Manochio, Parisi top District wrestling team
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff Marlboro’s Nick Parisi, shown here putting Jackson’s Alex Ginsberg on his back, was one of the District’s top performers once again this year.

Manalapan’s Nick Manochio’s run to the state championship final highlighted a wrestling season that saw a changing of the guard.

Manochio won one for the veterans in a season in which young wrestlers had a great impact. The Brave senior reached the state final in Atlantic City for the first time in his career, and was the only local wrestler that won a match in the state tournament. He concluded his career as a three-time state place-winner.

Howell started slowly with an inexperienced, underclass-dominated team, but by season’s end it was a solid squad. John Gagliano’s Rebels were second to powerhouse Jackson at the NJSIAA District 21 championships and sent 10 wrestlers, seven of them underclassmen, to the Region.

Manalapan couldn’t overcome the loss due to graduation of its powerful middle weight line-up from 2003 and didn’t defend its A North or Shore Conference Tournament titles. They remained a division contender and Manochio gave them a presence in Atlantic City once again.

Jack Withstandley returned to his alma mater at Freehold Township and turned things around right away. The Pats won the Icebreaker team title and had a winning record in dual meets. They had four finalists and two champions at the District tournament.

Freehold Borough made the biggest inroads of the season. Led by senior Jamie Giovinazzo, the Colonials were 11-6 in dual meets after winning just four times in 2003.

Marlboro and Nick Parisi remained competitive in the highly competitive A North Division.

The News Transcript’s 2004 All-Freehold District Wrestling Team is a mixture of newcomers and veterans. The All-District wrestlers are:

Jimmy Bohn, Howell (103 pounds); Manochio, Manalapan (112); Todd Tuminelli, Howell (119); Nick Barry, Manalapan (125); Scott Beckerman, Manalapan (130); Bill Woodward, Howell (135); Frank Mormino, Howell (140); Pete Reilly, Freehold Township (145); George Cuevas, Freehold Borough (152); Parisi, Marlboro (160); Adam Miller, Freehold Township (171); Steve Schwartz, Freehold Township (189); Giovinazzo, Freehold Borough (215); and Mike Savoye, Howell (heavyweight).

Manochio finished his career in style, advancing to the state final for the first time in his career. He lived up to his goal of leaving it all on the mat in his 12-5 loss to Delbarton’s Mike Grey, who is 74-0 in his career.

Manochio won his third straight District 21 championship in February after a three-peat at the Neptune Classic at the start of the season. He stumbled in Region VI and finished third there. He made up for that with four victories in Atlantic City. He finished the season 31-4 and 101-8 for his career.

He is just the second Brave and third Freehold District wrestler to win 100 matches in his career. His 101 wins were just short of graduated teammate Mike Gaeta’s school record of 102.

Parisi is well on his way to a memorable career. The sophomore proved that he is going to be a force on the wrestling mats by backing up his strong freshman season with an even better sophomore campaign. He started the season off winning the Matawan Icebreaker Tournament where he was named the Outstanding Wrestler. He also won the Hawk Classic. Parisi won his second straight District title and placed in the Region for the first time (second). He made it to Atlantic City for the first time and that experience will no doubt bode well for next two years, as he looks to make an impact at the state championships in the future. Parisi went 30-3, reaching 30 wins for the first time. He could be the next 100-plus winner.

Giovinazzo broke a long dry spell for Freehold Borough wrestling by winning the District 21 championship. He won a titanic struggle with Howell’s Chris DeSena that required overtime before the Colonial pulled out a 3-1 decision. The senior won two tournaments in December, at Christian Brothers Academy and Holmdel. After his District win he went on to finish second in the Region and make his first trip to Atlantic City. He had to get through DeSena again at the Region, beating the Rebel 6-4 this time. DeSena would finish third and go to Atlantic City himself. Giovinazzo’s two wins over him were a testament to the quality of the weight class and how good the Colonial is.

A win in the Neptune Classic in his varsity debut was an early indication that Bohn wasn’t your typical freshman. He backed it up with a strong dual meet season. He went 23-7 and finished second in District 21, falling 6-4 in the final to Jackson’s veteran Nick Keshecki. The future is very bright for Bohn and the young Rebels.

Another freshman making a big impact for Howell was Tuminelli. A second place at the Roselle Park Tournament in December was a starter. He was seeded third in the District, but beat second-seeded John Post of Freehold Township, 12-4, in the semifinals. He lost the final to Jackson’s Jeff Pascarella, but had made his point that he will be someone to look out for. He was 15-12.

Beckerman joined teammate Manochio as a Neptune Classic winner. He proved a steadying force in the middle of the line-up during the dual meet season. The senior went 24-5, losing the District final to state place-winner Anthony Castro of St. John Vianney.

Barry is the third Brave on the team. The senior stepped up and provided experience in the middle of the line-up along with Beckerman. He was third in the District and won 17 matches.

Sophomore Woodward is another of Howell’s talented underclassmen. He won the Roselle Park Tournament after a third place in Neptune. A solid dual meet season followed and he finished second in District 21 and punched his ticket to Atlantic City by finishing third in the Region. He went 26-7 and his experience in Atlantic City should benefit him the next two years.

Mormino is yet another member of Howell’s Kiddy Corps. The sophomore earned his place on the team by taking third place at the District tournament. He won 16 matches for the Rebels and will be one of the key returners next year.

Reilly epitomized the never-give-up attitude that Withstandley brought to the Patriots. Reilly started his season with a win at the Icebreaker and a third at Middletown South. In the District final, he upset top-seeded Preston Brown of Jackson in double overtime. He went on to finish fourth in the Region and was 24-8.

It was "Miller Time" most nights at Freehold Township as senior Adam Miller helped spark the Pats’ turnaround this year. He won the Matawan Icebreaker to start the season and was steady throughout the dual meet season. He won the District championship, emphatically pinning top seed Adam Berking of Jackson in the final. He was 26-6 for the season.

The third of Freehold Township’s trio of All-District wrestlers, Schwartz, earned his spot by beating defending District 21 champion Clint Newman of Colts Neck, in the semifinals. The senior went 21-7.

Cuevas, who won the CBA tournament at the start of the season, proved the seeding committee wrong at the District tournament. Seeded sixth, he beat No. 3 seed Pat Bell of Freehold Township and No. 2 seed Jude Ganthier of Howell, on his way to the final where he lost to Jackson’s Kevin Shelly. One of the big reasons for Freehold Borough’s rise this winter, he was 19-8. A junior, he will look to follow the footsteps of teammate Giovinazzo, who was a District runner-up as a junior and came back to win it as a senior.

Savoye, a junior, earned his spot on the team by winning the District consolation match over Manalapan’s Tom Boyce, reversing a regular season loss to the Brave. He was 17-11 and played a key roll at the top of the line-up in dual meets. He was third at Roselle Park and fourth at the Neptune Classic.

Those earning Second Team for their 2003-04 season were: Matt Frankel, Marlboro (103 pounds), third place District 21; Jeremy Gaines, Colts Neck (112), third place District 21; John Post, Freehold Township (119), third place District 21; Paul Calafiore, Howell (125), fourth place District 21; Marty Holleran, Howell (130), third place District 21; Anthony Accardi, Manalapan (135), third place District 21; Frank Grzelak, Manalapan (140), fourth place District 21; Bryan Ickles, Howell (145), third place District 21; Jude Ganthier, Howell (152), third place District 21; Pat Sheehan, Howell (160), third place District 21; Jonathan Panke, Colts Neck (171), fourth place District 21; Clint Newman, Colts Neck (189), fourth place District 21; Chris DeSena, Howell (215), second place District 21 and third place Region 6; and Tom Boyce, Manalapan (heavyweight), fourth place District 21.