Nico Nipitella was joined by the Hasbrouck Heights wrestling staff after his 100th win over Passaic Valley’s Joseph Nieto.Photo Credit: Faith Armonaitis
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ – Senior Nico Nipitella picked up his 100th victory of his high school career as the Hasbrouck Heights hosted a quad meet in Hasbrouck Heights. The Aviators defeated Old Tappan,42-35, and Passaic Valley, 45-28, before falling to Morris Hills, 47-32.
Hasbrouck Heights is now 7-2 on the season in dual meets after the matches.
Wrestling at 132 pounds, Nipitella defeated Tasos Vitsentzatos of Old Tappan in the first match of the day for win 99 by pinfall in 1:04. He picked up win 100 by pinning Joseph Nieto in 1:05. Morris Hills’ Josh Lewin pinned Nipitella in 2:47 in his third match of the day.
Afterward, Nipitella said he looked “at it as just another match.”
“This was the goal, (100 wins)” he said, and explained that after his freshman year, he had 25 wins.
“I realized that 25 wins a year is 100,” he said. He also thanked his coaches and family for their support.
He attributed his success to going to his club team two to three times a week “to get extra practice in, and making sure I’m eating healthy during the season.”
Hasbrouck Heights head coach Kurt Freund praised the senior after his achievement.
“He’s everything we look for,” he said. He’s one of the guys you get in the program at an early age, and falls in love with the sport, which can be hard to do. It’s a very difficult sport.
“Freund said “He had a little something extra, a little chip, a little grit, and he has all that.”
