HNT All-Area First Team Wrestling

HNT All-Area First Team
Wrestling

By GREG TUFARO • STAFF WRITER • March 27,
2010

ANTHONY ASHNAULT

SOUTH PLAINFIELD

Year: Freshman

Highlights: The rookie sensation became the Greater
Middlesex Conference's first state champion since
2005 when former South Plainfield star Jimmy
Conroy won the 103-pound title. Ashnault rolled to
the 103 state title with a 44-0 record. He defeated
Colts Neck junior Tyler Fraley 6-5 in the state final,
erasing a 4-2 deficit with a pair of takedowns. The
second takedown came late in the third period,
shortly after Ashnault cut Fraley, giving his
opponent a 5-4 lead. Ashnault is the reigning
Greater Middlesex Conference, District 12 and
Region 3 champion. He also won an individual title
at the Morris Knolls Invitational. Ashnault is the
Home News Tribune's Wrestler of the Year.

TROY HEILMANN

SOUTH PLAINFIELD

Year: Freshman

Highlights: The younger brother of senior Nick
Heilmann, who holds the school's record for career
victories, Troy placed sixth in the state tournament.
One of five outstanding freshmen on the state Group
III championship team, Heilmann also won the
Greater Middlesex Conference and District 12
tournament titles. He placed third at 112 in a loaded
weight class at the Region III Tournament.
Heilmann, who posted a 39-9 record, said he plans
to return next year to 112 pounds, where he hopes
to win a state title. Heilmann won 13 of his matches
by pin. He also won an individual crown at the
season-opening Morris Knolls Invitational.

HERIBERTO QUINTANA

PERTH AMBOY

Year: Senior

Highlights: The all-time winningest wrestler in
school history with a career record of 133-20,
Quintana is a four-time state qualifier, a four-time
district champion, a four-time region finalist and a
four-time Greater Middlesex Conference
Tournament placewinner. He ended the year with a
27-4 record following a 15-5 loss to Hunterdon
Central's Alex Shaffer in the 119-pound state final.
Quintana placed third in the state tournament a year
ago. He is the reigning GMC and District 19
champion. Quintana placed second in the GMC
Tournament as a junior and sophomore and third in
the GMCT as a freshman. Quintana excited crowds
throughout the state this season.


RAY DELANUEZ

EDISON

Year: Senior

Highlights: One of the most consistent performers
in the area over the past two years, DeLaNuez
steadily improved and his strides resulted in a Top
16 finish at the state tournament. The 125-pound
senior posted a 34-3 record on the year. He won a

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second straight District 19 and a second
consecutive Region V title. The reigning Greater
Middlesex Conference Tournament champion,
DeLaNuez owns a 91-17 career record. He won a
second straight Elizabeth Minuteman Invitational
Tournament title. DeLaNuez defeated nemesis Mike
Pysniak of Bishop Ahr to win the district and GMC
titles.

SCOTT DELVECCHIO

SOUTH PLAINFIELD

Year: Freshman

Highlights: The Tigers rolled to a 29-2 record with
a mix of veterans and newcomers. The contributions
of DelVecchio, who solidified the team's middle
weights with a 36-6 record at 130 pounds, enabled
South Plainfield to earn the No. 1 state ranking in
the New Jersey State Wrestling Coaches Association's
final poll. DelVecchio won the Greater Middlesex
Conference and District 12 tournaments. He was one
of nine Tigers to qualify for the state tournament,
matching a school record. DelVecchio placed third
in the Region III Tournament. He won 12 matches by
pin.

SAM EMBURGIA

MONROE

Year: Senior

Highlights: A four-time state tournament qualifier,
Emburgia, who previously won just one bout in
Atlantic City, made the most out of his final trip to
Boardwalk Hall, pinning nemesis Nick Heilmann of
South Plainfield in the third-place final. The 135-
pounder had lost all three previous meetings to
Heilmann including two setbacks in the Greater
Middlesex Conference Tournament finals. Emburgia
won his second straight Region V title (he was
named Outstanding Wrestler in 2009) and repeated
as a District 20 champion. Emburgia posted a 36-5
record on the year. He led Monroe with a team-best
23 pins.

CONOR HAYES

OLD BRIDGE

Year: Senior

Highlights: A four-year varsity letterwinner, Hayes
holds the school's career record with 120 victories.
He broke the previous mark of 114 wins, which
Kevin Jacoutot set 29 years ago, during the Region
V Tournament. Hayes went 40-4 on the year. He
won a District 20 title and a Region V championship
at 140 pounds. Hayes placed sixth in the state
tournament. Hayes is a three-time district champ
and two-time region champ. In 2009-10, he won
titles at the Matawan Invitational and in the
Hunterdon Central Tournament. Hayes placed third
in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament,
rebounding from a 2-1 semifinal loss to South
Plainfield's Corey Stasenko with an 8-2 victory over
Edison's Devon Coates in the consolation finals.


RYAN SACCO

SOUTH PLAINFIELD

Year: Senior

Highlights: Sacco clinched South Plainfield's 26-24
victory over High Point in the state Group III final
with a memorable 6-5 win over Joey Gaccione in
four overtimes. The victory was the most important
of the four-year starter's career. He went on to place
seventh in the state tournament with a 7-2 decision
over Rahway's Diego Chavez. The reigning Greater
Middlesex Conference, District 12 and Region III
champion at 145 pounds finished with a 40-5
record. He owns a 107-30 career mark. A three-time
district champion, Sacco led South Plainfield to a

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second-place finish at the Virginia Duals.

COLIN HEWITT

FRANKLIN

Year: Junior

Highlights: A nagging right quadriceps muscle
strain forced Hewitt to miss two brief stretches of
the season. The strain caused Hewitt, who posted a
27-3 record, to lose a bout by injury default in late
December. The 152-pounder placed in the state
tournament for the third straight year. Hewitt lost a
tough 2-1 decision to Delsea senior Eric Reger for
third. Many anticipated that matchup to actually be
the state final. Hewitt's only other setback was a
stunning loss — by pin — to Kingsway's Joseph
Renard in the state tournament prequarterfinals.
Owner of a 93-15 career record, Hewitt is a two-
time district and two-time region champion. Hewitt
led a remarkable turnaround at Franklin, which
reached the North 2 Group IV final during the
school's first NJSIAA Team Tournament appearance.

FRANK BOZZOMO

MIDDLESEX

Year: Junior

Highlights: An injury from football season —
Bozzomo started at linebacker and fullback — forced
the Middlesex standout to ease into the wrestling
season. He was held out of a late December
tournament at Hunterdon Central but soon picked
right up where he left off a year ago, finishing 31-3
on the year to improve his career mark to 87-23.
Unlike previous seasons, when Bozzomo was forced t
o wrestle up in class because the Blue Jays were
loaded at his more natural weight, the junior was
able to compete at 160 pounds. There, he won the
District 12 and Region III tournaments and finished
Top 12 in the state tournament. A three-time district
placewinner, Bozzomo finished runner-up in the
Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament,
dropping a 3-2 decision to Piscataway's Tevin Shaw.


BRENDAN VERCAMMEN

SOUTH BRUNSWICK

Year: Senior

Highlights: The senior became South Brunswick's
third state medal winner in as many years with a 3-2
victory over Plainfield's Dawud Hicks in the 171-
pound fifth-place final. Vercammen ranks third all-
time in victories at South Brunswick with a 97-21
career record. He posted a 37-4 mark this season.
Vercammen won titles at the District 20, Greater
Middlesex Conference and Mustang Classic
tournaments. He finished second at the Region V
Tournament. Last year, Vercammen won a region
title, a district title and placed second in the GMCT.
Vercammen wrestled with an intellect that matched
his physical strength, according to his coaches.

MIKE WAGNER

SOUTH PLAINFIELD

Year: Senior

Highlights: Wagner, who will continue his career at
Rutgers University, finished second in the state
tournament at 189 pounds, falling to three-time
state champion Andrew Campolattano of Bound
Brook. Wagner ended the year with a 40-2 record.
Both losses came to Campolattano. Wagner ends his
stellar career with a 90-14 career mark. He won
titles in the Greater Middlesex Conference, District
12, Region III and Morris Knolls Invitational
tournaments. He placed fourth in the state
tournament a year ago. One of South Plainfield's
team captains, Wagner set an example in the
wrestling room with his work ethic and strong

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leadership, according to his coaches.

MARC TYSON

MONROE

Year: Senior

Highlights: Known more as one of the state's best
football players, Tyson, who starred at linebacker
and defensive end for the Central Group III c
hampion Falcons, began wrestling just four years
ago. Despite being a relative newcomer to the sport,
Tyson capped his career with a fifth-place finish at
215 pounds in the state tournament. Tyson wrestled
with more brute strength than technique, but the
results were a 37-4 record, including 16 pins. His
pin of eight seconds was the fastest on the team and
one of the fastest in the area. He also led Monroe in
victories. Tyson defeated Perth Amboy's Joel Perez to
win the Region V title. He also won a Greater
Middlesex Conference and District 20
championship.

RYAN MOSKWA

PERTH AMBOY

Year: Junior

Highlights: One of the area's most improved
grapplers, Moskwa raised his career record to 52-
28 after finishing with a 34-6 mark this season. The
gifted heavyweight was one of the constants on a
Perth Amboy team that was in a perpetual state of f
lux. He was a steadying influence on a young team
that lost several competitors to injury, defection and
discipline. Moskwa won the Greater Middlesex
Conference and District 19 tournament titles. He
placed third in Region V and was a Top 12 finisher
at the state tournament. Last year, Moskwa was
second in the district and sixth in the GMC.