The lights were bright and the crowd was loud as VHS senior Frank Greco took off his headphones and stepped onto the mat in Atlantic City in front of thousands of spectators. A win would put Greco into an elite category of VHS wrestlers: The 100 Win Club, and a loss would send Greco to an early shower.
After battling back from a broken hand, Greco went undefeated in the district and region tournaments where he took first place in both. But wrestling in Atlantic City is different. Every wrestler in Atlantic City is truly the cream of the crop in each of their respective weight classes.
Undaunted by the pressure of the big stage Greco defeated Mike Burns of Morris Knolls 8-6, racking up his 100th career win.
“It felt like any other win,” Greco said. “I completely forgot it was my 100th,” the senior captain explained. He was so focused on winning that he didn’t realize until he heard a voice over the loud speaker. “Then I heard the announcer tell the fans to direct their attention to the mat and then congratulate me,” Greco explained.
In addition to Greco, Verona senior Joe Cordasco also qualified for the prestigious State Championships in Atlantic City. Joe lost his first match there but finished his season with a very impressive 38-7 record, winning the county tournament, placing second in the district tournament, and placing third in the region.
“I had a solid season, but I wish I made it further,” Cordasco said on his season.
Junior Paul Scully also had a strong season finishing with a 28-7 record.
The team’s overall season was a bit of a struggle, as they finished with just a 3-18 record. The team loses only three seniors (Greco, Cordasco, and Giancarlo Corbosiero) and will look to rebuild going into next season.
