2022 Season

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/06/28/2022-north-jersey-sports-awards-see-who-took-home-awards/7715138001/
North Jersey’s Players of the Year
GIRLS WRESTLING: Olivia Klein, Paramus

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/03/22/nj-wrestling-paramus-senior-eric-freeman-commits-rutgers/9457241002/
Paramus senior Eric Freeman commits to Rutgers wrestling
Nick Gantaifis  NorthJersey.com

Eric Freeman found his home away from home.The Paramus senior wrestler and two-time NJSIAA bronze medalist, announced his commitment to Rutgers University last week.“I’m really looking forward to my next chapter and excited to be joining a great college program,” said Freeman, who finished third at 165 pounds at the NJSIAA championships earlier this month. “Rutgers is close to home and it’s what I was looking for when I was going through the recruiting process. The coaching staff was very involved and interested in me and that means a lot.”
Freeman, 19, is coming off an impressive senior campaign in which he captured county and district titles and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the BCCA, Same Cali Invitational and Caldwell Tournaments. He finished second in Region 1 and won his 100th career match in January.
Freeman was also instrumental in helping Paramus win its first state sectional title since 2016.
“Eric has been a tremendous asset to our program over the years and played a big role in helping Paramus get back to the top,” coach Chris Falato said. “He’s been a role model for our younger guys and a great teammate. He has so much untapped talent and potential and he’s only going to get better from here. We’re all excited for him and looking forward to watching him compete in our own backyard at Rutgers.”
Freeman, who plans on majoring in psychology at Rutgers, joins a growing list of high school recruits from New Jersey to commit to the New Brunswick college.
“I know quite a few wrestlers headed to Rutgers. I’m looking forward to teaming up with everyone,” Freeman said. “Coach [Scott] Goodale and coach [Donny] Pritzlaff have done a great job keeping New Jersey wrestlers at home and their success proves that. The future is promising.”
At the recent NCAA Championships, two Rutgers wrestlers earned All-American honors as Sebastian Rivera (141 pounds) finished third and Greg Bulsak (197 pounds) eighth. It marked the sixth straight year Rutgers wrestlers earned postseason honors.
“I’m thankful for my coaching staff and all those who have been by my side over the years. I wouldn’t be in this position without them,” Freeman said. “If you had told me two years ago that I was going to commit to Rutgers, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’ve made a lot of strides in that time and I’m prepared for the next challenge.”

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/03/19/nj-wrestling-2022-all-county-and-all-league-honors/6930517001/
BCCA Large School Team of the Year
Coach of the Year, Chris Falato
Freedom Division Champs
1st Team All-League:  Chris Hong, Daniel Hong, Matt Field, Eric Freeman, Brandon Myack, Daniel Elyash
2nd Team:  Tyler Falen, Kevin Carmichael, Zachary Dolack
HM:  Jonathan Cherba, Randall Gonzalez

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/03/21/nj-girls-wrestling-here-2022-all-north-jersey-teams/7004808001/
Congrats to our All North Jersey Girl Wrestlers!
1st Team: Olivia Klein, Emma Mees, 2nd Team: Kayla Franson
Olivia Klein
Paramus junior, 100 pounds
Klein turned her silver into gold by downing Isabella Santos (Elizabeth), 12-0, in their state championship rematch. She finished with a 20-1 record against girls, won her second BCWCA title and became a productive varsity scorer for the North 1, Group 3 champions.
Emma Mees
Paramus freshman, 145 pounds
Mees went 10-7 as a rookie and advanced further in the postseason than any other Bergen County freshman. She punched her ticket to the state championships by winning three straight consolation matches as the No. 8 seed at Region North.

2022 PHS All-County Wrestlers:
https://www.bergencountycoaches.org/_files/ugd/91d4c5_3b1e3e9ab15346aa964c671943fc2db5.pdf
Coach Chris Falato named BCCA Coach of the Year!
Senior Eric Freeman (165) 2nd Team All-County
Senior Daniel Hong (126) 3rd Team All-County

https://sites.google.com/view/bcwcaweb/bcwca-sports/wrestling
BCWCA Girls Division:
Junior Olivia Klein (100), 1st Team All-County
Frosh Emma Mees (145), 1st Team All-County
Kayla Franson (132), 3rd Team All-County

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/03/09/nj-wrestling-final-north-jersey-team-rankings-2021-22-season/9413814002/
Wrestling: Final North Jersey team rankings, banner winners for the 2021-22 season
Sean Farrell NorthJersey.com 03/09/2022
►Paramus and state third Eric Freeman brought home plenty of hardware with league, sectional, county group and Big North Duals championships.
Final team rankings

1. Bergen Catholic 12-1
2. St. Joseph 7-3
3. Paramus Catholic 12-3
4. Paramus 15-4
5. Passaic Tech 15-6
6. River Dell 17-9
7. Don Bosco 8-7
8. Old Tappan 16-3
9. Emerson/Park Ridge 11-8
10. Pascack Hills 17-5

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/03/03/nj-state-wrestling-championships-complete-coverage/9344854002/
NJ State Wrestling Results:
Eric Freeman (165) - 3rd Place, 5-1
Chris Hong (106) 2-2
Daniel Hong (126) 1-2
Daniel Elyash (215) 0-2


https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/02/25/nj-wrestling-live-results-region-2-tournament-mount-olive/6931393001/
Region 2 Results Update for PHS Wrestlers (top 4 go to AC): Eric Freeman (165) in Finals Chris Hong (106) - 3rd Daniel Hong (126) - 3rd Daniel Elyash (215) - 4th Brandon Myack (195) - 5th Zach Dolack (285) - 5th Matt Field (144) - 6th Kevin Carmichael(175)-7th/8th
5:15 PM · Feb 26, 2022·Twitter for iPhone


https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/02/20/paramus-olivia-klein-wins-state-wrestling-title-downs-defending-champ/6875485001/
Paramus' Olivia Klein wins state wrestling title, gets redemption in dominant finals match
Sean FarrellNorthJersey.com
PHILLIPSBURG – The look on Olivia Klein's face said it all.Not only did the Paramus wrestler win her first state title on Sunday. She blew out the defending champion who pinned her in last year's final.So when the rematch went final, the 4-foot-11 ball of energy hopped up and down and roared to the heavens.
"My emotions? I was shocked. I was amazed. I was so proud of myself," Klein said. "I went out there and wrestled confidently."

Klein left no doubt on Sunday by downing Isabella Santos (Elizabeth), 12-0, in the 100-pound state final.It's the match she waited all year for after getting turned away by Santos in the same round – in the same room – in under three minutes last season.This time, Klein came to Phillipsburg with more technical knowledge and more equipped on how to handle the Union County star. She came without the nerves that weighed her down last year as a sophomore.
"The loss definitely motivated me a lot," Klein said. "I knew that I could do better and learn more. It pushed me to get more educated on wrestling and work with different people."
How dominant was Klein on Sunday? She was the only champion who didn't allow a single point in three matches. She was one of three winners who scored bonus points in each round, sharing the honor with High Point's Noelle Gaffney (165) and North Bergen's Amanda Pace (185).
Klein banked on her experience after wrestling in nine varsity matches this year with the North 1, Group 3 champions.
"When she trains, she trains with a focus and determination," assistant coach Mike Bastante said. "She doesn't quit. We're state sectional champs in boys and a lot of that has to do with her."

Klein lost in the Region semifinals last week but ultimately, wrestled her best when it mattered most. She opened up a five-point lead over Santos with a takedown and three back points in the first period. A reversal in the second and third period sent her on the way to victory.After winning the title, Klein phoned her older sister Emily to share the news. Now at East Stroudsberg, Emily Klein placed first in the collegiate northeast regionals earlier in the day."My dad had her on speed dial," Klein said. "It's definitely a great day in the Klein house."
The making of a state champion began two years ago when Emily Klein convinced her sister to come out for the team. Olivia had experience in combat sports – including jiu-jitsu since age 3 – since her dad owns Tiger Schulmann's in Englewood. Still, there was trepidation.
"I didn't want to do wrestling," Olivia Klein said. "I was scared. I always wasn't that confident of a kid. Emily definitely pushed me to join wrestling."
On Sunday, there was no question at 100 pounds. Klein climbed up the podium to give Paramus a state wrestling medalist for the 12th straight year. It's the longest streak by a public school in North Jersey.
For Klein, it was bliss.
"She executed the gameplan perfectly," Bastante said. "She was in a great mood. She had fun. That's what it's all about."


https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/02/19/nj-wrestling-results-districts-1-through-12-new-jersey/6818641001/
Wrestling: Results from districts 1 through 12 in New Jersey
Paramus placed 2nd as a Team in District 8 today. Congrats to our place winners & Region 2 Qualifiers: 1st: Matt Field, Eric Freeman, Zach Dolack 2nd: Chris Hong, Daniel Hong, Daniel Elyash 3rd: Jon Cherba, Kevin Carmichael, Brandon Myack
https://northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/02/19/nj-wrestling-results-districts-1-through-12-new-jersey/6818641001/… via @VarsityAces
6:13 PM · Feb 19, 2022·Twitter for iPhone


https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/02/12/nj-girls-wrestling-live-results-north-region-franklin-hs/6735885001/
https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/02/12/girls-wrestling-northern-highlands-star-earns-title-region-north/6695746001/
Complete results: North Region girls wrestling tournament at Franklin High School
Sean Farrell NorthJersey.com

Paramus' Olivia Klein (100) and Bergenfield's Emie Santos both placed third to earn a trip to the state championships. Spartan Emma Mees (145) and Lakeland's Caroline Biegel (235) will join them in Phillipsburg after fourth-place finishes on Saturday.

https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2022/02/paramus-back-on-top-in-north-1-group-3-with-44-23-win-at-morris-hills.html
Paramus back on top in North 1, Group 3 with 44-23 win at Morris Hills
Updated: Feb. 09, 2022, 10:46 p.m. | Published: Feb. 09, 2022, 10:20 p.m.
By Matt Bove | For NJ Advance Media
Paramus senior Eric Freeman has achieved a lot of individual success in his wrestling career.
He reached the near pinnacle of the sport with a third-place individual finish at 160 pounds in the NJSIAA State Championships last season. However, he was yearning to get the opportunity to celebrate a huge team success with his Paramus teammates.

• 2/9 - 12:00 AM WrestlingFinal

  Paramus	44
  Morris Hills	23

Complete Box Score »That moment finally came as Paramus rolled its way through the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 tournament and concluded it with a 44-23 on the road at Morris Hills on Wednesday evening.
“It feels really good because the first thee years of my career we didn’t do this, ” Freeman said. “We lost a year to COVID. My first two years we had a bunch of young guys. It’s what I’ve been waiting for.
“Our coaches installed in us from the beginning of the season that if we could all come together as a team we could surprise a lot of people. I just want to thank him for everything he’s done for us and really believing in us.”
It was the first sectional title for Paramus since the 2015-16 season when it defeated Montville by a 36-24 score in the sectional final.
“It’s huge for us,” senior Zack Dolack said. “All season long we have been talking about this day right here. We came through here and took care of business against Montville. It all finally came true.”
Paramus got some toss-up wins early on against Morris Hills and was able to roll on from there. The Spartans led 10-3 after a major decision by Matthew Field at 160 and a pin by Freeman at 165.
Morris Hills head coach Brian Bollette bumped up one of his better grapplers -- Chris Piazza -- to 175 pounds get him away from Freeman. Kevin Carmichael was able to make that strategy all for nothing as he pulled out a 4-3 win over Piazza in an exciting bout.
It looked like Carmichael had things wrapped up when he got a takedown to go ahead 4-1 with 30 seconds remaining, but an escape and a stall quickly got Piazza back in it. Carmichael had to fend off a solid last-second shot by Piazza to secure the victory.
Carmichael had some fun with the rowdy Morris Hills student section after the win. Going into a hostile environment made the sectional title all the more satisfying for Paramus.
“I love it,” Dolack said. “That’s the best feeling alive. You walk into a hostile environment and you know everyone is against you. The fact that you win and can make them calm down is the best feeling alive.”
Matt Leslie won at 190 for Morris Hills, 2-0, on two penalty points to cut the deficit to 13-6 before the Spartans took complete control with three consecutive pins.
The most impressive of those was by sophomore Daniel Elyash at 215, who pinned Morris County Tournament champion Diego Ackay in 3:38 in what was previously a back-and-forth bout. Dolack (285) and Chris Hong (106) gave Paramus a commanding 31-6 lead following their pins.
“It was tough trying to scout out Morris Hills and Montville because they wrestle mostly Morris County teams and we wrestle mostly Bergen County teams, so it’s hard to make comparisons,” Paramus head coach Chris Falato said. “Brian Bollette actually moved his lineup beautifully tonight. I didn’t expect some of the things he did, and our kids had to come wrestle. They won the toss-up matches. 215 was huge, 126 was huge and 175 was a huge match. That propelled us to the win.”
Jonathan Cerba (132) also picked up a pin while Daniel Hong (126) and Dylan DeMaio (144) also recorded major decisions in the victory.
The journey is not yet over for Paramus, as the Spartans will compete in the Group 3 semifinals on Friday against an opponent to be determined.
“We know we’re probably going to be underdogs against the other section champs, but we’re playing with house money and we’re ready to go get it,” Falato said. “These guys are used to wrestling hard matches. We’re not afraid of anybody and will take on all opponents.”
Sectional Finals:
Wed, February 09, 2022


Sectional Semifinals:
Mon, February 07, 2022

Sectional Quarterfinals:
Mon, February 07, 2022

1/30/2022 - Elizabeth Lady MinuteMan Tournament - Olivia Klein takes 1st and wins MOW.  Kayla Franson takes 2nd Place.  Emma Mees takes 5th Place.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/01/23/jimmy-mullen-takes-out-max-acciardi-bergen-county-tournament-finals/6595125001/
Paramus’ Eric Freeman wins first title
Nick GantaifisNorthJersey.com

Paramus senior Eric Freeman claimed his first Bergen County title on Sunday when he scored a 5-1 victory over St. Joseph senior Roberto Padilla in the 165-pound final. “This keeps me up there with the best of the best. I’m going to continue working hard to reach my main goal of winning a state title,” said Freeman, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler for the upper weights. “Every tournament is a grind, but as the day goes on, I feel like I get better every time.”Your stories live here.Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it.Create AccountFreeman, the top seed, recorded three pins in his first three matches and earned a 6-0 victory against Kosta Mavrikidis of Paramus Catholic in the semifinals.
Last March, Freeman wrestled back to finish third in the state to extend the Spartans' state medal streak to 11 years.
Paramus won the Group B team title on Sunday and was the highest scoring public school, finishing fourth overall with 144.5 points.
“Our team is really coming along. Some first-year wrestlers took second and we had a few place winners," Freeman said. "We’re shooting for a team state title.”

https://twitter.com/ParamusHSWrest1/status/1485388253675020289

Paramus HS Wrestling
@ParamusHSWrest1
Paramus is the Group B County Champ, and top scoring Public School!

6:05 PM · Jan 23, 2022·Twitter for iPhone

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/01/23/nj-wrestling-list-medalists-bergen-county-tournament/6594760001/
Wrestling: Complete list of medalists from the Bergen County Tournament

Paramus HS Wrestling
@ParamusHSWrest1
https://twitter.com/ParamusHSWrest1/status/1485384536460517377
Congrats to the 7 Paramus wrestlers who placed in the 2022 BCCA tournament:
106: Chris Hong - 4th 
126: Daniel Hong - 3rd 
150: Matt Field - 6th 
165: Eric Freeman - 1st 
175: Kevin Carmichael - 5th 
190: Brandon Myack - 7th 
215: Zach Dolack - 2nd
5:50 PM · Jan 23, 2022·Twitter for iPhone

Paramus HS Wrestling
@ParamusHSWrest1
Paramus retains #4 ranking (#1 public) in North Jersey.
Individual wrestler rankings: 113 Chris Hong 4th / 126 Daniel Hong 5th / 165 Eric Freeman 1st / 215 Daniel Elyash 5th
Quote Tweet 8:31 AM · Jan 19, 2022
https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/01/16/nj-girls-wrestling-results-bergen-county-tournament/9187294002/
Top performances, results from the Bergen County girls wrestling tournament
Sean FarrellNorthJersey.com
Finals
100: Olivia Klein (Paramus) Dec Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Newton), 4-2.
132: Angelina Leone (Egg Harbor Township) Fall Kayla Franson (Paramus), 1:22.

Semifinals
100
Olivia Klein (Paramus) Fall Yasmine Yalowitz (Fort Lee), 1:48.
Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Newton) Fall Mariah Koster (Nutley), 1:24.
132
Angelina Leone (Egg Harbor Twp) Fall Emmalyne Dugan (Bayonne), 0:33.
Kayla Franson (Paramus) Fall Ayesha Payne-Parris (Newton), 2:10.

Quarterfinals
100
Olivia Klein (Paramus) Fall Reeve Fatuova (Ramsey), 2:52.
Yasmine Yalowitz (Fort Lee) Maj-Dec Adrana Urbina (Pennsauken), 13-3.
Mariah Koster (Nutley) Fall Marlen Castillo (Lakewood), 1:25.
Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Newton) Fall McKenzie Markham (Kingsway), 0:27.
132
Angelina Leone (Egg Harbor Twp) Fall Nicolle Castro (Garfield), 1:09.
Emmalyne Dugan (Bayonne) Fall Angela Gjini (Ramsey), 3:38.
Kayla Franson (Paramus) Fall Charlotte Flatt (Vernon), 3:02.
Ayesha Payne-Parris (Newton) Fall Carolina Marquez (Lakewood), 3:48.
145
Alexa Firestone (Kingsway) Fall Kamila Castro (Ridgewood), 1:54.
Ve`Shae Polite (Elmwood Park) Fall Emma Mees (Paramus), 4:24.
Skyla Ortiz (Ridgefield Park/Bogota) Fall Sarah Spitzer (River Dell), 2:25.
Taylor Peterson (Garfield) Fall Janiesha Dureny (High Point), 1:25.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2022/01/15/paramus-wrestling-wins-river-dell-westwood-title-downs-passaic-tech/9187281002/
Paramus wrestling beats Passaic Tech, crowned top public school at River Dell/Westwood Duals
Sean FarrellNorthJersey.com
ORADELL – The big men came up huge for Paramus on Saturday. Enough to take over bragging rights in the Big North Conference.
The Spartans rallied back with four straight wins in the upper-weights and clipped Passaic Tech, 34-31, in the second-annual River Dell/Westwood Duals championship. The final was a blood-stained, chess match where every bonus point was so heavily coveted.
Olivia Klein closed out the meet with a forfeit at 106 to lift Paramus (8-2) in the rematch of last week's two-point victory.
The wrestling tournament is a two-day, 16-team event that unofficially crowns the top public school team in the Big North.
"We knew this year we could have tremendous team success and we've had our eyes on it all summer long," coach Chris Falato said. "We've been talking about it since the first day of practice. It's very rewarding."
T
The reward did not come easy for the Spartans, who won four of the nine contested bouts. Paramus raced back from a 25-7 deficit behind the heavy hitters at the end of the lineup. Tyler Falen started the comeback with a pin at 165, followed by forfeits to state medalist Eric Freeman (175) and Zach Dolack (215).A decision by Brandon Myack at 190 allowed Paramus to rest unbeaten heavyweight Daniel Elyash, who is nursing an injury.
"I was looking at the scoreboard and knew that if I don't win this match, we're not winning," said Myack, after a 3-0 triumph. "I just pushed through."
What it meansThe fifth-ranked Spartans knocked off a defending sectional champion and passed one of their final tests before the Bergen County Tournament.Falato pointed out that since winning a state title in 2016, the Spartans have produced great individual wrestlers but not necessarily the team success they are accustomed to.
"We've bought into the whole team concept," Falato said. "Everybody knows. This match came down to two of our lesser-known wrestlers – (Alexander) Guerriero and (Jonathan) Cherba – in not giving up pins and fighting like hell to stay off their back."
In the third-place match, River Dell slipped past Ridgewood thanks to a winner-take-all victory by Evan Krakower in the finale.
Turning point
The most exciting match of the day came at 126 pounds when Daniel Hong beat Passaic Tech standout Alex Vertedor, 6-2, in a sudden victory. The outcome was especially sweet for Hong, considering he lost an overtime thriller with Vertedor earlier this month."I knew Hong was going to step up for the team because he's sacrificed so much for us this year," Falato said.
"He's just the total package."
The rematch was full of twists and turns, including in the third period when Vertedor was called for an illegal slam. Trainers stopped the match with 1:19 left and the score tied at 2. Hong said he felt dizzy but undeterred after landing on the top of his head.
"No matter what it was – even if I was bleeding from my heart – I was still going to wrestle," Hong said. "We don't give up."
That persistent spirit was put to the test again in the sudden victory period. Hong was briefly awarded the winning takedown until the other official over-ruled the call. The Paramus senior had already taken off his head-gear in celebration before being told to stay on the mat.
"I was all jacked up," Hong said. "I thought I got it, then the ref blew it off. Obviously I was a little angry. A few seconds later, right to his back."

https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2021/12/sam-cali-invitational-2021-medal-round-results-and-placement-for-each-weight-class.html
Sam Cali Invitational, 2021: Medal-round results and placement for each weight class
Updated: Dec. 28, 2021, 4:34 p.m. | Published: Dec. 28, 2021, 2:42 p.m.
By Patrick Lanni | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Below are the medal-round results from the Sam Cali Invitational.
The tournament, which was held Monday and Tuesday at the Ferguson Recreation Center on the campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, is named in memory of a former Don Bosco Prep and Rutgers wrestler who died in a 2016 car crash.
First-place results
165: 1-Eric Freeman (Paramus) p. 3-Kosta Mavrikidis (Paramus Catholic), 3:20

Third-place matches
126: Daniel Hong (Paramus) dec. Colin Menier (West Milford), 10-6
215: Zachery Dolack (Paramus) p. Luke Maxwell (Delsea), 3:05

Medalists by weight
126 pounds

1. Caedyn Ricciardi (St. Peter’s Prep)
2. Zach Hentschel (Pope John)
3. Daniel Hong (Paramus)
4. Colin Menier (West Milford)
5. Shaun Quirk (Livingston)
6. Blake Geibel (St. John Vianney)

165 pounds

1. Eric Freeman (Paramus)
2. Kosta Mavrikidis (Paramus Catholic)
3. Anthony Harris (St. Peter’s Prep)
4. Dennis Virelli (St. Augustine)
5. Tyson Dereberger (Delsea)
6. Zach Kitchell (Collingswood)

215 pounds

1. Brendan Raley (North Hunterdon)
2. Edward Padilla (Livingston)
3. Zachery Dolack (Paramus)
4. Luke Maxwell (Delsea)
5. Connor Martin (Delbarton)
6. Aidan Mackenzie (South Plainfield)