Howell Wrestling Repeats As Group V Champions; Claims Top Public School Ranking In Nj By Pat Ralph

A 13th straight A North division title, a third straight district and state sectional championship, a program-record 32 wins and undefeated season, and a second straight NJSIAA Group V state championship resulting in the highest ranking of any public school in New Jersey this season. Yes, it was a incredible season for the Howell wrestling team. 

“It’s an amazing feeling for all of us”, Howell head coach John Gagliano said in reference to the Rebels’ second straight state championship. “These kids rallied together and worked hard. We knew it wouldn’t be easy with the teams we had to go through.”

It was anything but easy for the Rebels in the state final against Southern (19-3) at the RWJ Barnabas Health Arena in Toms River last month. At the 126-pound and 132-pound weight classes, sophomore Luke Rada (26-5) and junior Darby Diedrich (39-1) were two of Howell’s best wrestlers this season. However, both wrestlers were defeated in the opening two bouts of the championship match.

However, the senior leadership of Dan Esposito and Kyle Slendorn at the 138-pound and 145-pound weight classes turned the match in Howell’s favor for good despite the early setback. Behind wins from Esposito (36-4) and Slendorn (38-1), the Rebels would rattle off six straight victories to take control of the match against Southern. 

After Southern won consecutive bouts at the 195-pound and 210-pound weight classes, the Rebels won three of the last four bouts in the match to defeat Southern, 33-15, and claim their second state championship in school history. Fittingly, it was the senior trio of Scott Prendergast (24-8), Jesse Liptzin (21-5), and Jerry Lleshi (27-5) who closed out the match and solidified an undefeated season for the Rebels.  After winning their first state championship in 2017 and winning a program-record 30 matches in the process, the Rebels topped that with 32 wins, an undefeated season, and a second-straight state title.

Gagliano acknowledged that the feeling of repeating as state champions is a different feeling from winning a state championship for the first time in program history. But this match meant more than just completing the perfect season; it meant redemption for a team that has fallen short before on the biggest team stage in the sport.

In 2016, the Rebels captured their first of three straight state sectional championships. In the Group V state final, Howell would face none other than Southern. The only difference from their date in 2018 was the result; Southern defeated Howell, 27-24. The Rebels did not forget what happened two years, Gagliano said.

“We still have wrestlers from that 2016 team and they remembered that feeling of defeat,” Gagliano said. “They really hoped they would have another chance to face them.”

As a result of their perfect season, the Rebels finished the year ranked No. 3 in the Garden State. But because the top two rankings are held by private schools, Howell owns the bragging rights of being the top public school wrestling team in New Jersey.

One of the reasons for Howell’s success this season has been its talented and deep senior class that will be leaving the program to graduation this spring. But the Rebels’ talented underclassmen should have no problem stepping up and becoming the program’s leaders next season.

“This team was extremely balanced,” Gagliano said. “We had a lot of depth and they really believed from the start that they could win. They were always confident.”