In wrestling, district championships aren’t given to a student-athlete. They are earned through hard work, resiliency and mental and physical toughness on the mat.
This past weekend, a local wrestling trio captured titles in their respective NJSIAA district tournaments. They are Nick Sannino (Ocean City High School, District 32, 285 pounds), Braydon Castillo (Lower Cape May Regional High School, District 30, 160 pounds) and Marcus Hebron (Lower Cape May Regional High School, District 30, 195 pounds).
Sannino, a senior, won his crown with first and second-period pins. Castillo, a sophomore, toppled No. 1 seed Asa Walton, from Delsea, 6-4, sudden victory-1 in the championship round. Hebron, a sophomore, pinned his way through his tournament bracket.
The top three finishers in each district advance to the Region 8 Tournament, held at Egg Harbor Township Feb. 26, 28 and 28.
The following local wrestlers also qualified for Region 8:
- Charley Cossaboone (sophomore, 132 pounds, Ocean City) placed second in District 32. He pinned Justin Jaeger, from Pennsville, in the semifinals before losing a decision to Jake Gentile, in Kingsway, in the finals.
- Joey Garcia (junior, 152 pounds, Ocean City). Garcia was the fifth seed in his bracket, but earned third place.
- Wesley Tosto (junior, 126 pounds, Lower Cape May Regional High School) placed second in District 30.
- David Tosto (junior, 138 pounds, Lower Cape May Regional High School) finished third in District 30.
- Christian Campanaro (junior, 152 pounds, Lower Cape May Regional High School) placed second in District 30.
- Sean Connelly (junior, 220 pounds, Lower Cape May Regional High School) finished third in District 30.
- Evan Dugan (sophomore, 126 pounds, Middle Township High School) finished in third place in District 31.
- Michael Adelizzi (junior, 152 pounds, Middle Township High School) placed third in District 31.
- Karl Giulian (senior, 160 pounds, Middle Township High School) was placed second in District 31.
- David Giulian (sophomore, 182 pounds, Middle Township High School) placed second in District 31.
- Jadan Farrow (sophomore, 220 pounds, Middle Township High School) took third at District 31.
ED. NOTE: The District 30 Tournament was hosted by Delsea High School. Lower Cape May placed fourth in the team scoring, and Delsea won the team championship at District 30. The District 31 Tournament was hosted by Williamstown High School. Middle Township finished in fifth place in the team scoring at District 31, which was won by St. Augustine. The District 32 Tournament was hosted by Absegami High School. Ocean City placed fifth, and Kingsway placed first in the team scoring at District 32.
