Local pair wrestle way into school history

Amponsa places 5th in state

By: Sean Moylan
   Kenny Amponsa began the season as just one of the talented senior leaders in Hightstown High’s "Little Dynasty" of varsity wrestlers.
   But he quickly took first at the Holy Cross tournament and turned a few heads. Then, along with his good friend Tim the "Italian Tank" Trivisonno, who won at 130 pounds, he won the 215-pound division of the Mercer County Tournament and became a huge star at Hightstown. He followed that up by winning both the District 25 and the Region VII championship at 215-pounds and suddenly he was the pride of the CVC.
   This past weekend in the state wrestling tournament at Atlantic City, Mercer County placed all of its wrestling hopes on Amponsa, and the great Rams’ grappler came through with a 5th place medal, which was one of the best finishes in the county’s history.
   "Going in the plan was for him to place in the top eight and get a medal," said Highstown head coach Mike Russo. "He wrestled the best he has ever wrestled. He was so ‘on’ the whole weekend long."
   Amponsa’s 7-3 win over David Brearley’s Jesse Boyden in the fifth-place consolation match may have been one of his easiest wins of the tourney.
   "This kid Boyden was tough, but it seemed like just another match to him," said Russo, who noticed that his star 215-pounder went through his usual ritual listening to his iPod and pacing back and forth and to keep his blood flowing. "Every one of his wins was like 2-2 going into the third period."
   Because he was a Region Champ — Hightstown’s first region champ ever — Amponsa was awarded a first-round bye. Then he went on to beat Jackson’s Dan Hopkins 4-2 in Friday’s second round at the A.C. Convention Center.
   "This kid (Hopkins) was the first kid all year who had bigger muscles than Kenny," added Russo.
   Nonetheless, with the score tied at 2-2 in the final period, Amponsa took neutral and quickly took down Hopkins for what would become the winning points.
   In the next round Paulsboro’s Alex Silvestro, who ended up winning the state title, beat Amponsa 8-2.
   "It was a closer match than the final score," said Russo, who felt that Amponsa did some good things in the bout.
   Then Amponsa captured a pivotal 5-3 decision over Roxbury’s Santino Mangiro.
   "That was a huge match because that got you in the place round (and a medal)," Russo said.
   Amponsa took a 2-0 early lead but Mangiro came back to tie it at 2-2 entering the final two minutes.
   "Kenny took bottom and got up to take a 3-2 lead. Then Kenny came through with a takedown to go up 5-2," said Russo, whose star wrestler surrendered a late point because of fatigue. "I love seeing Kenny wrestling on his feet."
   Then came what may have been one of best matches of the entire tournament—- Amponsa’s rematch with Cinnaminson’s Mitch Sparks, the same grappler the Rams’ standout beat 2-1 in three overtimes to win a region title. But this weekend’s match versus Sparks may have been tougher as Amponsa won it 9-7 in overtime. It didn’t start out well, however.
   "Kenny got hit with a 5-point move. Sparks had a takedown and three back points," said Russo.
   Amponsa let up Sparks at the start of the second period and went down 6-0. But Sparks was called for stalling and Amponsa got a late burst of energy to score 2 more points with a takedown just before the second period clock expired.
   Amponsa took bottom and escaped for a point and another Sparks’ stalling call made it 6-5. With 30 seconds left in regulation, Amponsa took his opponent down to grab his first lead (7-6) of the match. But seconds before the end of the period, Sparks had an escape to force an overtime. Tired of all the back and forth brawling, Amponsa ended it quickly in the extra session.
   "Kenny just went right through him with a double-leg takedown," remarked Russo, who was impressed with the move.
   Unfortunately, Amponsa lost a 9-2 decision to Bridgewater Raritan Roy Dragon in his next match. But he did go on to take fifth place.
   Amponsa finished this season with a 42-3 record and 94 career wins (he had a mediocre freshman year). Trivisonno came down to watch his teammate wrestle and several Rams’ fans made the trip too. While Russo is happy for Amponsa he is just as happy for the program as well. Hightstown has had a wrestler at states two years in a row (Dan Indellicati made it last year) and Hightstown kids now know that it is possible to win at states.
   It is possible to be a great Hightstown wrestler. Just ask Kenny Amponsa.