South Brunswick High School’s Nick Daza, bottom, lost his 106-pound semifinals match at the NJSIAA District 20 Wrestling tournament to East Brunswick High School’s Mark Schleifer on Feb. 22. Daza came back to win his consolation match and finish third at the tournament, which was held at South Brunswick. SCOTT FRIEDMAN Three South Brunswick High School wrestlers will move on to the Region 5 Championships following strong performances in the NJSIAA District 20 tournament.
The Vikings’ Gordon Thompson took second place at 285 pounds, while teammates Nick Daza and Tyler Schwarz finished third at 106 and 160 pounds, respectively, in the district event, which was held in South Brunswick.
Thompson, who stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, is not a typical 285-pound competitor, and his unorthodox style works well. The senior, who is 27-11 on the year, reached the finale, where he ran into Sayreville War Memorial High School’s Anthony Porcaro, who prevailed in a 3-1 decision. The match marked the third time this winter that the two have gone against each other, with Porcaro winning all three matches by close decisions. Thompson and Porcaro met in the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) finals, with the Sayreville grappler squeezing out a win in triple overtime. Thompson will be looking to reverse the score should they meet again in the regional competition, which begins on Feb. 26.
“People tend to underestimate Gordon because he doesn’t really look like a wrestler,” South Brunswick coach Bobby
Januska said. “He’s very agile, and he moves well. Most of his losses this season have been by just one point. He’s a handful to compete against, and he’s getting better and better.”
Januska added that Thompson worked hard to improve his mat skills to earn a starting spot last season. Thompson entered the season with 26 career wins, and he has more than doubled it this winter.
Schwarz (20-12), a junior, took third at 160 pounds after giving champion Jonathan Schleifer of East Brunswick a run for his money in the semifinals. Schwarz started last year, but he struggled due to inexperience. It was a different story this time, and Januska did not hesitate to move Schwarz around the lineup depending on the situation.
Daza is 18-12 on the year. Januska said the talented sophomore does not yet realize how good he can be.
“Sometimes, Nick starts out giving opponents a little too much respect because they have ‘names,’ ” Januska said. “Then by the second period, Nick can see he’s just as good. He has a very bright future.”
Boys basketball
On the basketball court, after winning its first-round game, North Brunswick Township High School’s boys basketball team fell to Colonia High School on Feb. 23 in the GMC quarterfinals, 53-46. The Raiders led 33-27 after three quarters, but the Patriots dominated the final eight minutes, scoring 26 points. Eric Slade led North Brunswick (16-6) with 10 points, and Joe Castellanos picked up nine points.
Coach Ed Breheny’s team had previously downed Bishop George Ahr High School, 57-49, behind a 30-point performance by junior forward L.J. Williams. North Brunswick, which earned the ninth seed, will play at eighth-seed West Windsor- Plainsboro High School South on March 4 in the Central Jersey Group IV tournament.
South Brunswick’s boys, meanwhile, were defeated, 56-43, by Spotswood High School in the first round of the GMC Tournament. Jason Saldiveri scored 12 points, Corey Lumpkin posted 11 and Terrence Wong had 10 in the loss. South Brunswick (7-11) will meet sixth-seed Jackson Memorial High School on March 4 in Central Jersey Group IV action. The Vikings are the 11th seed.
Girls basketball
North Brunswick’s girls fell, 53-14, in the GMC’s opening round to Piscataway Township High School. The Raiders then lost a non-conference game to Robbinsville High School, 52-46, on Feb. 22, despite getting 12 points from Kyra Fox. The Raiders (9-15) were set to close out the season on Feb. 24 against West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North.
South Brunswick’s girls, who hold the 11th seed, will visit sixth-seed Brick Memorial High School on March 4 in the Central Jersey Group IV tournament. The Lady Vikings (10- 8) were eliminated in the opening round of the GMC Tournament, 37-26, by Bishop Ahr. Brianna Davis had nine points and Amber Brown scored eight points in the loss.