By Brian Deakyne and Matt Stypulkoski | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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Lori M. Nichols | For NJ Advance Media
Making history in Atlantic City
More than 400 wrestlers took to the mats at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City this weekend to cap off a historic season in N.J. wrestling. Scroll through this post to see the best storylines from the three days of action that resulted in 14 new individual state champions.
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Lori M. Nichols | For NJ Advance Media
From 4th at Regionals to A.C. podium: expansion's benefits
Of the 112 medal-winners from this year’s State Wrestling Championships, four can say they are extra thankful. North Hunterdon’s Andrew Gapas (8th at 132, pictured), Southern’s Nick O’Connell (8th at 145), Jacquan McPherson of Penns Grove (8th at 170) and Delsea’s Tommy Maxwell (8th at 195) were 4th-place finishers at regions. A rule change put region 4th-place finishers in the finals this year, and these guys made it pay off.
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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Big 3 upset in quarterfinals
In about a 30-minute span, chaos erupted in the quarterfinals with three big upsets. South Plainfield's Zach DelVecchio KOed Phillipsburg defending state runner-up Robert Melise at 220. Collingswood's Michael Taulane upset Joseph McKenzie, the No. 1 seed at 195, and Sam Wustefeld of Scotch Plains-Fanwood upset defending state runner-up Shane Sosinsky, the No. 1 seed at 182.
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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media
Attendance is up, highest total in 10 years
The addition of fourth place finishers from the eight regional tournaments – an additional 112 wrestlers overall – helped boost attendance at the three-day State Wrestling Championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The final day of the tournament drew 10,087 fans. Wrestling on Friday afternoon for the first time in tournament history, the first two days of the championships attracted 32,779 fans. NJSIAA Executive Director Steve Timko said it was the best crowd the tournament has drawn in 10 years.
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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Glory Days
Delbarton's Pat Glory, the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the country at 120 pounds, finally got over the hump after two straight devastating losses in the state finals. Berfore the finals, Glory pinned in two matches, won by major decision and won by technical fall en route to a dominating three days at Boardwalk Hall.
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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Rutgers-bound: 2 state champs, 2 other medalists
Delsea’s Billy Janzer (pictured), the 170-pound state champ, and Stephan Glasgow of Bound Brook, who won his second title, will do their wrestling for Rutgers University and head coach Scott Goodale next season. Glasgow finished with a 36-1 record. Janzer ended his season 44-2. Two other medalists -- West Morris' Shane Metzler (seventh at 126) and Bound Brook's Robert Cleary (third at 138) -- are also Rutgers signees.
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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
History for Scotch Plains-Fanwood - almost
Unheralded Sam Wustefeld fell short in his bid to become the first state champion for Scotch Plains-Fanwood since 1967. Wustefeld, the ninth seed at 182 pounds, dropped a 5-4 decision to George Walton of Bound Brook in the final. It was an amazing ride for Wustefeld, who took the eighth seed, then top-seeded Shane Sosinsky of Northern Highlands and then fifth seed. Wustefeld finished his junior season 42-5.
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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Howell's John Gagliano, Coach of the Year - two finalists
Howell head coach John Gagliano, who led his team to its first Group 5 team title and landed three medalists in Sunday’s NJSIAA Championship finals (a champ, a 2nd and a 7th), was named the New Jersey Coach of the Year by the New Jersey Wrestling Coaches Association on Sunday at Boardwalk Hall. Gagliano led Howell to a 30-1 record. It won the second Shore Conference Tournament title in school history and a 12th straight Shore Conference Class A North title.
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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Co-Most Outstanding Wrestlers
There were two Most Outstanding Wrestlers at the State Championships in Atlantic City Sunday. Bound Brook senior Mekhi Lewis (left) won his second-consecutive state title at 160 pounds, and shared the award with Ocean Township junior Jake Benner, the 138-pound winner. Benner hit a late, five-point move to win his championship.
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J.J. Conrad | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Podium promposal
Following his second straight sixth-place finish at 220 pounds, Hasbrouck Heights' Sean O'Malley was surprised with a promposal by his girlfriend, Kiana Secor of Pompton Lakess, who was dressed in a singlet with a sign behind the podium as O'Malley received his medal. How sweet is that?
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Lori M. Nichols | For NJ Advance Media
Unofficial team title: Bergen Catholic
There are no official team standings at the State Championships, but according to Trackwrestling.com, Bergen Catholic – despite being shut out in the finals – would have won the unofficial team title with 115 points. Bound Brook, with its three state champions, would have been second with 110 points. Don Bosco Prep (76), Delbarton (74.5) and Howell (63.5) round out the top five.
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Chris Faytok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The Bound Brook 3
Bound Brook made school history Sunday night as three individual champions were crowned, most ever for the accomplished program. Mekhi Lewis defeated Paramus' Kyle Cochran in the 160-pound final, 5-3, to repeat as a state champion, Stephan Glasgow (flipping out) grabbed his second straight title with a win by decision over Bergen Catholic's Shane Griffith at 152 and George Walton earned his first state title at 182 pounds with a 5-4 win over Scotch Plains-Fanwood's Sam Wustefeld.
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Lori M. Nichols | For NJ Advance Media
Bergen Catholic blanked in finals
Bergen Catholic, the No. 1 team in the NJ.com Top 20, is leaving Boardwalk Hall without a champion for the first time since 2011 but it had six wrestlers finish in the top three. Bergen Catholic had four champions in each of the last two seasons but went 0-for-3 in the final round Sunday.
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Lori M. Nichols | For NJ Advance Media
Oh, brother(s)!
Gateway's Antonio Mininno (pictured) won the 113-pound state title, while twin Dante finished fourth. Kingsway's Quinn Kinner captured the 132-pound title, while brother Trace took fourth at 138 pounds.
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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Unbeaten trio
Only three wrestlers finished the 2016-2017 season unbeaten after three days in Atlantic City. Pat Glory (43-0) of Deblarton, Nick Palumbo (45-0) of Lenape Valley (pictured) and Mekhi Lewis (42-0) of Bound Brook made it through unscathed. Palumbo and Lewis are both seniors. Glory is a junior.
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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
2 consecutive finals, 4 defending champs
The crowd was loving it, but two guys had to lose. The 152- and 160-pound state finals featured four returning state champions. Bound Brook's Stephan Glasgow defeated Bergen Catholic's Shane Griffith to win his second straight 152-pound final while Bound Brook's Mekhi Lewis won his second straight title by dethroning the 160-pound champion, Kyle Cochran of Paramus.
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Highlights from the 2017 finals
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Lori M. Nichols | For NJ Advance Media
More news from the state wrestling championships, 2017
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