By: Ken Weingartner
Monroe Township High’s wrestlers responded well to their most disappointing performance of the season. Now, the Falcons hope their misstep doesn’t cost them a chance to compete in the state’s team tournament.
Monroe lost 36-26 last week to J.P. Stevens, but bounced back with wins over Sparta and Plainfield before losing to Perth Amboy. The Falcons are 7-5 and in ninth place in the most recent NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III rankings; Stevens (6-3) is rated No. 8 in North Jersey 2 Group IV.
"That one might haunt us," Falcons co-head coach Allen Rushing said. "We had that one and gave it away. A lot of things went wrong that were in our control. That would have been a nice win over a Group IV school. We’d like to get into the playoffs; that’s a big goal. Hopefully, that loss won’t cost us."
The Falcons have won three of four matches since the Stevens setback, and have won four of six since the calendar turned to 2007. On Wednesday, Monroe posted a 44-15 victory over Colonia.
Getting victories for Monroe were Nick Garibaldi, Chris "Farm Boy" Boehm, Dan Stantalla, Frank Olexson, Sam "Bam Bam" Emburgia, Brian Mackiewicz, David Saley, Wally Seeman and Chris Garibaldi. Olexson and Mackiewicz had pins; Jake "The Snake" Nale won by forfeit. He is 13-0 this season.
Emburgia, Olexson, Nale, Boehm, Saley, Nick Garibaldi, Blaine Miller, Guido Santiago, Mike Spisak, and Justin Mazor all had two wins as the Falcons beat Sparta, 55-15, and Plainfield, 75-6, last Saturday.
"We jumped all over them," Rushing said. "We had a good talk with the kids after the Stevens match about getting a good, hard six-minute effort from everybody. We recommitted a little bit and had a great effort."
Perth Amboy beat the Falcons, 59-12, but Mazor, Boehm, and Nale got victories. Nale won 4-2 over Erik O’Buck, who knocked him out of last year’s regional tournament.
"We battled, but we didn’t match up well with them and they’re a tough team," Rushing said. Perth Amboy is ranked fourth in North Jersey 2 Group IV.
The Falcons started the New Year with a 62-10 win over North Brunswick on Jan. 3. Boehm got a pin at 171 while Spisak, Santalla and Olexson also won by fall. Mackiewicz, Saley, Nick Garibaldi, Tom Stasicky and Nale also notched victories for Monroe, which benefited from three forfeits, as well.
Boehm, who was 8-15 last season, is 12-3 while Emburgia, a freshman, is 13-2. Olexson, a junior getting his first chance to wrestle regularly in the varsity lineup at heavyweight, following in the footsteps of state-placewinner Mike Goff and standout Justin Lupo, is 11-4. Nick Garibaldi is 10-5 while Mackiewicz is 8-5.
"Chris Boehm is really wrestling well," Rushing said. "He starting to shoot more and he’s really strong; he works on a farm all summer and we call him ‘farm boy’ strong. When he finally cuts loose and shoots, he’s tough, and he’s gotten a lot more aggressive lately."
Monroe wrestles Colonia at home today and is in a quad Saturday with Sayreville, East Brunswick and Shore.
