SHP’s Andre Morero, who has won ECT titles as a freshman in 2023 at 120, and as a junior in 2025 at 126, is another wrestler with a chance to earn a third ECT title this season.

SHP already owns a significant regular season win over county stronghold and Group 2 power Caldwell, winning eight straight bouts between 144 and 285 during a dominating finish in a 51-23 victory in the Chiefs gym in recent Super Essex Conference-American Division dual match action. The Pirates also roared past perennial county powerhouse West Essex, 41-22.

An Essex team appearing to be very much on the rise as the ECT approaches is Cedar Grove, which lost a tough 40-32 decision to Caldwell in December, but then came on strong in the end to edge West Essex, 33-31, in another significant SEC dual match.

Coach Mike Risimini’s roaring Panthers will look to make some noise of their own in the upcoming ECT.

All the while; however, the heavy favorite to capture yet another team title appears to be SHP with veterans Salerno and Morero helping to pave the way. 

A LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR’S ECT WRESTLING FINALS: 

2025 ECT TEAM SCORES: SHP 236 ½; Caldwell 215; West Essex 195; Nutley 163 ½; CG 149; St. benedict’s 133 ½; West Orange 124 ½; Livingston 119; Columbia 95; Bloomfield 85 ½; East Side 76 ½; Verona 62; Glen Ridge 47; Newark Academy 44 ½; Newark Collegiate 41 ½; Belleville 36 ½; Montclair 26; Orange 26; East Orange Campus 14; Irvington 12; Millburn 7; North Star Academy 2; Barringer 0.

2025 Essex County Tournament final bouts:
106: Rocco Caputo CG dec. James Bonardi Livingston, 6-4
113: Carmine Sipper, Caldwell pin Jack Finklestein Nutley 3:36
120: Anthony Pellegrino, SHP, MD Dom Holler, Caldwell, 15-5
126: Andre Morero, SHP, dec. Christian Bastante, WE 7-3
132: Anthony Barrett, Caldwell, dec. Nick Bastante, WE 11-6
138: Nicholas Adams, West Orange dec. Solomon Soriente, Cald. 6-5
144: Reid Clausi, West Essex, MD AJ Maiden, Nutley 14-4
150: August Katz, Columbia, MD Aiden Rotbaum, Nutley 12-2
157: Louis Dellavolpe, Nutley dec. Alexander Diorio, Livingston 4-1
165: Zahier Chiles, St. Benedict’s, dec. Marcelo Gripi, East Side, 9-7
175: Temuulen Mendbileg, St. Benedict’s dec. Carmine Masi, 7-2
190: Clark Rich, SHP, tech fall Nicolas Constantini CG, 17-2
215: Rocco Salerno, SHP, pin Tuguldur Bayarkhuu, St. Benedict’s, :24
285: Gabriel McCulloch, Bloom., dec. John Stockelberg, Verona 5-2  

*** 

2026 ESSEX COUNTY TOURNAMENT - RETURNING CHAMPIONS

YEAR  WGT/ CLASS   WRESTLER SCHOOL       CURRENT YEAR
2025    106  LB.           Rocco Caputo Jr.     CG                         Soph.

2025     113 LB.           Carmine Sipper      Caldwell                 Sr.
2024     106 LB.           Carmine Sipper      Caldwell                 Sr.

2025     126 LB.           Andre  Morero        SHP                        Sr.
2023     120 LB.           Andre  Morero        SHP                        Sr.

2025      132 LB.          Anthony Barrett     Caldwell                  Soph

2025      144  LB.          Reid  Clausi            West Essex            Jr.
2024      144  LB.          Reid  Clausi            West Essex            Jr.

2025      150  LB.          August  Katz           Columbia               Sr.

2025      215  LB.          Rocco  Salerno       SHP                      Sr.
2024      215  LB.          Rocco  Salerno       SHP                      Sr.
2023      215  LB.          Rocco  Salerno       SHP                      Sr. 

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