Since losing to both Hillsborough and Raritan in a quad meet before the Christmas break, the Sayreville High School wrestling team has reeled off 12 straight victories.
As a result, the Bombers currently hold the No. 1 seed for the NJSIAA North 2 Group III Tournament.
Seeding will be finalized on Feb. 2. Sayreville had two matches left before the deadline yesterday against Woodbridge and tomorrow at East Brunswick. A win againstWoodbridge would give Sayreville its second consecutive Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) White Division crown.
“A lot can happen depending on what other teams do, but if we win our next two matches, we should get a good seed no matter what,” Sayreville coach John De- Nuto said.
Sayreville, 16-2 on the year, currently has 27.62 power points, but Mendham is right behind at 27.45. Belleville is third with 25.40 power points.
DeNuto’s team is coming off a strong week where it downed powerful Perth Amboy by a 39-15 count and also scored victories against Edison, 43-19, and South Brunswick, 41-15.
“Right now we’re right up there with the top teams in the state,” DeNuto said. “Those losses to Hillsborough and Raritan served as a wake-up call for our team. Our guys thought they were going to win, so they came in overconfident. The good thing is, they learned a lesson from it. They came back, worked twice as hard, and they’re much more focused. Since then they’ve been making a statement with every match.
The Bombers were also bolstered by the return of 171-pounder Mike Knight, who missed the early part of the campaign with a knee injury. Knight is 7-0 since his return, and he represent the GMC at the New Jersey CoachesAll-StarMeet on Saturday at BrickMemorial High School. The gritty senior will move up a division to compete at 189 pounds.
Eleven Sayreville competitors have 10 or more wins, led by Ramon Santiago (145 pounds),who is 17-1.MikeDeLuco (152) and JohnBoulton (135) both have 15 triumphs to their credit. Kyle Anderson (103) and Noel Santiago (119) are both 14-4; Jared Christenson (160) is 13-5, andDanBergfeldt (112), Pat Ronan (125), Bryan Miksiewicz (215) and heavyweightManny Santiago each have 12 wins. In addition, Nick Boulton (130) has won 10 times and sophomore Chris Pearson (140) has nine wins.
“I think we’re the most balanced team in the GMC,” DeNuto said. “We’re strong up and down the lineup and we just don’t give up many bonus points. By any measure, we’re exceeding expectations. The key for us it to stay focused and not look too far ahead. Our guys know firsthand what happens if you’re not prepared.”
Following the East Brunswick match, Sayreville will have a week off to let any nagging injuries heal and prepare for the North 2 Group III. DeNuto vowed that his Bombers will be ready.