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Commendations were presented to Nick Suriano, Shane Griffith, Joe Grello, and Kevin Mulligan from Bergen Catholic High School, Kyle Cochran from Paramus High School, and Eric Chakonis from Don Bosco Preparatory High School.
“Bergen County has some of the most tremendous sports programs in the nation,” Freeholder Chairman Steve Tanelli said in a statement. “Coming from a wrestling family, I know what kind of commitment it takes in order to be successful in wrestling. The time and the effort you put in to their sport has shown with their accomplishment, the Bergen County Freeholder Board wanted to show how pound we are of them and of what they have achieved.”
Suriano of Bergen Catholic, ranked number one in the nation in his weight class at 126 pounds, is also ranked in the top 10 overall nationally. He is only the second undefeated wrestler in the State, and the only wrestler in New Jersey to be both undefeated and a four-time state champion.
Griffith, also of Bergen Catholic, is ranked third in the nation in his weight class at 138 pounds, and defeated a two-time state champion despite having a knee injury that kept him out for a larger part of the season.
Mulligan is ranked sixth in the nation at 195 pounds and holds two championship titles.
Grello is ranked 10th in the nation in his weight class, and holds two state championship titles. Grello is also training for the Olympics in Colorado, and will be heading to Bosnia for an international tournament.
Cochran of Paramus High School is ranked 17th in the nation at 160 pounds, winning his championship in the last seconds of the match.
Chakonis from Don Bosco won his first state championship at 285 pounds following his brother Zach, who had won the year before.
Suriano will be attending Penn State University next year and both Grello and Mulligan will be attending Rutgers University.
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