New Egypt New Egypt High School’s wrestling team is ready and eager to defend its District 25 tournament championship from Feb. 22-23 at Steinert High School, according to first-year head coach Jason Frable. But the team did not look that way at the start of the season.
New Egypt is 14-7 with 12 victories in its last 14 dual meets after a 2-5 start. It is led by Brad Schwarze, who has 100 career victories and who swept his first 27 opponents at 182 pounds, 22 of them by pin.
“He’s just dominating people,” Frable said.
Sean Pryzbylkowski, who hopes to carry 100 career victories advancing from the district into the Region VI tournament, has won 27 of 29 bouts at 138 pounds.
“I’m excited about the progress they’ve made,” Frable said. “It’s certain guys maturing and getting guys in the right weight classes, which is crucial. I do not think we’re the front-runner in the district, but we’re right there.”
After the 2-5 start, New Egypt reeled off eight straight victories, highlighted by a 33-28 victory over Bordentown Regional High School. New Egypt’s Sean Hagen got a reversal with seven seconds left in the final bout at 106 pounds to avert defeat and pull out a 9-8 victory.
There were some good wins along the way, like comfortable ones over Kingsway Regional High School, Pennsauken High School. There was also a tough 40-27 loss to highly-regarded Paulsboro High School.
On the other side are some other winnable losses that Frable regrets, like a loss to Notre Dame High School, where one wrestler being absent from the match forced a big lineup change. Then there was the 10-point loss to Mainland Regional High School, where Frable sat four wrestlers who were at their limit for bouts as mandated by the NJSIAA. A 39-23 loss to formidable Burlington County Scholastic League Patriot Division leader Cinnaminson High School cost the Warriors a shot at the division title
Three other wrestlers surpassed the 20-win mark — Ryan Molokie (120 pounds), Owen Rowley (220 pounds) and George Wolyn (heavyweight), who are all 21-7.
The fact that the team fell short of reaching the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I sectionals in at least the six years Frable spent in the program, the first five as an assistant, has given them more of an incentive to compete well in the district.
“It’s how many go through on Friday (Feb. 22 into the Feb. 23 semifinals). If we get seven through on Friday, we’ll be OK,”
Frable said.
“The progress they showed is substantial,” the coach added.
“They’re hitting it hard in practice this week. And not being in the sectionals, they’re getting a full extra week of preparation for the districts. We try to look at that as a positive in a way. I’ll make it a positive.”
That means an opportunity for not only the leading wrestlers, but for others who have contributed to the team’s success this season, to shine individually and finish among the top three in the district and advance into the region. Those wrestlers include Jay Klije, who is 19-9 at 160 pounds, Ron Archer, who is 17-12 at 132 pounds, and Jarrett Grala, who had some tough losses in a 14-12 season against some particularly tough competition at 126 pounds, said Frable.
A really good weekend for some of those second-tier wrestlers could make the difference in New Egypt winning a second straight district title.