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State runner-up at 171 suffers broken fibula, dislocated ankle

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 12/29/05

BY SCOTT CLAYTON STAFF WRITER

BRICK * After four of its first five finalists took home titles at Brick Memorial's
Mustang Classic, including a stunner by junior Kyle Kiss over defending state
champion Scott Giffin of Eastern at 171, Ocean was doing a good job of moving past
its season-opening loss to Howell.

When Jeff Siciliano took down Winslow's Jamelle Jones seconds after the whistle to
start their 189-pound championship bout, Ocean appeared poised to make a major
statement at one of the top holiday tournaments in the state. With 44 seconds left in
the first period, however, all the air was let out of the Spartans' balloon as
Siciliano collapsed to the edge of the mat with a scream.

Leading 3-2 and attempting to fend off an eventual takedown by Jones, the champion at
the prestigious Beast of the East Tournament on Dec. 18, Siciliano's left foot stuck
to the mat as both wrestlers' bodies landed on it. The tournament was delayed for
more than 30 minutes as Siciliano was brought by ambulance to Jersey Shore University
Medical Center in Neptune.

Reached by cell phone at the hospital Wednesday evening, Siciliano's father, Tim,
confirmed that Jeff suffered a broken fibula and dislocated ankle and will undergo
surgery today. The expected recovery time of six to eight weeks puts a question mark
on whether Siciliano, second in the state last year at 171 pounds, can return to the
mat this season. The district championships begin eight weeks from Friday.

"I saw him get the takedown, but I didn't see him get hurt," Kiss said.
"It feels like a lot of things are starting to go wrong for us right now. You've
just got to keep your head up."

Wrestling without sophomore 125-pounder Nick Menditto, a returning state place-winner
who failed to make weight against Howell and did not weigh in on Wednesday, the
Spartans crowned winners in Dan Lopes (130 pounds), Maverick Nunes-Vais (140), Joey
Falco (145), and Kiss (171). Menditto is expected to return to the lineup against
Christian Brothers Academy on Jan. 3.

After losing by technical fall to Giffin in last season's 160-pound final, Kiss
turned the tables en route to earning the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. Kiss got
the first takedown before falling behind 3-2 entering the second period. An escape
and another takedown put Kiss up 5-3 when the wheels started to fall off for Giffin.

The senior was called for the first of four start violations to give Kiss a 6-3 lead.
After pulling the score to 6-5, a takedown and three more penalty points gave Kiss an
11-6 win.

"I wanted to get the first takedown, and I wanted to build on it," Kiss
said. "I don't think it was the wrestling so much as the mental part. It's just
about staying tough for six minutes for the win."

Lopes won his third straight Mustang Classic title, wrestling with a lead throughout
an entertaining 11-7 decision over Wall's Blaine Woszczak at 130. Nunes-Vais won for
the second straight year, topping High Point's Connor Perdisatt, 7-5, at 140. Falco
won a major decision over Brick Memorial junior Kyle Heilbroun, 9-1, at 145.

Senior John Barrett was the only winner for the host school, with an impressive 12-6
win over Phillipsburg's Chris Norrell at 152 pounds. After a 43-second pin in his
first bout and a forfeit in the semifinals, Barrett was fresh enough for a four-point
move to seal the win in the final 10 seconds.

"I was nervous. I didn't feel warm," said Barrett, who used a Peterson to
take a 5-3 lead in the first period. "A lot of people want to get on their feet
with me, but he's a great mat wrestler too."

Point Beach senior Matt Rega climbed up the podium from a third-place finish last
season to a title with a dominating 10-5 win over Phillipsburg's Luke Grassi at 119.

"He seemed a little weaker than me," said Rega, who took Grassi down five
times. "I let him shoot then just countered it."

Wall left with a pair of champions in 112-pounder Ryan Wilson and heavyweight Drew
Doyle. Wilson repeated last season's win with a 3-2 decision over Phillipsburg's Jon
Gregory. Wilson topped Gregory, 5-0, in last season's final at 103. Doyle escaped
from Eastern's Dan Donker midway through the third period of a 3-2 win.