District 23 Tournament
at Freehold Twp High School
 

DISTRICT 23 TRACK WRESTLING PAGE

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TEAM CHAMPION: Brick Memorial
 

2023 Medal Winners

106
1st: Michael Napolitano (Brick Memorial)
2nd: Josh Renna (Long Branch)
3rd: Trevor Doremus (Shore)
4th: Amando Herrera (Asbury Park)

113
1st: Gavin Martin (Brick Memorial)
2nd: Aidan Loughran (Pt Beach)
3rd: Ryan Beharry (Long Branch)
4th: Hunter Katz (Shore)

120
1st: James Renna (Long Branch)
2nd: Ryan Walsh (Monmouth)
3rd: Luke DeBenedett (Pt Beach)
4th: Dom Demarzo (Shore)

126
1st: Alexander Grant (Freehold Twp)
2nd: PJ Niethe (Pt Beach)
3rd: Javier Guzman (Long Branch)
4th: Ian Neill (Monmouth)

132
1st: Anthony Santaniello (Brick Memorial)
2nd: Joseph Leskowski (Brick Twp)
3rd: Thomas Drea (Neptune)
4th: Nick Miller (Long Branch)

138
1st: Joey Giordano (Long Branch)
2nd: Brody Elk (Brick Memorial)
3rd: Andrew Sherry (Brick Twp)
4th: Joseph Preziose (Monmouth)

144
1st: Liam Flanigan (Freehold Twp)
2nd: Daniel Ramirez (Long Branch)
3rd: Thomas Prince (Brick Memorial)
4th: Luckenson Altidor (Asbury Park)

150
1st: Logan Smith (Long Branch)
2nd: Mason Pirnik (Brick Memorial)
3rd: Ty Koch (Shore)
4th: Jack McCormick (Freehold Twp)

157
1st: Quincy Esannason (Neptune)
2nd: Maxwell Wright (Brick Memorial)
3rd: Ian Mallon (Brick Twp)
4th: Tyler Muranelli (Freehold Twp)

165
1st: Trey Tallmadge (Brick Memorial)
2nd: Josh Candelaria (Brick Twp)
3rd: Cristian Cunalata (Long Branch)
4th: Lucas White (Shore)

175
1st: Harvey Ludington (Brick Memorial)
2nd: Tornick Kajaia (Long Branch)
3rd: Sam Yedman (Pt Beach)
4th: Travis Trempy (Brick Twp)

190
1st: Ben Szuba (Brick Memorial)
2nd: Aidan Harrington (Freehold Twp)
3rd: Corey Norton (Shore)
4th: Thomas Schulter (Pt Beach)

215
1st: Nicholas Benjamino (Freehold Twp)
2nd: Bashaar Ismail (Shore)
3rd: Tyler Taylor (Long Branch)
4th: Iquann Crawford (Asbury Park)

Hwt
1st: Mark Godsil (Long Branch)
2nd: Anthony Goncalves (Brick Twp)
3rd: Jordan Lizardi (Brick Memorial)
4th: Yazzir Johnson (Asbury Park)

 

 

Projected Start Times

Start: 9:00am
Semis: 11:30am
Finals: 2:00pm

Teams
Asbury Park Blue Bishops
Brick Memorial Mustangs
Brick Twp Green Dragons
Freehold Twp Patriots
Long Branch Green Wave
Monmouth Regional Falcons
Neptune Scarlet Fliers
Pt Beach Gulls
Shore Regional Blue Devils

 

 

The Blue Bishops haven't had a District Champ since Jaylen Paige went back to back in 2017 & 2018, but they are on a run of 5 consecutive seasons with at least one medal winner. Frontrunners to continue the streak for Asbury are likely from their four Top 4 seeds in Luckenson Altidor (#3-144), Iquann Crawford (#3-215), Amando Herrara (#4-106), and Yazzir Johnson (#4-Hwt), but keep an eye on 5th-seeded John Lavarin at 120.

 

 

40 years as a program, 40 years with a District Champs. In addition to Brick Memorial's amazing streak, the Stangs have also won more District Team Titles than any other Shore Conference team, and trail only Jackson Memorial for most individual champs in the Shore. With five #1 seeds, including defending State Champion Harvey Ludington at 175, and Anthony Santaniello (132), a State Champ in 2021, and a 3-time State Finalists, Memorial is likely to add to their champion total. Also receiving #1's for BM were Michael Napolitano (106), Gavin Martin (113), and Ben Szuba (190). The Stangs also received five #2 seeds for Brody Elk (138), Mason Pirnik (150), Maxwell Wright (157), Trey Tallmadge (165), and Jordan Lizardi (Hwt) 

 

The Dragons didn't have a champion last season, and will look to bounce back this year. Joshua Candelaria received the #1 seed at 165 for Brick, while Joseph Leskowski is the 2-seed at 132. Four Dragons received 3-seeds: Andrew Sherry (138), Ian Mallon (157), Travis Trempy (175), and Anthony Goncalves (Hwt). Both Mallon and Sherry are returning medal winners, while Goncalves placed 4th last season.

 

Currently on a 8 season streak with at least one District Champ, the Patriots roll into Saturday with a trio of top seeds in Alexander Grant (126), Liam Flanigan (144), and Nicholas Benjamino (215). Grant was a runner-up last season at 120, and placed 5th at the Regions, while both Flanigan and Benjamino finished 3rd at Districts. Aidan Harrington, the District 23 runner-up at 165 last year, was seeded 3rd at 190.

 

Long Branch has the 5th most District Champs in Shore Conference history, and is tied with Howell and Middletown North for the 2nd most Team Titles among Monmouth County schools. The Green Wave are tied with Brick Memorial for most top 3 seeds here with each having 10. LB has a shot here at hitting the 150-mark for total District Champs, led by top seeds Joey Giordano (138), a 2-time State qualifier while wrestling at St John Vianney his previous 3 seasons, Logan Smith (150), and Mark Godsil (Hwt). Receiving 2nd-seeds were Josh Renna (106), James Renna (120), Daniel Ramirez (144), and Tornick Kajaia (175).

 

The Falcons have not had a District Champ since Cory Sellers won back in 2008. With their four highest seeds all coming at #4, the Falcons will not only have their work cut out in trying to end their title drought, but someone is going to have to break seed to continue their 5 season streak with at least one medal winner.

 

The Fliers did not have a District medal winner last season, and have not had a champion since Nick Faber won in 2017. They've got a great chance to get off both snides behind senior Quincy Esannason who received the top seed at 157. The Fliers also received a #4 seed for sophomore Thomas Drea at 132.

 

5 Gulls received seeds in medal position, with PJ Niethe, a 3rd place finisher last season, getting the #2 seed at 126, while Gavin McLoughlin (106), Aidan Loughran (113), Luke DeBenedetto (120), and Thomas Schulter (190) were all seeded 3rd. 

 

 

The Blue Devils have had as many District Champions in the last 20 years, as they did in the first 40 years of the program. Their 11 champs in the last 5 tournaments is their most for any 5 year period in the program's history. Shore received four seeds in the top 2, with Dom Demarzo getting the #1 seed at 120, while Hunter Katz (113), Ty Koch (150), and Bashaar Ismail (215) all received #2's.

Weight To Watch

There are a few wide open weights here that should be interesting, but I'll go with 120 with it's five 20+ win wrestlers. 

Team Title Prediction

Looks like this should be a two team battle between Brick Memorial and Long Branch. Both teams have 10 wrestlers seeded in the top 3, with BM having 5 #1's & 5 #2's, while LB has 3 #1's, 4 #2's, and 3 #3's. Going to be a tight one, but I'm going to go with Brick Memorial to win Team Title #32 in a very tight one. UPDATE - 8:28pm (Almost switched to LB. I'm back and forth on this one)

Champions Prediction

106: Renna (Long Branch)
113: Martin (Brick Memorial)
120: Renna (Long Branch)
126: Grant (Freehold Twp)
132: Santaniello (Brick Memorial)
138: Giordano (Long Branch)
144: Flanigan (Freehold Twp)
150: Smith (Long Branch)
157: Wright (Brick Memorial)
165: Tallmadge (Brick Memorial)
175: Ludington (Brick Memorial)
190: Szuba (Brick Memorial)
215: Benjamino (Freehold Twp)
Hwt: Godsil (Long Branch)

Advancement History

District 23
Asbury Park Blue Bishops	2020 - D24 / R6	2021 - CR	2022 - D23 / R6
John Lavarin - 2023			D-4th (113)
Luckenson Altidor - 2024			D-4th (126)
Iquann Crawford - 2024			D-4th (190)
Brick Memorial Mustangs	2020 - D27 / R7	2021 - CR	2022 - D23 / R6
Anthony Santaniello - 2023	D-1st / R-1st / NJ-2nd (106)	R-1st / NJ-1st (120)	D-1st / R-1st / NJ-2nd (132)
Josh James - 2023			D-3rd / R-PQ (157)
Brody Elk - 2024			D-1st / R-WB1 (144)
Gavin Martin - 2025			D-1st / R-6th (106)
Harvey Ludington - 2025			D-1st / R-1st / NJ-1st (175)
Brick Twp Green Dragons	2020 - D24 / R6	2021 - CR	2022 - D23 / R6
Ian Mallon - 2023			D-3rd / R-PQ (150)
Jake DeDreux - 2023			D-3rd / R-PQ (165)
Anthony Goncalves - 2023			D-4th (Hwt)
Andrew Sherry - 2024			D-2nd / R-PQ (126)
Freehold Twp Patriots	2020 - D21 / R6	2021 / CR	2022 - D23 / R6
Liam Flanigan - 2023			D-3rd / R-PQ (144)
Aidan Harrington - 2023			D-2nd / R-WB1 (165)
Nicholas Benjamino - 2023			D-3rd / R-PQ (215)
Ryan Dubnik - 2024		R-WB1 (106)	D-1st / R-2nd / NJ-WB1 (113)
Alexander Grant - 2024			D-2nd / R-5th (120)
Sebastian Andujar - 2024			D-2nd / R-WB1 (157)
Michael Hynes - 2025			D-2nd / R-WB1 (106)
Long Branch Green Wave	2020 - D23 / R6	2021 - CR	2022 - D23 / R6
Joshua Renna - 2023			D-3rd / R-PQ (106)
James Renna - 2023			D-3rd / R-WB1 (113)
Logan Smith - 2023			D-2nd / R-WB1 (138)
Joseph Giordano - 2023	D-2nd / R-3rd / NJ-WB2 (106)		D-1st / R-2nd / NJ-WB4 (126)
Nick Miller - 2024			D-3rd / R-PQ (132)
Cristian Cunalata - 2024			D-4th (165)
Monmouth Regional Falcons	2020 - D19 / R5	2021 - CR	2022 - D23 / R6
Joseph Camilleri - 2023			D-2nd / R-PQ (175)
Ryan Walsh - 2025			D-4th (106)
Ian Neill - 2025			D-4th (120)
Neptune Scarlet Fliers	2020 - D19 / R6	2021 - CR	2022 - D23 / R6
Quincy Esannason - 2023			D-4th (144)
Pt Pleasant Beach Garnet Gulls	2020 - D23 / R6	2021 - CR	2022 - D23 / R6
Joe Beley - 2023			D-4th (150)
Dawson MacPherson - 2023			D-4th (175)
PJ Niethe - 2025			D-3rd / R-PQ (120)
Shore Regional Blue Devils	2020 - D20 / R5	2021 - CR	2022 - D23 / R6
Ty Koch - 2023			D-2nd / R-WB1 (150)
Bashaar Ismail - 2023			D-2nd / R-PQ  (215)