Wrestling: Here are the 2024 All-North Jersey teams
After an exciting season, the following wrestlers have been selected to the 2024 All-North Jersey wrestling teams.
The North Jersey Boys Wrestler of the Year will be announced at the North Jersey High School Sports Awards, presented by Englewood Health, on June 28. All first-team wrestlers are nominees for Wrestler of the Year.
FIRST TEAM
Charles Esposito
St. Joseph sophomore, 106 pounds
In one season, Esposito (34-12) went from a freshman backup to one of the top sophomores around. He made the most of his time on the mat by placing fifth in the state and pinning Teaneck's Oumar Tounkara in the region final to avenge a loss from the Bergen County championship.
Johnathon McGinty
St. Joseph sophomore, 113 pounds
There was no sophomore slump for the Ridgewood native, who moved a few spots up the state podium by finishing second. McGinty went 33-8 overall and repeated as a Bergen County champion without allowing an offensive point all tournament.
Mikey Bautista
St. Joseph sophomore, 120 pounds
Bautista took a step forward for No. 1 team in North Jersey, climbing onto the state podium in fourth and clinching his first county and region titles. An impressive run to the Beast of the East semifinal set the stage for a 29-9 season.
Seach Hibler
Leonia/Palisades Park sophomore, 126 pounds
One year in maroon and gray was all it took for the Bergen Catholic transfer to make school history. After placing third in the county and region tournaments, Hibler (38-5) gave the Lions their first state finalist since 1972 with a shocking run as the 16-seed.
Adrian DeJesus
St. Joseph junior, 132 pounds
DeJesus captured his second state title in three years and did so in style after missing the opening month as a DePaul transfer. With 10 pins and wins in all 22 matches, DeJesus was one of only three state champions to notch a perfect record.
Dylan Ross
Paramus Catholic senior, 138 pounds
The Duke commit was a program-changing wrestler for the Paladins as a four-time state qualifier and three-time medalist. He was 26-5 as a senior, took third down in Atlantic City and led his team to its first win over Bergen Catholic in decades.
August Hibler
Leonia/Palisades Park senior, 144 pounds
After wrestling sporadically in three years at Bergen Catholic, Hibler moved to Edgewater over the summer and thrived in a starting role with the Lions. The Northwestern commit won his first region title and placed third in the state on the way to a 26-3 season.
Zach Ballante
St. Joseph junior, 150 pounds
It was a transformational year for the Closter native, who moved over from Paramus Catholic, cut down a weight class and captured his first state title. Ballante (31-7) added district and region titles along the way during an 11-match win streak to close the year.
Frank DiBella
St. Joseph senior, 157 pounds
DiBella (33-9) put together his best run in the state tournament this year, reaching the semifinal round before going on to beat Bergen Catholic's Ryan Ford for third. The Virginia Tech commit crossed off another goal this season when he won his first Bergen County title.
John Quinonez
Paramus Catholic senior, 165 pounds
Despite missing a month with a foot injury, Quinonez still racked up the accolades over a 23-6 season. The Paladins' star advanced to county and region finals, earned a second straight district title and led all North Jersey wrestlers at his weight as a state fifth.
Ryan Burton
St. Joseph junior, 175 pounds
Arguably the nation's top wrestler at 175 pounds, Burton racked up the gold this year by winning state, region, district, county and Beast of the East titles over the course of a 37-1 season. The top moment came in the state final in Atlantic City when he beat returning champion Louis Cerchio (Delbarton), 6-4, on a takedown at the buzzer.
Daniel Rella
Paramus Catholic senior, 190 pounds
The Wood-Ridge native tied a school record by winning his third state medal this season – matching classmate Dylan Ross and former teammate Max Acciardi – on the heels of a fourth-place finish. A two-time region champ and three-time district champ, Rella (33-3) broke through for his first county gold this winter.
Xavier Williams
Paramus Catholic junior, 215 pounds
The star linebacker wrapped up opponents all season long, going 31-7 as a county, district and region champ. Williams improved his stock in the state tournament by soaring from eighth to fourth.
Rocco Dellagatta
St. Joseph junior, 285 pounds
Somehow, Dellagatta made the move from 175 to heavyweight look easy. Dellagatta conquered the challenge by going 35-4, scoring his first county title and pinning Delbarton's Connor Martin to give the Green Knights the 285-pound state crown for the third straight year.
SECOND TEAM
Oumar Tounkara, Teaneck junior, 106 pounds
Nathan Braun, Bergen Catholic sophomore, 113 pounds
Devin Ryan, New Milford junior, 120 pounds
Vincent Paino, St. Joseph junior, 126 pounds
Nicholas Pallitto, Paramus Catholic sophomore, 132 pounds
Donny Almeyda, St. Joseph junior, 138 pounds
Benjamin Marchetto, West Milford senior, 144 pounds
Jayden Iznaga, Bergen Catholic senior, 150 pounds
Ryan Ford, Bergen Catholic senior, 157 pounds
Benjamin Garcia, Don Bosco senior, 165 pounds
Connor Scuilla, Hasbrouck Heights senior, 175 pounds
Nevin Mattessich, Don Bosco sophomore, 190 pounds
Dante DeLuca, Don Bosco sophomore, 215 pounds
Benjamin Shue, Bergen Catholic junior, 285 pounds
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ wrestling: Here are the 2024 All-North Jersey teams
