Marlboro's Parisi wins elusive Region title
Four Rebels move on to state tournament
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Above, Marlboro's Nick Parisi works on CBA's Ollie Ferraro during their 189-pound Region VI final in Toms River on Saturday. At left, Howell's Billy Woodward puts Brick Memorial's John Barrett on his back during a 152-pound consolation match.

Next stop, A.C. The NJSIAA Wrestling Tourna-ment field has been whittled down to the very best wrestlers in the state and they will begin vying for the all important title of state champion on Friday in Atlantic City

The tournament continues through Saturday with the finals on Sunday afternoon.

Atlantic City has been the goal and dream of every wrestler since November, when official practice started the day after Thanksgiving; and now, it is here.

For the first time, Marlboro's Nick Parisi, a state place winner in 2005, is going to AC as a region champion.

Fresh off his record-tying fourth straight NJSIAA District 21 title, the Marlboro senior won the Region VI championship in workman-like fashion on Sunday at the Ritacco Center on the campus of Toms River North High School. He beat Christian Brothers Academy's Ollie Ferraro in the final, 10-3, becoming the first Mustang to win a region championship. The third time proved to be the charm for Parisi, who had been a runner-up the last two years.

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"It's so good," said Parisi. "I was a little nervous before the match. The last time I wrestled him [Ferraro] it was 3-2.

"We've wrestled eight times, in and out of season, and he knows my style," he added. "He wrestles very conservative."

This was the third meeting between the two wrestlers this year alone. Parisi pinned the Colt at an early season tournament and then escaped with a 3-2 win during the dual-meet season.

"That [decision] was a wake-up call for me," he said.

Parisi may have been a little nervous before the match, having lost the last two finals and been pushed by Ferraro the last time they tangled, but once the match started, Parisi was in top form. He registered three takedowns en route to his decisive victory.

"I really picked him apart on his feet," said Parisi. "I was looking to get an early takedown."

Parisi, ranked third in the state in his weight class, boosted his undefeated record to 34-0 as he heads to Atlantic City looking to become Marlboro's first state champion.

"I'm so focused to get it done," he said. "I've been very persistent in my workouts throughout the season. I've done everything."

Mustang head coach William Wernst pointed out that the region title was a huge relief for his star.

"It was a load off his shoulders," he said. "He wrestled a solid match."

Wernst believes that Parisi has what it takes to win this weekend.

"It's how hard he has worked this year," he said. "He's never taken anything for granted. He's in the weight room twice a week after practice. He has film sessions with his personal coach. He's done a lot of extra work this year."

Parisi will be joined in AC by a quartet of Howell Rebels - Joey Langel (103 pounds), Tom Tuminelli (140), Billy Woodward (152) and Frank Mormino (160).

"We have four wrestlers moving on," said Howell coach John Gagliano. "I'm proud of the way they wrestled. It was a great experience for them."

Langel, a sophomore, advanced to the Region final, where he lost a 5-3 decision to Vinnie DelleFave of Toms River East. Langel, the No. 4 seed, upset top-seed Matt Oliver of Toms River North, 2-0, in overtime in the semis.

"Oliver was ranked No. 3 in the state and Joey beat him in overtime," said Gagliano.

Tuminelli, shocked in the District 21 final by Jackson's Glen Booth, bounced back with a vengeance. From the No. 6 seed, Tuminelli advanced all the way to the final where he lost to defending state champion Frank Molinaro of Southern Regional, 12-2.

"Tom was very gritty," said Gagliano. "He beat [Central Regional's Len] Forsyth, who had beaten him before and beat the No. 2 seed [Raritan's Dan Seidenberg], who was 34-1."

Tuminelli decisioned Forsyth 8-3 in the quarters and slipped past Seidenberg 2-1 in the semifinals.

Woodward, a defending Region champion, was only seeded No. 4, which meant an encounter with the No. 1 seed and eventual champion Nick Weaver of Central Regional in the semifinals, which Weaver won by a fall.

Woodward, though, would bounce back and continue his quest to be a state place winner by winning two matches to place third and punch his ticket to A.C. He beat Brick Memorial's John Barrett, a state place winner last year, by a pin in the consolation final.

"Billy was in the toughest weight class in the Shore and for him to comeback like he did shows what kind of leader he is," said Gagliano. "He stepped up."

Teammate Mormino, a senior like Woodward, earned his ticket to the Big Show for the first time winning his third-place consolation match over Central's Nick Tenpenny, 6-5. He was the surprise of the tournament for the Rebels.

"Frank Mormino had the tournament of his life," said Gagliano. "He wrestled beyond what he has all year. He had a great tournament."

It could have been a greater tournament for Howell if Cody Fobes, seeded No. 3 at 112, hadn't injured his knee in his semifinal match with Ocean's Zac Coulas and landing in the hospital. That denied him the chance of going into the wrestlebacks with a chance to place third and qualify for the state tournament.

Howell's Justin Morello (125) and Freehold Borough's Andrew Rock (145) lost their consolation finals to finish fourth, coming up one win short of AC.

Colts Neck's Jeremy Gaines (125), Howell's Jason Ecklof (135), Freehold Borough's Anthony Panzarirno (215) and Marlboro's Brian Tiscia (heavyweight), all reached the wrestleback semifinals.