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From the time he took over as the head coach at his alma mater, Howell has reached unprecedented heights and become one of New Jersey’s best wrestling programs. Now, John Gagliano has reached a milestone no other area coach has achieved.
With the Rebels’ 69-9 victory over Piscataway on Tuesday, Gagliano became the first wrestling coach in Shore Conference history to reach 500 career wins. In 24 seasons leading Howell, Gagliano has a career record of 500-79.
Gagliano was a district and region champion for Howell during the mid-1980s when Howell was a good program but nowhere near the juggernaut it is today. Before Gagliano took over as the head coach, Howell had won six division titles and six district titles while having 60 wrestlers win district titles, 16 claim region championships and 12 wrestlers take home state medals - including 1965 state champion Carlos Fontanez - between 1965 and 1997.
Howell High School wrestlers primed for postseason action
Howell High School wrestlers primed for postseason action ×
Howell High School 126-pounder Nieko Malone celebrates picking up his 100th career victory during a match against Long Branch High School on March 16 in Howell. PHOTO COURTESY OF HOWELL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
A three-month wait to start the 2021 season may have been tough, but Howell High School wrestling coach John Gagliano knew administrators at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association made the right decision to wait until March to allow wrestlers to hit the mats in the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.