March
5, 2007
ATLANTIC CITY – Score first, score often, build your lead, and wrestle smart. Those are the main components to victory that Bergen Catholic head coach Dave Bell has preached to his kids throughout his tenure there, especially this season. It is a message that got through to 125-pounder Joe Trause, who won the 119-pound state final last year. This year, Trause not only continued to use the gameplan to his personal success, he passed the knowledge along to freshman sensation Frank Cagnina, a 103-pounder.
They both followed their coach’s orders to the letter in yesterday’s NJSIAA state finals and they were both rewarded. Both scored early takedowns and methodically wore out their opponents. Neither of them trailed in their respective matches as Cagnina won his first state title and Trause his second to represent as North Jersey’s only state titlists.
“Winning a state title is something I’ve had my sights on for a while now,” said Cagnina. “In the beginning of the year, I was just hoping to place in the top 8 in the state. But once I won the counties, I knew I had a shot to go all the way. My confidence just kept growing with each win and it carried over into this weekend. I was confident and really relaxed going into the final.”
He had good reason to be as he faced Sean Boylan of Holy Spirit, a wrestler he beat 8-0 the only other time they met. Cagnina (36-2) scored a takedown 48 seconds in to grab the quick lead, one he never gave up. He scored takedowns with 45 seconds remaining in both the second and third periods to win by a final of 7-1.
“The match I had with him was similar to the one we had last time,” said Cagnina. “I got a takedown in the first period and was able to set the pace of the match. Boylan did a great job just to get to the final and I knew he came in with nothing to lose, so scoring first was huge. Once I got that takedown, I just had to stay focused and make good decisions.”
Last year, Trause was a heavy underdog against John Trumbetti of St. Joseph’s (Montvale) before scoring the upset. Yesterday, he came as the man to beat with Cody Fobes of Howell, who scored four upsets on his way to the final, waiting for his chance to pull off another in the finale. However, Trause never gave him that chance and was never tested.
Just 35 seconds into the match, Trause hit a single-leg takedown and scored two back points to take a commanding 4-0 lead going into the second period.
“Once I got my first takedown, I pretty much knew I had it,” said Trause, who finished the season with a 30-2 record. “That is when I am really able to open up my offense. When I have a lead and I have my offense going, I don’t think there are too many people who can stop it.”
He only took a handful of shots in the second period, consistently going after the same leg he grabbed during his first-period takedown. He hit two of those shots, both single-leg takedowns, to bump his lead to seven points going into the third period, 9-2.
In earning his first state title last year, Trause needed a last-second takedown to beat Trumbetti. Yesterday, he finally had a chance to enjoy the moment and bask in the glow of victory. He scored his sixth and final takedown of the match with 15 seconds left for the final 13-5 margin.
“It was nice to be able to see seconds tick down and really take it all in,” said Trause. “To win a state title is truly an amazing feeling. I am fortunate enough to say that I’ve done it twice. There really isn’t anything that compares to working hard all year and then achieving your goal.”
Trause’s win clinched two firsts ever in the storied history of Bergen Catholic wrestling. It is the first time that one wrestler from the school has ever won two individual state titles. It is also the first time that two Crusaders’ wrestlers won state titles in the same season.
“It hasn’t sunk in it on what a great accomplishment this is,” said Bergen Catholic head coach Dave Bell. “I think Joe (Trause) and Frank (Cagnina) both wrestled very well. Both of them stayed patient and took high-percentage shots. When you take more high-percentage shots than your opponent, chances are pretty good that you are going to win. I think Joe really took Frank under his wing and that helped both of them. They both did a great job of scoring first and keeping the pressure on. I’m extremely proud of both of their performances.”
Other
Area Place Winners:
112
– Vinny Fava, Don Bosco Prep – 6th place
119 – Bobby Dabal, North Bergen – 3rd; Joe Kover,
Fair Lawn – 7th
125 – Colton Chalkley, Lakeland – 7th
130 – Glen Cannici, St. Mary’s (Ruth.) –
5th place; Dan Butcher, Westwood – 6th
135 – Dale Fava, Don Bosco Prep – 3rd; Matt Spataro,
Bergen Catholic – 7th
140 – Bob Matthews, Pompton Lakes - 4th; Derek Steuben,
No. Highlands – 5th
145 – Frankie Buenafuente, Garfield – 3rd
152 – Matt McLean, Northern Valley/Old Tappan –
3rd
160 – Dan Zotollo, Paramus – 4th; Bob Bishop,
Wayne Valley – 8th
171 – Dan Rinaldi, Lodi – 4th; Jonathan Becker,
Bergen Catholic – 5th
189 – Anthony Lisanti, Westwood – 5th
215 – George Kocher, Bergen Catholic – 4th; Lukasz
Stala, Don Bosco Prep – 7th
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