Unlikely source keeps his defending section champ team’s title defense alive

Thus far in his short wrestling career, Caldwell sophomore Ivan Paradelo had rarely, if ever, heard the Caldwell faithful erupt after one of his matches like they did on Monday.

A second-year wrestler with a sub-.500 record coming into Monday’s NJSIAA/IBEW Local 102 North 2, Group 2 semifinal tilt against Hackettstown, Paradelo found himself in trouble early in the 175-pound bout.

He was down 10-1 to Hackettstown’s Matt McGovern early in the first period, but quickly and methodically staged his way back to make it 10-8 thanks in part to a takedown right at the first period buzzer.

Things got to 11-11 early in the second period before Paradelo was able to work a high crotch into a double leg takedown before getting in position to record a pin and give Caldwell a huge bonus point win in a toss-up bout.

That was one of six bonus point wins for Caldwell as the Chiefs won 39-36 after forfeiting the final two weights and will now vie for a third straight section title.

“I was down 10-1, but I knew my team needed that match,” Paradelo said. “I really believed in myself this match. I know I haven’t won that much this year, but my team really needed this one and I had to win. That was my mindset going out there — just win.”

Paradelo was bumping up a weight to 175 as regular 165-pounder Nicco Capaldo returned to the lineup nine days ago and has gone undefeated since.

But Paradelo has taken the lineup move in stride. At 8-14 on the year, Paradelo may not garner the same level of fanfare as Caldwell’s vaunted lower weights like Carmine Sipper and Solomon Soriente.

But, Chiefs coach Sean Romano knows that for Caldwell to win its third straight section title and continue elevating the Essex County public school into one of the state’s best, it’s just as important that guys like Paradelo step up.

That was heightened as Caldwell lost several bouts where it was favored, including at 157 where Rocco Conforti got pinned in just 32 seconds.

“He [Paradelo] came up huge tonight. He bailed us out,” Romano said. “We definitely didn’t have Conforti going down there. So he really stepped up big for us and we want a balanced lineup. It’s 14 guys going out there, not just one.”

Hackettstown also scored a big win in sudden victory at 106 when Steven Vidal hit a five point move in the final seconds to give Hackettstown a key win in a toss-up bout there as well.

Then at 120, Caldwell’s sixth-ranked and third place state finisher from a year ago Carmine Sipper was pushed against Hackettstown blood-rounder and HWS champ Joey Rowinski in an 8-1 decision that was tied 0-0 after one.

“That could have gone either way,” Romano said. “And I’ll take my guy against anybody, but yeah, it’s important and we knew it was going to come down to our upper weights. Usually I’m telling them, go six minutes. Now we’re going to win some matches up there.

And while Caldwell’s bonus point ability was on full display on Monday night, it was that decision by Sipper that clinched things and sent the Chiefs out in style as they’ll travel to Chester on Wednesday to take on top-seeded West Morris in the North 2, Group 2 final.

“I love the pressure,” Sipper, a Navy commit, said. “Especially in my last home match as a senior, that was the best thing I could ask for. It was great.”

Caldwell has won two section titles in a row once before in program history, back in 1985 and 1986. And no Essex County public school has ever won three sectional titles in a row as Cedar Grove and West Essex also went back-to-back but never captured that three-peat.

“I think we’ve just got to handle our business in house,” Romano said. “We can’t worry about what other teams are thinking. I’m sure, after winning it twice, everybody’s gunning for you, but I’m not worried about what they’re doing.”

This Caldwell team has been tested thanks in part to a strong schedule that included the likes of Passaic Tech, Delsea, Lower Cape May, Union, Morris Hills and others.

So even as Caldwell heads to Morris County with a potential target on its back, the Chiefs remain as focused as ever.

“We don’t really think about it, but at the same time, we do have that chip on our shoulder,” Sipper said. “We work hard in the room so we can protect those titles.”