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Could this be the year for coach Dino DiBellonia and Union when it comes to the 2026 Union County Wrestling Tournament? Dino (center), seen with Union Athletic Director Ron Zieser (left) and Gerry Benaquista (right) after receiving Union County Coach of the Year award in 2025, appears to have the caliber of team to make strong run at title on Saturday at Louis J. Rettino Gymnasium in Union where perennial champion Cranford with its array of terrific wrestlers seek an 11th straight UCT crown. (Photos by Owen Klasey and JR Parachini)
UNION - Could this be the year for the Union Farmers? Union was last a county champion way back in 1994, before any of us were constantly on cell phones. With wins in the Dover Tournament Dec. 13 and the Parsippany Hills Tournament Dec. 29 and a solid record of 10-1 prior to start of this week, Union might be among the favorites for a change. The 51st annual wrestling Union County Tournament is scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 17 at Union High School's Louis J. Rettino Gymnasium. Competition is set to commence at 8 a.m., with the finals in line to begin as close to 3 p.m. as possible. As a matter of fact, the last time Union won the UCT 32 years ago was immediately after Rettino guided Union football to its final three, all in a row, North 2, Group 4 state championships in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Union has several wrestlers off to fine starts including senior Ariel Azeredo, who is one of seven returning UCT champions. Azeredo captured the 138 field last year for his first UCT title. Azeredo, who will wrestle again at 138 this weekend, also became the third grappler to win a UCT championship under present head coach Dino DeBellonia and the second in the past two tournaments. Union will attempt to have at least one champion for a third straight tournament for the first time in a long time. "We knew going into the season that we had one of our more competitive groups," said DeBellonia, who was named the Union County Coach of the Year in 2025. "The kids did a lot of work in the off-season and it's paying off. For the first time in my 17 years as head coach here at Union we won two holiday tournament titles. We wrestled well in both." DeBellonia also reported that it was the first time in 16 tries that Union won the Dover Tournament during his tenure and the first time in 17 that the Farmers placed first in the Parsippany Hills Tournament, still named after former Parsippany head coach Gary Vittorio. "Last year we finished second at Par Hills," DeBellonia said. Cranford has won the last UCTs, a tourney record, and is seeking to tie Roselle Park for the most crowns. Roselle Park, which at one time won seven in a row, has the most titles with 14. The Cougars, who won championships in 1981, 1984 and 1986 before reeling off the last 10, are second with 13. Westfield is next with eight, Brearley-Dayton won all seven of its titles in a row, Union has four, Rahway three and Scotch Plains-Fanwood one. Although Gov. Livingston has never won the crown the Highlanders did finish second the past four tournaments: 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022. There have been nine wrestlers that have won the tournament all four of their years. Cranford has one of them in 2017 graduate Tom DiGiovanni. Seniors Michael Daly and Luke Scholz will look to join DiGiovanni this weekend as the second and third wrestlers from Cranford to achieve the lofty feat and also become the 10th and 11th to do it overall. They should both be top seeds, Daly at 120 and Scholz at 157. Daly will continue wrestling at Pitt and Scholz at Appalachian State. "It's pretty special and awesome to think they have a chance at joining DiGiovanni on the wall," Cranford head coach Pat Gorman said. "Daly just had a really good win over Mount Olive freshman Cole Daniels. Both Daly and Scholz have been battle-tested." Daly won by decision over Daniels by the score of 10-4. Cranford's other returning champion, fellow senior Joey Acinapura who will probably be the top seed at 190 after winning the 175 crown a year ago, will next continue to play football at The College of New Jersey. Although Cranford has those three key returning grapplers, this year's squad is young on experience. "We graduated almost our whole lineup," Gorman said. "We have kids that never wrestled varsity before. "The room's a bit different. It's back to basics, but everyone's excited to wrestle for each other. "This will be a good measuring stick for us." Luke Hoerle of Westfield was the last four-time UCT winner, accomplishing the success in 2020. Hoerle is Westfield's lone four-time champion. As of Monday, Jan. 12, Cranford was leading the Union County Conference's Watchung Division at 3-0, with Union just behind at 2-0. Cranford was 6-3 overall. Rahway was third at 3-1 and was 6-3 overall. Rahway, guided by 2024 Union County Coach of the Year Dan Garay, went 15-6 in 2022-2023, 18-4 in 2023-2024 and 17-5 in 2024-2025. Linden and Johnson were at the top of the Mountain Division standings, both 3-0, with Linden 4-1 overall and Johnson 7-3. Elizabeth, 3-3 overall, was 3-1 and Roselle Park, 6-3 overall, was 2-2. Union is scheduled to host Roselle Park and Cranford right after the UCT. On Wednesday, Jan. 21 Union hosts Roselle Park at a time to be determined and on Friday, Jan. 23 Union hosts Cranford at 5 p.m. Union, in competition at Dover on Jan. 10, was defeated by Nutley 40-26 for its first loss of the season and beat host Dover 62-18 and Madison 61-18. "Nutley has a strong team and is very tough and we were with them neck and neck for a while," DeBellonia said. "It was an exciting match for both teams. "We have a lot of respect for Dover and Madison." Union went 19-9 last year and 18-9 two years ago. As of Jan. 10 the Farmers had 47 wins since the beginning of the 2023-2024 season. Union records as of Monday, Jan. 12 included: 106 sophomore Cristian Hargrove 10-2. His older brother Gabe, Union Class of 2025, is now wrestling at Stevens Institute of Technology. Other records are: 120 sophomore Ethan Flores 8-6, 126 senior Jaydon Robles 15-2, 138 senior Ariel Azeredo 14-1, 144 senior Aidan Cross 12-3, 150 senior Enzo Tammaro 12-4, 157 senior Sean Messina 8-4, 175 senior Jonathan Cordova 14-2, 190 senior Nicholas Bertolotti 12-3 and heavyweight senior Obreight Ingram 11-4. Aaron Acevedo, a senior, In the Dover Tournament, with Union winning with 215.5 points over second-place West Orange with 151, the Farmers had one champion in Azeredo at 144. Finishing second for the Farmers were senior Macain Romain at 138, Cross at 150, Tammaro at 157, Bertolotti at 190 and Ingram at heavyweight. In the Parsippany Hills Tournament, with Union winning with 139.5 points over second-place Old Tappan with 135.5, Union had two champions in Tammaro at 157 and Cordova at 175. Finishing second for the Farmers were Robles at 132, Bertolotti at 190 and Ingram at heavyweight. On Jan. 10 Cranford lost to Mount Olive 44-23 and defeated Bordentown 67-9 and St. Thomas Aquinas of Edison 60-22. All three matches took place at Cranford. 2026 RETURNING UCT CHAMPIONS: Cranford senior Joey Acinapura, 175 champ in 2025 Rahway senior Jaeczar Evans, 106 champ in 2025 Cranford senior Michael Daly, 113 champ in 2025 Johnson junior Matty Ortega, 120 champ in 2025 Union senior Ariel Azeredo, 138 champ in 2025 New Providence senior Braeden Valley, 144 champ Cranford senior Luke Scholz, 150 champ GORMAN SEES CRANFORD, UNION AND RAHWAY "When we get to the finals, you're probably going to see matchups such as Cranford vs. Union, Union vs. Rahway and Rahway vs. Cranford." What has been the key to Cranford's recent team dominance according to Gorman, who has guided Cranford to its last 10 titles? "My thing is keeping the kids focused," Gorman said. "Concentrate, but not let the pressure get to them. As far as the kids go it's just them going out and doing what we trained them to do. "The secret is there is no secret. If we win, we put the trophy away and move on to our next goal. If we don't win then we'll be fueled that much more to attain our next goal." DeBELLONIA MAY HAVE HIS BEST CHANCE "We need to go out there and have minimal mistakes," DeBellonia said. "You have to wrestle mistake-free as best as you can to have a chance at winning this tournament. "We hope to just go out there and put points on the board, that's the bottom line. Ultimately, if our guys can place top-three at a majority of the weight classes that can get the job done. "It's not an easy task. It's a simple strategy, but not easy. "It we can go out there and scratch and claw our way to top-three medals, that would help us bring home the title." The seeding meeting is Thursday, Jan. 15 at UHS at 6 p.m. MICHAEL DALY OF CRANFORD, HIS FIRST 3 UCT CHAMPIONSHPS: 2024 UCT FINAL AT 106 AT UNION: Michael Daly, Cranford, dec. Matty Ortega, Johnson, 6-3. Michael Daly, Cranford, Outstanding Wrestler for lower weights: 106-144. LUKE SCHOLZ OF CRANFORD, HIS FIRST 3 UCT CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2024 UCT FINAL AT 132 AT UNION: Luke Scholz, Cranford maj. dec. Julian McGarry, Brearley-D, 12-2. 2025 UCT FINAL AT 150 AT UNION: Luke Scholz, Cranford, pin Daniel Gonzalez, Rahway, 1:48. 4-TIME UCT CHAMPIONS (9): Larry Guarino, Union, class of 1988 Luke Hoerle, Westfield, class of 2020 UCT WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS: Follow Sideline Chatter on 'X' @Chattermeister
Cranford's strong wrestling team seeks an 11th straight Union County Tournament title and a 14th overall as action takes place this Saturday on mats in Louis J. Rettino Gymnasium in Union. (Photo by Own Klasey)
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