The gym at Morris Hills High School was packed on Friday, February 7, 2025. With both student sections filled, the atmosphere was electric. This was not just another dual meet—this was Morris Knolls vs. Morris Hills, a rivalry built on grit, pride, and years of battling it out on the mat. From the very first whistle, it was clear this night would be one for the books.
106- Dom Litterio Sets the tone
The meet kicked off with Dom Litterio, and he wasted no time setting the tone. Fast, scrappy, and relentless, Dom went on the attack early, throwing his opponent to his back and securing back points. The Knolls student section erupted as he nearly stuck the pin in the first period, but his opponent fought off his back. By the end of the first period, the scoreboard read 7-0, with the Eagles in the lead.
The second period was all Dom. He started on the bottom, fought for control, and stood right up as the Knolls student section chanted, “Dom Lit! Dom Lit! Dom Lit!” The energy was wild, and Dom fed off every second of it. He dominated, ending the second period 11-1 before sealing the deal in the third with a tech fall—when a wrestler scores 15 or more points. Just like that, Knolls was on the board: Eagles 5, Knights 0.
113- Adam Molina Keeps the Pressure On
If Hills thought the momentum would slow down, Adam Molina had other plans. Right off the whistle, Adam was fast, circling and maintaining control before taking his opponent to the mat with a three-point takedown. By the second period, Knolls led 6-1. Hills battled back, but Adam dictated the pace, landing another huge takedown in the third period. He closed it out, keeping Knolls ahead at 8-0.
126- Nate Gomes Brings the heat
By the time Nate Gomes hit the mat, the energy was off the charts. Fast and scrappy, Nate countered a shot, hips in, went around and secured three points. Using his signature move, the chop, he aggressively kept his opponent down.
In the second period, both wrestlers started neutral, circling and tapping the head, looking for an opening. By the third period, Nate led 3-1. Starting on the bottom, he battled his way out, securing two points and maintaining control. When the final buzzer sounded, Knolls was up 11-4.
138- Ryder Stambach Takes it to overtime
Ryder Stambach’s match was a battle. By the third period, it was tied 1-1, with neither wrestler giving an inch. The match went into overtime, and both student sections were on their feet. Ryder’s opponent shot in, but Ryder defended perfectly, circling around for the match-winning takedown. The Knolls side of the gym exploded. Knolls extended its lead to 14-9.
157- Tyler Kot Flips the Script
As Tyler Kot stepped onto the mat, Knolls was down 14-18. They needed something big. The student section knew it too, breaking into chants of “Tyler Kot! Tyler Kot!” And he delivered.
Early shot—boom! Three-point takedown. By the time he was done, Tyler had secured a tech fall, swinging the momentum right back in Knolls’ favor. Knolls 19-18.
165- Luke Shivas Shakes the Gym
The match was heating up, but Luke Shivas took it to another level. Right off the whistle, Luke got scrappy—head taps, level changes, constant movement. He secured a three-point takedown early on.
The second period was absolute chaos, with both wrestlers scrambling all over the mat. Then came the moment—Luke flipped his opponent over and pinned him with time to spare. The crowd went wild. As he stood up, Luke cupped his hand to his ear, soaking in the deafening cheers. Knolls up 25-18.
215- Marcello Flammia Brutal showdown
With the team score tied at 25-25, the pressure was suffocating. Marcello fought hard, trading hands and battling through two scoreless periods. The Morris Knolls student section erupted into chants of “Morris Knolls! Morris Knolls!” It was deafening.
By the third period, everything was on the line. Marcello shot in, but Hills countered, scoring three crucial points. He fought back, escaping for one, but time ran out. Hills took the lead, 28-25. It all came down to one final match.
285- Lucas Nagua closes the show
One match left. The gym was shaking. The entire crowd was locked in. Lucas knew what was at stake—the meet, the rivalry, the trophy. He had to win.
The first period was an all-out battle—pushing, shoving, neither wrestler budging. Then, out of nowhere, Lucas hit a nasty duck-under-mat return—boom! Three points. The gym erupted as he took control.
In the second period, Lucas started on the bottom. He reversed his opponent, held him down, and pinned him. The gym went crazy. The student section exploded into cheers.
Final Score: Knolls 28, Hills 25.
Absolute Cinema.
The Aftermath: Trophy secured
When the final whistle blew, Morris Knolls rushed the mat, celebrating a hard-fought, down-to-the-wire victory. Morris Hills fought with everything they had, but this time, the Eagles walked away with the win—and the trophy.
As the student sections emptied out and wrestlers shook hands, one thing was clear: this rivalry is far from over.
Next year? It is going to be a heated rematch.
Here’s a YouTube link of the entire match. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bh7m3IdMl4
