Brick Memorial's Santaniello Wins His 2nd State Wrestling Championship

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Anthony Santaniello said he expects to sleep soundly Saturday night.

“I’ll probably be in bed by 9 o’clock,” Santaniello said after winning the 132-pound championship at the NJSIAA Wrestling Championships on Saturday. “I was so anxious I couldn’t sleep last night. I didn’t go to sleep until 3:30 in the morning.”

Lack of sleep didn’t seem to affect the Brick Memorial senior when he took the mat at Boardwalk Hall for the championship final against Jack Bastarrika of Mount Olive. Santaniello scored a takedown halfway through the first period and then controlled Bastarrika for most of the next five minutes en route to a 10-0 major decision.

It was his second title in four trips to the state finals and earned Santaniello the Outstanding Wrestler award for the tournament.

While it was his second title, it was Santaniello’s first championship in Boardwalk Hall. He lost as a freshman and in his junior season in the state finals. His 2021 state championship came at Phillipsburg High School, when the wrestling championships were held in a smaller format because of the coronavirus pandemic.

At Phillipsburg, attendance was limited and Santaniello’s support was his brother, Vincent, who also won a title in 2021, his parents, and Brick Memorial head coach Mike Kiley and his staff.

Saturday at Boardwalk Hall, the Santaniello clan was out in full force, and he ran into the stands after his victory for a round of hugs.

“It’s a relief,” Santaniello said. “My brother, my dad, me, we had never won in this building. We broke the Santaniello curse.”

“I worked so hard. It’s just a relief to see it finally pay off,” Anthony Santaniello said.

Santaniello finished his high school career with a 138-3 record, including 40-0 his senior season. Two of his three losses were in state finals, in his freshman year to Evan Mougalian of Kinnelon in the 106-pound match, and to Tyler Vazquez of Delbarton in the 132-pound final in 2022. He also lost to Vazquez at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, in the prestigious Beast of the East tournament. In addition to his two state titles he won four Region 6 championships and three district championships.

And he’s not done working just yet. Santaniello said he’s ready to get back to work on Sunday.

“I’m probably going to practice. I love going out there and scrapping,” said Santaniello, who is headed for Oklahoma to continue his wrestling career. “I’m ready to chase national titles now.”

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