Clifton Mustangs Clinch a Thriller Victory in Sectional Final Against Passaic Tech Bulldogs

photo by: Nick Caruso

In an electrifying sectional final the Clifton Mustangs edged out the Passaic Tech Bulldogs with a nail-biting 32-31.

The face-off between Clifton and Passaic Tech, two formidable forces with impressive records of 19-4 and 20-9 (heading in to tonight), was nothing short of a classic. The evening kicked off with the heavyweight clash where Isaac Czamikowski's pin in the 285-pound category set the tone for the Mustangs, securing an early lead. However, the Bulldogs weren't there to roll over, as evident from Kosal Dangrath’s major decision victory in the 106-pound matchup, igniting the scoreboard for his team.

As the bouts progressed, the intensity ramped up with each wrestler looking to tilt the scales in their team’s favor. Malik Abuharthieh in the 120-pound bracket and Sultan Mossaddik in the 126-pound category delivered crucial victories for the Bulldogs, for a total of 10 points. The Mustangs responded in kind, with Rajan Mohammed’s major decision at the 132-pound weight but was quickly answered by Robert Matar’s pin at138 demonstrating as PCTI show their dominance and depth.

The Bulldogs eventually went on to carry out a 31-13 lead with 4 bouts left. One more win would've sealed the deal. Joseph Dumeng started the rally with a 1st period pin. Joseph Galeta and Nick Doktor picked up a pin and major bringing the match within 2 points. The match now comes down to the final bout at 215.

The Mustangs found their hero in the 215-pound showdown where Justin Gavrila's sudden victory over Justin Mayo was the deciding factor, tipping the scales in an incredibly tight match. The victory sealed the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5 Sectional Title. 

Clifton will go on to face top 10 public powerhouse, Phillipsburg this week as teams move on to compete for the Group Championship.