Final Score: Colts Neck 32, Freehold Borough 31

In one of the most exciting matches of the sectional tournament, Freehold Borough nearly pulled off a stunning upset over No. 2 seed Colts Neck, falling just one point short in a 32-31 battle that came down to the wire. The Colonials fought hard from the opening whistle, securing key victories throughout the night and putting together a performance that showed their resilience and depth.

The dual meet was a back-and-forth affair, with Freehold Borough setting the tone early behind dominant wins from Carson Fusco and Emmanuel Ramirez in the upper weights. Onesimo Nieto followed up with a huge pin at heavyweight, giving the Colonials an early boost. Josiah Sweeney continued the momentum at 106 pounds, gutting out a hard-fought decision victory.

Colts Neck, however, proved why they were the No. 2 seed, responding with a string of wins in the middle weights. Griffin Walsh and Alexis Yale delivered big bonus-point victories, with Yale picking up a technical fall to help shift the momentum. After Xander Bartuck and John Murphy put Freehold Borough back in control with key pins, Colts Neck again answered with clutch performances, including a dominant tech fall from Michael Borao and a pin from Brody Kaplan

The match remained tight heading into the final bouts, with Fabian Perez-Nava’s 12-10 decision at 150 pounds giving Freehold Borough a late push. But Colts Neck’s depth ultimately made the difference, as Dean Natale and Nicholas Jannucci secured key wins down the stretch. A late unsportsmanlike penalty on Colts Neck tightened the score even further, but in the end, the Cougars held on to advance in the tournament.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Freehold Borough left no doubt about their toughness, pushing one of the tournament’s top teams to the limit. Their effort showcased a balanced lineup and the kind of determination that bodes well for the program’s future. Meanwhile, Colts Neck displayed the poise and skill that make them a dangerous contender as they move forward in the postseason.

Match Results

190 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Carson Fusco (Freehold Borough) MD 13-4 Cooper Mah (Colts Neck)

215 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Emmanuel Ramirez (Freehold Borough) Dec 10-4 Anthony Moriano (Colts Neck)

285 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Onesimo Nieto (Freehold Borough) Fall 3:07 Logan Bavaro (Colts Neck)

106 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Josiah Sweeney (Freehold Borough) Dec 13-8 Julian Fortunato (Colts Neck)

113 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Griffin Walsh (Colts Neck) MD 12-4 David Baez (Freehold Borough)

120 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Alexis Yale (Colts Neck) TF 21-2 (4:22) Jose Torres (Freehold Borough)

126 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Xander Bartuck (Freehold Borough) Fall 1:36 Nicholas Zecchino (Colts Neck)

132 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️John Murphy (Freehold Borough) Fall 4:33 Zaid Carno-Sticatto (Colts Neck)

138 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Michael Borao (Colts Neck) TF 15-0 (1:52) Henry Lugo (Freehold Borough)

144 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Christian Cleary (Colts Neck) MD 12-4 Joshua Toledo (Freehold Borough)

150 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Fabian Perez-Nava (Freehold Borough) Dec 12-10 Matthew Anderson (Colts Neck)

157 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Brody Kaplan (Colts Neck) Fall 0:23 Joshua Gomez (Freehold Borough)

165 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Dean Natale (Colts Neck) Fall 1:41 Jerry Corona-Hernandez (Freehold Borough)

175 lb 🤼🏽‍♂️Nicholas Jannucci (Colts Neck) Dec 12-7 Adrian Lopez-Roldan (Freehold Borough)

Unsportsmanlike penalty: -1 Colts Neck

Final Team Score:🏆 Colts Neck 32 – 31 Freehold Borough

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