Gagliano cousins fulfill goal of winning District 21 titles

By TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

 Cousins Nino, left, and Anthony Gagliano achieved their goal of winning NJSIAA District 21 wrestling championships together this winter. Nino, who wrestles for Freehold Township High School, won the 160-pound title, while Anthony, who wrestles for Howell High School, was the 132-pound champion. Cousins Nino, left, and Anthony Gagliano achieved their goal of winning NJSIAA District 21 wrestling championships together this winter. Nino, who wrestles for Freehold Township High School, won the 160-pound title, while Anthony, who wrestles for Howell High School, was the 132-pound champion. When Nino Gagliano was rehabbing from yet another knee injury, it was his cousin, Anthony Gagliano, who was a driving force behind his return to the wrestling mat.

“He told me to stay positive and that we were both going to win District [21] championships,” he said. “He kept me going.”

Anthony Gagliano marveled at how Nino Gagliano, who wasn’t even supposed to be able to wrestle last season, was able to push himself through all his surgeries and wrestle at a high level.

Nino, who wrestles for Freehold Township High School, and Anthony, who wrestles at Howell High School, come from a wrestling family. Their fathers, brothers Pat and John Gagliano, both wrestled for Howell. John Gagliano, Anthony’s father, is the head coach at Howell.

“Ever since we were little, we were always wrestling,” Anthony said.

Nino remembers them going to a camp in Iowa in the summer. They went all over.

With his father the head coach at Howell, Anthony had an up-close view of the sport from the start. He said being around wrestling all the time made him a fan of the sport.

“I never missed a [Howell] match. I came to practices,” he said.

It was at those Rebels practices that the youngster had the opportunity to wrestle with the likes of Zac Cunliffe, a four-time state place-winner and other all-time Rebels greats. It was quite an apprenticeship for a young wrester.

While Anthony developed a love for the sport from the start, it took some time for Nino.

“I didn’t love wrestling,” he said.

Nino played baseball, football and ice hockey in addition to wrestling. He began dropping the other sports as he got older, and it was down to baseball and wrestling. By middle school at Barkalow, a light went on and he started to love wrestling, he said.

As they entered their respective high schools, the cousins talked about winning the NJSIAA District 21 championship together.

Last year, when Nino, a year older, and Anthony both reached the district finals, they knew their goal was within their grasps. It became their focus for the 2014- 15 season. Nino, despite his knee injury, and his cousin arrived at Manalapan High School for the district tournament having wrestled so well during the season that they earned the No. 1 seed in their respective weight classes.

Both made it through to the finals, keeping their dream alive.

Nino, wrestling at 160 pounds, was up first and took care of business with a 7-2 decision over Matawan Regional High School’s James Pierce. As a senior, he knew that this was his last shot at glory and did not let it slip away.

Anthony watched proudly as his cousin won his first championship. The pressure was then on him.

Nino’s win gave him an added incentive, Anthony said.

“It gave me a little more drive,” he said. “It’s always been a goal for both of us to win it together.”

Anthony followed his cousin about an hour later and easily handled St. John Vianney High School’s Khalil Haskins, winning the 132-pound championship by a major decision, 17-6, to complete their mission.

Nino never doubted that his cousin was going to win his final.

“It was a great moment,” he said about being to share the championship glory.

The cousins said that they are like brothers and that they are their own biggest supporters. Each wants success for the other. Their relationship has always been positive.

“There’s no jealousy,” Nino said. “I want him to do the best he can do.”

Anthony agreed that they want the other to do as well as they can and that they share in each other’s success.

“We’ve never been bitter towards each other,” he said. “If I win, I want him to win. And if I lose, I want him to win.”

Injuries struck Nino again at the Region 6 tournament, where a break of his femur derailed his bid to get to Atlantic City for the state individual championships.

True to the courage he displayed throughout his high school career, Nino did not throw in the towel when he injured his left knee once again (broken femur). He would not default, and wrestled through the injury.

Anthony, who is a junior, punched his ticket to Atlantic City, reaching the region finals from the fourth seed. Although he lost to defending champion Marcus Iwama of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, he attained the top priority of that weekend: qualifying for the state championships.

In his Atlantic City debut, Anthony won three matches and was one win away from medaling. He finished the year with a 33-8 record and plenty to shoot for next year.

“I’m happy [with the season] but not satisfied,” he said. “I wanted to go a little further [at the states].” Nino is undecided about whether he will continue to wrestle in college. There is one goal he does have in mind for next year, however.

“I’ll be there in Atlantic City next year to cheer [Anthony] on,” he said.

Bringing home a state title would be something the whole family could celebrate.