Editor’s note: Below is Harry Frezza’s early deadline story. This story will be replaced by a more complete version soon so please check back.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS: 1. Bound Brook 258, 2. Watchung Hills 159 1/3, 3. Bridgewater-Raritan 128, 4. Somerville 108; 5. Ridge 99; 6. Franklin 80; 7. Montgomery 71, 8. Hillsborough 69; 9. Manville 66; 10. Bernards 33; 11. North Plainfield 29, 12. Pingry 26; 13. Rutgers Prep 2
HILLSBOROUGH – Not that Bound Brook needed a spark as the 38th Somerset County Tournament finals began Saturday night at Hillsborough High School. The Crusaders, who’d already wrapped up a third straight title, got a bonus and extra push from freshman 120-pounder Stephan Glasgow.
The second -seeded Glasgow beat Bridgewater-Raritan’s returning District 18 champ and Region V runnerup Gianni Calo 5-1. The victory was followed by junior 126-pounder and returning state champ Craig De La Cruz’s third county title. Bound Brook juniors Nick Accetta (138), Andrew Gombas (152) and Josh Ugalde (160) won in overtime. The title was Ugalde’s second.
Senior 285 pounder Mike Johnson making his season debut after having knee surgery Oct. 2 also won his first county title and Crusader senior 220 pounder Ronald Picado won by medical forfeit. The night ended when Crusader senior 106 Nick Limenza beat Manville’s Brian Kuhlman 8-6.
Bound Brook had nine finalists with eight winning. The Crusaders finished with 258 points, topping runnerup Watchung Hills, which finished with 159 1/2 and champions in Magaldo and junior 145-pounder Alex Murray.
“I just had to stay aggressive and do what my coaches have told me, we have a very good wrestling room and I drill with guys like Craig,’’ said Glasgow.
“He deserved it he’s worked really hard and it gave me a boost,’’ said De La Cruz.
Montgomery unbeaten senior 195-pounder Anthony Cassar upset returning third-place state place winner and defending county champ Ralph Normandia of Franklin. Normandia was third in the state last year.
Watchung Hills’ unbeaten senior 132-pounder Mike Magaldo became the eighth to win fourth county titles with a fall over Hillsborough junior Jack Donnadio.
Donnadio did reverse Magaldo, a state champ as a sophomore, and three-time state tournament place winner.
“As soon as I got my feet I got my pace going and I knew he couldn’t go with me, so I kept the pace forward and I k new that sooner or later I’d get an opening and I did,,’’ said Magaldo “I knew that if I kept the pressure on him, I’d wear him down and the openings would come.
“I’v matured, I see more openings, I’m moving guuys around more, but there’s still a job to do, I have to get that ‘w’ in A.C.,’’ he said.
Franklin senior 170-pounder Mike Fagg Daves took a 5-0 first period lead over Bound Brook senior Ryan Doerr and went on to win his firs county title. Cort Hotz became Ridge’s first champ since 2009-2010 with a 4-3 win over Somerville’s Travis Hartrum at 182.
