High Point wrestling earns three district titles
Sports. High Point crowned three individual champions and placed second at the NJSIAA District 4 wrestling tournament while Vernon saw postseason action in wrestling and basketball, highlighted by Monica Curry closing her career with over 1,100 points.
| 02 Mar 2026 | 10:33
Thomas Jaust (106 pounds), Carter Drouin (120) and Gavin Mericle (285) each won individual titles to pace the High Point wrestling team to a second-place finish at the NJSIAA District 4 tournament on Saturday at Pascack Valley High in Hillsdale.
High Point, which had six finalists and one third-place winner, totaled 164 points. Pascack Valley won the 10-team event with 221 points.
Jaust, the fourth seed, upset top-seeded Luke Rivara of Ramapo by tech. fall, 15-0, in 3:45 in the semifinal round before pinning Maxim Gaft of Pascack Hills in the final in 1:14.
Drouin, the second seed, scored a major decision over top-seeded Hassan Shawkat of Pascack Hills, 23-10, in the final.
Top-seeded Mericle defeated second-seeded Jayson Fouche of Pascack Valley, 4-0, in the heavyweight final.
High Point also had three other finalists, including Luke Tompkins, who was edged by Ramapo’s Ethan Brantly, 7-6, for the 150-pound final and Jayden Ruplall, who bowed to Luke Stempkowski of Pascack Valley, 20-3, in a tech fall time of 4:49 in the 157-pound final.
Jack Kithkart had to forfeit in the 190-pound final to Pascack Valley’s Alex Bainbridge.
Logan Takach took third at 126 pounds for the Wildcats.
The High Point contingent will take part at the NJSIAA Region 1 Tournament at West Milford on March 6-7.
Vernon Wrestling
Vernon’s True DiGuiseppe suffered his first loss of the season in the 190-pound final when he was bested by major decision, 15-2, to Nevin Mattessich Don Bosco Prep at the NJSIAA District 2 championships at Jefferson High in Oak Ridge.
DiGuisseppe, a senior, will be the lone Viking representative at the NJSIAA Region 1 tournament at West Milford on March 6-7.
Vernon finished ninth out of 10 competing teams with Cole Hecht (144 pounds), Anthony Lepore (165) and Jackson Moore (215) each placing fourth at their respective weight classes.
Vernon Boys Basketball
Dylan Heykoop had a game-high 18 points and Tyler Dobrzynski and Dan Decker each added 13 points but the 10th-seeded Vikings lost to second-seeded Jefferson in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament on Feb. 27 in Oak Ridge.
Vernon Girls Basketball
In the final game of her high school career Monica Curry scored a team-high 16 points as the 12th-seeded Lady Vikings dropped a 57-27 decision to fifth-seeded Pascack Valley in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament on Feb. 26 in Hillsdale.
Curry finished her senior season with 487 points (19.5 ppg.) and her stellar career with 1,195 points.
