Lenape Valley wrestlers aim for winning record, conference title

The Lenape Valley High School wrestling program has a solid core of varsity-tested student athletes as well as newcomers looking to make their presence felt in an impressive manner on the varsity roster this season.

The Patriots are scheduled to participate in a quad meet at Randolph High School on Dec. 23. It includes Hanover Park and West Morris Central.

Lenape Valley had a strong fourth-place showing in the team scoring at a tournament Dec. 17 in Dover. Roxbury won the team title.

Senior Eric Perez placed second at 190 pounds for the Patriots. Third-place finishers included senior Marcus Bullock, junior Andrew Grant and sophomores Justin Peterson, Marc Pavese, Gage Graziano and Jacob Bell.

Key returnees to the varsity team this season include Bullock (113/120 pounds), junior Ryan Zimmerman (106 pounds), Grant (150 pounds), Pavese (126/132 pounds), Graziano (138 pounds), Bell (144 pounds), Peterson (126/132 pounds) and sophomore Jack Phelps (190 pounds).

Promising newcomers include Perez, junior Pablo Portillo (165 pounds), junior Ryan Slahor (150/157 pounds), junior Andrew Bicher (285 pounds), sophomore Robert Hathaway (144 pounds), sophomore Michael Dos Santos (106 pounds), sophomore Vincent Oliveri (165 pounds), sophomore Fabrizio DiMartino (175 pounds), freshman Nicholas Anderson (157 pounds), freshman Anthony Santos (138 pounds) and freshman Kyle Scheel (120 pounds).

Bullock, Grant, Zimmerman, Graziano and Pavese will be leaders of the team, said head coach Anthony Grogan. “I’m looking for them to lead our team on and off the mat.’’

Last season, the Patriots finished with a 9-11 record and advanced to the NJSIAA North 1 Group 1 sectional tournament where they were defeated by perennial power Kittatinny.

“The team goal is to win our conference, have a winning record, a home (NJSIAA) state sectional match and to win a team tournament,’’ Grogan said.

Lenape Valley competes in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Colonial Division along with Hopatcong, Hackettstown, North Warren, Wallkill Valley and Vernon.

“After losing seven seniors from our starting lineup last season, the Patriots will look to rebuild with our younger core of returning wrestlers,’’ the coach said. “The Patriots will look for Region qualifiers Marcus Bullock, Gage Graziano and Marc Pavese to lead our team.

“We are hoping Andrew Grant, Ryan Zimmerman, Justin Peterson and Jacob Bell will build on their success from last season and take a leap into qualifying for the region tournament.’’