Can Hanover Park make history at Boardwalk Hall?

The Hanover Park wrestling team made history last month. Now it's time for some of the Hornets to get into the record books as individuals.

Coach James LaValle's Hornets became the first public school in Morris County to win a NJSIAA Group championship when it won Group II in February.

When the state tournament begins at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Friday night, seven Hornets will try and win some matches and get on the podium – if not get to the very top of it.

LaValle knows the feeling, having been a three-time state champion in 1995, 1997 and 1998. Senior 126-pounder Anthony Cefolo is going for his third as well.

"He needs no introduction," LaValle said. "He's had another tremendous season. Anthony just keeps on getting better."

Cefolo rolled to Morris County, District 9, and Region 3 titles, but it is what he has done out of state that sets him apart. He finished third at the season-opening Beast of the East Tournament in Delaware and then not only won his weight at the Escape the Rock Tournament, he was named Outstanding Wrestler.

"Once I get to A.C., I'm gonna really push the pace," said Cefolo, who will face Rancocas Valley's Pedro Hernandez in the second round. "My coaches have been great. Half of our team is going and we push each other along."

Added 160-pounder Anthony Olivieri, "We feed off each other. We work very well together."

Olivieri, a first-team All Daily Record linebacker, set out to take a major step up from last year and succeeded, going from a fifth-sixth place finish at Region 3 to a region champion.

"He's made huge strides," LaValle said. "He's a hammer in the top position and is much improved on his feet."

Sean Conley (113) – Hanover Park's third Region 3 champion – couldn't grab a starting role until he cut down from 120.

"The guys in the room have really pushed me," said Conley, who'll face Morris Knolls' Garrett O'Shea in the second round. "No one works harder than us with our morning runs, our lifting, our work in the room. My teammates have made me a better wrestler."

Four other Hornets will wrestle in the first round with hopes of getting to the prequarterfinals. Lou Raimo (120) is a returnee to Boardwalk Hall and Christian Bassolino (145) has been to the states twice. Gerard Angelo (106) and Austin Nash (132) are going for the first time.

"Lou lost a match in the round of 12 last year, so he's looking to find a spot on the podium this year," LaValle said. "Christian is an extremely intelligent wrestler who has a knack for winning close matches. That'll help him in A.C. Gerard has high expectations for himself and he looks to be high on the podium in A.C. I think Austin is a serious podium threat because of his college style and relentless pace."

NJSIAA Tournament preview

Returning champions (last year's weight in parentheses): Ty Agaisse, Delbarton (106), Nick Suriano, Bergen Catholic (113), Anthony Cefolo, Hanover Park (120), Craig De La Cruz, Summit (126 for Bound Brook), Dave McFadden, DePaul (145).

Toughest weight class: All of the weights are strong at this time of year, but the 106 and 138 pounds look particularly imposing.

At 106, St. Joseph's Jonathan Tropea is the highest-placing returning wrestler, having finished eighth in the state last year. But there is a load of talent here, including Delbarton's Pat Glory, Seneca's Joe Manchio, Christian Brothers' Richie Koehler, West Morris' Shane Metzler, Kingsway's Quinn Kinner, Howell's Kyle Slendorn, Emerson's Paco Robles, and Hanover Park's Gerard Angelo.

The 138-pound weight is loaded as well, especially in the upper portion of the bracket, so Mendham's Eric Friedman, eighth last year, has his work cut out for him with Don Bosco's Kyle Bierdumpfel, High Point's Jared Kobis, and Clifton's Mohammed Farhan. Other standouts include Camden Catholic's Mark McCormick, St. Peter's Prep's Connor Burkert, Jackson Liberty's Matt Russo, and Bound Brook's Mekhi Lewis standing in his way.

Did you know: Morris County has had three state champions in 1972 (Randolph's Jeff Surenian, Dover's Joe Camel, Roxbury's Mike Bennett), 2003 (Delbarton's Mike Grey and Antonio Mangione, Mendham's Steve Admacsik), and 2005 (Roxbury's Ryan Fikslin, Grey, and Jefferson's Dan Vallimont).

This could be a record-setting year.

Hanover Park's Anthony Cefolo (126) has developed his offense substantially over the last year thanks to working with coach James LaValle and gets the nod to win his third – but he'll have his hands full with Bergen Catholic's Pete Lipari, and either North Hunterdon's Ryan Pomrinca or Holy Spirit's Pat D'Arcy should Cefolo reach the finals.

Delbarton teammates Pat Glory (106) and Joe Tavoso (152) have had terrific seasons and get the call to win state championships in their respective weights. Glory is in a monster weight and has his work cut out, but he was on a roll and on the verge of beating Tropea at the Beast of the East before time ran out in December before losing, 10-9. If Glory beats Tropea, he wins the weight, and it says here that he will.

Tavoso's toughest hurdle early on could be the quarters against Southern's Matt Wilhelm. Tavoso caught fire in Boardwalk Hall last year and I say he does it again – all the way to the top of the podium

The Green Wave will have three others step up high on the medal stand on Sunday afternoon, if not stand at the top of the podium outright.

Ty Agaisse, the 106-pound state champion last year, will reach the final again but will fall short against Bergen Catholic's Nick Suriano, who has won twice in two tries and figures to be the next four-timer in New Jersey.

Delbarton's Nick Farro (132) and Travis Vasquez (145) will most certainly place in the top four, if not higher.

Farro beat Craig De La Cruz in the Region 3 final on his feet, but he'll run into trouble in the semifinals against Clearview's Michael Van Brill. And if Farro can get past that hurdle, I saw it's Monroe's Sal Profaci – not De La Cruz – who would await Farro. It would be a tall order for Farro to pull all of that off, although he has wrestled brilliantly since moving up to 132.

Vasquez, meanwhile, has a brutal road to get to the final. He could get Brick Memorial's Alex Donovan in the quarters and, if he wins, possibly draw High Point's Jason Gaccione in a semifinal. And in the final, St. Peter's Prep's Ryan Burkert, who handed Vasquez his lone loss this year, would probably await. That would be quite a weekend for Vasquez if he could navigate that road.

Other Morris County wrestlers predicted to place include: Gerard Angelo (Hanover Park) and Shane Metzler (West Morris) at 106, Garrett O'Shea (Morris Knolls) at 113, Lou Raimo (Hanover Park) and Dylan Luciano (West Morris) at 120, and A.J. Vindici (Randolph) at 126 in the lower weights.

In the middle weights, look for Austin Nash (Hanover Park) at 132, Eric Friedman (Mendham) at 138, Christian Bassolino (Hanover Park) at 145, and Craig Roumes (Roxbury) at 160 to place in the top eight.

Andrew Massefski (Parsippany), in his first venture down to Atlantic City, will make this a memorable one and place in the top eight.

NJSIAA Tournament picks

106-Pat Glory, Delbarton.

113-Alec Kelly, St. Peter's Prep

120-Nick Suriano, Bergen Catholic.

126-Anthony Cefolo, Hanover Park.

132-Michael Van Brill, Clearview.

138-Mohammed Farhan, Clifton.

145-Ryan Burkert, St. Peter's Prep.

152-Joe Tavoso, Delbarton.

160-Dave McFadden, DePaul.

170-Brett Donner, Wall.

182-C.J. LaFragola, St. Joe's-Hammonton.

195-Tyree Sutton, Keansburg.

220-Christian Collucci, St. Peter's Prep.

285-Zack Chakonis, Don Bosco.