Kearny wrestling enjoys turnaround season

 

With a lineup full of underclassmen and juniors who are both talented and committed to getting better, Kearny head wrestling coach Tony Carratura Jr. saw a group with the potential to turn things around for a program that had endured a rough few seasons.

Nineteen wins later, this group has not only done just that, but they did it sooner than most expected.

After winning just 22 matches the previous three years, Kearny enters the state tournament on Feb. 16 with a 19-7, its most wins in a season since 2019.

The Kardinals, who closed the regular season with 13 wins in its last 15 matches, earned the sixth seed in the NJSIAA North 2, Group 5 section and will face third-seeded Bayonne in a first round matchup that will be held at Union on Monday at 6 p.m., after The Observer’s deadline. The winner will face the Union-Linden winner immediately after.

“We definitely had high hopes,” said Carratura about what he and his coaching staff saw from this group. “We definitely saw something in this crew. But now they’re kind of turning the corner.

“We just started rolling and beating teams and kids are wrestling great. Occasionally that inexperience shows up a little bit with certain losses we had this season, but we really can’t ask for anything else. We’ve been wrestling pretty well.”

While Kearny has enjoyed success in several spots up and down the lineup, the unquestioned strength of the teams lies in the lower weights where five different Kardinals, all weighing in at 132 pounds or less, have won 20-plus matches.

Headlining the group is junior Matthew Pagan, who has a sterling 31-1 record at 113 pounds and has emerged as one of the best in the state in his weight class after finishing just one win short of qualifying for Atlantic City a year ago.

“He’s just putting it all together,” Carratura said. “I feel like every day he’s been in the wrestling room just working and working, and then he’s in fifth in the region last year (was an added motivation. He’s just putting the time in and it’s paying off.”

Nearly equally as dominant has been sophomore Jonathan Rocco, the latest wrestling Rocco, at 106 pounds. Jonathan Rocco has gone 28-4.

“He came through the rec program as a little kid and he’s lighting it up right now,” said Carratura. “He was one of those kids that came to high school. He’s like 80 pounds and now he’s filling out and he moves great. He’s doing really well right now.”

At 120 pounds is another sophomore in Tyler Olechowski, who is having a fine season as well at 21-5.

At 126 pounds is junior Sean Baignosche, who is having a strong 24-6 season after a disappointing ending to his sophomore year.

“He’s wrestling with a little chip on his shoulder after last year when he was upset in the districts,” Carratura said. “He’s been wrestling great and talent wise, he’s up there with anybody.”

At 132 pounds is Benjamin Cordero who is 25-7 and according to Carratura, has seen his confidence blossom as the season has progressed.

The depth in the lower weights has gone beyond just the starters as sophomores Eldrick Renda and Aiden Burke have winning records in spot action this season.

Lucas Ruiz, one of just two senior starters, is at 138 pounds. The veteran’s record might not look impressive, but Carratura believes Ruiz has the talent to surprise in the team and individual tournaments.

Xavier Cordero-Berrios is at 144 pounds and is another member of this talented group of underclassmen, as evidenced by his 18-10 record. The sophomore has a high upside and is starting to show it, having won his last 10 matches, eight by pin fall.

Senior Joseph Maisonet sports a 15-11 record at 150 pounds for the Kardinals.

A pair of promising sophomores follow with Aaron McCaw at 157 pounds and Angel Pineda Saravia at 165. Both are holding their own in their first season as varsity starters.

Kevin Rios Panta and Derek Martinez have all seen extensive action in the middle weights as well.

At 175 pounds is Kearny’s top upper-weight performer in sophomore Izael Moya, who is enjoying a breakout season at 24-3.

“On the mat, he’s just starting to put everything together,” said Carratura. “He’s in control and he has his own plan that he has during matches. He’s been wrestling really well.”

Izael’s younger brother Izakiel Moya, a freshman, has been pressed into the starting lineup at 190 pounds and has a bright future ahead despite some early growing pains.

Junior Liam Cooper (18-14) is having a solid season at 215 pounds. Sophomore Gustavo Noceloti has been competitive at 285 pounds in his first year of varsity wrestling.

Others who have competed on varsity this season for the Kardinals include Carlos Cabrera Rojas, Adrian Hernandez, Noah Sullivan, Aidan Rosario, Jose Noceloti, Robert Yandun Celi and Anthony Montiel.

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Kearny is one of three local teams to have qualified for the state team tournament.

Nutley, who at 22-5 enjoyed its best regular season in more than a decade, is the three seed in North 2, Group 3 where it will face Passaic Valley in the first round at West Essex.

In North 1, Group 5, Bloomfield (15-11) is the sixth seed and will face Livingston in the first round at North Bergen.