By: Sean Moylan
Before it had a chance to properly celebrate one of the finest victories in its entire history a dominating 48-14 playoff win over Ewing the Northern Burlington County Regional High School boys’ varsity wrestling squad found itself taking on an equally talented Ocean Township team in the second round of the Central Jersey Group II state championship on Tuesday night.
And while both squads won seven matches, Ocean escaped with a 33-30 victory.
NBC lost its first two bouts, but then the ever-reliable Chris McMullen came through with a pin over Ocean’s Piper (119) in the second period (2:58). 130-pounder, Steve Makuka, noted for being a clutch grappler, took an 8-4 decision from Ocean’s Nunesfais. Mike Brewer (135) posted an exciting pin over Ocean’s Lezin on the final second of period two.
Then Ocean’s Willard must have thinking "rats!" when "Nasty Boy" Al Wonesh (140) defeated him, 8-4. Unfortunately, Erik George, NBC’s other "Nasty Boy," dropped a tough 5-4 decision to Kyle Kiss.
Rich Feig (152) beat Ocean’s Santini, 12-6. Unfortunately, Ocean’s Siciliano handed Ryan Buchanan his first loss of the seasona 14-11 war at 160 pounds. Chris Garofalo (215) beat Ocean’s Bannin soundly (5-1), but he unfortunately he needed a pin to keep NBC alive.
Nevertheless, Johnny Humble did record a nice second-period pin against Ocean’s McLerman at 275.
Even though Ocean was the top seed and the host team, on the mat there was very little difference between Ocean and NBC.
Against Ewing, NBC had taken 11 of 14 matches.
112-pounder Kiernan Shea put NBC in the win column with a 7-3 win over K. Butler.
Then McMullen zapped Ewing’s Zeigler, 8-3, at 119.
Geoff Bauma (125) decked Ewing’s Lazzarre three seconds before the end of period two.
Makuka (130) was magical with a 6-0 victory against Ewing’s Mylowe.
NBC’s Brewer (135) and Wonesh (140) each recorded easy pins over their respective opponents. Then George put pointed Ewing’s 145-pounder Wolff, 6-2. After Feig won by forfeit at 152, Buchanan beat Ewing’s Monaco 6-2 and Dan Lobue captured a 4-2 decision against Ewing’s Ike. At 215, Garofalo completed NBC’s scoring with a wbf.
While NBC, seeded fourth in the tournament, had a great 17-6 season, it is not satisfied. It came to win. Now the Greyhounds will only get tougher when they compete as individuals in the upcoming Districts.
In regular season news, the Greyhounds stunned a stacked New Egypt Warriors team, 59-15, at NBC last Saturday.
The great Ryan Buchanan pinned longtime New Egypt star Lee Hopkins (160) 38 seconds into the final period. 215-pounder Chris Garofalo started the match off by pinning New Egypt’s Nick Markee in 2:35.
NBC’s Johnny Humble (275) and Brian Van Sciver (112) then followed with pins of their own.
At 119, McMullen captured a 10-0 major decision against New Egypt’s Jimmy Morton. NBC’s Geoff Bauma then crushed Mike Schmidt (125) 14-0 and Makuka (130) decked Miguel Garces in 56 seconds.
In one of the better matches of the day, Northern’s Mike Brewer edged Chris Springer (135), 8-5.
Wonesh (140) and George (145) each scored six points with second-period pins over their opponents.
At 152, super Rich Feig pinned the Warriors’ Skeeter Cook.
NBC also smashed Burlington Township, 64-11, on Saturday.
Buchanan (160) and Brian Perry (189) each posted pins in under a minute. Humble (275), Brian Van Sciver (103), Makuka (130), George (145) and Feig (152) also had pins. Garofalo (215) and Wonesh (140) won by forfeit.
At 171, Dan Lobue squeaked out a 4-2 decision over the Falcons’ Dealoe Forney. McMullen won a 12-2 major decision against Burlington Township’s Mike Raymond (119) and Brewer (135) beat the Falcons’ Bill Finnett 8-4.
Always good, about a month ago the Greyhounds started the greatest run in their history and they didn’t stop until they hit an Ocean.
BRHS
If it were in a movie, moviegoers would declare the ending of the Bordentown Regional High School boys’ varsity wrestling team’s 36-35 victory over Allentown on Saturday both unrealistic and unbelievable.
Yet, as we all know, real life is stranger than fiction.
"We were down by 23 points with four matches to go and we pinned out and won it," said Joe Sprague, the head coach of the Scotties’ wrestling squad’s improbable win.
It was, without question, Bordentown’s greatest clutch performance this season.
Coming into the match the always optimistic Coach Sprague had expected his Scotties to defeat the Redbirds in a competitive match.
However, it was the Scotties who had more than their share of tough luck in the early going. After the Scotties dropped the opener at 171, Jay Swiniuchowski battled and battled but he was pinned by Allentown’s 189-pounder Chris Crane with only eight seconds left in the match.
Although Davey Sammons (215) won by forfeit and there was no heavyweight match, the Scotties did not win on the mat until Mike Schoenharr, who was victorious in all three of his bouts on the day, pinned Allentown’s Pat Pape (112) 20 seconds into the third period. That victory would grow all the more important because Bordentown lost its next three decision to fall behind 35-12.
Suddenly, there was no margin for error.
But Bordentown 140-pounder Brent Clemens is a crafty young grappler, who knows how to stay cool under pressure. Consequently, he was able to put the finishing touches on his pin against Rob Bruins 13 seconds before the end of the second period.
Needing a pin for Bordentown to stay in the match, Jared Lynch (145) floored Matt Valnoski at the 2:59 mark of their match.
By then the entire Scotties team was getting excited about their prospects of winning the match. And Casey Pritchett (152) made his teammates all the more happy when he pinned Allentown’s Joe Kaplow in 71 seconds.
At 160, Scotties’ standout Bill DeKovitch did not prolong the suspense. Instead, he simply pinned Allentown’s Eugene Szdiowski in only 54 second to lift the Scotties to the incredible victory.
Unfortunately, the rest of the day did not go as well for Bordentown.
Hamilton defeated Bordentown, 64-9. Schoenharr’s pin at 112 and Sammon’s (189) tight 10-8 decision against Andy Koiquah were Bordentown’s only victories of the match.
Moreover, a powerful Pemberton club defeated Bordentown, 68-9, on Saturday.
Still, Schoenharr escaped with a nifty 5-4 decision against Pemberton’s Anthony Gallegos (112) and Clemens (135) pinned Pemberton’s Frank Summers at 2:13 of the match.
In recent weeks the Scotties (8-13) haven’t been as consistent as they were in the beginning of the season. However, Coach Sprague believes that’s because many of these kids, most of whom are underclassmen, are wrestling more matches than ever before.
"This is a long season for them. I don’t think they’re used to the length of the season," said Coach Sprague, who nonetheless, still expects excellence out of all of his grapplers.
He wants them to all be mentally tough and rebound quickly from losses.
The Scotties have the talent to be winners for a long time coming.
Bordentown was scheduled to have hosted Ewing yesterday (Wednesday). On Saturday, Bordentown is scheduled to host Clayton and Gateway.
