Sports

Ocean City Wrestler Cooper Gallagher Seeks State Title This Weekend

He may have to face a Bergen Catholic wrestler pursuing his third state title in Sunday's 182-pound final.

District 32 and Region 8 wrestling champion Cooper Gallagher begins the final steps in his quest for a state high school wrestling championship Friday night.

Ocean City’s Gallagher faces the winner of the match between St. Joseph Montvale’s Vinnie Maniero and Lenape Valley’s DJ Barrett in the NJSIAA 182-pound state wrestling tournament Friday night in Atlantic City, according to nj.com.

Gallagher (36-1) will have to win four matches between Friday and Sunday to claim a state title. This may have to include a win over Bergen Catholic’s Johnny Sebastian (30-2), who is seeking his third state championship, according to northjersey.com.

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If the two meet, it would be in the state final on Sunday.

Gallagher won his first district title this season when he was named Outstanding Wrestler at the District 32 tournament at Absegami.

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He followed that victory with a Region 8 title, capped by a buzzer beating victory over St. Joseph Hammonton’s Christian LaFragola in the first overtime of the region final at Egg Harbor Township.

The tournament begins at 5 p.m. Friday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Tickets are $40 per person.


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