State Wrestling: Andrew Campolattano of Bound Brook wins 215-pound state championship

BOB BEHRE, March 06, 2011 9:06 p.m.

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Andrew Campolattano of Bound Brook celebrates after winning the 215-pound state championship in Atlantic City. - (Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger)

As Andrew Campolattano of Bound Brook paced back and forth on the mat, awaiting the conclusion of the medal presentation for the 171-pounders Sunday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, one could sense that something was different.

This was not good news for Cherokee's Mike Zeuli.

Zeuli (28-1), an All-State football player bound for Princeton, was certainly no sacrificial lamb, yet few in the crowd envied him at that moment.

Campolattano already had three state tournament championships in the bank, all at 189 pounds, and was seeking to win this time at 215 pounds in his senior year and become just the second wrestler in state history to win four NJSIAA state titles.

"Camp" was not in a playful mood.

"It was like I wasn't in my body out there," Campolattano said. "I fed off the energy of the crowd. I knew the kid had a big gas tank, so I had to come out on fire. I had to be as aggressive as possible."

Andrew Campolattano, Bound Brook, pins Mike Zeuli, Cherokee, in 47 seconds for 215-pound state championship

Interview with Bound Brook's Andrew Campolattano after he won his fourth state championship

Campolattano nearly beat the opening whistle, he shot so fast at Zeuli, who avoided what would have been a low double-leg. But Zeuli, who attempted to fend off Campolattano's advance with hand fighting, simply could not avoid the coming storm.

Campolattano suddenly scooped Zeuli clean off the mat to his back and locked him up in a tight embrace as he sank the Cherokee wrestler's shoulder blades to the mat.

Referee Mark Sherman's usual flying mat slap signaled the end for Zeuli in just 47 seconds as the crowd -- 10,288 attended the championship round --  erupted.

Campolattano raced around the mat and jumped into assistant coach Marty Gleason's arms. He then charged into the stands to embrace his mother, Angela. Campolattano, who says he has a game plan for every bout, did not have one for his celebration.

"It wasn't planned," he said. "It just happened. It was just emotion."

The victory improved Campolattano's record to 44-0 on the season and 175-1 for his career. The victory total is a state record. The pin was Campolattano's 116th, also a New Jersey record.

And he joined Delbarton's Mike Grey (2003 through '06) as the state's only four-time NJSIAA state champions.

Campolattano was unamiously selected as the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler award winner. The loss left Zeuli with a 28-1 record this winter.

"I told Andrew the only thing he could do to upstage me was to pin in the first period in the district, region and state tournament," Bound Brook assistant coach Andrew Flanagan, who won state championships in 2004 and '05, said. "That's what he did. You just need to put something in front of him and he attacks it. All Andrew needs is a challenge."

Campolattano's only loss came in December 2009 to Mike Evans of Blair Academy when Bound Brook wrestled in the Bethlehem (Pa.) Holiday Classic. Campolattano improved to 100-0 that day before falling the very next match, 7-2, to Evans in the final.

Through it all, Campolattano said he tries to wrestle every match the same. This one, though, may have been his best yet.