Joey Lamparelli accomplished just about everything in the 2017-18 wrestling season.
As a sophomore wrestling in both the 113 and 120 pound weight classes, the Allentown High School standout went 39-3, won the District 22 championship and the Region 6 title. The only thing he didn’t do was win a state tournament championship.
That is his goal as a junior in 2018-19. Allentown coach Mitch Nock thinks Lamparelli can do it.
“He’s a state caliber wrestler,” Nock said. “He’s a tactician. He knows what to do and when to do it. We expect big things and so does he.”
Allentown also expects big things as a team. The Redbirds have 10 other starters back from a 19-10 team that went 12-1 in the Colonial Valley Conference and placed third in the Mercer County Tournament.
The Redbirds open their dual meet season against Trenton Central High School on Dec. 19 at 5 p.m.
Nock said Allentown’s main goal is to beat CVC and Mercer County rival Hopewell Valley Central High School. Allentown has four losses in Mercer County in the last three years. Three were to Hopewell Valley.
“So if we can beat Hopewell, we can go undefeated in Mercer County. It would be nice. We’ve had a couple 12-1 seasons. We’re trying to get that 13-0 season,” Nock said. “This school has never won a county title. It would be nice to win a county title. We’ve been close the last few years. Hopefully we can do it this year.”
Allentown certainly has enough talent to win the CVC and the Mercer County Tournament. Lamparelli headlines the group, but he is not the only Redbird with experience and high aspirations.
Drew Romein is a fourth-year starter. John Kuchar is back down to his natural weight of 170 after wrestling at 195 last year. Nick Golden won 25 matches in 2017-18 and qualified for the Region 6 meet.
“I think Drew could get to states. Nick is also looking to get to states this year,” Nock said. “I think John can get to the region tournament and place pretty high in the county. As long as he stays healthy, he can accomplish a lot.”
Sophomore Sammy Nini placed third in the county and made the regional championship as a freshman last winter. Junior Matt Paglia was a district finalist and regional qualifier.
“Sammy has state aspirations. He’s been working hard so that’s possible,” Nock said. “Matt Paglia has state aspirations as well. He can be in the county finals, if not win it. He can get to states as well. He’s a tough kid who wrestles year round.”
Junior Gino Giacolona is the wild card in Allentown’s lineup. He missed the last four weeks of the 2017-18 season with a collarbone injury, but he finished fourth in the county as a freshman in 2016-17.
“He hasn’t been to regions but he’s capable of it,” Nock said. “He just has to stay healthy.”
It should be a successful season for the Redbirds. The only question is how successful.
“We’re at least top three in the county again,” Nock said. “If we put it together, we can win it.”
