Sarah Longo is a pioneer for Clearview wrestling with region title
ABSECON – Sarah Longo is a true pioneer.
The senior became the first girl in Clearview High School history to capture a regional title, accomplishing the feat with a 7-0 win over returning state champion and previously unbeaten Shea Aretz in the 145-pound at Region 4 during Sunday’s action at Absegami.
The top four place winners in each weight class advance to the state tournament which begins on Thursday at Atlantic City’s Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
Longo wasn’t a long shot to earn a trip to the boardwalk, but the Clearview Pioneer appeared to face stiff odds at a region title when she matched up with Aretz, a state champ in 2024 who had won both previous meetings this season, including a 6-4 decision in last week’s district final.
Clearview head coach Jimmy Rollins had spoken about Longo’s constant improvement over the last few weeks and talked about another underdog that prevailed against the champ.
“We talked about districts being Rocky I and this tournament was going to be Rocky II,” Rollins said. “Her work ethic and dedication to the sport is second to no one and we knew that once she started to build up her confidence, she was going to continue to improve.”
In Sunday's final, Longo wasted little time setting the tone as she took Aretz to her back for a seven-point move in the opening period and the score never changed over the final four minutes. The victory also earned Longo the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler Award.
“I thought to myself, I have nothing to lose and anyone can beat anyone on any given day,” said Longo, who improved to 25-5 on the season and 45-21 for her career. “Once I got her to her back, I knew I had my shot at winning.”
Part of a wrestling family that includes the Bonnette clan, Longo grew up around the sport, but she didn’t come out for the team until her sophomore year.
“I’ve always loved the sport,” Longo said. “I enjoy the discipline you need to wrestle and the people you meet along the way. I started later than most people, so I had to work hard to make these leaps.”
Rollins remembers his introduction to Longo when he took over the Clearview program before the 2023-24 season.
“She comes into the meeting and she’s wearing her soccer uniform and I asked her if she was in the right room,” Rollins said. “But she had belief in her abilities, a great staff around her and the support of everyone in the room.
“She went 8-8 in that first season and now she’s a region champ. My first region champ here. I wouldn’t have believed that two years ago.”
Rollins pointed to a season-opening performance at the Queen of the East tournament in December as the spark to ignite her remarkable run this winter.
“She’s sick as a dog and goes out there and wins five matches in a row to finish third,” Rollins said. “Then she became the first girl to win a tournament (Overbrook Winter Open) and she just kept getting better and better.”
“She really is a true Pioneer.”
Riding her way to the top
Even before she first stepped onto the wrestling mat, Delsea’s Karleigh Six knew what it meant to throw the boots in.
That’s because she’s a champion barrel racer in horse riding.
Her family grew up with horses and Six started riding with her grandmom and preschool teacher when she was young. She travels across the country to compete in tournaments.
Now, she’s riding in a different way.
The freshman became the first Delsea girl to earn district and region titles, capturing the latter with a third-period pin over defending region champion Emma Acampora in the 100-pound bout.
Six improved to 34-6, including 15 of her last 16 bouts. She avenged that loss with a 2-0 win over Eastern’s Brooke Pettet in the semifinal round.
News and notes
It was a rough day to be a returning state champion as three state titlists suffered losses in the championship round. Southern’s Shae-Lyn Guido knocked off Kingsway’s Reagan Roxas in the 126 final while Paulsboro’s Sheyna Cruz defeated Absegami’s Lamiah Berry in the 132 title bout. Cruz scored the final seven points of the bout, including five in the third period for the 9-6 victory.
Cruz has won two of the last three bouts with Berry, including last week’s pin in the District 12 final. The sophomore has won her first district and region titles, but she's far from satisfied.
“I haven’t accomplished anything yet,” said Cruz, who has quickly emerged as the pride of Paulsboro. “I’ll only be happy if I win states and I think I can do that. I can see my hard work is paying off.”
Audubon’s Peyton Brining (114) and Pennsville’s Tatiyonna Crawford (235) made history, becoming the first girl in their respective programs to win a region title.
Egg Harbor Township’s Cami Bird (120) and Williamstown’s Adrianna DiGregorio (107) each won their second region titles. Bird scored a third-period reversal for a 2-1 win over Bordentown/Florence’s Madison Blumenthal, taking a 2-1 lead in the season series.
Delsea’s Elizabeth Ostoyic recorded two wins, raising her career total to a program-best 102, breaking Emma Coesfeld’s old mark of 101. Ostoyic finished second at 152.
Palmyra’s Samantha Domask won her 100th career bout in the semifinal round, but was denied her third regional title at 185 by Central’s Jada Hahn.
Gloucester’s Frank Smythe earned the Region 4 Coach of the Year award.
Finals
100: Karleigh Six, Delsea, p. Emma Acampora, Bordentown/Florence, 5:14; 107: Adrianna DiGregorio, Williamstown, p. Rylee Evans, Cinnaminson, 1:40; 114: Peyton Brining, Audubon, d. Olivia Sleeper, Lenape, 1-0; 120: Cami Bird, Egg Harbor Township, d. Madison Blumenthal, Bordentown/Florence, 2-1; 126: Shae-Lyn Guido, Southern, d. Reagan Roxas, Kingsway, 10-5; 132: Sheyna Cruz, Paulsboro, d. Lamiah Berry, Absegami, 9-6; 138: Ecrin Haliloglu, Delran, d. Shyla Fleetwood, Winslow, 5-4; 145: Sarah Longo, Clearview, d. Shea Aretz, Buena/Vineland, 7-0; 152: Fatina Lozier, Pennsauken, p. Elizabeth Ostoyic, Delsea, 3:40; 165: Lilliana Alicea, Central, p. Alexus Paden, Clayton/Glassboro, 3-2; 185: Jade Hahn, Central, p. Samantha Domask, Palmyra, 5:13; 285: Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville, p. Samantha Sottilare, Southern, 1:45
Third-place
100: Brooke Pettet, Eastern, d. Amelia Iremonger, Central, 5-0; 107: Ava Baldino, Delsea, pin Taylor Park, Cherry Hill East/West, 1:33; 114: Sofia Reyes, Eastern, p. Lauren Gambale, Kingsway, 1:13; 120: Makayla Vigilante, Southern, md. Sofia DeRosa, Haddon Heights, 10-2; 126: Samirah Duron, Egg Harbor Township, p. Nadia Johnson, 5:06; 132: JayAnna Hahn, Central, d. Destiny Downes-Williams, Pemberton, 11-8 (SV); 138: Emily Da Silva, Cinnaminson, d. Alexis Nelson, Gloucester, (TB-1), 2-1; 145: Isabella Scittina, Mainland, d. Ava Sweet, Rancocas Valley, 4-3 (UTB); 152: Abbigale Dudley, Rancocas Valley, p. Gianna Abbruzzese, Gateway/Woodbury, 1:04; 165: TinaMarie Robinson, Collingswood, d. Margaret Armstrong, Williamstown, 12-5; 185: Denise Valencia, Maple Shade, p. Jeveah Turner, Rancocas Valley, 5:55; 285: Na'ilah Miller, Lenape, d. Julianna Miller-Molina, Pennsauken, 9-4.
Fifth-place
100: Isabella Robles, West Deptford, d. Aleisha Santiago, Paulsboro, 11-4; 107: Emma Cain, Schalick, p. Palina Zavuholnik, Kingsway, 3:55; 114: Haley Pace, Pennsville, medical forfeit Isabel Diehl, Delran; 120: Sophia Holmes, Clayton/Glassboro, p. Lilyana Zwillinger, Williamstown, 3:22; 126: Kimora Dawson, Pennsauken, p. Nathalia Tran, Cherry Hill East/West, 5:31; 132: Mariah Wilmer, Westampton Tech, p. Ashley Willis, Gloucester, 2:42; 138: Exodus Hollander, Buena/Vineland, p. Danielle Sharp, Eastern, 0:37; 145: Mollie Bruggis, Eastern, d. Lillianna Bedle, Southern, 0:38; 152: Lillianna Cornstock, Central, p. Bianca Kohen, Eastern, 3:28; 165: Addison Chiodi, Gloucester, p. Cayden Lacorte, Kingsway, 2:52; 185: Lelia Hernandez, Kingsway, p. Emily Ramon Aquino, Southern, 0:47; 285: Gabriella Maldonado, Gloucester, p. Briella Davies, Kingsway, 1:09.
Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 35 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him by email at tmcgurk@usatodayco.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Sarah Longo is a pioneer for Clearview wrestling with region title
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