Daily Record 1/11/04
By Joe Hofmann

Madison still has work to do following win at Newark Academy

Note: The following article is a reprint from the Daily Record. Writer Joe Hofmann comments on the Madison HS program and other Morris county wrestling.

LIVINGSTON — They won their third straight Newark Academy Tournament title and were more than happy to pose for a team photo afterwards.

Madison wrestling coach Kevin Carroll was delighted, too. But with the NHC-Suburban season approaching, he also knows it’s time for the Dodgers to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Carroll said, after the Dodgers scored 102 1/2 points to outdistance Pingry (77 1/2), DePaul (73), Morristown (69) and Millburn (63 1/2). “We wrestled real well in the semis, but not so well in the quarterfinals and finals. We need to achieve some consistency.”

Madison crowned one champion in 215-pound Nico Somers, who beat Bayonne’s Rob Beicht in the finals, 4-2.

Four Madison wrestlers reached the finals and placed second. Two of them lost to wrestlers who should place highly in the state tournament in Atlantic City.

Alex Guerriero (135) lost to Millburn’s Zach Tanelli at 135. At 152, Colin McAuliff lost to Pingry’s Zach Shanaman.

Madison’s Peter Mazzochi (140) and A.J. Rooney (171) also placed second.

Frankie Davis (125) took third for Madison.

“Alex and Frankie did a nice job, McAuliff wrestled well, and Nico did well,” Carroll said.

“The most important thing for us is that it is Jan. 10, not Feb. 29. If we recognize the things we need to improve … that’s why we’re here. We have to identify the things we need to work on.

“We have Montville Wednesday and four tough dual matches in 10 days (Madison also wrestles Westfield, DePaul and Pequannock during that stretch).

“We need to improve in situation recognition and do a better job of where we are and knowing how much time is left. But I’m happy for the kids.

“They were able to win this tournament and that was a goal they wanted to achieve. But we’d like to get better and compete in the county, sectional, and districts. We need some kids to step it up in order for us to achieve some more goals.”

Delbarton, wrestling without state champion Mike Grey (112) and Bill Colgan (189), crowned a champion in 103-pound Frank Perelli, who was fifth in the state at his weight as an eighth grader. Perelli beat Bayonne’s Rob Barry in the finals, 12-6.

“Frank’s gonna be a good one,” Green Wave assistant Guy Russo said. “He won two matches at the (season-opening) Beast of the East. He just has to learn to wrestle high school kids, not eighth graders. But he has a great future.”

Grey (11-0) and Colgan (10-1) wrestled six matches apiece at the Beast of the East and Delbarton coach Ted O’Donnell didn’t want either to go over their match limit with the dual season gearing up this week.

Morristown standout Matt Flynn (171) won his weight class with an 18-10 victory over Rooney.

“He wrestled a great tournament,” Colonials coach Terry Hurley said. “He’s wrestling real well. He’s 8-1 and getting into wrestling shape. He’s moving real well. It was his first tournament victory of any kind, so we’re very happy for him.”

Joe Hofmann can be reached at jhofmann@gannett.com or (973) 428-6674.