ATLANTIC CITY — Caper Tiger wrestler Chase Hansen made it to the podium at the state wrestling tournament and along the way broke the all-time record for wins for a high school wrestler.
Hansen, a senior who will continue his wrestling career at Rider University after graduating this spring, finished third overall in the 138-pound weight class.
He entered the state tournament March 12-14 at Boardwalk Hall with 174 career wins, needing two more to beat the 15-year-old record for victories held by Bound Brook’s Andrew Campolattano. He didn’t waste time on that.
Hansen, the No. 2 seed in his weight class, quickly tied the record in the preliminary round with a pin in one minute and 53 seconds of No. 31 seed Jaden Sanders of Manasquan, earning him career pin 115, two shy of Campolattano’s record of 117.
His pre-quarterfinal battle was much tougher, but he broke the record with a 4-2 decision over No. 18 seed Jack Abramson of Pingry.
Hansen earned win 177 and pin No. 116 in a minute and 34 seconds over No. 10 seed Solomon Soriente in the quarterfinals.
The Lower Cape May Regional High School wrestler then fell in the quarterfinals by 4-2 decision to No. 3 seed and eventual state champion Gideon Gonzalez of Bergen Catholic, sending him to the consolation round.
Hansen earned win No. 178 in the wrestleback semifinal, beating No. 5 seed Giovanni Schinina of St. Peter’s Prep in a 7-1 decision.
He wrapped his career in the consolation final, taking a 5-2 decision over No. 16 seed Nicholas Palitto of Paramus Catholic to capture third place in the state, the second time he reached that height.
Hansen finished with four district titles, four Region 8 titles, 179 wins and 116 pins. He finished third in the state as a sophomore, fourth as a junior and seventh as a freshman.
Rosemeyer, other Caper Tigers at states
Tristan Rosemeyer, a District 32 and Region 8 winner this season at 113 pounds, won his first two matches at the state tournament.
Seeded eighth, Rosemeyer earned a close 13-12 decision in the preliminary round over 25th seed Gabriel Roman of Perth Amboy and followed that with a 10-3 decision in the pre-quarterfinal round over No. 24 seed Joseph Formosa of West Essex.
Rosemeyer lost to No. 1 seed and eventual state champ Killian Coluccio of Lacey by pin (3:19) in the quarterfinals.
In the wrestleback fourth round, Rosemeyer’s season ended with an 8-3 decision loss to no. 6 seed Anthony Riotto of Bergen Catholic.
At 132 pounds, Eli Glover won his opening match with a 5-1 decision over North Hunterdon’s Aidan Yarussi, but was pinned in the pre-quarterfinals in 4:40 by Salvatore Borrometi of St. Peter’s Prep. Glover was the 22nd seed; Borrometi was No. 6.
Glover came back to win his first match in the wrestleback second round, a 7-3 decision over No. 12 seed Derek Sutphen of Immaculate. His season ended in the third round of consolations, falling 5-1 to No. 14 seed Andre Morero of Seton Hall Prep.
Bryce Paley, at 120 pounds, earned a 5-2 decision in the preliminary round over 20th seed Noah Hernandez of Seton Hall Prep. Paley, the 13th seed, lost in the pre-quarterfinals to No. 4 seed Ethan Michaels of Colts Neck in a 6-2 decision.
Paley lost by 7-3 decision to No. 14 seed Muhammad Abuhadba of Passaic Tech in the wrestleback second round.
Daniel Byrne, the 25th seed wrestling at 157 pounds, lost by technical fall, 15-0, in the preliminary round to No. 8 Joseph Ruiz of St. Peter’s Prep. Byrne lost in the first round of wrestlebacks, also by technical fall, to No. 24 Jenier Soto Pastrana of St. Benedict’s.
At 175 pounds, Shane Morrell, the No. 27 seed, lost to No. 6 Anthony Verdi of St. Peter’s Prep by a 17-2 technical fall.
Morrell earned a 19-8 major decision in the first round of consolations over No. 22 seed Gerald Miller of Barnegat before falling by 15-4 major decision to No. 12 John Saraiva of St. John Vianney.
By DAVID NAHAN/Cape May Star and Wave
