On a night when team results tilted heavily in one direction, one performance stood out as a statement of promise, resilience, and ambition. As Hopewell Valley powered past Notre Dame in a lopsided dual meet in Lawrence Township, sophomore Ivan Yultukhovskyi delivered one of the few bright moments for the Irish, continuing a rapid rise that has already made him one of the most compelling young wrestlers in Central New Jersey.
Competing at 215 pounds, Yultukhovskyi controlled his bout against Hopewell’s Gavin Barker, earning a composed 4-0 decision that underscored his growing confidence and technical maturity. The victory pushed his record to 19-2 on the season and further reinforced the sense that his ceiling extends well beyond routine dual-meet success. With more than two full seasons still ahead of him at the high school level, his trajectory is beginning to draw attention not just for what he has accomplished, but for what appears increasingly possible.
Yultukhovskyi’s emergence did not happen overnight. As a freshman last season, he burst onto the scene with a 31-6 record, finishing runner-up at both the Colonial Valley Conference and district tournaments. Those results alone would place most first-year wrestlers firmly on the radar, yet his internal standard remained higher. Despite the wins and accolades, he left the season unsatisfied after falling short of qualifying for the state tournament, a shortcoming that continues to fuel his approach this winter.
Now wrestling for Notre Dame after transferring from Lawrence during the offseason, Yultukhovskyi has embraced both a new environment and a more demanding personal expectation. Under the guidance of head coach EJ Nemeth, he has refined his technique, sharpened his conditioning, and accelerated his adaptation to folkstyle wrestling, a discipline markedly different from the freestyle background that defined his early development overseas.
Yultukhovskyi arrived in the United States from Ukraine four years ago, carrying not only the challenge of a new country but the emotional weight of leaving a homeland later engulfed by war. He began wrestling nine years ago, exclusively in freestyle, where rules, scoring, and strategy differ significantly from the American scholastic style. The transition was not seamless. Concepts such as hand-fighting restrictions and positional control required relearning habits ingrained over years of competition. What bridged that gap was repetition, coaching, and an unrelenting willingness to work.
That work ethic is evident in his approach to the current season. While his lone recent setback came against Steinert senior Mikey Odige, the loss has become motivation rather than a deterrent. With the Colonial Valley Conference Tournament looming, the possibility of a rematch remains very real. Odige is likely to enter as the top seed, with Yultukhovskyi positioned close behind. The sophomore is not shying away from the prospect. Instead, he welcomes it, viewing the opportunity as a measuring stick for how far he has come and how much further he intends to go.
Beyond individual matches, Yultukhovskyi’s story resonates because it extends far beyond the wrestling room. Despite settling into life in the United States, Ukraine remains close to his heart. He stays connected to friends and family, including an uncle still living there, and follows developments in the war closely. The emotional duality of building a new life while watching turmoil unfold back home has shaped his perspective, instilling a maturity that belies his age.
Asked about his life in America, his response is simple and sincere. He loves it here. With a green card already secured, his goal of becoming a U.S. citizen reflects not just gratitude, but a sense of belonging forged through opportunity, community, and sport. Wrestling, in that sense, has been both anchor and catalyst, providing structure, purpose, and a pathway forward.
While the team result against Hopewell Valley reflected the current gap between the programs, individual efforts across the lineup added texture to the night. Hopewell Valley improved to 14-1 behind several dominant performances, including a dramatic comeback at 157 pounds where Max Pollara survived multiple near-falls to edge Joey Bonko 19-18 in one of the most entertaining bouts of the evening. Injuries, however, cast a shadow, as Sebastian Soto was forced to default at 132 with what appeared to be a shoulder issue, an unwelcome development with key matchups against Hightstown and Robbinsville approaching.
Yet amid the broader scoreboard and surrounding storylines, Yultukhovskyi’s performance stood apart. It represented progress measured not only in wins and losses, but in confidence, composure, and clarity of purpose. His stated goal this season is to finish among the top eight at the state tournament, a benchmark that would validate both his growth and his belief in what lies ahead.
In a sport that demands patience, discipline, and resilience, Ivan Yultukhovskyi is assembling all three. His journey from Ukraine to the mats of Lawrence Township is still unfolding, but it already reflects the essence of what makes New Jersey’s scholastic athletics so compelling. Stories like his continue to define the landscape of [high school sports] across the state, where competition intersects with personal growth and young athletes quietly shape futures far larger than any single match result.
For Notre Dame, he represents a cornerstone for the present and a foundation for what comes next. For Yultukhovskyi himself, he is just getting started, driven by unfinished business, unwavering goals, and the belief that his best wrestling remains ahead of him.
MATCH NOTES: The big win for Hopewell Valley (14-1) was turned in by Max Pollara at 157 pounds. After nearly getting pinned twice, Pollara rallied for a wild 19-18 victory over Joey Bonko with help from a reversal late in the third period. Pollara is now 11-5 and Bonko is 20-2 after suffering his first loss against CVC competition. Hopewell Valley’s Sebastian Soto suffered what appeared be a shoulder injury and had to injury default against Jake Mulray at 132. Injuries are the last thing Hopewell needs right now with matches against Hightstown and Robbinsville on the immediate horizon.
Hopewell Valley 63, Notre Dame 13
106: Said Jan Rahmani (HVH) over Chris Brooks (NODA) (Fall 1:39)113: Saif Ali Rahmani (HVH) over Chase Crowley (NODA) (Fall 1:23)120: Luca Schiavon (HVH) over Trent Walsh (NODA) (Inj. [time])126: Parker Humphrey (HVH) over Brady Johnson (NODA) (Fall 2:33)132: Jake Mulray (NODA) over Sebastian Soto (HVH) (Inj. [time])138: Dylan Hersh (HVH) over Daniel Gonzales (NODA) (Fall 2:36)144: Tyler Ansari (HVH) over Johnny Celli (NODA) (Fall 3:18)150: Isaac Miller (HVH) over Luca Franzen (NODA) (Fall 3:16)157: Max Pollara (HVH) over Joey Bonko (NODA) (Dec 19-18)165: Preston Horvath (HVH) over Ethan Hornberger (NODA) (Fall 1:10)175: Ethan Barker (HVH) over Robert Farley (NODA) (Fall 0:28)190: Scott Mangan (HVH) over John Olenchalk (NODA) (Fall 0:36)215: Ivan Yultukhovskyi (NODA) over Gavin Barker (HVH) (Dec 4-0)285: Zach Hammerstone (NODA) over Ken Pineda (HVH) (Dec 6-0)
OTHER MATCHES
Steinert 71, Ewing 8
106: Bryce Wittkop (EWIN) over Dino Zulla (HES) (Dec 8-6)113: Mina Magdy-Badea (HES) over (EWIN) (For.)120: Matthew Mottola (HES) over Joshua Grose (EWIN) (Fall 1:06)126: Julian Bijaczyk (HES) over Gibril Huq (EWIN) (Fall 0:57)132: Anthony Ricigliano (HES) over (EWIN) (For.)138: Alex Castano (HES) over (EWIN) (For.)144: Yasin Ahmed (HES) over Isaac Trammell (EWIN) (Fall 1:59)150: Jackson ClarkeGoss (HES) over Christopher Reeves (EWIN) (Fall 0:39)157: Yazid Ahmed (HES) over Amos Horton (EWIN) (Fall 1:59)165: Marcello Pandolfini (HES) over Aahan Hossain (EWIN) (Fall 1:10)175: Rudy Ortiz (HES) over Danny Umana-De la Rosa (EWIN) (Fall 1:43)190: Jose Samayoa-Rodas (HES) over Aden vega (EWIN) (Fall 2:35)215: Mickhorlsky Odige (HES) over Luke Weigle (EWIN) (Fall 1:08)285: Cephus Horton (EWIN) over Akorede Oroibi (HES) (Fall 1:08)
