North Jersey Interscholastic Conference Wrestlers fo the Week
Robert Bianchi, New Milford, Sr., 150
Bianchi made up for two losses during the week with his first county medal on Sunday via a third-place finish at 150 pounds. Bianchi went 6-1 at the tournament with his lone loss coming to runner-up Will Clasen of Northern Highlands. Bianchi pinned four of his opponents, accepted a forfeit win over Bergen Catholic top seed Joey Rondinelli, and won a thrilling 17-14 bout by sudden victory over North Bergen’s Erik Roberto. Bianchi pinned Tenafly’s Omer Atila in the third-place match in 3:18.
Johnny Emes, Glen Rock, Sr., 113
Emes entered the Bergen County Tournament as the No. 1 seed and was the runner-up to Bergen Catholic standout freshman Anthony Riotto at 113. Emes, who entered the tournament undefeated, wrestled to a victory by fall over Aryan Vazquez of North Bergen, by 15-0 tech fall over Damien Geberovich of Leonia-Palisades Park (2:00), and a 13-5 major decision win over Ramapo sophomore Connor DePersis. During the week at a dual, Emes defeated Emerson-Park Ridge hammer Evan Constante by 1-0 decision.
Joe Keeler, Rutherford, Sr., 144
Keeler’s week started with a victory by technical fall over Hawthorne’s Ian Metzler on Tuesday and then a pin of Waldwick-Midland Park standout and county third-placer Gio Giardina on Thursday. He finished the week with a sixth-place appearance at 144 at the Bergen County Tournament. Keeler went 3-3 with wins over Old Tappan’s Sal Tropea by 15-4 major decision, he pinned seventh-placer Liam Hayes of Waldwick-Midland Park, and defeated Ramsey’s Connor McHugh by 11-4 decision.
