Atlantic City Press 2/14/09: Camden Catholic defeats St. Augustine in wrestling
St. Augustine falls to Camden Catholic
By AARON BRACY For The Press
(Published: Saturday, February 14, 2009
)
CHERRY HILL – St. Augustine needed a perfect performance to end Camden Catholic’s dominance of South Jersey Non-Public A.
It got almost perfect – and almost just isn’t good enough against the powerful Irish.
Despite some heroic wrestling by several Hermits wrestlers, second-seeded Prep lost to top-seeded Catholic 39-24 on Friday night in a spirited S.J. Non-Public A title match that was closer than the final score would indicate.
It was an all-too-familiar feeling for the Prep (20-11), which bowed in the sectional final to the Irish (25-3) for the fourth straight year. Camden Catholic is No. 3 in The Press’ Elite 11.
“I wasn’t happy we lost, but it was a good performance as a team,” Prep coach Joe Melchiore said. “We knew we had a shot to win the match but we had to wrestle to our ability. We needed 14 solid performances.”
And while Melchiore didn’t get the showing the Hermits, ranked No. 10 in The Press’ Elite 11, needed out of all 14, he couldn’t have asked for more from several of his wrestlers, especially Nick DiGalbo.
The 145-pound senior epitomized the Hermits’ fighting spirit in Catholic’s tough home gym by fighting back from a 5-0 first-period deficit to beat Alan Dyer 10-8 in overtime.
“It’s got to be one of my most memorable wins,” said DiGalbo, who improved to 30-2. “It ranks right up there with winning districts.”
It’s easy to believe that after watching DiGalbo battle valiantly off his back for more than a minute in the first period after being caught by Dyer.
“I stepped back and he threw me right to my back,” DiGalbo said. “I was shocked and didn’t know what hit me.”
Melchiore said his senior was “out of it” immediately after fending off the pin, but DiGalbo regained his composure and slowly but surely began clawing back into the match. He used three third-period single-leg takedowns to extend the match to overtime, and then displayed a similar move in the extra period to come away with an impressive – and unlikely – win.
The match followed script after DiGalbo’s bout, as Catholic took three of the next five matches to lead 30-20 with three matches left and the heavyweights on the mat.
Camden Catholic heavyweight Mike Leonetti then provided the heroics for the home team, breaking a 3-3 deadlock with a takedown with seven seconds left that turned into a pin in 5 minutes, 58 seconds and clinched the Irish’s 16th straight South Jersey Non-Public A title.
“We came here to wrestle. Everyone thought we had a good chance,” DiGalbo said. “It hurts, especially since it’s my senior year and I’m not going to be able to wrestle Camden Catholic again.”
103-Joe Esposito SA md. Matt Mazzochette 12-3; 112-Matt Sausman CC d Mark Patterson 5-3; *119-Joe Devone SA d Matt O’Donnell 8-4; 125-Trey Pataky CC p. Zach Burgin 3:15; 130-A.J. Fisher SA p. John Chillem 5:30; 135-Taylor Walsh CC p. Ryan Leaf :35; 140-Kevin Walker CC d. Paxton Burgin 3-1; 145-Nick DiGalbo SA d. Alan Dyer 10-8 OT; 152-Justin Danfield CC p. Matt Campo 1:39; 160-Adam Schroeder SA md. Bob Melia 14-2; 171-Kyle Matis CC forfeit; 189-Leon White SA md. Bill Cornely 14-1; 215-Wayne Young CC d. Andrew Baumgardner 4-0; 285-Mike Leonetti CC p. Brian Cramner 5:58.
Records-St. Augustine 20-11; Camden Catholic 25-3.
*Match began at this weight
