BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
The Marlboro Junior Mustangs wrestling program experienced success at every level in 2006-07.
The program, run through the Marlboro Recreation Department, had an overall dual-meet record with its three teams of 30-6-1 in the Mid-Jersey Wrestling League. The Seniors won the league championship with a 7-0 dual-meet record and then capped their season with a victory at the Mid-Jersey championship tournament.
Mitch Seigel (20-0), Chris Brower (20-0-1), Anthony Anzalone (21-1), Vinny Leone (18-3) and Adam Ramadan (17-3) were individual league champions. Anzalone made program history by winning his fifth league crown. No other wrestler has won that many league titles.
Ramadan won the Outstanding Wrestler Award.
David Banks and Sal Filiano were Marlboro’s other finalists.
Pete Ottaviano, Mike Triozzi, Mike Polits and Dominick Palladino were place winners at the tournament.
Mike Pizzo, Jeff Goldrosen, Brandon Russo, Greg Lorzing, Zach Goldrosen, Ben Warner, Jonathan Sheynkman and Jesse Patten contributed to the team effort at the tournament. Justin Makin and Jason Mittman, who helped out during the season, were unable to compete due to injury.
The Seniors had an overall winning percentage of 64.86, going 216-117.
The varsity team was 11-2 and had the best season in the program’s history. They finished second at the league tournament, just 1.5 points from first place.
Nick Romagnolo won his first league championships, and Nick Ottaviano won his first varsity title after winning the county junior varsity title last year.
Ricky Magliozzi, Michael Martino and Robert Kelly were place-winners, taking fourth place, while Jeff Goldrosen, Vincent Paglio and Harry Warner were fifth. Dan Saraiva, Dustin Jensen and Jonathan Sheynkman all helped the effort.
The varsity wrestlers were 165-87 overall for a 65.48 winning percentage.
The junior varsity, 9-2-1 during the regular season, won the league tournament championship as well. They had 11 champions.
Ronnie Piccone, Dominic Esposito, Michael Moore, Carl Vasti, Andrew Ciccone, Matt Costa, Chris Koutzen, Robert Cromer, Patrick McAteer, Connor Diaz and Lewai Attia all won their very first league crowns.
Richard Piccone, Matt Magliozzi, Kevin Hayes, William Zembricki, Michael Penkower and Robert Gluck were finalists.
Jack Warner, Fellipe Ferraz, Oliver Warner, Riley Keating, Nick Koutzen, David Gluck, Nick Paglio, Artim Azimov and Ken McMurdo were all place-winners for the Jr. Mustangs.
With a 234-170 record, the JV team had a 57.92 winning percentage,.
Michael Iuliano, the director and head coach of the program, pointed to the team’s progress throughout the season as the Mustangs’ trademark.
“I believe the true success of a program and its athletes is to see the development throughout the year,” he said. “Our ability to avenge losses or ‘tighten’ up matches speaks volumes about our kids.”
Iuliano noted that he had been approached by coaches of other teams who complimented him on how refined the Jr. Mustangs were and asked how was he getting those results. His reply was, “Stick to the basics.”
Mike Hardy, Jack Goldrosen, Rick Magliozzi, Pat McAtter, Mike Moore, Joe Ciccone and Bill Aembricki made up the coaching staff.
The Marlboro Jr. Mustangs had further reason to be pleased with the season. One of their graduates, Charlie Frankel, a junior at Marlboro High School, finished seventh at the NJSIAA state championships in Atlantic City. He won a school record 40 matches.