BHS wrestlers Garcia, Christiansen win ECT crowns

Bloomfield High School varsity wrestlers Nathaniel Garcia and Kyle Christiansen captured championships in their respective weight classes at the Essex County Tournament at Codey Arena in West Orange last Friday and Saturday.
Garcia, the fourth seed, won the 145-pound title. In the first round, Garcia pinned Joe Iorio of Nutley in 3:45. In the quarterfinals, he pinned Columbia’s Obinna Nwanonyiri in 53 seconds. After decisioning Seton Hall Prep’s Pearse Sweeney, 7-2, in the semifinals, Garcia decisioned West Essex’s James Avraamide, 9-4, in the final.
Christiansen, the No. 6 seed, won the 170-pound title. He pinned Cedar Grove’s Nick Pelenskij in 1:21 in the first round and pinned Nutley’s Vinnie Mainiero in 1:09 in the quarterfinals. Christiansen then decisioned Columbia’s Chris Auriemma, 6-4, in the semifinals before decisioning Steven Benitiz, 10-9, in the final.
Adam Wooten finished second in the 285-pound heavyweight division for the Bengals. In the final, Wooten, the No. 2 seed, lost to West Essex’s Dominic Valeriani, 3-2, in four overtimes. Valeriani was the top seed.
The Bengals had other solid efforts.
In the 138-pound division, Danny Kustin finished fifth with a 3-2 win over Belleville’s Sean Moore-Carey in the consolation.
Ian Chauncey took third place at 152 with a 5-2 win over Romario Herbert of Irvington in the consolation.
Chris Collado pinned Weequahic’s Najee Smith in 3:26 to finish seventh at 160.
Anthony Mastriani took sixth at 182, getting pinned by West Orange’s Jimmy Myers in 5:07 in the consolation.
Terrence Antoine placed fifth at 220 with a 13-4 win over Barringer’s Kyle Cato in the consolation.