By Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
Stay in your seats for these finals
Region Saturday is always one of the best days on the high school sports calendar, and with the eight Region tournaments kicking off Wednesday night, it's appropriate to look ahead to what could be the best finals across the state on Saturday night. Scroll through to see what we think could be the marquee matchups.
By Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 2 Shane Sosinsky, Northern Highlands (36-0) vs. No. 6 Dan Surich, Mahwah (32-2)
Region 1, 182 pounds: This is a rematch from the Bergen County final that Sosinsky won by decision, 5-3. Sosinsky, an undefeated senior, was last season's state runner-up at 170 while Surich, a senior with a record of 32-2, is trying to get on the podium for the first time.
By George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
No. 2 Pete Acciardi, Don Bosco Prep (26-2) vs. No. 6 Jake Brown, Pope John (20-1)
220 pounds Region 1: Acciardi has not lost since a win over state runner-up Robert Melise of Phillisburg propelled him to the No. 2 spot in the state rankings. Brown, a one-loss junior ranked No. 6, will try to change that.
By Chris Monroe | For NJ Advance Media
No. 2 Dylan Cedeno, Fair Lawn (34-0) vs. No. 8 Nick Kayal, Bergen Catholic (29-8)
Region 2,106 pounds: Cedeno is only the fourth seed here, so one of this season's breakthrough stars will have to go through undefeated top seed and No. 6 Nick DeNora to face one of Bergen Catholic's lightweight hammers.
By Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 3 Carmen Ferrante, Bergen Catholic (25-9) vs. No. 5 Anthony Clarizio, Cedar Grove (32-2)
Region 2, 126 pounds: Coming off wins over Paulsboro's Anthony Duca and DePaul's Daniel Percelay, three-time Essex County champion Anthony Clarizio is trying to cement his status as a state-title contender. What better way than knocking off a two-time state medalist? Ferrante, a junior who is 25-9, has been a staple in the top eight throughout his career.
By Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
No. 2 Shane Griffith, Bergen Catholic (29-2) vs. No. 3 Michael O'Malley, Hasbrouck Heights (30-2)
Region 2, 152 pounds: Griffith, a two-time state champion, earned a 6-1 decision when these two nationally-ranked juniors squared off in the final round at District 5. Can O'Malley, last year's state runner-up at 145, close the gap?
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No. 2 Kyle Cochran, Paramus (33-1) vs. No. 4 Christopher Foca, Bergen Catholic (29-5)
Region 2, 160 pounds: This will be the third meeting between these two breakout stars. Cochran, who won last year's 160-pound state title after finishing third at Region 2, is rying to make it three in a row against Foca, who exploded onto the scene last season by winning the title at the Beast of the East.
By Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
No. 1 Joe Soreco, DePaul (29-5) vs. No. 5 Sean O'Malley, Hasbrouck Heights (30-1)
Region 2, 220 pounds This is a rematch from last year's state fifth-place match at 195 that Soreco won by decision, 3-2. Soreco, a Beast of the East and Powerade medalist, will try to win once again to defend his No. 1 ranking against once-beaten O'Malley.
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No. 1 Nick Raimo, Hanover Park (29-1) vs. No. 2 Shane Metzler, West Morris (32-2)
Region 3, 126 pounds: It took a five-point move by Raimo in overtime to cap this District 11 thriller. Will their rematch be even better? Raimo, last year's state runner-up at 120, has not lost since the Beast of the East.
By Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 4 Dominic Mainiero, Queen of Peace (25-1) vs. No. 5 L.J. Castellano, Delbarton (27-2)
Region 3, 182 pounds: This is a showdown featuring two returning state medalists. Mainiero, a two-time medalist, is undefeated against in-state competition, while Castellano owns a pair of marquee wins over Bergen Catholic's Josh McKenzie and Egg Harbor's Connor Agostino.
By Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 2 Joe Heilmann, South Plainfield (37-0) vs. No. 3 Michael Kelly, St. Peter's Prep (17-2)
Region 4, 120 pounds: Heilmann pinned Kelly in last year's state fifth-place match at 106, so this is a rematch between two juniors expecting deep postseason runs. Kelly proved he's recovered from a broken wrist by beating Pope John's JoJo Aragona, while Heilmann rolls into regions with an undefeated record.
By Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 4 Jake Giordano, South Plainfield (36-2) vs. Rhise Royster, Rahway (29-0)
Region 4, 126 pounds: Looking for a signature win, Royster will put his undefeated record on the line against Giordano, a two-loss senior coming off a District 14 title.
By George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
No. 6 Nicholas Santos, St. Peter's Prep (27-5) vs. Jeff Johnson, Middlesex (38-1)
Region 4, 145 pounds: Santos, a four-time district champion and state sixth-place finisher, will try to ward off once-beaten Johnson, a senior who won by major decision against South Plainfield's Kyle Bythell to win the District 14 title.
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No. 3 Bryan McLaughlin (37-1) vs. No. 5 Aiden Monteverdi (34-0)
Region 4, 170 pounds: If Monteverdi gets past Cranford's Vince Concina, ranked No. 7, he would likely face the fourth-place finisher in the state a year ago and a nationally-ranked wrestler in McLaughlin. A Concina-McLaughlin final would be a big-time match too.
By Frank H. Conlon | For NJ Advance Media
No. 5 Van Miller, Bridgewater-Raritan (18-1) vs. Jack Miller, Westfield (33-2)
Region 4, 195 pounds: You already know what time it is...time for Van Miller to prove he is ready for a postseason run after missing more than a month of the season. Jack Miller, meanwhile, is looking for a signature win against a fellow state-ranked opponent.
By Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 4 Zach Delvecchio, South Plainfield (37-1) vs. Farhan Khan, Carteret (31-1)
Region 4, 220 pounds: Delvecchio handed Khan his only loss this season in the final round of the GMC Tournament when Delvecchio won by fall in 3:02. This is a chance for redemption for Khan or another chance for Delvecchio to prove he's Middlesex County's best 220-pounder.
By Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
No. 7 Alex Esposito, Cranford (26-0) vs. No. 8 Charles Tordik, North Hunterdon (25-0)
Region 4, 285 pounds: An undefeated season will come to an end if these two heavyweights meet in the final. To get there, Tordik will need to get by a potential semifinal pairing with Woodbridge's Alexander LaGrippo.
By Saed Hindash | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 2 Robert Cleary, Bound Brook (31-3) vs. No. 8 Matt Kolonia, Delaware Valley (36-1)
Region 5, 138 pounds: Another one of the Bound Brook standouts will try to take a big step on the way to a state title by beating the once-beaten Delaware Valley senior.
By Keith Muccilli | For the Times of Trenton
Joe Casey, Bound Brook (25-6) vs. No. 2 Nicholas Lombard, Monroe (30-0)
Region 5, 145 pounds: Casey is a returning state placewinner and Lombard will be trying to solidify his status as a state title contender.
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No. 1 Mekhi Lewis (35-0) vs. No. 5 Michael Petite, Piscataway (30-2)
Region 5, 160 pounds: Petite's only losses are by fall to Lewis in the district final and 3-0 to Paramus state champion Kyle Cochran.
By Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
No. 4 Michael Porcaro, Sayreviille (33-10 vs. No. 6 Dylan D'Amore, Montgomery (31-1).
Region 5, 285 pounds: Porcaro won against D'Amore by a 3-1 decision on Dec. 28 in the finals of the Bear Invitational at East Brunswick.
By Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 4 Phil Rogers, Delran (35-0) vs. No. 6 Shane Reitsma, Howell (35-0)
Region 6, 170 pounds: It's a battle of unbeaten between the senior Rogers, who is coming off a fourth district title, and the freshman Reitsma, who has yet to lose in his career.
By Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Chase Mullarkey, Holy Cross (16-0) vs. No. 5 Hunter Gutierrez, Lacey (34-0)
Region 7, 106 pounds: The final could be Mullarkey and Gutierrez. Or it could be Paulsboro's Georgio Mazzeo and Collingswood's Andy Clark. There are even a few lower seeds with an outside shot to reach the final. This is a very deep and talented weight class.
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
No. 5 Keith Swartly, Cinnaminson (29-0) vs. Lorenzo Hernandez, Cherry Hill West (32-2)
Region 7, 285 pounds: Swarthy edged Hernandez in an ultimate tiebreaker in the District 26 final and there could be a rematch, though there are several other top heavyweights - Sterling's Lamar Price, Cherry Hill East's Ryan Swenson and Holy Cross' Bobby Cristella among them in a loaded bracket.
By David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
No. 4 Travis Layton, Woodstown (35-0) vs. No. 6 Trace Kinner, Kingsway (32-5)
Region 8, 138 pounds: These two friends and rivals met in the District 29 finals with Layton coming away with a 5-3 win. Both are former state placewinners.
Lori M. Nichols | For NJ Advance Media
Blaine Shade, Timber Creek (28-2) vs. No. 6 Jake Maxwell, Buena (35-1)
Region 8, 160 pounds: Shade has come on this year, including an impressive win in the Mustang Classic, and will give the former state placewinner all he can handle.
By Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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