A Night of Triumph and Strategy in the Holy War

Nico Emili stood on the mat during Saturday night’s annual Holy War battle against Notre Dame-Green Pond, feeling the energy of a packed crowd. For a sophomore wrestler, this kind of pressure could be overwhelming, especially with an early 10-0 deficit. But instead of being weighed down by the situation, Emili embraced the challenge. He found his rhythm, reversed and pinned Notre Dame-GP’s Cole Schwartz in 3 minutes and 38 seconds, shifting the momentum for Bethlehem Catholic.

Emili wasn’t alone in seizing the moment. Fellow sophomore A.J. Gomez also took control of his match, defeating Trey Neith in 4:58. This performance helped Bethlehem Catholic take the lead for good. The team continued to build on their success with pins from Jack Cole and Andre Cerrato, while Mason Thomas delivered a key major decision at 172 pounds. James Bozzi’s strong performance at 215 ensured a 37-27 victory, marking Bethlehem Catholic’s fifth consecutive win in the Holy War series since its return in 2023.

“I focus on the score of the bouts before me so I know what I have to do when I go out on the mat,” Emili said. “I just know when I go out there, I have to put up my points. I try to envision my match before I go out on the mat, get my heart rate up.”

Emili explained that he knew the need to regain momentum after Notre Dame-GP’s early success. “That worked,” he added, reflecting on how his performance helped shift the team’s energy.

Building Momentum and Securing the Lead

Bethlehem Catholic’s lead grew steadily as Emili, Gomez, Cole, and Cerrato each secured pins. By the time Keanu Dillard added another pin at 152, the Golden Hawks led 24-9. A major decision by Thomas at 172 extended the lead to 30-12, putting Notre Dame-GP in a difficult position.

The Crusaders needed three pins to come back, but they only managed one from Dom Sumpolec at 189. Connor Smalley’s technical fall over James Bozzi was not enough, as Bozzi held strong despite being significantly smaller than his opponent. This left the Golden Hawks with a seven-point lead heading into the final bout.

Connor Gillahan’s 2-1 victory at 285 sealed the win, giving Bethlehem Catholic a 37-27 advantage.

Coach’s Perspective and Team Resilience

Notre Dame-GP coach Matt Veres acknowledged the difficulty of the match. “Bonus points,” he said, referring to the difference in the final score. “I looked at this match on paper for a couple weeks. I knew from 121 to 152, on paper, wasn’t in our favor. In matches like that, you have to eliminate bonus points, get an upset somewhere.”

Veres praised Bethlehem Catholic’s performance, noting that they were always prepared. “You know when you wrestle Bethlehem Catholic, you have to be on your A-plus game. We were not really close to that tonight.”

Bethlehem Catholic started the match with some challenges. Notre Dame-GP’s Max Quarry and Cael Muller each earned bonus-point wins at 107 and 114, but the Golden Hawks felt confident about limiting the damage. Emili’s reversal and pin of Schwartz marked a turning point, followed by Gomez’s decisive move over Neith.

Key Performances That Shaped the Match

Jack Cole and Andre Cerrato continued the momentum with pins, and Gavyn Kelton managed to slow Notre Dame-GP’s progress with a narrow victory. However, Keanu Dillard’s pin at 152 pushed the lead to 30-12, putting the Crusaders further behind.

Jared Gonzalez’s major decision at 160 kept Notre Dame-GP in the game, but the Golden Hawks still led 30-16. Mason Thomas’ major decision at 172 solidified the lead, and Dom Sumpolec’s pin at 189 gave the Crusaders a small reprieve.

James Bozzi’s performance at 215 was critical, as he faced a much larger opponent. “The most important thing was Mikey Nicosia and Gino Bozzi not getting pinned,” said Golden Hawks coach Mike Cole. “They were outmanned. They went out there and toughed it out. That was huge.”

Bozzi, who weighed in at 179.5 pounds, faced off against Connor Smalley, who was 24 pounds heavier. Despite the odds, Bozzi held his ground. Meanwhile, Connor Gillahan’s 2-1 decision at 285 sealed the victory.

Final Score and Match Details

Here are the results from the match:

• 107: Max Quarry (ND) maj. dec. Michael Nicosia, 11-0
• 114: Cael Muller (ND) tech. fall Gino Bozzi, 16-1, 5:08
• 121: Nico Emili (BC) pinned Cole Schwartz, 3:38
• 127: A.J. Gomez (BC) pinned Trey Neith, 4:58
• 133: Jack Cole (BC) pinned Mason Roncolato, 4:23
• 139: Andre Cerrato (BC) pinned Tyler Coad, 3:46
• 145: Gavyn Kelton (ND) dec. Reef Dillard, 7-4
• 152: Keanu Dillard (BC) pinned Mason Kanuck, 2:59
• 160: Jared Gonzalez (ND) maj. dec. Jaden Santiago, 9-0
• 172: Mason Thomas (BC) maj. dec. Cole Retos, 13-3
• 189: Dom Sumpolec (ND) pinned Zach Papcsy, 1:21
• 215: Connor Smalley (ND) tech. fall James Bozzi, 21-4, 5:53
• 285: Connor Gillahan (BC) dec. Noah Knorp, 2-1

Referee: Larry Dieter