H.S. wrestling: Evangelista, Giagunto are red hot for Hammonton Blue Devils

HAMMONTON – Anthony Evangelista has really grown into the heavyweight class – literally.

After taking some lumps as an under-sized heavyweight two years ago, the junior now tips the scales around 260 pounds, and the extra bulk, combined with more experience, is paying dividends.

Evangelista went 3-0 in Saturday’s home quad-meet, extending his winning streak to 11. He accepted a forfeit win against Toms River South before producing two pins against Gloucester’s Angel Santiago and an 18-second fall against Lower Cape May, which helped the Blue Devils knock off the previously unbeaten Cape Tigers.

“I’m just wrestling smarter,” Evangelista said. “I don’t go for dumb moves any more. I know what weight I’m wrestling and I know what I can do to be successful.

“I got into every match open-minded. I don’t look up what my opponent has done. I just go in with a blank mind and wrestle my match.”

Since being caught and pinned in his first bout of the season by Deptford’s Dimitris Katsimichas, Evangelista has had his arm raised in each of his last 11 bouts, including nine by fall. His other two wins have been by forfeit.

“He’s a legit, bigger heavyweight who knows how to wrestle,” Hammonton head coach David Mauriello. “His growth has been because of maturity and just growing into the weight class. He was a small heavyweight when he started as a freshman, weighted around 217-218 pounds. Now, he’s bigger and can handle it better. He’s a very talented kid.”

Despite being outweighed in most of his bouts as a freshman, Evangelista managed to chalk up 15 wins and a fourth-place finish at districts. He went 5-4 in last year’s pandemic-shortened season.

The goal is even bigger this season for the big fella.

“I want to make it to states, that’s been my biggest goal since my freshman year,” said the 5-foot-11, 258-pounder, who plays center on the football team.

Hammonton’s Luca Giagunto kept his winning streak alive, going 3-0 at the quad meet, including a 2-0 decision up a weight class at 120 against Gloucester’s Gabe Sotelo. Giagunto improved to 13-0 and is the No. 5 ranked wrestler at 113 pounds by The Mat Pack.

“Luca’s tough. I told him (Saturday), we’ve got to move you to go beat people (for the team to win),” Mauriello said. “He came into our program as an accomplished wrestler and talented freshman, but to his credit, he’s always trying to learn, he’s very coachable and he’s willing to work hard. That’s why he’s successful.”

A state qualifier at the youth level, Giagunto said he’s happy with his progression at the scholastic level so far and is eyeing his first opportunity to wrestle in the individual tournament.

“I’m looking forward to districts,” he said. “My goal is to win a district title, that would be pretty good for a freshman.”

Evangelista was part of the wild ride during Hammonton’s 42-36 upset of No. 13-ranked Lower Cape May, snapping the Caper Tigers’ nine-meet unbeaten streak.

Hammonton rolled out to a 32-0 lead, only to watch Lower Cape May rattled off five straight pins and a forfeit to take a 36-32 lead. Evangelista stopped the bleeding with his pin before Justin Flood clinched the victory with a major decision at 106.

Tom McGurk is a regional sports reporter for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: H.S. wrestling: Evangelista, Giagunto are red hot for Hammonton Blue Devils