In a rematch of last year's final, Delbarton wrestling showcased their dominance yet again, clinching the Non-Public Team Championship with a thrilling 30-22 triumph over St. Joe's Regional on February 12 at Rutgers University.
Vincent Lee set the tone for Delbarton, putting them ahead 6-0 with a forfeit win. Despite a hard-fought battle by Connor Martin at 285, who battled against #1 ranked Rocco Dellagatta, Delbarton maintained their lead, with St. Joe's only managing a 3-point victory in the heavyweight category.
A pivotal moment came in one of the afternoon's highly anticipated matches when freshman Cameron Sontz emerged victorious with a commanding 13-4 major decision. Sontz's triumph extended Delbarton's lead to 10-3, setting the stage for more major victories.
Though PJ Terranova's major decision loss temporarily narrowed Delbarton's lead to 10-7, Daniel Jones (120) and Ryan DeGeorge (126) regained momentum with hard-fought victories, propelling Delbarton to a 16-10 advantage.
Delbarton's dominance was further solidified as they then went on a three-match winning streak, starting at 138 pounds. Jayden James secured a 10-3 decision, followed by Trevor Jones' gritty 3-0 win. The highlight of the afternoon followed, as freshman Gabe Logan triumphed with a hard-fought 6-3 victory over #2 ranked Zach Ballante, igniting a celebration among the Delbarton bench and Coach Bryan Stoll.
Junior Alessio Perentin delivered the final blow, sealing Delbarton's victory with a resounding 25-10 technical fall. Head Coach Bryan Stoll praised the team's collective effort, especially the contributions of the newcomers featuring four freshman. "There's a lot of youth on this team that kept us together," said Stoll. "I'm really excited to see what they can do in Atlantic City."
The team now moves its focus to the individual portion of the schedule as they begin the road to Atlantic City. Delbarton will wrestle at Districts on Saturday, February 17, in the newly formed District 17. Congrats to the Delbarton wrestling family on its third state title!
Watch highlights of Delbarton's victory courtesy of Jersey Sports Zone below:
