With the districts coming up, the Cougars took advantage of the opportunity to sharpen their claws by defeating two respectable wrestling programs.

Cresskill looked to be on top of its game, as the middle of the lineup (from 119 to 145) went undefeated for the day.

The Cougars bested Demarest in the first match 49-23, before taming the Tigers in the final match 52-21.

"We were aggressive and we pressed the issue on the mat for two good matches," said Cresskill coach Don Bergamini. "The team responded well, didn’t overlook anything and took it seriously."

As it was also senior day, Cresskill made sure to finish the season strong by digging a little deeper and giving even more than their top effort.

"Everyone did their best and our goal was to get two wins for our seniors," said underclassman Julio Alorro. "It was good we were able to do that for them."

Although the rigorous season has been full of ups and downs, the Cougars have found a way to prevail.

"We’ve been progressing throughout the year and we’ve worked through injuries," said Kyle Wengerter.

The Cougars finished with a top record in the county and look to use the momentum in the districts. Even though the successful season has come to a close, Cresskill remains humble, knowing there is still much work to be done.

"I think finishing the season 19-10 is a great accomplishment and exemplifies the team," said Bergamini.

Cresskill’s key wrestlers

In the 189-pound weight class, Wengerter had a huge day, getting a pin in his first match over Demarest’s Mehyar Afkari and then beating Tenafly’s Eric Moreno with an 11-2 major decision. The Cougar attributes his success to the rigorous preparation behind the scenes.

"During this week in practice our coach told us not to underestimate Demarest and Tenafly and I was able to wrestle my match the way I wanted to," said Wengerter. "Today when I was in neutral [position] and my opponent shot at me, I dropped a level and took my shot. Today it happened four to five times and I was able to capitalize."

In the 130-pound bout, Alorro and Tenafly’s Young Jin Oh had the match of the day with the result decided in overtime. The two wrestlers carefully scripted their moves and after the first period both athletes got a feel of the opponent. The second period was more of the same, matching the intensity in the first.

Although there were a couple of points scored, neither wrestler could gain an advantage. Two stalemates in the third period resulted in the match going into overtime.

The Cougar looked focused in the neutral position, as he waited for the right moment. Suddenly he shot for Oh’s leg to earn a takedown and the 4-2 decision.

The crowd erupted as Alorro sprang to his feet and pumped his fist.

"I felt comfortable in neutral and I knew I had made him tired," Alorro said.

Josh Alorro, Bryan Ramirez, Julio Alorro, Brad Young, Jaemin Chang, Jeremy Benhamroun, Wengerter and Kyle Elliott each earned a pair of victories for the Cougars.

‘Adamo arm bar’ makes Norsemen history

Nick Adamo in a 119-pound match, etched his name into the Demarest wrestling history books, joining brother Dan Adamo as the only wrestlers in school history to post 100 wins.

"I was anxious the whole day," said Nick Adamo. "It’s a big relief to do it before the districts so I don’t have to worry about it because it’s been on my mind."

Nick Adamo pinned Tenafly’s Gary Puckhaber in 1:22 using his move of choice, the arm bar.

"It’s big and a positive career achievement," said Demarest coach Jeff Pandich. "Only two people have won 100 matches in school history and it’s not only a major achievement for him, but also his family."

Niko Tsolakidis also took care of business with two pins over Cresskill’s Jon Sisti and Tenafly’s Karl Foley using powerful cradles.

"It’s my best move and I can find it from any position," said Tsolakidis. "Today we came out strong, but most importantly [we] wrestled as a team."

Demarest has significantly progressed throughout the season and the future looks bright. With the regular season over, the Norsemen are anticipating a reputable result in the districts.

"The young kids are quickly learning and picking up the fundamentals," said Pandich. "Everyone believes in the program and has progressed to be ready for the districts and the varsity team is ready to go."

Tigers on the prowl

Tenafly managed a victory over Demarest, holding on for a 36-33 win.

Tenafly showed the true meaning of togetherness, as each wrestler helped out, whether it was through cheering or tactical advice.

The Tigers look to make a strong showing in the districts.

Calvin Kim and John Suh looked solid in their matches to bolster the lineup. The two, paired with tri-captains Curtis Sutera, Moreno and Oh should provide some trouble for other teams.