RISING FORCE: Princeton High wrestler Blase Mele lifts a foe off his feet in a bout at 126 pounds this season. Earlier this month, Mele made the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Boys Wrestling State Championships, becoming the first freshman in program history to achieve that feat. Mele placed third at 126 at the Region 5 tournament to earn his spot at the state tournament. At the states, Mele lost two close bouts to end the season with a 17-4 record.

By Justin Feil

Blase Mele achieved his goal of reaching the state wrestling championships in Atlantic City, but it was how he got there that made it all the more notable.

Mele overcame a knee injury that required mid-season surgery to make history as the first freshman from Princeton High to reach the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Boys Wrestling State Championships earlier this month.

“It’s a great experience to get to the state tournament,” said Mele. “I’m very thankful because a lot of things had to happen even for me to get the opportunity to compete. This was really a 50-50 chance. There was no guarantee I’d be able to even wrestle at districts.”

Mele went 17-4 in his first season of high school wrestling. He was unbeaten at 126 pounds until reaching the finals of the District 17 tournament. His second-place finish qualified him for the Region 5 tournament in which he placed third to earn one of four spots for the state tournament.

“I think it’s tremendous,” said PHS head coach Jess Monzo. “From 2017, we’ve had at least one guy down there every year, so the fact that Princeton is continuously represented down there only goes to show in smaller areas, it doesn’t always have to be the big-time school, we’re generating a lot of popularity now in the school. We’re hoping to feed off it.”

Coming into the season, Mele was confident in his ability to advance that far. He set his sights high and kept his focus there even with some of the challenges he faced of being a younger competitor and enduring a potentially season-ending knee injury.

“The state tournament was always the goal,” said Mele. “I knew that I had the potential going into it this year. Going around practicing with these high-level kids, I knew I had the potential. It was a matter of executing when I needed to execute, staying consistent throughout the season, and peaking at the right time. Wrestling throws things at you, and life throws things at you, and you have to be on your toes and ready to adapt. I think I did that really well this year.”

Mele closed his season with a trip to take on the ultimate competition in New Jersey wrestling. In Atlantic City, he lost in the opening round, 5-2, to Joe Giordano of St. John Vianney. He was eliminated by Giovanni Alejandro of St. Joseph’s Metuchen with a 3-2 loss in the consolation wrestleback first round.

“It’s a very cool environment because everybody there deserves to be there,” said Mele.

“Everybody there has worked very hard. Every point is a point to be proud of. Nobody hands out points there. Warming up with all those kids, every single one of them is serious about the sport. Every single one of them has put in countless hours. It’s really cool to be with other people who are devoted to that sort of way of life and are willing to do what other people aren’t willing to do to achieve their goals. Watching finals, I don’t know what else can motivate you more than that. Getting on that podium is goal of mine.”

Mele gained experience and confidence over the offseason coming into his debut high school season. He practiced against some of the top competitors in Pennsylvania and traveled in-state to areas like Brick renowned for their success. He has sought out those types of challenges.

“That’s what it takes to be at the best level,” said Mele. “You have to simulate that level of competition in practice in order to see success when it really matters.”

Mele has the trip to Atlantic City fresh in his mind as he rests his knee before resuming his intense off-season training schedule. He can lean on the experience, which made him hungrier to return.

“It’s good for the future, knowing that he’s already been there,” said Monzo. “He got a taste of it, he saw the bright lights. It didn’t go our way. Speaking with Blase, it wasn’t the result that he wanted, he knew he could have done more. He wanted more, and it left a taste in his mouth of some unfinished business.”

To get there took resilience. Mele was off to a great start to his season when he started having more pain in his knee that had been hurting before the year began. After 10 days of rest, however, he returned to the mat. When the knee began to bother him again, he had to get an MRI that showed he had a medial meniscus tear that was obstructing his knee’s movement. He had surgery that cost him a chance to compete in the Mercer County Tournament, but instead of taking four to six weeks to return, he pushed himself back far sooner.

“I gave myself 10 days and then I was back on the mat,” said Mele. “Sure it hurt, but the prospect of missing a season after all the things I’ve been through and all the adversity that I’ve been through, and all the things that I’ve worked for in my career, it wasn’t an option and I just had to push through.”

Mele had just days to get himself ready for districts. He had to fall back on his prior training as he went into the final competitions of the season. He was motivated to continue the year and finish on his terms.

“Thankfully I have such a strong foundation,” said Mele. “My dad has been working with me since I was 5 years old getting my foundation strong. I have coaches that will set up privates, they’ll run practice with me anytime, they’ll bring the best drill partners in for me. They molded me into a great wrestler. I was able to come back after I’d gone live one day. I was able to gather myself. It was more of a mental component, working through the pain.”

Mele was runner-up at districts in his return to the mat. He came back with the same focus that he had when he took off to have surgery.

“He always had the fire in his eye,” said Monzo. “Even when he was out, you could see the angst to be back in the program. He wanted to be back. He always had that drive behind him and that fight. You saw it, if he was going to be cleared to go, he was going to go.”

The success in the districts gave Mele confidence heading into regions. Needing a top-four finish, he advanced far enough to wrestle in the third-place match, which he won, 4-3, over Alejandro after already guaranteeing himself a trip to the state championships.

“That’s a cool feeling,” said Mele. “People tell me making it to states is such a great accomplishment. It really is and I have a lot to be thankful for. It really puts in perspective all the hard work I’ve done and all the time that my parents have invested in me, all the time coaches have invested in me. People don’t realize all the stuff that goes into these victories, even these small victories, even just winning a match. It’s a feeling that you don’t get outside of the wrestling mat. It comes with all the work that you put in. It’s great to know I made the states especially under the circumstances. It’s even cooler to know that I did it as a freshman and that’s never been done before in school history.”

Mele credited his training coming into this year, and was thankful that he had good partners on the PHS team so he could continue to progress. Marty Brophy traveled with him to help him warm up in Atlantic City and was his main partner in practices with the lighter Cole Rose helping along with some others. They saw his potential right away in the practice room, and others across the state soon recognized it as well.

“Maybe he squeaked by a little as a freshman — nobody would know who he is,” said Monzo. “We knew from the beginning he was special, but not a lot of people did. Now coming into next year, he’s going to be one of those names and I think he likes that. He likes that part that people are going to know his name next year.”

Mele had the chance to prove himself despite being his first year of high school wrestling and battling a knee injury that eventually needed surgery. He overcame those odds to make individual history and help PHS strengthen the middle of its lineup.

“I think I turned some heads this year, and I’m proud of that,” said Mele. “At the same time, I just have to keep working and doing my thing. That’s where the results come from.”