PROVIDENCE, RI – After more than seven hours of wrestling, the New England Wrestling Association Duals championship came down to one final match. Johnson & Wales University senior Jonah Aurelio prevailed in the last bout to lift the fourth-ranked Wildcats to their second-straight team title.
Johnson & Wales beat 17th-ranked Roger Williams in the finals after topping No. 20 Coast Guard, 31-6, in the semifinals. The Wildcats opened the tournament with a 44-3 win over New England College then beat Southern Maine, 47-3, in the quarterfinals.
Second-ranked Jay Albis (Fishkill, NY) got JWU on the board against RWU with his win at 133 pounds. Joe Ferinde (Nutley, NJ) pushed the JWU advantage to 8-3 with his tech fall at 141 pounds, but the Hawks won the next five matches for a 15-8 lead.
Fifth-ranked Khamri Thomas (Windsor Locks, Conn.) stopped the run with his 7-1 decision at 184 pounds. Sixth-ranked Michael DiNardo (Mahopac, NY) turned the tide when he pinned Michael Fernandes at the 6:05 mark of their 197-pound bout. Aurelio (Riverside, RI), ranked ninth at 285 pounds, locked up the team title with a third-period takedown for the 4-0 decision.
JWU breezed through the semifinals, taking down 20th-ranked Coast Guard for the second time in a week. Stephen Nadera (Old Bridge, NJ) set the tone when he pinned Parker Brunkala in their 125-pound match. The Wildcats won the first five matches before the Bears picked up their first point. DiNardo put the match out of reach with his pin.
Johnson & Wales won its first five matches against New England College, including a pin by freshman Jordan Robinson (Garfield, NJ) at 149 pounds. DiNardo and Aurelio wrapped up the team victory with a pair of pins.
JWU dropped the first bout in its quarterfinal appearance against Southern Maine then won the remaining nine contests. Ferinde and 174-pounder Michael Gargano (Old Bridge, NJ) each had pins.
The Wildcats are back in action on January 28 when they host the USC Wildcat Open.
#4 Johnson & Wales 20, #17 Roger Williams 15
125 Nick Barbaria (RWU) over Stephen Nadera (JWU) Dec 6-5 0 3
133 (2) Jay Albis (JWU) over Tristan Haviland (RWU) Dec 7-2 3 3
141 Joe Ferinde (JWU) over Matt Elias (RWU) TF 19-4 8 3
149 Justin Cochran (RWU) over Jordan Robinson (JWU) Dec 4-0 8 6
157 Tyler Gazaway (RWU) over Tim Higginson (JWU) Dec 6-2 8 9
165 (9) Taylor Shay (RWU) over Adrian Gonzalez (JWU) Dec 7-6 8 12
174 Brett Leonard (RWU) over Michael Gargano (JWU) Dec 8-1 8 15
184 (5) Khamri Thomas (JWU) over Connor Humphries (RWU) Dec 7-1 11 15
197 (6) Michael DiNardo (JWU) over Michael Fernandes (RWU) Fall 6:05 17 15
285 (9) Jonah Aurelio (JWU) over Adam Patsun (RWU) Dec 4-0 20 15
Dual Meet Score 20 15
#4 Johnson & Wales 31, #20 Coast Guard 6
125 Stephen Nadera (JWU) over Parker Brunkala (CGA) Fall 2:15 6 0
133 (2) Jay Albis (JWU) over Owen McClave (CGA) Dec 4-2 9 0
141 Joe Ferinde (JWU) over Matthew McGowan (CGA) Dec 9-3 12 0
149 Thomas Grippi (JWU) over Patrick Moynihan (CGA) Dec 6-3 15 0
157 Brady Robin (JWU) over Christian Gosch (CGA) SV-1 4-2 18 0
165 (7) Nick Remke (CGA) over Adrian Gonzalez (JWU) Dec 2-1 18 3
174 (9) A.J. Aeberli (CGA) over Michael Gargano (JWU) Dec 4-2 18 6
184 (5) Khamri Thomas (JWU) over Jeremy Berson (CGA) Maj 10-2 22 6
197 (6) Michael DiNardo (JWU) over Kayne Robert (CGA) Fall 4:37 28 6
285 (9) Jonah Aurelio (JWU) over Patrick Irwin (CGA) Dec 3-1 31 6
Dual Meet Score 31 6
#4 Johnson Wales 47, Southern Maine 3
125 #Peter Del Gallo (USM) over Stephen Nadera (JWU) Dec. 5-0 0 3
133 Jay Albis (JWU) over Casey Abshire (SMU) TF 18-1 5 3
141 Joe Ferinde (JWU) over Nathaniel Grimard (SMU) Fall 0:31 11 3
149 Thomas Grippi (JWU) over Jared Garcia (SMU) Dec 4-3 14 3
157 Tim Higginson (JWU) over Joey LeClair (SMU) TF 16-1 19 3
165 Adrian Gonzalez ((JWU) over Juan Vernaza (SMU) Maj 15-3 23 3
174 Michael Gargano (JWU) over Noah Robidoux (SMU) Fall 0:36 29 3
184 (5) Khamri Thomas (JWU) win by forfeit 35 3
197 (6) Michael DiNardo (JWU) win by forfeit 41 3
285 (9) Jonah Aurelio (JWU) win by forfeit 47 3
Dual Meet Score 47 3
#4 Johnson Wales 44, New England 3
125 Stephen Nadera (JWU) over Diego Santiago (NEC) Dec 6-5 3 0
133 (2) Jay Albis (JWU) over Keith Gordon (NEC) TF 16-0 8 0
141 (5) Joao Vicente (JWU) over Najee Hall (NEC) Dec 17-16 11 0
149 Jordan Robinson (JWU) over DJ Brock (NEC) Fall 1:04 17 0
157 Brady Robin (JWU) over Mannash Carlson (NEC) Maj 10-1 21 0
165 Adrian Gonzalez (JWU) over Zyreek Roscoe (NEC) TF 18-3 26 0
174 Malik Settles (NEC)) over Seon Bowker (JWU) Dec 11-7 26 3
184 (5) Khamri Thomas (JWU) win by forfeit 32 3
197 (6) Michael DiNardo (JWU) over Caelin Worthington(NEC) Fall 0:13 38 3
285 (9) Jonah Aurelio (JWU) over Jonathan Jividen(NEC) Fall 0:18 44 3
Dual Meet Score 44 3
NEWA All-Tournament Team
Bridgewater State: Devin Winn, 141
Castleton: Max Temple, 141
Coast Guard: AJ Aeberli, 174
Johnson & Wales Jonah Aurelio, 285
New England College: Malik Settles, 174
Norwich: Satchel Stauffer, 197
Plymouth State: Nick Simeti, 157
Rhode Island College: Nick Coppola, 184
Roger Williams: Nick Barbaria, 125
Springfield: Nick DeRosa, 133
Southern Maine: Caleb Austin, 133
Trinity: Steve Cerrone, 174
Western New England: John Boyle, 184
Wesleyan: Isiah Bellamy, 285
Williams: Sebastian Dziadkiewicz, 184
WPI: Tyler Marsh, 157
Most Outstanding Wrestler: Brandon Marion, WPI
