Christopher Cifeli’s Senior Night followed a script more likely to have come from a Hollywood studio than a Nutley gym.
Wrestling his final home dual match, Cifelli, in front of countless family members, made history by recording his 100th career win when he defeated Irvington’s Eric Estrada by tech fall 19-3) on Feb. 12.
Cifelli became the first Maroon Raider to reach the prestigious 100-win club since current assistant coach Frank DeMaio in 2018.
Now Cifelli can add another shared honor with DeMaio as he’s been selected The Observer Athlete of the Week just like DeMaio was after his 100th win.
“It felt amazing,” said Cifelli, admitting to feeling some nerves before taking the mat that night. “It was unbelievable, especially getting on senior night in the last home dual.”
“It meant a lot to him,” head coach Mike DiPiano said. “To get it at home in front of the fans was special. He’ll get to remember that for the rest of his life.
“This sport takes a toll on you. It’s not easy. So to be able to do it your whole life then to get that hundred win milestone is very special.”
Since then, Cifelli has added four more wins to improve his season record to 28-7. Of greater importance, he heads into Saturday’s District 10 Tournament on a nine-match winning streak since returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him in early February.
“When I got hurt two weeks before (my 100th win), I was a little scared I wouldn’t make it, but I took some time off to get rest and get my body back to good and I got it done basically,” Cifelli said. “I knew I could do it. It was just a matter of how much I wanted it.
“I would say (the shoulder) is much, much better than what it was in the beginning. I feel 10 times better than what I did last week, so it’s definitely getting better.”
When healthy, Cifelli has looked like a wrestler with the potential to make it to Atlantic City for the state championships. Wrestling at 138 pounds this season, Cifelli claimed second place in the Essex County Tournament on Jan. 22. He also won matches at the TCNJ Pride and Sam Cali Battle for the Belt Tournaments earlier this winter.
For his career, Cifelli, who will continue his wrestling career at Centenary University, is a three-time regional qualifier and as a sophomore won a district title.
DiPiano said he knew that Cifelli had the ability to be one of the better wrestlers Nutley has had dating back to when he saw Cifelli wrestle with the town’s recreation program. As a freshman, Cifelli remembered telling DeMaio and his other coaches that his name would be on the wall that commemorates the program’s 100 win wrestlers.
“I told him since freshman year that I was going to be on that wall next right after him,” said Cifelli. “And soon enough, I did it.”
The story of Cifelli’s 100th win might read like a scene from a movie, but he certainly doesn’t want it to be his final act at Nutley. For all that Cifelli has already accomplished, the one thing that has eluded him has been a spot in the state championships at Atlantic City.
Last year, in the “blood round” of regionals where the winner earns a spot to AC and the loser’s hopes are dashed, Cifelli was defeated by Cranford’s Ryder Connors by decision. Since that moment, the goal for Cifelli has been clear.
“The next milestone is to make it to Atlantic City,” said DiPiano. “I don’t think he’ll be content with his career if he does not get there.”
“As much as I’ve accomplished, AC has always been the goal,” Cifelli said. “A hundred wins was just another milestone, but AC is really the main goal. And after last year, that’s all I’ve been set on.”
Learn more about the writer ...
Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)