Overall Record: 20-5 / Shore Conference: 15-5 / A-Central: 3-3
2024 Record: 20-5
CJG2 State Sectional Qualifiers
20th Place Shore Conference Tournament
3rd Place District 19
4th Place A-Central
3rd Place Buc Classic
2nd Place Holmdel Holiday Tournament
1st 20 Win Season Since 2019
ShoreConferenceWrestling.com Wrestler of the Year
(So) Alex Reyes - 190
Record: 41-5
7th Place State Tournament / Region 5 Champion / District 19 Champion
Shore Conference Tournament Champion
Holmdel Holiday Tournament Champion
2nd State Medalist & 1st Shore Conference Tournament Champion in Program History
2024 Season
NJSIAA STATE TOURNAMENT
(1 Medal Winner)
7th: Alex Reyes (190)
Sophomore Alex Reyes became the second ever State Medalist in Holmdel history, finishing 7th in the 190-pound weight class at this year's State Tournament.
Reyes finished the season with 41 wins, the second most in a season in program history, just one short of tying the record.
REGION 5 TOURNAMENT
Holmdel (1 Champion / 1 Medal Winner)
1st: Alex Reyes (190)
5th: AJ Todisco (165)
6th: Dylan Placca (113)
WB1: Nicholas Paulino (120) / Anthony Paulino (132)
PQ: James Vanderham (138) / Michael Todisco (150) / Jack Cleary (157) / Hamsa Elmesei (215)
Sophomore Alex Reyes won the 190-pound championship at this year's Region 5 Tournament, becoming just the third wrestler in Holmdel history to win a Region Title, and the first underclassman to do so.
DISTRICT 19 TOURNAMENT
Holmdel (3rd Place / 1 Champ / 9 Medal Winners)
1st: Alex Reyes (190)
2nd: Nicholas Paulino (120) / Michael Todisco (150)
3rd: Dylan Placca (113) / Anthony Paulino (132) / James Vanderham (138) / Jack Cleary (157) / AJ Todisco (165) / Hamsa Elmesi (215)
Alex Reyes won his 2nd District Title, becoming the 8th Hornet with 2 titles, and the first to win as a freshman and sophomore. The win extends the Hornets streak to 8 seasons with a District Champion, a school record.
In all, 9 Hornets won medals, setting a new program for most medal winners in a season.
2/10: MANALAPAN QUAD
Holmdel 55 - Princeton 18 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel 37 - Long Branch 34 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel 49 - Manalapan 29 (BOX SCORE)
CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 2 SECTIONALS
QF: Pt Boro 38 - Holmdel 29
2/2: NON-DIVISION
Holmdel: Reyes (27-3); Placca (24-4); Vanderham (21-6); AJ Todisco (21-6); M Todisco (20-9); Cleary (20-8)
Beach: Kaiafas (22-3); DeBenedett (15-4)
1/31: A-CENTRAL
#11 Holmdel 41 - #11 Raritan 30 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel: Placca with the walk-off pin; Cleary, AJ Todisco, Reyes, & Placca also pin for Hornets; A Paulino techs
Raritan: Sheldrick (18-7); Reilley (24-2); Davis (17-9); Delaurier (22-4); Gazerwitz (20-4)
1/29: HOLMDEL TRI
#11 Holmdel 52 - Keansburg 27 (BOX SCORE)
#11 Holmdel 77 - Keyport 0 (BOX SCORE)
1/27: TR SOUTH QUAD
Jackson Liberty 43 - #9 Holmdel 28 (BOX SCORE)
#9 Holmdel 51 - Matawan 30 (BOX SCORE)
#9 Holmdel 53 - TR South 18 (BOX SCORE)
1/24: NON-DIVISION
#9 Holmdel 59 - Manchester 9 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel: 190 - #2 Reyes md. #5 Mortellite; Cleary, AJ Todisco, Martinez, Elmesei, Placca, & N Paulino win by pin
Manchester: Mitrosky (16-4); Anderson (12-7)
1/20: HOLMDEL QUAD
#7 RBC 50 - #9 Holmdel 21 (BOX SCORE)
#9 Holmdel 59 - Monmouth 15 (BOX SCORE)
#9 Holmdel 45 - Wall 21 (BOX SCORE)
1/17: NON-DIVISION
#9 Holmdel 48 - Red Bank 21 (BOX SCORE)
1/13: BUC CLASSIC
Holmdel - 3rd Place
1st: (138) Anthony Paulino
2nd: (113) Dylan Placca / (120) Nicholas Paulino / (132) AJ Fernandez / (157) Jack Cleary
4th: (106) Rowan Blackmore / (165) Asher Martinez
5th: (144) James Vanderham / (150) Michael Todisco
1/10: A-CENTRAL
St John Vianney 57 - Holmdel 12 (BOX SCORE)
SJV: Knox (13-0); O'Keefe (15-4); Gould (12-5); Stangle (14-3)
Holmdel: Podesta & Reyes win by fall
1/8: NON-DIVISION
Holmdel 63 - Shore 15 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel: Placca, AJ Todisco, Reyes, Lee, & Gann win by pin
Shore: Torres wins by pin
1/6: SHORE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Holmdel - 20th Place
1 Medal Winner
1st: Alex Reyes (190)
Sophomore Alex Reyes avenged a loss from Wednesday to Rumson's Conor Delaney by defeating him the 190-pound final to become the Hornets' first Shore Conference Tournament Champion. It is the 2nd SCT medal for Reyes, who finished 2nd last season at 175.
1/3: A-CENTRAL
Rumson 51 - Holmdel 13 (BOX SCORE)
Rumson: (190) Delaney d. Reyes, 8-5; Izzo, H Skove, Bayne, Jul Duque, & Amato win by pin
Holmdel: Placca pins; Khan majors
12/28: HOLMDEL HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT
Holmdel - 2nd Place
1st: Dylan Placca (113) / AJ Fernandez (132) / AJ Todisco (175) / Alex Reyes (190)
2nd: Jack Cleary (157)
3rd: Rowen Blackmore (106) / Jason Vanderham (144)
12/20: NON-CONFERENCE
Holmdel 52 - Immaculata 16 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel: AJ Todisco, Placca, Khan, Cleary, & Gann improve to 6-0; Reyes goes to 5-0
12/18: NON-CONFERENCE
Holmdel 74 - South River 3 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel: Blackmore, Placca, N Paulino, Fernandez, Cleary, AJ Todisco, & Gann win by pin; Martinez techs
12/16: COLTS NECK QUAD
Holmdel 37 - Colts Neck 25 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel 76 - Franklin 6 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel 81 - Newark Academy 0 (BOX SCORE)
12/15: NON-DIVISION
Holmdel 69 - Asbury Park 6 (BOX SCORE)
Holmdel: A Todisco, Reyes, Gann, Fernandez, Khan, Vanderham, M Todisco, Cleary, & Martinez win by pin
Asbury: Crawford wins by pin
2024 Holmdel Wrestling
CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULE
Head Coach: Mike Oxley (3rd Season / Career: 24-23)
A-Central / CJG2 / District 19 / Region 5
Where They Open: 12/15 vs Asbury Park
Under head coach Mike Oxley, the Hornets have been building themselves up quite nicely. They've had some nice individual talent in the lineup, but the lack of a full lineup had cost them the ability to win some of the close duals they'd been involved in. With most of last year's back, and a strong incoming group of newcomers, the Hornets, if they stay healthy, should be able to get 14 on the mat in duals.
Alex Reyes was one of the top freshmen in the Shore Conference last season. Reyes set program a record for wins as a freshman with 37, was a runner-up at the Shore Conference Tournament in 2023, was the school's first freshman to win a District title, and was one win away from a medal in Atlantic City last season. Reyes headlines the upper half of the lineup that includes five returning starters.
Among those five returning starters are senior AJ Todisco and junior Jack Cleary. Todisco, a D18 champion last season, has won a pair of District medals, and was a win away from Atlantic City last season after finishing 5th in the Region. He enters his senior season with 61 career victories. Cleary, a junior, has 46 wins through his first two seasons. He was a District runner-up as a freshman in 2022.
Up at heavyweight, keep an eye on the Hornets' freshman John Gann, who finished in 5th place at last season's Intermediate State Tournament.
In the lower half of the lineup, senior Anthony Paulino returns to the program after spending last season at St John Vianney. He was a 23-bout winner and a District runner-up as a sophomore for the Hornets in 2022, and is a great addition to the lineup. A pair of juniors check-in at the 106/113 slots in Luke Podesta, and Rowen Blackmore. Blackmore, a 21-bout winner last season, was a District medalist in 2022.
Also back in the lower half are returning starters Bill Grenier, a 16-match winner as a freshman last year, and seniors Shahood Khan and AJ Fernandez, who took 4th at Districts last season. There will be a few freshmen looking to make an impact in the lineup as well. Dylan Placca and Michael Todisco were both just one victory away from medals at last years Intermediate State Tournament, and Nicholas Paulino was a JSJWL champion.
There has been a lot of hard work put into the feeder level in recent years, and it is really beginning to pay dividends for the program. The depth isn't quite there just yet, so staying healthy will be important for the team to have the type of dual success they are capable of. A definite program on the rise in the Shore.
Possible Lineup
Wgt | Wrestlers | 2023 | Notes |
106 | (Jr) Luke Podesta | 11-18 | |
106/113 | (Jr) Rowen Blackmore | 21-13 (D-4th) | D-3rd in 2022 |
113 | (Fr) Dylan Placca | | |
120 | (Fr) Nicholas Paulino | | |
126 | (So) Neil Mathur | 2-11 | |
126 | (So) Billy Greiner | 16-17 | |
132 | (Sr) AJ Fernandez | 14-19 (D-4th) | |
138 | (Sr) Shahood Khan | 11-8 | |
138 | (Sr) Anthony Paulino | 7-6 | Transfer: SJV / D-2nd in 2022 |
138 | (Sr) James Vanderham | | |
144 | (Fr) Michael Todisco | | |
150/157 | (Jr) Jack Cleary | 24-9 (D-4th) | D-2nd in 2022 |
150/157 | (Jr) Luke Donnelly | 3-1 | |
165 | (Jr) Asher Martinez | 11-13 | |
175 | (Sr) AJ Todisco | 28-10 (D-1st / R-5th) | 2x-District Medalist |
190 | (So) Alex Reyes | 37-6 (D-1st / R-2nd / NJ-WB4) | 2nd Place SCT |
215 | (Jr) Hamza Elmesei | 10-10 | |
215 | (Jr) Dylan Lee | 1-2 | |
Hwt | (Fr) John Gann | | |