Just 11 Days Removed from Gallbladder Surgery Nicholas Campanelli Pulls Off an Epic Upset in NJ States

St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore Nicholas Campanelli and his wrestling coach collided during what seemed like a routine practice in early February. Both came up clutching their abdomens in excruciating pain. Campanelli felt something was seriously wrong right away but couldn’t fully grasp the extent of the damage.

“I didn’t even know what was going on,” he told nj.com. “I was having very bad pain in my abdomen. I went to the emergency room. It was just surreal.”

Doctors soon delivered the shocking diagnosis which was that his gallbladder had been severely injured and required emergency removal. Surgery was scheduled for Feb. 17. With only 11 days to recover before the District 16 Tournament, the opening round of the individual postseason. The setback threatened to wipe out the rest of his season and prevent what would become one of the most improbable underdog runs in New Jersey high school wrestling history.

From Operating Table to the Mat

Three days after the procedure, Campanelli still couldn’t walk on his own. Yet, the sophomore refused to let the injury define his year. He fought through the pain and uncertainty, eventually placing second at districts and fourth at regions to secure his spot at the NJSIAA State Championships in Atlantic City. As the No. 31 seed in the loaded 32-man 126-pound bracket, he arrived at Boardwalk Hall with nothing to lose and everything to prove.

On Thursday’s opening day, Campanelli delivered the tournament’s signature moment by staging a stunning comeback against No. 2 seed Anthony Mason of Southern Regional, a state finalist two years earlier and fourth-place finisher the previous season. Campanelli was trailing 6-2 before rallying to pin Mason in 3:51. The Boardwalk Hall crowd erupted as the pin was locked in, turning the arena into an instant frenzy and cementing the upset of the day.

Later in the day, Campanelli followed with another dominant performance, pinning No. 15 seed Lazarus Joyce of Camden Catholic in 3:06 to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals.

A Grind That Defied Belief

The timeframe from major abdominal surgery to district competition had been brutally tight, filled with uncertainty and cautious medical oversight. A carefully mapped recovery plan, combined with Campanelli’s relentless determination, allowed him to step back onto the mat far sooner than anyone thought realistic. Entering the state championships with a record of 33-6, Campanelli’s grit had already turned heads from the moment he qualified.

The Underdog Run Ends in Quarters

Campanelli’s remarkable journey pressed on into Friday’s quarterfinals, where he faced No. 7 seed Matthew Mulligan of Bergen Catholic. Mulligan held a narrow 1-0 advantage heading into the third period. In the final frame, Campanelli made a bold attempt to create scoring opportunities with a roll, but Mulligan capitalized on the move and secured the fall at 4:55.

The pin brought Campanelli’s Cinderella run to a close. Yet, nothing could diminish the extraordinary tale he had already authored. That of a No. 31 seed, less than a month removed from emergency gallbladder surgery, who shook the New Jersey wrestling community by upsetting one of the bracket’s highest seeds and advancing all the way to the state quarterfinals.

Eyes on the Future

Last season, Campanelli finished fifth in his region and missed the state tournament entirely, a disappointment that burned deep and became powerful fuel for his return.

Campanelli’s run may have stopped short of the podium, but the sophomore from St. Thomas Aquinas proved to the entire state, and to himself, what he is capable of when everything is on the line.