Red Bank Regional’s Brandon Scott has the same goals as all the other wrestlers he faces. However, there is one thing that sets him apart from all his opponents — he’s legally blind.
Despite a handicap that many in the wrestling world would consider a hindrance to his career, Scott has proved the majority wrong time and again, and established an impressive 26-2 record along the way.
Scott’s abilities and desires were never more apparent than in the District 22 wrestling tournament this past weekend, where he won RBR’s only medal — the 145-pound gold.
Seeded third in the tournament, at Monmouth Regional, Scott quickly improved his 23-2 record with a 20-5 technical fall over Middletown South’s Mike Juan. With one second remaining in the second period of the quarterfinal matchup, Scott scored the necessary points needed for the superior decision.
In the next round, the junior Buccaneer unseated Ocean’s second-seeded Anthony Campanile, 12-9.
It wasn’t until the finals that Scott ran into a roadblock from Christian Brothers Academy, named Eric Spargimino. The two wrestlers went the distance, only scoring three points apiece in regulation time. With only seconds left in the first overtime period, Scott scored the decisive takedown, winning 5-3.
Red Bank Regional had three other wrestlers to make it out of the quarterfinal round.
Mike McDonald (140 pounds), David Bedad (152 pounds) and Lamar Brown (160 pounds) all won in their quarterfinal’s matchup, then lost over the next two rounds to finishing fourth.
The Bucs finished sixth out of the 11 teams with 61.5 points.
— Chris Kelly