Jefferson Sends a Pair of Wrestlers to Atlantic City

Two Jefferson wrestlers will be making a trip down to Atlantic City for the first weekend in March, as they will compete in the NJSIAA State Wrestling tournament.  And while he's there, Mike Monarque will be referred to as the 152 pound, Region 1 Champion.

“It feels great.  Now I have a bye for the first round of states, which gives me some comfort room.  I feel pretty strong right now,” said Monarque, who was the second seed in his bracket at the Regions.

Monarque, who was in this exact same spot last year, this time found a different result.

“Especially after losing in the Region finals last year, it feels a lot better,” said the senior.

In that championship match, Monarque edged out fifth seed Dan Brockerhoff of Phillipsburg 8-6.  Takedowns at the beginning and the middle of the first period set the tone for Monarque, leading 4-2 after one.  Monarque allowed Brockerhoff to escape to start the second, but drove Brockerhoff to the mat with 31 seconds lead to hold a 6-3 advantage going into the third.  Just over 40 seconds into the final period, a reversal by Monarque wrapped things up.

“In tight matches, you’ve got to show confidence.  Mike did that today,” said Jefferson wrestling head coach Matt Moscatello.

Monarque had a simple game plan to follow.

“He [Coach Moscatello] told me to keep wrestling like I had been all year,” Monarque said.  “I’ve been wrestling pretty solid all year.  I haven’t had any slumps or anything.  ‘Go out…do what you do, wrestle tough like you have all season'.”

Monarque doesn’t have a specific goal in mind for Atlantic City, but really just wants to focus and go as far as he can.

“I would love to place.  But I just got to take it one match at a time.  Not really looking ahead and just looking at every single kid who I’m taking on,” said the Region 1 champion.

Also headed to Atlantic City with Monarque is fellow senior Anthony Vasile.  The 160 pound Vasile punched his ticket to AC with a close win in the consolation match.

“I knew coming in that if I kept it close, I’d have a shot to winning at the end and I pulled it out,” said Vasile, the fourth seed in his bracket.

Vasile pulled out a 4-3 victory over second seed Nathan Dow of Belvidere.  After a scoreless first, Vasile notched an escape with 42 seconds left in the second, only to see Dow escape 15 seconds later, making it 2-1 at the end of two.  In the third period, Dow got an escape early.  Knotted up at two late, Vasile drove with everything he could and took down Dow with 22 seconds left, giving him the 4-2 lead.  Avoiding a reversal, Vasile let Dow escape with 5 seconds left but Dow could not get back on the offensive, as Vasile held on.  Vasile finished in third place.

“This was a career long goal for Anthony.  I told him for 6 minutes to give it everything you got,” said Moscatello.  “For Anthony and Mike to accomplish this…..it’s awesome.  I’m so proud of them.”

“It could have been my last match as a senior so he wanted me to just leave it all on the mat and that’s what I did.  I just went as hard as I could,” said Vasile.

“It means a lot.  Finally getting down there…coming up short last year really stunk.  I’m looking forward to it,” Vasile added. 

Monarque made it to the finals with a 5-3 win over third seeded Keith Lemengello in the semifinals.

Vasile had to compete in the wrestlebacks after being pinned by top seed Ryan Harrington of Mendham 2:42 into the match.

Vasile won that match, controlling seventh seed Kieren Gerrity of Kittatinny by a final mark of 9-4.  Vasile started things quickly in the first, picking up two takedowns, including one with 29 seconds left to make it 4-1 at the end of one.  An escape from Gerrity brought things a point closer with a period to go.  But two more takedowns in the third period from Vasile pushed him through to the consolation match.

Elsewhere for Jefferson, 125 pounder Ryan Higgins and 215 pounder Ryan Boucher were both knocked out in the first round of wrestlebacks.

Higgins was defeated 5-1 at the hands of sixth seed Nick Romyns of Kittatinny.  Romyns scored a takedown late in the first period to hold the 2-0 advantage.  An escape by Higgins made it 2-1 after two periods.  Higgins allowed Romyns to escape right at the start of the third and Romyns sealed the deal with five seconds left, scoring a takedown.  Higgins was eliminated from State tournament contention.

Boucher fell to eighth seed Daniel Smith of Warren Hills by a 16-6 mark.  Boucher dominated the first period, earning a takedown and a set of backpoints to lead 4-0.  But in the second period, it was all Smith as he put Boucher on his back three separate times, including twice in the last :32 of the period, earning a 10-6 lead.  In the third period, Smith chose to stay on the offensive, turning Boucher on his back two more times to close out the match.  Boucher was eliminated from State tournament contention.