South Jersey Times all-area wrestling team 2018-2019

Gloucester's Matthew Cruz works for a fall in the NJSIAA state tournament. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Gloucester's Matthew Cruz works for a fall in the NJSIAA state tournament. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Following is the South Jersey Times all-area wrestling team for 2018-2019.

Ty Whalen, Clearview, Freshman, 106 pounds

Whalen won his first district title and placed second in Region 8. He won two matches at states and finished the season 36-6.

Georgio Mazzeo, Paulsboro, Junior, 113 pounds

Mazzeo won a district title and finished second at region. He won two matches at states and finished 30-9.

McKenzie Bell, Kingsway, Junior, 120 pounds

Bell improved on his seventh-place finish a year ago by placing fourth at states this year. He won his first region title and also captured a district crown. He was 41-7.

Hunter Gandy, Woodstown, Sophomore, 126 pounds

Gandy won his first district and region title and reached the blood round of the state tournament. The sophomore also won four matches at the Beast of the East. He finished the year 35-6.

Finnegan McFadden, Kingsway, Sophomore, 132 pounds

McFadden won a district title and his first region crown. He won two matches at states and finished the year with a 32-10 record.

Jacob Perez-Eli, Paulsboro, Junior, 138 pounds

Perez-Eli made a run to the state final before falling to national No. 1 JoJo Aragona of Pope John. Perez-Eli finished third in the region and was a district champion. He finished the season 41-5.

Gabe Onorato, Paulsboro, Junior 145 pounds

Onorato won a district title over Toms River North’s Nick Boggiano, who handed Onorato three of his four defeats in the postseason – the other coming against state finalist Ricky Cabanillas of DePaul in the state quarterfinals. Onorato lost in the blood round of the state tournament and was a fourth-place finisher at Region 7. He finished his season 37-8.

Nick Bennett, Delsea, Senior, 152 pounds

A state finalist last year, Bennett finished sixth this season to place for the second straight year. He was a district champion and Most Outstanding Wrestler and also finished third in the region. He finished the season 41-6.

Corey Fischer, West Deptford, Senior, 160 pounds

Fischer won a district title and a second region crown. He placed in the state for a second straight year, taking fourth. The senior finished his final season 42-3.

Brandon Green, Paulsboro, Junior, 170 pounds

The South Jersey Times Wrestler of the Year, Green avenged a loss in the Region 7 final to Howell’s Shane Reitsma, winning the rematch, 13-9, to capture his first state title. Green notched three falls and a major decision leading into the state final against Reitsma. Green, who finished 43-3, was also a district champion.

Santino Morina, Paulsboro, Senior, 182 pounds

Morina won a district title, a third region title and placed in the state for a third time. He finished third in the state, his only loss during the tournament coming to state champion Chris Foca of Bergen Catholic. Morina finished 44-3.

Zane Coles, Pitman, Junior, 195 pounds

Coles won a matchup of undefeated wrestlers in the Region 8 final, beating Oakcrest’s Keevon Berry, 10-9. Also a district champion, Coles won three matches at states before losing in the blood round. He finished 42-2.

Tyreke Brown, Penns Grove, Senior, 220 pounds

Brown was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Region 8 Tournament. He won his first two rounds at states to reach the quarterfinal before losing two straight and missing out on placing for a second straight year by one spot. Brown was also a district champion. He is 31-3.

Matthew Cruz, Gloucester, Senior, 285

Cruz became the first state qualifier in the history of the Gloucester program when he placed second at Region 7. He won a district title and was victorious in two matches at states, dropping into the loser's bracket with a loss to Voorhees two-time state champion Lewis Fernandes. Cruz finished the season 38-5.

Bill Evans can be reached at bevans@njadvancemedia.com or by leaving a note in the comments below. Follow him on Twitter @BEvansSports. Like our NJ.com High School Wrestling Facebook Page.

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