Kearny High School
Wrestling Alumni
Edward R. "Butch" Cuony                                         Wrestled early 1930's
Syracuse University Varsity Wrestling Team, class of '37
Inducted into the SU Letterman of Distinction in 1999
Started Geneva (NY) High's wrestling program and coached them to a Section V championship in 1950. He also coached football, track, and swimming.
The first year of his wrestling program, he was also coaching swimming during the same season


Chris Johnston               
dsfc2660@aol.com              Wrestled 1963 - 66
As an original member of the wrestling team in 1963 it was a great experience. We would wrestle varsity teams and had our share of defeats. Our second season was better we started to beat the schools that beat us the year before. We had some tough wrestlers Don Gorgon, Steve Burdulis, and Gerry Farrel. We had Christmas Champs and District Champs back then. I was the co-captain with Gerry Farrel for 65 & 66. I'm currently retired from the New Jersey State Police and reside in South Florida.


Donald Gordon    
dgordon06@comcast.net                     Wrestled  1964 - 66
I wrestled and did my undergraduate work at Springfield College (MA)
I retired from teaching after 35 years, however, I still continue to coach both wrestling and football.


Mike Jones                   
mjones@thomasdirect.com        Wresteled 1965 - 68
W.W.F, N.W.A. U.W.A. I.W.A. pro wrestler since 1978. Still currently wrestling on independent circuit.

Oscar "The Kid" Cruz    
HeyYoCat@verizion.net      Wrestled 1966 - 69
Had lots of fun in the sport of Wrestling it made me a better person in life.Mr Romeo was our coach back then.

Kevin McLaren  
            kmclaren@earthlink.net                 Wrestled  1969 - 1973
Shout outs to Mr. Romeo, Tony D., Joey Reynolds, "Chopper", Alan Hill, Butch Magee, Ron Witherspoon, Paul Popick, Steve Binder, Mark Churchman, George Montgomery...apologies to all I can't remember...the wrestling brotherhood.
1973-Hillside Tournament Champion, 157lb.
1973-District Champion, 157lb.

Vic Hnatiuk               gnat279@hotmail.com                 Wrestled 1970 - 74
Co-Captain of 1973-1974 team
District Champ 1974

Gary J. Gnidziejko         
gary-gnidziejko@us.army.mil     Wrestled 1970 -72
Mr. Romeo was a great role model!

Mike Battaglino               mktgexec22@yahoo.com             Wrestled 1974 - 76
HWT, Captain of the 1976 squad.

Jim Mangin
                  jimmangin@aol.com          Wrestled  1974 - 76
I wrestled on Art Monaco's first team as a Kearny coach (Frosh - 1974). Later, Tony Carratura would throw me around the mat on a regular

Ron Kwicinski         KwicinskiRJ@mail.navy.ports.mil              Wrestled 1977
Toughest sport I've ever tried. If I started as a Freshman I might of put up a better showing against That Dellassandro kid from Bellville. Other than that I've learned to have alot of Respect for you wrestlers.

Ken Welshman                       sarges12@msn.com               Wrestled 1975 - 78

Paul Zeitler               fettboba62@yahoo.com                              Wrestled  1976 - 79
Wrestled for Mr. Pap, Monaco and Mr.D, helped Tony C run the Rec. program before he became a big shot head coach (congratulations T)

Tony Carratura  
      tcarratura@ecdwire.com
Current Head Coach

Jim Mackintosh          Jmack165@yahoo.com    Wrestled   1976 - 80   Hwt.
Wrestled for Tony "Silver Fox" DeFlumarie and Art Monaco as head coaches and with current Head Coach Tony Carratura as a friend and mentor. Learned alot about a great sport and myself.

John Toriglio                 TheTrigZone@verizon.net             Wrestled 1976 - 80

Jim Keim
                jpjkeim@aol.com                         Wrestled 1978-81
Tri Captain of 1981 team along with Paul Jerry and Mike Hyde.

David Bush Sr.      
Wrestled 1979-83
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO MY REC WRESTLERS.....
ALWAYS GIVE 110% AND
YOU TOO CAN BE A 4X STATE SUMO WRESTLING CHAMP!!!!!!

Derek Cummins           cpc@elp.rr.com        Wrestled 1980 -1984
Its to bad I joined the navy and got married. My older brother and I could of had a career in
Ultimate Fighting.  To bad just a nice guy now.  Go Kards pin em hard dont take no prisoners. 
and if Kearny ever gets a Football team remember their wimps in comparison to you guys.

Allen La Tournous       aalats@patmedia.net              Wrestled 1980 - 84

Robert Smith
                dasmiffs90@hotmail.com         Wrestled 1982 - 84

David Rodriguez          drodriguez333@msn.com        Wrestled 1982 - 86
1985 & 86 Kearny tournament champ
1985 district champion 158lbs
1986. 158lb district runner up and region 3rd
1986 STATE BASEBALL GROUP 4 CHAMPS & 2ND TEAM ALL STATE PITCHER

Dan Eames
                    rlstar97@aol.com            Wrestled 1985 -86

Frank Viscuso
               coach@quixnet.net            Wrestle 1982 - 86
I beat up Rod Nardone on a regular basis

Andrew O'Donnell      jrbites@aol.com        Wrestled 1982 - 86

Keith Mair                 chefkm1@aol.com      Wrestled 1984, 1986-87

Rod Nardone               itsrod@optonline.net    Wrestled 1983 - 87

Aiden Eames                  Kegcan@comcast.net       Wrestled   1987

Mike Cairns                maya@dilworth.net        Wrestled 1986-1990

Gene Richard              Firefightergq@msn.com   Wrestled 1986 - 90

Patrick O'Donnell      ODPat@aol.com      Wrestled 1987 - 91

Mark Vilardo   meandsnakes@yahoo.com or mark.vilardo@fairchild.af.mil Wrestled 1987-91
I am currently in the airforce. I am trying to get a rec. team started at my base. I was known for the best pancake on the team and possible the state(lol)
Some of my Acommplishments:
never made it to regions
4th in districts
most pins 1990
most pancakes 1989 - 91
recieved first pancake award
have busted 4 ghost in 4 years
almost pinned Bustamonte and 2(state champs) almost doesn't count

Favorite Moves: Pancake, singles, fireman, any escape, defense

Joe Chew                                     @.com       Wrestled 1990 - 92

Ann Curtis (formerly Trento)
   Hera490@earthlink.net         Wrestled   1989 - 92
  New Jersey's first female wrestler.

WILLIAM CORDOBA, JR.                                                          Wrestled  1991 - 94
I AM CURRENTLY THE HEAD COACH OF HUDSON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL.  VOTED STAR LEDGER HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR AT HUDSON IN 2004 - 05 SEASON.  TOOK TEAM TO ITS FIRST STATE SECTIONAL.
FORMER KEARNY ASSISSTANT COACH. 
FORMER SETON HALL UNIVERSITY WRESTLER. 
I WAS A KEARNY TOURNAMENT CHAMPION.  I ALSO TOOK 2 THIRD PLACE FINISHES. 
3X DISTRICT PLACE WINNER.  A DISTRICT CHAMPION.
2X REGION RUNNER UP.  BOTH TIMES LOST IN FINALS TO GUYS I CRUSHED DURING THE YEAR. 
3RD IN THE GHOST CLASSIC
TWO TIME STATE QUALIFIER.
PLACE IN THE TOP 8 IN THE STATE MY SENIOR YEAR.  WAS FIRST WRESTLER IN KEARNY HISTORY TO PLACE.
ONE OF THREE KEARNY WRESTLERS TO BE STATE PLACE WINNERS.  THE OTHER TWO ARE WRESTLING GREATS,  DANNY MANLEY TOP 8,  AND MY BROTHER , KEARNY'S FIRST STATE CHAMPION DAVID CORDOBA.
PROUD MEMBER OF THE KEARNY HIGH WRESTLING TEAM  GOOD LUCK TO COACH MONACO,  MY FAVORITE COACH AND CURRENT COACH TONY CARRATURA WHO IS DOING A GREAT JOB AT KEARNY. 
GOOD LUCK ALL!


Daniel Angus Livingstone      Livingstone513@comcast.net     Wrestled  1992-95

Rich Stacey
              rstacey@kearnyschools.com       Wrestled 1992 - 96
Current assistant coach
2X Kearny Tournament 3rd: 1994, 1995
District Champ 1996 @125
Part of Coach Monacos first 2 district championship teams: 1995, 1996.
First Team All-County: 1996
Most wins in County: 1996
If I only knew then what I know now...

Mike Cordoba
         cordoba01@comcast.net                           Wrestled 1992-96
Part of Kearny's best wrestling years ever and with the best coach,Monaco, teammates and friends: 1993-1996. This is all that matters to my highshcool wrestling career.

Bernice Benavides        Crayoff@yahoo.com                    Wrestled  1994 - 97

Mike Gonzalez             MIKE0244@aol.com                    Wrestled 1994-97
All I have to say is that the '96-97' team was the best in Kearny History!

Marco A. Leiva
         chronichazard@aol.com     Wrestled  1994 - 97
2X Kearny tourn. 3rd place winner
2X District chump
2X 1st team all county
1997 co-caiptain
Member of 96 and 97 District 16 championship teamsfor the old school boyz; i wore the 70's warm-ups.
Thank you Coach Monaco, for everything...

Dave Wright                 d_wright@ml.com            Wrestled 1989 - 98
                                                                            89-94 REC program under Tony Carratura
                                                                            94-98 Kearny High School Under Coach Monaco
Present: Coach For the REC Program       
The 1996-1997 Team was the greatest team in Kearny's history!!!!
Wrestling is the greatest sport in the world.  The life lessons, discipline, work ethic and appreciation for food (ha) that it has taught me has helped me get to where I am today.  Wrestling is more than just a sport, it is a way of life.

Anthony Distano       NeuroDoc11798@aol.com          Wrestled 1996 - 99
The lessons I learned through wrestling helped to make me the person I am today.

David Cordoba                msu0141@aol.com         Wrestled 1996 - 2000
4X Kearny Champ
Bloomfield Champ
4X District  16 Champ
3X Region 4 Champ  OW Regional Tourn.
4X State Place winner 3rd - 2nd - Champ - 2nd
Career 136-4
Kearny's only State Champion and Wrestling All-American.

David A. Nunez              Dragonsoul51@yahoo.com               Wrestled 1999 - 2001
3rd Kearny Tournament
Yea I know I did'nt do all that much but I do know that wrestling was a great and inspirational part of my life.  I joined the Air Force, got married, and know trying to get a coaching position at the local High School.  I'm also currently training for the USAF Wrestling team.  Wish me luck and GO KARDS!!!!!!!!

Kevin Gehrmann               Kevin.Gehrmann@gmail.com                 Wrestled 1999 - 2002
Ex-Captain of the Kearny Wrestling Team. I am 25 years old, and currently work as an accountant. Graduated Montclair State '09 with a perfect 4.0, and am proud to be a wrestler.

Angel Laporte        
  Biohazardddj@aol.com                                 Wrestled 1999 - 2002
4x Dist.16 placer."99" 3rd, "2000"2nd, "2001"2nd,"2002" 1st
2x Kearny Tourn. Champ,"01" "02" 1st, "00" 3rd.
4x Region 4 qualifier, 3rd region 4 "02".
1x Super Region quailier.
Top 24 state "2002"
Career Record 109-18

Vinny Abbott                       vincent.abbott@wilkes.edu               Wrestled 1999-2003
2x District 16 Champ @ 189lbs
1x District 16 Runner up @ 189lbs
2X Region 4 Runner up @ 189lbs
Over 100 career wins - 3rd all time in Kearny
3x 1st team all county
Team Captain 2002-2003


Dawayne Amos            
jswift71@hotmail.com       Wrestled   2000- 2003
The sport taught me alot about myself as well as the things that can be accomplished with hard work and goal setting. Mr. Carratura, thank you for all you've done for me, both on and off the mat, my team mates for pushing me (and to those I used as throwing dolls, haha)
50+ career wins
Kearny tourn. 3rd place winner
1st team all county
Team Captain
District 16 Champ.

~STAY MOTIVATED !HOOAH!

Brian McDonnell                       @ .com       Wrestled 2000 - 2004     
114 - 22 career record
Kearny Tournament Champ 2004
District 16 - , 3X Champ 2002 @119, 2003 @130, 2004 @130
Region 4  - 3rd 2003, 2nd 2004       
States - Top 24  2003 & 2004

Danny Manley                         manleyd@augsburg.edu             Wrestled 2000 - 2004
91 - 32 career record
District 16 - 3rd 2002 @HWT, 2X Champ 2003 @HWT, 2004 @HWT
Region 4 - 2nd 2004
States - 8th 2004
2x all county 03,04
all confrence 2004
co-captain 2004
currently wrestling for Augsburg College

Silvio Chaves                          schaves6@yahoo.com                      Wrestled  2000 - 2004
Team won the Watchung conference all 4 years, and i was by far the toughest wrestler Tony ever had ha! GOOD LUCK FELLAS!!

Mark Garripoli                          stlli0n228@yahoo.com              Wrestled 2003 - 2005
Career record  44-12 with 36 pins
2x district 16 runner up 135/140
runner up kearny tournament 04, 4th kearny tournament 03

Wrestling taught me a lot, I wish I wrestled my freshman and sophmore year, my favorite sport since I started at 6 years old, I made some of the greatest friends I have had during wrestling...


John Lopez                     mr.kearny.colombia@hotmail.com         Wrestled  2006 - 2008
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