Wrestling Festival wraps up with familiar victory South Plainfield claims fourth straight Central Jersey Duals title

By Warren Rappleyea

Wrestling Festival wraps up with familiar victory
South Plainfield claims fourth straight Central Jersey Duals title

More than 1,000 competitors participated in the 26th annual Old Bridge Wrestling Festival, which wrapped up on Sunday.

The festival, which started out as a local event, has now drawn more than 20,000 participants overall and it also created the now widely used "Madison System," where competitors weigh-in the morning of the tournament and weight classes are then determined.

Festival Director Greg DeMarco said organizers are already looking for ways to better the event in 2001.

About 100 volunteers, many of them employees of the township Parks & Recreation Department supported the event.

"When we were leaving we were all talking about the tournament," he said. "We were physically wiped out after two straight weeks of wrestling, but we’re mentally getting ready for next year."

DeMarco was pleased with the turnout, but disappointed that the planned East Coast Duals had to be canceled.

Organizers were hoping that the growth of the Central Jersey Duals, which was won by South Plainfield for the fourth year in a row, would support the new event, but there weren’t enough entrants to stage it.

Nevertheless, the festival attracted grapplers from throughout the state, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Massachusetts.

DeMarco said about one-third of the competitors are from Middlesex of Monmouth counties; another third from other areas of New Jersey, and the final third from other states.

South Plainfield’s victory in the Duals tournament came down to a highly anticipated championship match against the host team from Old Bridge.

The match went right down to the heavyweight match, with South Plainfield ending up on top by a score of 37-29.

However, South Plainfield had to overcome an early deficit in order to take the title. Two forfeits in the lower weight classes made the comeback effort more difficult, but the team managed to score five victories in the final five weight classes to seal up the win.

According to South Plainfield’s coach, Bill Pavlak, the duals title was something that his team was gunning for after winning the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament and Group II titles last winter.

In addition, the seniors on his squad wanted to walk away with four consecutive duals titles under their belts.

The team from South Brunswick overcame a mediocre showing to rack up some wins against some tough teams.

Despite only having seven kids on the team in attendance, and adding some guest wrestlers from Woodbridge, the South Brunswick team managed to pull off close victories over teams from Bound Brook, Colonia, and North Plainfield during the tournament.

Old Bridge won the High School Club Division title as Mike Carro, Tony Marks, Sal Iodaci and Aaron Suozzo finished first in their respective weight classes, while Travis Blasco, Justin Smigelski and Vin Ioadacy took second place in their divisions.

The main attraction, as usual, was the individual tournaments held July 22, 23 and 30 at the Old Bridge Arena. DeMarco noted that several area wrestlers made their marks in what he termed a "very strong field."

Some of the top area performers, by division, are listed below.

Future Champions, which was open to grapplers from eighth to 11th grade who took first, second or third place at an NJSIAA district event. First place: 68 pounds, Kelly Lyon (South Brunswick); 85, Travis Blasco (Old Bridge); 102, Dan Hilt (Manalapan); 121, Jason Rothstein (Marlboro); 170, Pat Hoelz (Matawan). Second place: 66, Matt Frankel (Marlboro); 85, Garrett Nasdeo (South Brunswick); 102, Brian Sims (Keyport); 121, Dwight Lee (Marlboro); 132, Joe Anastacio (Manalapan); 135, Randy Frankel (Marlboro); 161, Pedro Mirasol (South River); 170, Andre Alves (Matawan); 190, David Nodina (Manalapan); and HW, Dane Curry (Matawan).

Open Freestyle, Second place: 165, Bill Deniz (South River).

Masters, over 30 years and older, First place: 193, Rob Carpemito (Marlboro). Second place, 143, Paul Marks (Monroe).

Junior High School Freestyle, open to sixth-through ninth-graders, Second place: 91, Travis Blasco (Old Bridge); HW, Ashley Green (Matawan).

Open Collegiate, Second place: 161, Bill Deniz (South River); 181, Sean Daly (East Brunswick).

Elementary School, sixth-grade and under, First place: 66, Stephen Fallon (Old Bridge); 132, Jack Nae (Monroe). Second place: 38, Thomas Himmerlich Monroe); 50, Phil Sandford (Old Bridge); 53, Dan White (South Brunswick); 56, Mike MacMurray (South Brunswick); 111, Grant Herring (Monroe); 132, Shaun Bedding (Sayreville).

High School Scholastic, First place: 104, Dan Hilt (Manalapan); 135, Matt Hartigan (Manalapan); 216, Mike Schaver (Red Bank Catholic); HW, Dennis Bruno (East Brunswick). Second Place: 104, Bill Sims (Raritan); 118, Greg Rodman (Rumson); 127, Jason Rothstein (Marlboro); 141, Brian Hennessy (Middletown); 151, Tony Marks (Monroe).

Junior High School Scholastic, open to sixth-through ninth-graders, First place: 66, Stephen Fallon (Old Bridge). Second place, 132, Bryan Ickles (Howell).