West Essex Wins Sectional Wrestling Crown Over Morris Hills

Knights clinch victory with pins in final two bouts

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The West Essex wrestling team won the NJSIAA North 2, Group 3 championship with a 38-32 victory over Morris Hills on Wednesday. The Knights wrapped up the triumph with pins in the last two bouts of the evening.

Why it matters

High school wrestling sectional championships are an important milestone for student-athletes, determining which teams advance to the state tournament. This victory for West Essex marks a significant achievement for the program and community.

The details

West Essex won 7 of the 14 weight classes, including pins in the final two bouts by Joe Cutruzzula at 190 lbs and Rocco Maglione at 285 lbs. Other key wins for the Knights came from Joseph Formosa (113 lbs), Christian Bastante (126 lbs), and Kole Corcoran (165 lbs).

  • The match took place on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.

The players

West Essex

The high school wrestling team from West Essex, New Jersey that won the NJSIAA North 2, Group 3 sectional championship.

Morris Hills

The high school wrestling team from Morris Hills, New Jersey that finished as the runner-up in the NJSIAA North 2, Group 3 sectional championship.

Joe Cutruzzula

A wrestler for West Essex who won by pin at 190 lbs to help clinch the sectional title for his team.

Rocco Maglione

A wrestler for West Essex who won by tiebreaker at 285 lbs to secure the sectional championship for the Knights.

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What’s next

The West Essex wrestling team will advance to the NJSIAA Group 3 state tournament, where they will compete for the overall state championship.

The takeaway

This victory demonstrates the strength and resilience of the West Essex wrestling program, which has built a winning tradition and continues to produce talented student-athletes who excel at the highest levels of competition.