Gong Takes Second in Regional Wrestling Tournament

Alex Gong and Mike Jiampetti are going back to Atlantic City.

The Absegami High Schools seniors finished second and third respectively at the Region 8 wrestling tournament on Feb. 25 at Egg Harbor Township High School.

The top 3 in each weight class advanced to Friday’s NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships at Boardwalk Hall.

“The first day (Feb. 24) I felt pretty good and wrestled well,” Gong said. “Today in the beginning it was pretty good. I didn’t like the end so much.”

Gong registered a 3-2 decision over Penns Grove’s Nick Elmer to earn a spot in the 170-pound final against Timber Creek’s Robert Shade.

“A lot of people were saying he was pretty good, and to just go out and wrestle my match,” Gong said. “It just didn’t go the way I thought.”

Gong was only able to manage an escape in the first championship bout of the night.

“He has a pretty good defense and I tried to work him as much as I could,” Gong said. “He is pretty strong and he is quick, too. He is an all-around good wrestler.”

Jiampetti dropped down to the wrestleback round after losing an 8-7 decision to Cumberland’s William Elliott in the 126-pound semifinals.

The Braves senior shook off the tough loss to win the wrestleback semifinal and third-place consolation, earning a spot in states.

Jiampetti pinned Pennsville’s John Ecret in 5 minutes, 35 seconds to advance to the consolation round where he met up with Paulsboro’s Juan Rivera.

The Absegami 126-pounder edged Rivera, 4-3, to keep his season alive.

Gong and Jiampetti still have high expectations for themselves at the state tournament.

“You can’t let this one thing get to you,” Gong said. “You got to get up and go after it again."

Gong believes his loss on Saturday and his time at states in 2011 will only help him this weekend.

“When I got there last year I saw the whole crowd and all you can say is, ‘wow,’” Gong explained. “This year I won’t have that deer in the headlights [mindset].”

Absegami’s John Willette and Mike Ottaviano were each one win away from joining their teammates in Atlantic City.

Willette, the District 32 champ, was pinned by Timber Creek’s Brandon Keller in 3:40 into the 132-pound semifinals match. He then won by injury default over Paulsboro’s Cody Croce in the wrestleback semifinal, which put him into the third-place consolation round.

Unfortunately for Willette, he couldn’t get past Egg Harbor Township’s Jason Cohen, who won a 5-2 decision.

Ottaviano lost back-to-back heavyweight bouts. In the first, he was pinned by eventual runner-up Clayton’s Rementer in 4:38 in the semifinals.

His season came to a close when Hammonton’s Robert Frederico pinned him in 5:29 in the wrestleback semifinals.