Garrett Totten win over Jack Zaleski powers CBA wrestling past Middletown South

MIDDLETOWN - Garrett Totten had been thinking about his one-point defeat to Jack Zaleski in the NJSIAA Central Region semifinal for nine months.

"That loss last year,'' Totten, a senior 126-pounder at Christian Brothers Academy, said about that defeat to Zaleski, a junior 126-pounder at Middletown South. "I've been reminding myself about it ever since.''

Wednesday night, Totten avenged that defeat with a 3-1 win that clinched CBA's 37-24 win in a Shore Conference Class A North match between the No. 3 and 4 ranked teams in the Asbury Park Press Top 10.

"It was a great victory for me and the team,'' Totten said.

It was also career win No. 100 for Totten.

Middletown South rally from 18-point deficit

It could be the first of several bouts between the two two-time state placewinners this season. Totten was seventh in the state at 113 in 2020 when he was at Northern Burlington and seventh at 120 last year in his first season at CBA. Zaleski was fifth in the state at 106 in 2020 and fourth at 120 last season.

Wednesday night's bout came at a key point in the match. CBA was wrestling without standout sophomore 120-pounder Alex Nini, who did not weigh in, and had seen what was an 18-point lead cut to 30-24 with two bouts left after a stunning late pin by Middletown South's Kaden King at 120.

By winning the pre-match flip, Middletown South was able to dictate what the matchup was at 126 by forcing CBA to send Totten out first.

"We were hoping for that matchup. We wanted it,'' CBA coach Billy Ashnault said. "We were excited. Garrett's been training for that. He got what he deserved."

Totten got a takedown early in the first period and then had a key rideout in the second period while leading 2-1.

"You ride a guy for two minutes, it makes them think a little bit,'' Totten said. "It's good stuff. That played a bonus for my part. It was my period in the second period. I dominated that period.''

"You ride a guy out, it takes the wind out of their sails. That was very important,'' Ashnault said.

The rideout also made sure the bout was wrestled a little differently than Zaleski's 8-7 win in the 2021 region semifinal.

"When he (Totten) wrestled him (Zaleski) last year, there were too many scrambles,'' Ashnault said. "Garrett kept it clean, finished his shot clean and wrestled a lot smarter.''

Zaleski rode Totten for the first 57 seconds of the third period and then had to cut him when he could not get a turn or a stalling call. Totten was then able to keep Zaleski at bay from there.

Tyler Barrett scores key 1-0 decision for CBA

"Jack's a great wrestler. I respect him a lot. We're friends off the mat,'' Totten said.

CBA (8-1, 4-1), ranked No. 3 in the APP Top 10, won nine of the 14 bouts. The Colts were able to grind out four straight decisions from 150-175 to build an 18-3 lead. The most notable of those came at 150 when 2020 state qualifier Tyler Barrett defeated two-time state qualifier David Hussey 1-0 on a second period rideout and third period escape.

The Colts also got a key pin at 215 from unbeaten Robert Canterino over two-time region qualifier Matt Cody and another one at 106 from Tyler Venet.

Middletown South (5-1 2-1), ranked No. 4, pulled within 30-24 on pins by Dante Miranda (heavyweight), Ryan Madden (113) and Kaden King (120). King's pin came when he reversed 2020 region fifth-place finisher Vincent Principe to his back and pinned him with 8.7 seconds remaining. Principe was leading 4-2 at the time of the reversal.

Principe weighed in a 120 instead of 113 because Nini did not weigh in. Ashnault said Nini will compete Saturday and Sunday when CBA wrestles in the tough Escape The Rock Tournament at Council Rock South, Pennsylvania.

CBA, whose only defeat was 32-31 to Howell on Jan. 5, was able to compensate for Nini's absence because "just the next guy in line has got to step up," Totten said. "That's what our coach always talks about.''

CBA 37, Middletown South 24

138: Julian George (CBA) by forfeit

144: Robert Generelli (MS) d. Nicholas Punzi 4-2.

150: Tyler Barrett (CBA) d. David Hussey 1-0.

157: Zander Silva (CBA) d. Alex Quintano 7-3.

165: Nick Stump (CBA) d. Nick Holland 4-0

175: Anthony Lawrence (CBA) d. Jack Reiter 5-2.

190: Jack Willi (MS) d. Peter Grippo 9-7.

215: Robert Canterino (CBA) p. Matt Cody 2:37.

HWT: Dante Miranda (MS) p. Taig Sheehy 2:36.

106: Tyler Venet (CBA) p. Zachary Veniskey :52.

113: Ryan Madden (MS) p. Luke Pennisi 4:12.

120: Kaden King (MS) p. Vincent Principe 5:51.

126: Garrett Totten (CBA) d. Jack Zaleski 3-1.

132: A.J. Falcone (CBA) md. Alec Holland 12-2.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT SCORES

CLASS A NORTH

Marlboro 48, Manalapan 24

Middletown North 40, Long Branch 29

CLASS A CENTRAL

St. John Vianney 42, Ocean 36: Pins by Michael Foley (215) and Ryan Buchanan (heavyweight) in the final two bouts gave the Lancers (3-2, 2-0) the win over the Spartans (1-2, 0-1).

St. John Vianney had six pins. Five of those came in the first period, including one in seven seconds by freshman Anthony Knox (113) and another in 11 seconds by Blake Geibel.

A key result was a 7-2 win at 132 by St. John Vianney's 2020 state qualifier Joe Giordano over 2021 state qualifier James Farina

St. John Vianney forfeited 120, 150, 157 and 190 and Ocean's other two wins were pins by Nicholas Benner (165) and Shane Cartagena-Walsh (175).

Rumson-Fair Haven 56, Monmouth 15

CLASS A SOUTH

Brick Memorial 53, Toms River North 11

Toms River East 46, Toms River South 26

CLASS B NORTH

Wall 46, Colts Neck 33

Manasquan 58, Matawan 13

CLASS B CENTRAL

Shore 51, Asbury Park 27

CLASS B SOUTH

Lacey 58, Donovan Catholic 21

Point Pleasant Boro 72, Lakewood 6

Manchester 56, Barnegat 24

Jackson Liberty 45, Pinelands 19

NONDIVISIONAL

Red Bank 39, Holmdel 33

Freehold 55, Point Pleasant Beach 16

Southern 54, High Point 12: The Rams' Conor Collins (120), last season's state runner-up at 113, defeated three-time state qualifier Clayton Utter 8-6 in the featured bout of Southern's win over the Wildcats.

Collins also defeated Utter 4-2 last season in a state 113-pound quarterfinal.

Southern (7-0), ranked No. 1 in the APP Top 10, received pins from 2020 state qualifier Cole Velardi (150), Nate Bischoff (157), Tyler Chase (165), Scottie Sari (113), and 2021 state qualifier Matt Henrich (138).

The Rams won 11 of the 14 bouts.

Keansburg 36, New Egypt 24

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore NJ wrestling: Christian Brothers Academy beats Middletown South