WRESTLING: The Viking junior will wrestle Saturday afternoon in his quest for a state championship at 135 pounds.
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Kyle Nasdeo moved into the quarterfinals of the state wrestling tournament with a 9-5 victory Wednesday night over Zach Shanaman of Pingry.
The South Brusnwick High junior used a takedown and three near-fall points in the final 15 seconds against Shanaman, the Region 5 third-place finisher, to ensure a second consecutive trip to the state’s Elite Eight.
Quarterfinal action is slated to begin 2 p.m. Saturday at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford. The semifinals and finals are Sunday.
Nasdeo, the Region 5 champion, reached the state quarterfinals at 130 pounds last year. There, he lost a 7-1 decision to Mark Manchio of Sterling, the eventual state champ, in the quarters. He was knocked from the tourney by sixth-place finisher Mike Fania of Phillipsburg.
This season, Nasdeo won the Greater Middlesex Conference, District 20 and Region 5 championships at 135 pounds. He is 32-1 this season and 77-12 in his career.