By Ken Weingartner, Sports Writer
This much is certain as the Monroe Township High wrestling team heads into this weekend’s Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, the Falcons are battle tested.
Monroe, coming off wins Monday over Trenton and West Windsor-Plainsboro South, has wrestled 25 dual matches so far this season. Sayreville, the top ranked team in the GMC according to one state poll, coming in at No. 14, has 20 matches under its belt. South Plainfield, ranked No. 20, has 14 matches.
The Falcons, who are 20-5, did the bulk of their work prior to Jan. 19 when they already had 20 matches to their credit.
”We’ve got plenty of matches,” Falcons co-head coach Allen Rushing said. “We’re really peaking at the right time. We’re rested up at the right time. We’re refreshed.”
Monroe will send out a number of contenders tonight and tomorrow in the GMCT at Piscataway. Returning state qualifier Sam “Bam Bam” Emburgia, a sophomore, should be among the top seeds at 119 pounds while senior Jake “The Snake” Nale is back from minor knee surgery at 215.
”Jake’s looking pretty darn healthy,” Rushing said. “I don’t know if he’s 100 percent, but hopefully close enough. He’s a lot better than he was before the surgery.
”Sam’s in a tough weight, but he’s got a shot to get to the finals.”
Brendan Hodel, at 112, and Brett Rutzler, at 160, also could fare well in the tourney.
”Hodel is on fire,” Rushing said. “Hodel has wrestled great the last two or three weeks. He could win 112.
”Rutzler’s got a couple good wins over guys in the county. He should get a good seed.”
David Saley, a returning District 20 champion, will wrestle at either 130 or 135 in the GMCT. Frank Olexson saw heavyweight become a wide open affair thanks to the departure of Edison standout Dan Walker, who recently transferred, and the ineligibility of Perth Amboy’s Joel Perez, who must sit after being disqualified from a dual match last weekend.
”Any one of four kids can win heavyweight, including our guy,” Rushing said.
Cory Widom has had a strong season at 189, as has Chris Garibaldi at 152. Garibaldi’s task will be tough, though, because 152 is probably the toughest weight class in the tourney, featuring returning state place-winner Mike Dessino of Middlesex plus Greg Zannetti of J.P. Stevens and Ryan Smith of South Brunswick. Zannetti and Smith both have 100 career wins.
Rounding out the Falcons’ lineup at the tourney will be Kyle Jensen at 103, Brian Mackiewicz at 125, Mike Billitz at 135, Blaine Miller at 140, Hunter Pipala at 145 and Tom Stasicky at 171.
”We’ve got a chance to place high as a team,” Rushing said. “I’d like to be in the top three or four. We’ve had three days to rest up for the tournament; I think we’ll be ready.”
If not, it won’t be for a lack of matches.
