Half-Dozen Timber Creek Wrestlers Alive for Region Title Today

The path to Atlantic City just got a lot clearer for six local wrestlers, while it got quite a bit murkier for three others Friday.

’s John Amato, Ricky Carter, Brandon Keller, Dom Ruggerio, Bryce Shade and Robert Shade each recorded victories Friday night at the Region 8 Wrestling Tournament, securing their place in today’s semifinal round. With one more win, each will have a chance at a region title. Even with a loss, each wrestler can advance to the state tournament in Atlantic City with a win in the third-place consolation match.

Consolations are the route Martel Harrison and Brian Ceaser, as well as Timber Creek’s Brandon Virgilio will have to take after quarterfinal losses. Each will need to win a series of wrestle-backs. The action begins today at Egg Harbor Township at 10 a.m.

Anyone looking for drama in any of the Chargers' matches will have to wait until today as all six local wrestlers won with ease. Amato (0:56), Carter (2:25) and Ruggerio (1:17) won by pin, while Keller powered his way to a 19-4 tech fall. Brothers Bryce (15-5) and Robert Shade (14-1) won by major decisions.

Carter appears on a crash course with Buena’s Billy Ward—who defeated Ceaser by first-period pin Friday—in what could be the match of the tournament, while Keller could see another marque final against Delsea’s John Hennelly.

Harrison’s loss may have been the toughest to swallow as he dropped a 3-2 decision to Delsea’s Dre Porch, a No. 3 seed. If Harrison, a No. 6 seed, is able to find some success in wrestle-backs, he could see Porch again for the right to go to the state tournament.

Below are the complete results from Friday’s action.

Region 8 Quarterfinals

106 pounds

• John Gentile (Paulsboro) p. Mike Van Horn (Washington Township), 3:37
• Joseph Rocks (Egg Harbor Township) d. Jodeci Robinson (Clayton), 9-2
• Patrick D’Arcy (Holy Spirit) d. Tom Carney (Delsea), 7-0
• John Amato (Timber Creek) p. Alex Eastlack (Gateway), 0:56

113 pounds

• Tom Gattinella (St. Augustine) d. John Gallo (Schalick), 6-0
• Zach Valcarce (Lower Cape May) d. Anthony Racobaldo (Williamstown) 9-7 (OT)
• Tyler Kaminski (West Deptford) d. Dylan LaPalomento (Washington Township) 6-2
• Sam Morina (Paulsboro) d. Ronray Harris (Middle Township, 4-3

120 pounds

• Ricky Carter (Timber Creek) p. Garrett Paolone (Holy Spirit), 2:25
• Evan Zuzulock (West Deptford) md. Darrian Brooks (Penns Grove), 12-3
• Stewart Richardson (Schalick) d. Gabe Zamot (Egg Harbor Township), 6-2
• Billy Ward (Buena) pin Brian Ceaser (Highland), 0:37

126 pounds

• John VanBrill (Clearview) d. Edward Donahue (St. Augustine), 10-4
• Juan Rivera (Paulsboro) d. John Ecret (Pennsville), 6-3
• William Elliott (Cumberland) d. Robert McNeill (Winslow Township), 11-6
• Mike Jiampetti (Absegami) md. Brandon Virgilio (Timber Creek), 13-3

132 pounds

• Brandon Keller (Timber Creek) tf. Jason Cohen (Egg Harbor Township), 19-4, 6:00
• John Willette (Absegami) d. Jonathan Rodriguez (Vineland), 3-1
• Connor Bestwick (Woodstown) d. Matt Salera (Washington Township), 5-3
• John Hennelly (Delsea) d. Cody Croce (Paulsboro), 3-1

138 pounds

• Dillan Berghof (Buena) p. Adrian Feliciano (Pennsville), 2:42
• Nick Knauer (Paulsboro) md. Mike Graham (Williamstown), 11-2
• Ed Lenkowski (Clearview) d. Shawn Bryant (Egg Harbor Township), 8-2
• Joe Esposito (St. Augustine) p. Michael Morris (Kingsway), 1:16

145 pounds

• Antonio Mancella (Oakcrest) d. James Ingersol (Egg Harbor Township), 10-8
• Patrick McCurdy (Woodstown) d. Monty Krough (Pennsville) 10-6
• Dom Ruggerio (Timber Creek) p. Dan Cornew (Clearview), 1:17
• Curt Delia (Delsea) p. Kellen Whitney (Hammonton), 3:13.

152 pounds

• Mark Patterson (St. Augustine) p. Billy Williams (Woodstown), 0:35
• Justin Pierotti (Buena) md. Colton Newsome (Pennsville), 9-1
• Nate Ross (Absegami) d. George Skibinski (Clearview), 5-4
• Bryce Shade (Timber Creek) md. Steminto Rowe-Atkins (Clayton), 15-6.

160 pounds

• Phil Bakuckas (Hammonton) tf. Zachary Rahl (Schalick), 17-0, 5:16
• Tyler Sentman (St. Augustine) d. Mike Silvestro (Paulsboro), 4-0
• Dylan Dobzanski (Delsea) d. Cesar Balmaceda (Atlantic City), 8-6
• Connor Donahue (Clearview) d. Christian LaFragola (Holy Spirit), 10-4

170 pounds

• Alex Gong (Absegami) d. Kyle McMahon (Clearview), 8-0
• Nick Elmer (Penns Grove) d, Cooper Gallagher (Ocean City), 11-7
• Billy Leone (Kingsway) d. Stephen Rodriguez (Vineland), 6-4
• Robert Shade (Timber Creek) md. James Bennett (St. Augustine), 14-1

182 pounds

• Trevant McCloud (Lindenwold) d. Chris Lail (Kingsway), 4-3
• John Benard (Oakcrest) md. James Moores (Middle Township) 12-2
• Rory Bonner (West Deptford) d. Dustin Baionno (Woodstown), 9-2
• David Williams (Hammonton) d. Michael Robinson (Clayton), 7-4.

195 pounds

• Bryan Dobzanski (Delsea) p. Michael Anderson (Mainland), 3:44
• Steve Andrescavage (Hammonton) p. Kahlil McCullough-Bey (Williamstown), 5:40
• Patrick Wexler (Kingsway) d. William Cioffi (Pitman) 4-3
• Cory Damiana (Lower Cape May) d. Tiawahn Cosby (Vineland), 4-3.

220 pounds

• Roy Lucas (St. Joseph) p. Sean Redden (Delsea), 2:12
• Nick Pustizzi (Schalick) d. Gerald Owens (West Deptford), 7-2 (OT)
• Nigel Toussaint (Egg Harbor Township), d, Brandon Belger (Middle Township), 3-2 (UTB)
• Brian Beebe (Hammonton) d. Noah Repko (Buena), 2-1.

Heavyweight

• Tom Rementer (Clayton) d. Samuel Harvey (Penns Grove), 4-0
• Mike Ottaviano (Absegami) d. Josh Johnson (Ocean City), 5-2
• Tre Porch (Delsea) d. Martel Harrisson (Highland), 3-2
• Curtis Nealer (Pitman) d. Robert Frederico (Hammonton), 5-0.