12/13: WENDY PANDY-LEH WRESTLING INVITATIONAL

Spartans finish in 2nd place, 1 point behind team champ Delaware Valley

TOP 3 Placera
1st: Apicelli (106) / Penta (126) / D Volek (144)
2nd: J Volek (150) / Farina (157) / Allen (190)
3rd: Perez (138) / Calixte (215)

2026 Ocean Township Spartans
Head Coach: Cippy Apicelli (15th Season / Career: 218-96)
Assistants: Dave Ilaria / Sean Flynn / Joe Teresi 
Volunteers: Ben Duronio / Alex Poniros
Section: CJG2 / Division: B / District: 23 / Region: 6

Eight upperclassmen starters who have advanced to at least the Regions during their careers are spread throughout the lineup, as the Spartans break in some new starters into the lineup, while keeping their team goals high.

The middle of the lineup looks to be a real strength with the junior trio of Dom and Jake Volek, and Justin Farina, and senior Steven Perez making up what looks to be the teeth of the lineup. Dom Volek has twice advanced to Atlantic City, placing 3rd at Regions as a freshman, and 2nd as a sophomore. Perez joined him on the boardwalk last year after finishing 3rd at Regions. Farina and Jake Volek were both 3rd-place finishers at Districts last year.

Several wrestlers with varying levels of varsity experience are competing in the room for a chance to break into the lineup up top. Ocean has a nice pair of seniors to break those new starters into the lineup around in 4th-year starter Josh Calixte, who has a pair of District medals, and returning District Champ Nick Allen. 

A similar situation for the Spartans down low with a pair of proven upperclassmen leading the way for some newcomers in the lineup. Senior Justin Penta won 22 matches last season, but did not wrestle in the postseason. He was a 5th-place finisher at the Regions in 2024. Junior 10-6-pounder Michael Apicelli won 22 matches and placed 3rd at Districts. Sophomore Quays Ismael is among the group of underclassmen looking to step in and step up for Ocean. He took 4th at Districts last year after stepping in for Penta.

There's pretty good balance to the lineup, and the numbers in the room are as high as they have been in quite some time for the Spartans. They'll be looking to a few of the young guys in the room to seize the opportunity to grab one of the few open slots in the lineup and run with it. They have some depth wrestlers from last year as candidates as well as some promising freshmen down low and in the upperweights, including Luciano Martins who has shot to be a rare frosh manning the heavyweight slot, which Ocean has had success with before.

Possible Lineup in 2026

Graduated in 2025

550 West Park Avenue
Oakhurst, NJ 07755
(732) 531-5650
(Monmouth County)
~ SCHOOL WEBSITE ~

Head Coach
Cippy Apicelli
(15th Season in 2026)

Assistants
Dave Ilaria
Sean Flynn
Joe Teresi

Volunteers
Ben Duronio
Alex Poniros

Section
CJ Group 2

Division
B-Division

District
23

Region
6

8 - Sectional Titles
(Last: CJG3 - 2020)

18 - District Team Titles
(Last: D24 - 2020)

14 - Division Titles
(Last: A-Central - 2021)

3 - State Champions
(Last: Jake Benner - 2017)

35 - State Medalists
(Last: Shane Cartagena Walsh - 2022)

25 - Region Champions
(Last: James Farina - 2024)

122 - District Champions
(Last: Boomer Volek, Nick Allen, Danny Farina, & Abi Andre - 2025)

3 - SCT Champions
(Last: James Farina - 2024)

17 - SCT Medalists
(Last: 5 in 2025)

Career Wins Record - 146
Jake Benner (2015-2018)

Season Wins Record - 42
Jake Benner (2017)