and junior Nick Allen (190) won their first district titles for the Spartans while Dominic Volek was second (138). Wrestling back to finish third and qualify for the Region 6 Tournament were Michael Apicelli (106), Steven Perez (126), Justin Farina (132), Jake Volek (150), and Josh Calixte (165).

Apicelli had a roller coaster afternoon on his way to finishing third and punching his first ticket to regions. In the semifinals, he lost 4-1 to Manasquan junior Shea Tracey on a takedown with one second left in the sudden victory. He flipped the script in the win-or-go-home third-place bout by scoring two takedowns in the third period to erase a five-point deficit and win 13-12 over Jackson Liberty’s Chris Tannucci.

Manasquan continued its progress under head coach Justin Barowski with the program’s best overall district tournament performance. The Warriors will send a program-record seven wrestlers to the Region 6 Tournament. Senior Michael O’Connor led the way by becoming the fifth two-time district champion in program history and the first since Dave Crabtree and Scott Simek in 1980. The returning state qualifier pinned Point Boro’s Luke Renna in 60 seconds to win the 150-pound bracket.

Finishing second for Manasquan were Tracey (106), sophomore Shane Kerstetter (113), freshman Jaden Sanders (132), and senior Kai Donohue (215). Senior Charlie Hunt (144) and sophomore Torrin Tracey (157) wrestled back to place third.

The only wrestler not from Point Boro, Ocean, Manasquan, or Jackson Liberty to win a district title was Shore Regional sophomore Cole Torres. After a slow start to the season coming off an All-Shore season on the gridiron, Torres has picked up the pace and on Saturday won his first district title by pinning Point Boro’s Brayden Clark to win the 175-pound title. He is the Blue Devils’ first district champion since 2022.

Longtime Neptune head coach Tim Jobes was voted District 23 Coach of the Year and Shore Regional assistant Luke Ecklof was voted Assistant Coach of the Year.

The Region 6 Tournament will take place on Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1 at Jackson Liberty High School. The top four finishers in each weight class will qualify for the NJSIAA Championships in Atlantic City.

 

Team Scores

1-Point Boro, 248

2-Ocean, 195

3-Manasquan, 146.6

4-Jackson Liberty, 142

5-Brick, 60

6-Neptune, 53

7-Shore, 50

8-Point Beach, 48.5

9-Asbury Park, 10

 

Most Outstanding Wrestler: Armani McCann, Jackson Liberty

Coach of the Year: Tim Jobes, Neptune

Assistant Coach of the Year: Luke Ecklof, Shore

 

Finals

106: 1-Michael DeAngelo (Point Boro) d. 3-Shea Tracey (Manasquan), 6-4

113: 1-Jaxin Corino (Point Boro) md. 2-Shane Kerstetter (Manasquan), 10-1

120: 1-Willaim Huchko (Jackson Liberty) p. 6-West Matta (Point Boro), 1:21

126: 1-Joey DeAngelo (Point Boro) d. 2-Tucker Pazinko (Jackson Liberty), 7-3

132: 1-Frankie Burgio (Point Boro) p. 2-Jaden Sanders (Manasquan), 0:40

138: 1-Armani McCann (Jackson Liberty) md. 2-Dominic Volek (Ocean), 13-5

144: 1-Boomer Volek (Ocean) d. 2-Jude Bowers (Point Beach), 8-6

150: 1-Michael O’Connor (Manasquan) p. 2-Luke Renna (Point Boro), 1:00

157: 2-Garrett Weiland (Point Boro) d. 5-Akbar Nazurdinov (Jackson Liberty), 6-1

165: 1-Jake Clayton (Point Boro) d. 2-Jordan Ayyash (Jackson Liberty), 6-2

175: 1-Cole Torres (Shore) p. 3-Brayden Clark (Point Boro), 2:51

190: 1-Nick Allen (Ocean) d. 3-Jack Scalabrini (Point Boro), 13-8

215: 1-Danny Farina (Ocean) p. 3-Kai Donohue (Manasquan), 4:18

Hwt: 1-Abi Andre (Ocean) d. 2-George Walsh (Point Boro), 6-4

 

Third Place

106: Michael Apicelli (Ocean) d. Chris Tranucci (Jackson Liberty), 13-12

113: Trevor Doremus (Shore) md. Qays Ismael (Ocean), 11-3

120: Brandon Stizza (Point Beach) tf. Kamore Tyler (Neptune), 2:06 (15-0)

126: Steven Perez (Ocean) p. Donovan Havard (Manasquan), 1:48

132: Justin Farina (Ocean) p. Thomas Drea (Neptune), 3:54

138: Dazior Bethea (Neptune) p. Greg Herrera (Manasquan), 4:52

144: Charlie Hunt (Manasquan) d. Ahmon Gray (Asbury Park), 9-6

150: Jake Volek (Ocean) p. Alex Hernandez (Neptune) 2:28

157: Torrin Tracey (Manasquan) p. Joseph Leskowski (Brick), 2:34

165: Josh Calixte (Ocean) p. David Marzetti (Brick), 1:18

175: Erdne Garyaev (Jackson Liberty) p. Finnegan Leonard (Brick), 4:26

190: Rustam Olimov (Brick) p. Kelty Connors (Shore) 3:14

215: Aidan Leonard (Brick) d. Aiden Wilson (Point Boro), 4-1

Hwt:  Jarairya Jean (Neptune) p. Jerry Santiago (Point Beach), 2:36