North Hunterdon Wrestling Club

Published in the Asbury Park Press 2/22/98

BRICK TOWNSHIP -- Standing in the middle of the Brick Memorial celebration, Pat Parelli acknowledged "it just can't get any better."

In the span of one minute, 34 seconds last night, Parelli went out and produced the most important pin of his wrestling life. In doing so, the junior heavyweight gave the Mustangs a 35-28 victory and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group III championship.

Parelli, like all of Memorial's upper weights, had sat out Memorial's 36-30 afternoon semifinal victory. Relaxed and rested, he sat patiently, watching and waiting for his turn. When Lenape Valley's Dan Smith scored a pin at 215 pounds, it pulled the Patriots to within a point, 29-28.

When Parelli (14-5) strode out onto the mat to face Jeff Jacobson (3-14), he wasn't thinking about a pin.

"They wanted me to at least win," Parelli said. "They said don't overaggressively try and get a pin. If you can, get it."

In a matter of seconds, Parelli worked Jacobson to the mat for the takedown, controlled him for a short time then turned Jacobson over on his back and sprang a half-nelson.

"I'm just glad I've got that stud at the end of my lineup, Pat Parelli, because he's won it time and time and time again," said Brick Memorial coach Tony Caravella. "Our little 103-pounder (Rob Jimenez) and our heavyweights, our bookends have done it all year."

The Mustangs (14-3-1) also got critical wins from Jimenez (103), Ian Wittman (135), Nick Catone (140), Butch Angen (152), Paul Phillips (171) and Bill Palmisano (189) to win their first Group III championship since 1994 -- and fourth in the school's 18-year history.

"The team deserved it, they worked hard all year," Parelli said. "The day after Turkey Day, we're in the practice room and Caravella says we have a chance to win South Jersey Group III and we have a chance to win the whole thing."

Memorial won the South Jersey Group III crown Thursday by defeating Delsea Regional 36-31. The Mustangs passed what all of Memorial believed would be their toughest test in the semifinals yesterday when they beat Warren Hills, the defending Group III champions.

But it was an easier road than expected and Memorial clinched the victory at 160 pounds, while Lenape Valley (15-5) defeated South Plainfield 32-27.

Derek Nagy overpowered Ben Schaffner 18-6 at 160, putting the Patriots up 22-20 but the Mustangs pushed ahead to stay behind Phillips and Palmisano. Phillips held off Brendan Trezza for a 3-1 decision and Palmisano pinned Mark Marotta in 1:39, shooting Memorial in front 29-22.

"There was so much pressure on everybody to do their job today," Phillips said. "I just wanted to do this for everybody else. There was no way I was losing. We got pinned in a couple of areas we didn't want to. We had to come back strong."

Jimenez, via a decision, and Scott Goldberg, who pinned in 30 seconds, had staked Memorial to a 9-0 lead, but the Patriots followed with a pin at 119, technical fall at 125 and major at 130 to move ahead 15-9.

Wittman, though, kept Memorial in the match with a 6-5 decision over Chris Ressa at 135, driving for a takedown with 10 seconds left. Then Catone secured a 7-3 win over Pete Deignan at 140 that tied the match 15-15, and Angen dominated Steve Ryan in a 24-9 technical fall at 160 that moved Memorial in front 20-18.

"This is the sweetest, the other three (state crowns) we had horses in the stable," Caravella said. "We have had a lot more talented teams but this is probably the hardest working group and the most together, the most deserving."

Warren Hills and South Plainfield tied 30-30 in the consolation match to share third place.

Source: Asbury Park Press

Published: February 22, 1998

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