Sean FarrellOne year ago, didn’t win a single match in Phillipsburg.
On Sunday, she raised her hand after winning the biggest one of them all.
The Immaculate Conception junior completed a breakout postseason by defeating Alexa Firestone (Kingsway), 6-1, in the 152-pound state final on Sunday at Phillipsburg. It was her second straight win over a returning state medalist for the fifth-seeded Filieri.
Leading 1-0 in the third period, Filieri pulled away by turning Firestone twice for two sets of back points.
Each season, Filieri has taken a big step forward. She was knocked out of Regions as a freshman, then came back to Union a year later and placed fourth to earn the final ticket to Phillipsburg.
Filieri was defeated in the Region final last week, but avenged that loss in Sunday’s state semifinal by shocking No. 1 Jodi Holder of North Hunterdon, 8-6. Holder almost finished a pin in the third period, but Filieri somehow scrambled out of danger.
Filieri became the first state finalist from Immaculate Conception, but the second in her family. Older brother Michael placed second in the state for Garfield back in 2019.
