Chiellini comes back strong for Pascack Valley by Sean Farrell of The Record
HILLSDALE – Tommy Chiellini couldn’t wait.
Four days was long enough after coming up one win short of a county title.
By Wednesday night, he was ready to go. And the only challenge was against himself.
“I don’t like going out there and wasting my time,” Chiellini said. “I just like to see how fast I can get it done.”
The answer came quickly.
Only a false start could slow down the Pascack Valley 160-pound wrestler, who needed all of 41 seconds to pin Bergenfield’s Dennis Gurban and win his first match since falling short in last week’s BCCA final. That helped the Indians begin league play with a 70-3 home win over the Bears in a battle that lasted under an hour. Five of the six contested weights went their way.
“We’ve been working hard and having a good year so far,” Chiellini said. “We just hope to continue that. We work together in the room and have a good group going. We’re really full and have a lot of backup guys, and guys who could be in the lineup anywhere but here.”
Just being in the lineup means so much to Chiellini.
That took him 30 days last season after transferring back home from Don Bosco, a decision he calls the best he’s ever made. An 11-0 start built up his dream of making it to Atlantic City, to compete in the tournament he’s watched year after year with his dad, a fellow wrestler. But a freak injury suffered in warmups cut short Chiellini’s postseason even before it began. The middle finger on his left hand jammed awkwardly into the mat before a sectional tournament match, crushing his hope of wrestling at Boardwalk Hall in an instant. It kept him away from the sport for three months, while a pin was inserted into his hand.
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“I’ve been working hard since then,” Chiellini said. “I’m totally recovered. I just hope to stay healthy this year and accomplish what I’ve always wanted to accomplish.”
One of the first goals of his junior year was checked off when he took second in the county behind Hasbrouck Heights’ Matthew Dallara.
“Tommy is just committed,” coach Tom Gallione said. “He puts the work in during the offseason. He lifts. He runs. He comes in prepared and he’s always willing to learn. He was working with the assistant coaches yesterday on the little things from the county tournament, from the final in hopes of seeing [Dallara] again down the line. He doesn’t look past the little things, and I think that’s what makes him great.”
Pascack Valley looks strong around him, too.
With all 14 starters returning, the Indians placed sixth at the Bergen County tournament and won the Group B title.
“That was a big thing that we had never done since [1989],” said senior Jake Prusha, a county sixth. “I think we’re on the right track and looking to get ourselves on the banner with this team.”
That’s starting to look more and more likely.
Four other wrestlers made the podium at Hackensack – Jake Averna, Tyler Pizzi, Robbie Natelli and Casey Lewis. An elbow injury to Matt Beyer prevented him from possibly joining that group.
“I’m really happy with where we’re at, how we’re wrestling right now, the energy in the room and at every practice, every match,” Gallione said. “I’ve been very pleased since the day they’ve come in this year. They’re on a mission. They know what they want to do and they’re ready to do it.”