Cougars junior earns fourth straight win vs. Phillipsburg
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Kevin Kolb didn’t focus much on wrestling in the offseason.
”This summer, I didn’t wrestle,” said the Montgomery High School junior. “I was getting more prepared for football. I was lifting. I did one tournament and I got second.”
When the Cougars linebacker suffered a concussion this fall that left football likely out of his future, his focus shifted.
”I don’t want to get another concussion,” Kolb said. “So I’m just focusing on wrestling.”
It’s paying off quickly for Kolb, who is in his second year in the Cougars’ varsity lineup. His promising 24-8 sophomore campaign was cut short by sickness that prevented him from competing at districts, but Kolb has picked up where he left off last season. Kolb was one of three MHS winners as he pinned Devin Grade of Phillipsburg at 170 pounds in the Cougars’ 55-15 loss Wednesday. It was the fourth straight win for Kolb.
”I’m doing OK,” said Kolb, who is 6-2. “I’m just trying to wrestle, not trying to get too fancy or too sloppy.”
Kolb missed the Cougars’ first match of the season against Watchung Hills, but came back to finish fourth in the Howell Invitational. After opening with a 4-0 win over Howell’s Rasheed Hansford, Kolb fell to eventual champion Eli Zafrani of Old Bridge. Kolb came back to earn a technical fall win over Adam Chojnowski of Old Bridge before falling in the third-place match by tiebreaker.
”I didn’t do too badly in the tournament,” Kolb said. “I was seeded second. I lost to the person who won the whole thing.”
Kolb hasn’t lost since then, as he picked up wins in the Cougars’ first win of the season over Bernards, a win by pin in a one-point MHS loss to Somerville and a win by major decision in a team loss to Hunterdon Central before taking on Phillipsburg.
”Last year, my head was sort of spinning being my first year on varsity,” Kolb said. “I kind of calmed down. I’m a lot more relaxed going into matches and I don’t make as many mistakes.”
Kolb gets good practice daily from the likes of MHS coach Kevin Jacoutot, 152-pound standout David Bergida and 145-pounder Tyler Ajamian. Bergida is 6-1 this season and Ajamian is 6-3 to give the Cougars a good heart of the lineup. Their challenges have lifted his level.
”Our coach is right around our weight and I have David and Tyler,” Kolb said. “They’re better than me. It helps me get better. You have to wrestle better people to get better.
”I feel like I’ve learned how to wrestle my type of matches better, like my style of wrestling.”
Kolb has been developing steadily since his freshman year, when he earned a letter though he didn’t have a lot of chances to compete.
”Freshman year, I was behind our captain, John Moyle,” Kolb said. “I wrestled off for 135. I had broken my forearm that football season, so it was tough. I wrestled behind John that whole year. I had a good JV year.”
Kolb moved up to enjoy a promising season at 160 last year. He won 24 matches and was encouraged by the results.
”I was pretty excited,” he said. “I had gone to the Iowa Intensive Training Camp that summer. I hadn’t wrestled since the summer because I played football. I had a good drilling partner with John Moyle, so that really helped.
”I’m wrestling the weight class above last year,” he added. “I think I’m staying at 70. I’m comfortable there. I’m right around 70, so I don’t have to cut too much weight.”
Kolb is adjusting to the wrestlers that he will encounter at his new weight. He will be aiming for gold when the Cougars travel to the Brearley Invitational on Saturday. It’s the next step for Kolb, who has designs for a big season.
”Last year, I actually got sick right before districts and didn’t get a chance to wrestle in them,” Kolb said. “I would have had a good chance of making regions. I’m hoping I have a chance to place in regions this year.”
The Brearley Invitational figures to deliver some arduous competition, but it’s competition that Kolb needs. He took advantage of his tournament appearances last year to get as much experience as possible.
”Last year, I’d always get into wrestlebacks and I’d get a ton of matches,” he said. “I’d get somewhere close to third or fourth place or the round before that.”
Last year was a good year. There’s a few things I could have done better.”
Kolb is trying to build off his first year of varsity experience as he aims for a deeper run this season. He’s hoping to be a leader by example for a Cougars team that has bright spots, but has faced a tough early season schedule.
”We are missing a few spots in our lineup which is making it hard,” Kolb said. “Where we do have people, we’re pretty solid. We’re taking on some tough teams.”
Louis Colonna also won by pin against Phillipsburg as he improved to 5-3. Anthony Cassar and Michael Boyer are each 6-3. Lenny Bird is 5-3. After the Brearley Invitational, the Cougars will host Bridgewater-Raritan on Wednesday with the Somerset County Tournament set for Jan. 14.
”With all the matches, we still get good practices,” Kolb said. “We’re still pretty excited. The season is young.”