ALJ Wrestling Winter Recap
Clark Public Schools
The Arthur L. Johnson High School Wrestling Team recently completed one of its most successful seasons in recent memory.
The team was led by first year Head Coach Giovanni Ghione. His staff consisted of William Rodrigues, Tyler Beck, Matthew McGowen and Stephen Paterno. This year saw 19-student athletes letter for the wrestling program. They included the following underclassmen and seniors:
Freshman: Nicholas Cilento, Jack Lane, Matthew Marczydlo, Keegan Parkhill, Aidan Rogers and Jake Szarszewski.
Sophomores: Zachary Belverio, Raymond Guenther, Michael LaRocca and Carmine Vella.
Juniors: Sean Asgarlli and Joey Ortega.
Seniors: Jason Greenbush, Matthew Lordi, Henry Nordstrom, Dylan Perrotto, Nicholas Pipala, Vincent Pisano and Jake Vito.
Managers: Isabella Decker (Senior), Lauren Kolfenbach (Senior), Izzy Moore (Junior) and Ayanna Ortiz (Junior).
The team completed a stellar season this winter finishing with a record of 16-9, which included winning the UCC Mountain Division with a perfect divisional record of 7-0. This allowed them to finish the year as the fourth ranked team in Union County. The team advanced to the NJSIAA Sectional Semifinals by defeating a tough Voorhees team 54-18, before they eventually bowed out to the eventual State Champion, Governor Livingston.
The team garnered much individual success throughout the season as well. Joey Ortega was the Union County Champion at 150 lbs. while Henry Nordstrom was District 16 Champion and named Outstanding Wrestler for District 16 at 175 lbs. In addition, Joey Ortega is now a two-time qualifier for the NJSIAA State Tournament, which is held in Atlantic City each year.
At the Winter Athletic Awards program, which was held on March 8th in the Arthur L. Johnson High School auditorium, the team received many accolades. The Best Teammate Award is given out seasonally to one member from each athletic team that best fits the characteristics of a good teammate. The individuals that receive these awards exhibit upbeat attitudes and outstanding character. They helped influence the team’s culture in a positive manner, while always supporting teammates and promoting team unity. The Best Teammate Award Winner for the wrestling program was Dylan Perrotto. The evening then culminated with the announcement of the Team Most Valuable Players. The MVP for the wrestling program was Joey Ortega.
Athletic Director Gus Kalikas, had this to say about the wrestling season: “Our wrestling program has improved tremendously over the past season, and we were extremely proud of the success they had this past season. While we will miss our seniors, they laid a strong foundation for the future, and our school and community is excited about the future of Johnson Wrestling.”
