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To assist the student/athlete in the college selection process	WHRHS Administration
NCAA Wrestling Programs Division I Division II Division III	Gary T. Reece, Superintendent Thomas DiGanci, Principal Terrence MacConnell, Athletic Director Sharon Forte, Secretary

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2003-2004 Watchung Hills Warriors Wrestling Coaching Staff

Dan Smith, Head Coach Doug Kolody, Assistant Coach Mike Lisbona, Assistant Coach

Gatti captures gold at state wrestling tournament Published in Echoes-Sentinel - March 18, 2004 Mike Gatti completed his wrestling career on Sunday afternoon at the Boardwalk Convention Hall in Atlantic City, claiming one of 14 gold medals awarded at the conclusion of the 71st Annual New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s State Wrestling Tournament. Prior to the start of the championship round, the traditional March of Champions was led by another Watchung Hills’ senior – Carl Riccio, whose career came to an unexpected end in the final regular season match of the 2003 season. Riccio, undefeated at 29-0, suffered a career-ending injury but has remained a part of the Warriors’ wrestling program, serving as a captain of this year’ team. Riding in his wheel chair around the championship mat, Riccio drew a thunderous round of applause from the 9400 fans who stood to honor him for over two minutes. Gatti became Watchung Hills’ second state champion when he posted a 4-3 win over Paulsboro's Trevor Suter. Suter came into the match 36-0 for the season and 124-20 for his career while Gatti completed his senior campaign with a sparkling 35-1 record. Fred Pauser was Watchung Hills’ first state champion, winning the 178-pound title in 1960. Gatti was the second Somerset County grappler to turn in a gold medal effort on Sunday when rallied from a 3-2 deficit after two periods. He tied the score when he was rewarded a stalling point with 28 seconds left in regulation and took the lead for good when Suter let him go with 14 seconds left. Gatti locked up with Suter over the final seconds to preserve the one-point advantage. Unlike some of the demonstrative exhibitions by other winners, Gatti took off his headgear and flipped it to head coach Dan Smith. He embraced Smith and assistant Doug Kolody and walked off the mat for the final time. "My goal for the year was to get to the finals. I did it and made my target the state championship. Now that I have done it, I am shocked," said Gatti. "It’s amazing what I have accomplished." After finishing eighth in the 145-pound weight division last March, Gatti’s "Road to the Gold" in Atlantic City began on Friday evening when he edged Overbrook’s Mark Peiffer 7-6 in the pre-quarterfinals. On Saturday morning he took the second step to the title when posted a 10-8 decision over Brendon Griffin of Riverside in the quarterfinals. Later Friday evening, Gatti reversed the only setback of his senior season when he defeated Passaic Valley’s Frank Dugan 7-5 in the semifinals, advancing to the championship round on Sunday afternoon. Gatti had been pinned by Dugan in the New Jersey All-Star Invitational on January 25, an event that raised funds for the scholarships awarded at the state tournament, including a $1000 donation to the Riccio Fund. "As soon as I saw the brackets, I knew I would have to go up against Dugan," stated Gatti. "The only thing on my mind was revenge." Gatti is also a standout on the diamond and in the classroom for the Warriors. He will continue his academic/athletic career in the Ivy League at the University of Pennsylvania. He plans to participate on the Quakers’ baseball team but after Sunday’s victory, perhaps the mats on the Penn campus will provide another option. "This is huge not just for Watchung Hills but also for our wrestling program," Smith commented. "It used to be a big deal for us to get somebody here. But now we are getting a couple to Atlantic City and they're placing." Watchung Hills placed a second grappler step on the awards podium. Alex Caruso, the Warriors’ sophomore 145-pounder, finished fourth in his weight division when he dropped a 4-0 decision to Mark Ring of Washington Township in the consolation third place final on Sunday morning. Caruso began his climb to the awards stand on Friday evening when he posted an 11-3 major decision over Eric Ammirata of Hamilton in the pre-quarterfinals. On Saturday morning, Caruso wrestled to a 6-4 victory over Kinnelon’s Ryan McCabe in the quarterfinals. His quest for the gold was thwarter in the semifinals when the eventual champion, Andrew Flanagan of Bound Brook, registered a 7-3 decision. Dropped into the fourth round of wrestlebacks, Caruso recorded his 33rd victory of the year when he Nick Bandreth of Emerson/Park Ridge by a score of 7-3 to gain a berth in the third place consolation round. Pauser won Warriors' first state title in 1960 Fred Pauser became the first Watchung Hills’ grappler to win an NJSIAA state championship when he posted a 5-1 victory over Cranford’s George Craft in the 176-pound title bout. Pauser was the No. 4 seed while Craft was the top-seeded entry. Competing in one of the 11 weight divisions that consisted of the eight regional champions, Pauser decked Paulsboro’s Robert Jones 2 minutes, 59 seconds into the quarterfinal bout to begin his move to the championship round. In the semifinals, Pauser registered a 7-2 decision over Henry Barends of Washington Township. Shane Riccio, one of Carl’s two younger brothers in the Warriors’ starting lineup, won a 3-2 decision over Somerville’s Kyle Ferris in the preliminary round of the 130-pound bracket on Friday. He was sent to the wrestlebacks when St. John Vianney’s Anthony Castro defeated him in the pre-quarterfinal round. Riccio finished his sophomore campaign with a 31-6 mark after dropping a 14-5 major decision to Willingboro’s Brandon Hill in the first round of the wrestlebacks on Saturday morning.

Gatti honored as Outstanding Wrestler

Published in Echoes-Sentinel - March 4, 2004

Watchung Hills' Mike Gatti was chosen the Outstanding Wrestler of the District XII competition that was contested at South Plainfield on Friday and Saturday. Gatti was one of seven Warriors who will continue on the "Road to the Gold" in the Region III tournament this weekend with the hopes of earning a trip to Atlantic City on March 12 to 14 when 14 grapplers will be crowned state champions on the boardwalk. Gatti, who has moved up six weight classes in two seasons, won his third straight title by recording back-to-back technical falls. In the 160-pound title bout, he dominated Joe Bozzomo of Middlesex, registering a 21-6 teachnical fall two seconds into the third period. Tyler Riccio wrestled to a 6-0 win over Billy Ashnault of South Plainfield in the 112-pound championship bout to pick up the Warriors' first gold medal. Alex Caruso posted a 7-3 decision over South Plainfield's Paul Ritchey in the 145-pound weight class and Mark Kearsing coasted to a 12-3 majority decision over Jared Muldin of Plainfield. Shane Riccio settled for the silver medal in the 130-pound competition when he dropped a 2-1 squeaker to South Plainfield's Sam Martin. Alex Plotkin was runnerup in the 215-pound weight class, losing in the title round to South Plainfield's Rob Maistickle by a 4-1 score. Heavyweight Steve Reif qualified for the regional tournament by defeating Bobby Fink of New Providence 4-3 in the 275-pound consolation matchup. NJSIAA District XII Team Scores: 1. South Plainfield 250; 2. New Providence 174; 3. Watchung Hills 128; 4. Middlesex 110; 5. North Plainfield 82; 6. Colonia 64; 7. Plainfield 46; 8. Governor Livingston 32. Championship Finals 112-Pounds: Tyler Riccio (Watchung Hills) dec. Billy Ashnault (South Plainfield) 6-0 130-Pounds: Sam Martin (South Plainfield) dec. Shane Riccio (Watchung Hills) 2-1 145-Pounds: Alex Caruso (Watchung Hills) dec. Paul Ritchey (South Plainfield) 7-3 160-Pounds: Mike Gatti (Watchung Hills) tech. fall Joe Bozzomo (Middlesex) 21-6, 4:02 171-Pounds: Mark Kearsing (Watchung Hills) maj. dec. Jared Muldin (Plainfield) 12-3 215-Pounds: Rob Maistickle (South Plainfield) dec. Alex Plotkin (Watchung Hills) 4-1 Consolation Third Place Finals 275-Pounds: Steve Reif (Watchung Hills) dec. Bobby Fink (New Providence) 4-3 Semifinals 112-Pounds: Tyler Riccio (Watchung Hills) pin Kevin Fedison (New Providence) 4:05 130-Pounds: Shane Riccio (Watchung Hills) dec. Brian Arpaia (New Providence) 3-1 145-Pounds: Alex Caruso (Watchung Hills) maj. dec. Robert Ellery (Middlesex) 10-1 160-Pounds: Mike Gatti (Watchung Hills) tech. fall Matt Sharkey (Governor Livingston) 16-11, 2:58 171-Pounds: Mark Kearsing (Watchung Hills) dex. Lew Porchiazzo (Colonia) 11-5 215- Pounds: Alex Plotkin (Watchung Hills) d. Lee Barinov (Colonia) 4-2. 275-Pounds: Chad Lasala (Middlesex) p. Steve Reif (Watchung Hills) 1:07 Quarterfinals 103-Pounds: Rob Coughlin (Governor Livingston) maj. dec. Ryan Stuart (Watchung Hills) 13-1 112-Pounds: Tyler Riccio (Watchung Hills) bye 119-Pounds: Dave Phimsipasom (North Plainfield) dec. Steve Black (Watchung Hills) 6-4 125-Pounds: Yakibir Cobb (North Plainfield) pin Robert Scriffiano (Watchung Hills) 1:42 130-Pounds: Shane Riccio (Watchung Hills) bye 135-Pounds: Steven Hompesch (Middlesex) pin Chris Jessen (Watchung Hills), :57 140-Pounds: Pete DeAndrea (South Plainfield) pin Brian Murphy (Watchung Hills), 3:00 145-Pounds: Alex Caruso (Watchung Hills) pin Ricardo Christmas (Plainfield) 1:20 152-Pounds: Tom Heteji (North Plainfield) pin Mike Capella (Watchung Hills) 1:22 160-Pounds: Mike Gatti (Watchung Hills) bye 171-Pounds: Mark Kearsing (Watchung Hills) bye 189-Pounds: Brian Reilly (Middlesex) pin Paul Lee (Watchung Hills) 3:29 215-Pounds: Alex Plotkin (Watchung Hills) bye. 275-Pounds: Steve Reif (Watchung Hills) bye

2003-2004 Varsity Schedule Warriors' Logo 01/03 Somerville 40-37 1-0 01/03 Warren Hills 33-30 2-0 01/07 Hunterdon Central 28-43 2-1 01/10 Dieruff (PA) 56-9 3-1 01/10 North Penn (PA) 47-26 4-1 01/12 Seton Hall Prep 31-30 5-1 01/14 Franklin 50-20 6-1 01/17 North Hunterdon 46-25 7-1 01/21 St. Benedict's Prep 31-27 8-1 01/22 Belvidere 44-21 9-1 01/24 Hillsborough 21-43 9-2 01/31 Middlesex 42-34 10-2 01/31 Piscataway 34-32 11-2 02/04 Bridgewater-Raritan 36-33 12-2 02/07 Christian Brothers Academy 33-27 13-2 02/07 Manchester Township 28-39 13-3 02/11 Phillipsburg 13-51 13-4 02/18 North Plainfield 45-30 14-4 02/ Woodbridge (NJSIAA) 31-31 15-4 02/ J.P. Stevens (NJSIAA) 27-38 15-5

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2003-2004 Watchung Hills Warriors Wrestling Roster

Mike Gatti, Sr. (Tri-Captain) Alex Plotkin, Sr. (Tri-Captain) Carl Riccio, Sr. (Tri-Captain) Steve Black, Sr. Joey Butrico, Sr. Paul Lee, Sr. Derrick Lopez, Sr. Manny Marques, Sr. Kent Stein, Sr. Hans Tielmann, Sr. Cary Aldrich, Jr. Mike Capella, Jr. Arturo Custodio, Jr. C.J. Ferrara, Jr. Mark Kearsing, Jr. Stephen Reif, Jr. Alex Caruso, So. Theo Eguia, So. Brian Murphy, So. John Recenello, So. Steve Reil, So. Shane Riccio, So. Ryan Stuart, So. Alex Acosta, Fr. Anthony DeTorres, Fr. Jarred Fand, Fr. Shawn Guerra, Fr. Chris Jessen, Fr. Robert Monticchio, Fr. Tyler Riccio, Fr. Robert Scriffiano, Fr. Mark Trupkiewica, Fr. Chris Valerio, Fr.

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