Earning a medal in the rigorous NJSIAA wrestling state tournament in Atlantic City is a big deal, and finishing in one of the top eight places is certainly a worthy achievement in any season and four grapplers from Essex County accomplished just that level of excellence while shining on the mats during the 3-day (March 12-14) endurance extravaganza in historic Boardwalk Hall.
Caldwell brought home two state medalists for the first time in more than 30 years with its superb senior duo of fourth-place finisher Carmine Sipper (120 pounds) and Solomon Soriente (eighth at 138), while West Essex junior Reid Clausi (fourth at 165) and Seton Hall Prep senior Rocco Salerno (sixth at 215) were among the other significant place-winners from Essex.
There were certainly some noteworthy stories from around the state during the 2026 NJSIAA’s season-capping individual tourney which culminated with championship bouts on Saturday (March 14), including a 21st-seed from Delsea, Greyson Pettit, dominating a No. 3 seed Anthony DiAndrea of Watchung Hills, 12-3, for the 132-pound state title, or Delbarton’s dynamic junior Cameron Sontz capturing his third state championship with a dynamic 8-1 overtime sudden victory vs. a prior state champion JoJo Burke of St. Joe’s of Montvale at 120.
The Green Wave’s national-level standout can look ahead to next year when he will try and join five others, including former Delbarton star Mike Grey (2003-2006), as a 4-time state champion.
It just so happens that 120 was one of the tournament’s strongest weight classes and where Caldwell’s Sipper went a strong 4-2 in that very formidable field to finish fourth, ending his impressive run when he was edged by Southern Regional’s Cade Collins, 2-1, in the third-place bout.
One of the more electrifying moments of the entire state championship weekend in Boardwalk Hall came in this past Thursday’s pre-quarterfinals when Caldwell’s Navy-bound veteran wrestler when he pulled off a miraculous and very acrobatic cartwheel takedown at the buzzer to edge St. John Vianney’s Julian Zargo after trailing 3-1 late in the third period.
Caldwell coach Sean Romano called it ‘The move of the tournament’ and ‘Carm’s Cartwheel’ went viral throughout social media where wrestling fans everywhere could appreciate the amazing bout-winning maneuver from one of the Chiefs’ all-time greats.
The fourth-seeded Sipper was pinned by Delbarton’s Sontz in 4:24 in the semifinals; however, once again showing a short memory and displaying the persistence and perseverance he had also shown last year when he earned a third-place medal at 113, the future Naval Academy Midshipman bounced right back in this past weekend’s action to dominate St. Peter’s Prep’s Robert Rodriguez by technical fall (16-1 in 4:48) before the very narrow 2-1 setback to Southern’s Collins in 120‘s third-place bout.
