After suffering a heartbreaking loss in the Olympic Games in Beijing last August, North Bergen native Steve Mocco isn’t exactly sitting around and crying in his beer.

Getting right back into the swing of international competition, Mocco competed last weekend at the prestigious Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix in Russia and was the lone United States wrestler to come away with the gold medal.

With the win, Mocco becomes only the 10th American wrestler to win a gold medal at the tournament since it began 20 years ago and the first in four years. The Yarygin tourney is believed to be the toughest freestyle tournament in the world.

“Steve exemplified what it means to compete at a tournament of this competition,” said U.S. National freestyle coach Zeke Jones. “He is able to execute technique and perform strategies and tactics at this level under the current rules.”

Mocco won four matches en route to the gold medal, defeating highly-regarded Soslan Gagloev of Russia in the gold medal match.

On the website, TheMat.com, Mocco explained about getting right back into the swing of things after the Olympic Games, where he lost in the quarterfinals.

“I like to compete,” Mocco said. “It’s what I do for a living. I wrestle, so to be a wrestler you have to wrestle in tournaments. The more opportunities I get, the more tune-up I have for the big competitions. Every tournament I have wrestled in this year, I have learned something about myself and the sport.”

Mocco is training for the U.S. Nationals and has his sights already on the 2012 Olympic Games in London…

Speaking of wrestling, it’s almost unfathomable what has happened to Bayonne High School’s standout wrestler Jerome Otis-Harris.

A year ago, Otis-Harris was the talk of the high school wrestling world, going from a virtual unknown and inexperienced wrestler to eventually earning the No. 1 ranking as the top heavyweight in the entire state.

It was a meteoric rise to the top, one never before seen in Hudson County wrestling, especially among the heavyweight ranks.

Although Otis-Harris didn’t end up winning a state title, he did set a new single season record for wins for a Hudson County heavyweight and was being counted on as a top threat to win a state title this season.

However, while competing in a summer tournament, Otis-Harris fell ill with a serious kidney infection and condition that prohibited him from competing.

“It got so serious that there was talk that he could lose all kidney function,” said Bayonne head coach Joe Collins. “We just came back from the AAU Junior Nationals [in Wisconsin], where he did very well. And then he got sick. It was awful.”

Otis-Harris’ condition was so serious that he didn’t attend regular classes until mid December. He was home schooled during that time, as he tried to recover.

Just recently, Otis-Harris returned to Bayonne practice, donning kidney pads because of fear of any contact there could cause a relapse.

“We’re taking it very easy for now,” Collins said. “He’s been in good spirits about it all. We’ll know Feb. 4 whether he can return to action this year, but right now, we don’t know if we can get him back at all. It’s been a shame, because he’s a great kid.”

Collins said that he didn’t know whether the school will apply for another year of high school eligibility for the year he’s missed or he will head to a junior college to receive some seasoning…

Congratulations to Marist High School girls’ basketball coach Bill DeFazio, who became the all-time leader in coaching victories in HCIAA history, when he recorded the 571st win of his career, surpassing former Bayonne coaching legend Jeff Stabile.

DeFazio, who fell ill earlier in the season, but has since recovered, now has only the retired Jack Rodgers of Harrison to supplant as Hudson County’s all-time win leader in girls’ basketball…

On the girls’ basketball front, is there a hotter team than Holy Family Academy? Veteran coach Pat Longo lost her top three scorers from last year’s team, who played inspired ball after it was announced that the school was going to close.

Well, HFA received a reprieve, the Falcons were bounced to the HCIAA Seglio Division and they haven’t stopped losing since. HFA is undefeated in the league (8-0) and have emerged as the clear-cut favorites to earn the league crown, thanks to the exploits of players like Diane Forker, who had 18 points and an amazing 20 rebounds in a win over McNair Academic, and Sam Sysak….

Union City High School had a huge win in girls’ basketball last week, when the Soaring Eagles soared past HCIAA Coviello frontrunner Bayonne, handing the Bees their first loss in the league. It’s perhaps the biggest girls’ basketball win for a Union City school ever…

Almost getting lost in the shuffle is the fine job done by High Tech and head coach Steve Ricciardi Jr. The Lasercats (11-4 overall, 6-2 in the Seglio) are sitting pretty in the HCIAA Seglio race and it could be a fight to the finish in that league, but thanks to the efforts of High Tech players like Mensud Hot (have to love that name) and Jeremy Delgado, the Lasers have a good shot to claim their first-ever boys’ basketball county crown…

It’s milestone week. Congrats to Freddie Henry of McNair Academic, who scored the 1,000th point of his career in a win over County Prep recently…

The same can be said for Lincoln High School’s girls’ basketball standout Krystal Edwards, who went past the 1,000-point plateau with her 23-point, 12 rebound performance against St. Dominic Academy last Wednesday…

Super Bowl prediction

Every year, retired Jersey City police officer and avid reader Jim “Alamo Jones Roscoe Shoes” Gallagher asks for the Great Hagueini’s Super Bowl prediction. Over the last 19 years, more often than not, Hagueini’s pick on Super Sunday has been – how do you say? – less than super.

Take for instance, last year, when Hagueini thought the Patriots would trounce the Giants by four touchdowns. We all know what happened.

So, keeping that in mind and hoping that our readers don’t use the selection for any wagering other for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on raisin bread and an orange soda with your Uncle Looie, here’s this year’s Super Bowl pick: Arizona 28, Pittsburgh 17. Jim Hague