By Charles Daye
Staff Writer
The greatest wrestling season in the history of Howell High School was honored with yet another memorable award.
Howell’s wrestling coach, John Gagliano, recently was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association New Jersey Coach of the Year for the 2016-17 season.
This prestigious honor will join the other awards that the Howell wrestling program collected this past winter.
Gagliano guided Howell to a 30-1 record and to the program’s first New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s group state tournament championship when the Rebels claimed the Group V title. The season also featured the Shore Conference Tournament and District 22 titles and the Shore Conference’s A North Division crown, which was Howell’s 12th straight.
Howell’s magical season was capped March 5 when Eric Keosseian won the 220-pound state tournament championship in Atlantic City.
Howell was able to gain revenge along with the Group V state trophy when it defeated Hunterdon Central Regional High School, 28-27, in the championship match in February. Howell’s lone loss of the year had come at the hands of Hunterdon Central during the regular season a month earlier.
Gagliano was enthused and entertained during Howell’s championship victory.
“Great match, second time we wrestled them, great match. You know, it just went back and forth and [was] just a great high school duel,” Gagliano said.
Gagliano, who was also named as the state’s coach of the year by NJ.com, shared the honors with many involved with the program.
“Without good guys around me — these coaches, the support from the parents, the great coaches we have here — I am nothing. I am just one part of it — a piece to the puzzle. It is a team effort,” Gagliano said. “We always preach that everything is about team. We had success this year, overall success because there was no ‘I.’ It was all about team, and that goes for the coaches too. It is all about team; it was not one person.”
He attributes his coaching philosophy to his former coach, Doug Bower. Gagliano believes he is just continuing the same philosophy and making sure his mentor’s legacy lives on.
Gagliano is a firm believer in what his mission is each season.
“You just want to make a difference in the kids’ lives,” Gagliano said. “What makes you so proud is when they come back after they are out of school and you see them successful, professional, [with a family] — all that stuff. You love to see that.”
Howell is expected to contend for local and state honors next winter, and its coach plans on being on the bench.
“I am having so much fun. I love being around the kids. I enjoy what I do. I like who I work with; our staff and the kids are awesome,” Gagliano said. “Because we won our first overall state [title], I don’t want to say, ‘hey that’s it.’ I look forward to the kids again next year. I just want them to keep working hard and help guide them and get them ready for next season”
A number of wrestlers will return next winter, including Kyle Slendorn, who placed second in the state tournament at 126 pounds and finished his junior season with a 42-2 record.
One key Rebel will not be on hand. Keosseian is heading to West Point Academy, but his senior year’s performance will not be forgotten. His decision over Hunterdon Central’s Victor Lacombe secured Howell’s Group V championship. The clutch victory also avenged a loss that Keosseian had suffered to Lacombe in January. That was also the night when Howell was dealt its lone defeat of the season.
Keosseian ended his senior year with a 42-2 record — the identical record of Slendorn — and finished his career with a 133-27 mark. His state tournament title was the first for a Howell wrestler since Joey Langel won in 2008.
Gagliano did not admit that this winter’s showing was the greatest at Howell, but he will cherish what his team accomplished.
“I don’t want to say ‘oh, this is the greatest and the best,’ but it was the first time we won it,” Gagliano said. “We look back at the years and we have had some really good teams and a bunch of good kids. It was definitely very memorable what we accomplished this year. We are just going to keep working hard and keep striving to win.”
Gagliano credited his family with being chiefly responsible for his success.
“A special thanks to my wife and kids for all the constant support all these years, for the time spent away from home. Thank you.”