CHS wrestler Jarrett wins 106-pound class to earn MOW award at ECT

Top photo by Steve Ellmore.

Columbia High’s KJ Jarrett controls Nutley’s Anthony DeLorenzo in the final at the Essex County Tournament at Codey Arena in West Orange

Bottom photo:

Columbia High’s Chris Auriemma stands on podium with his third-place plaque.

Like the little engine that could, the Columbia High School varsity wrestling team chugged into Codey Arena in West Orange Friday night  Jan. 27 for the Essex County Tournament with seven wrestlers. A full team comprises 14 wrestlers. Thus, the Cougars only had one-half of a team. When the tournament ended Saturday on Jan. 28, the Cougars finished an impressive eighth out of 24 teams, a remarkable accomplishment to finish in the top third, despite the lack of competitors.
Senior captain KJ Jarrett  brought home the first ECT championship in four years for the Cougars, winning the 106-pound weight class. Jarrett pinned Nutley’s Anthony DeLorenzo in 2:20 in the final.
Not only did he win the championship, Jarrett also was voted the the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. To put this in perspective, Essex County has a state champion, numerous regional champions, even more district champions, along with many two- and three-time county champions, and they were all there. But on this day, Jarrett was the best. He never trailed in any match. He had two technical falls, which is a win by 15 points, and two pins, with the second pin in the championship. 
CHS junior Chris Auriemma, at 170 pounds, took the third-place medal with an upset win over last year’s state qualifie, and No. 1 seed Dom Leone from Montclair Kimberley Academy. Besides beating the No. 1 seed, Auriemma also beat the No. 2 seed, and lost to the eventual champion Kyle Christiansen of Bloomfield by one point.
Unseeded junior Rodney Cenat took fourth place in the 285-pound heavyweight division for the Cougars. Cenat was recently cleared to compete after recovering from a concussion he received in football. On his way to the fourth-place finish, he defeated the No. 6 and No. 3 seeds.
CHS senior Ben Hayes, at 160 pounds, took fifth place. Hayes defeated the No. 5 and the No. 6 seeds along the way, in a very tough weight class. Senior captain Obinna Nwanonyiri took sixth place in the 145-pound weight class for CHS. Nwanonyiri is just back from a family emergency, and has not wrestled for most of the season, so one can be assured he will be a force to be reckon with before the season is complete.
A large amount of credit is to be given to the coaching staff of  head coach Hal Garwin, and assistant coaches Eugene Kline and Mark Giannaci. To get these wrestlers ready for such a huge tournament, and perform up to the high level they did, it is a credit to their dedication.
Nutley won the team title for the first time ever.
In his third varsity season, Jarrett has been wrestling almost all of his matches at one weight above. Earlier in the season, he defended his title at the Rahway tournament. Following the ECT, Jarrett has a 21-1 record. His lone loss this season was to Verona’s Paul Scully, who was pinned by Brenden Calas of Seton Hall Prep in the 113-pound final at the ECT.
For his career, Jarrett has a 62-16 record.
“A smart wrestler and always looking for the pin, he is strong standing and on top,” said Garwin of Jarrett. “He is a top student looking at top schools.”
Last season, Jarrett was fifth in the ECT and second in the District 10 tournament.
The Cougars faced Nutley yesterday. CHS will travel to Scotch Plains on Saturday Feb. 4 for a quad match with Scotch Plains, Madison and Highland Park. The Cougars host Barringer on Monday Feb. 6 and  visit Cedar Grove on Wednesday Feb. 8.