By Jeff Appelblatt
Manalapan
Manalapan High School wrestling coach Scott Pressman expected to see his athletes have more success at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall March 4 and 5 in the NJSIAA championships. And yet, at the same time, the coach also knew that the competition would be some of the toughest his student-athletes would ever face.
It was an accomplishment in itself for Alex Baran (132 pounds), Jake Staklinski (170) and Ronny Ghaida (152) just to make it to the prestigious event. The trio played a big role in helping the Braves (27-5) win the District 21 championship, and Atlantic City was all about their individual careers.
Before they knew it, though, Manalapan had no one left on the mats. Baran lost a 5-3 decision to Russell Benson from Raritan High School in the preliminary round. Staklinski lost on a 19-3 technical fall to Shane Reitsma from Howell High School in the preliminary round. And Ghaida pulled out an 11-8 victory over Vineland High School South’s Yusuf Yilmaz in the preliminary round before falling, 11-3, to Dillon Taylor from St. Augustine Preparatory School in the pre-quarterfinals.
Staklinski and Ghaida, both seniors, have been waiting to make college decisions all year. Pressman has been sure throughout that as the wins piled on, the duo, along with seniors Justin Obermeyer and Matt Mustillo, would get noticed by more colleges.
“We’ll start to get a little bit of a better idea of where we’re going to fall with that,” Pressman said before the trip to Atlantic City. “That process is [still at] the start.”
Pressman knows more than anyone that his seniors played a crucial role in helping the Braves have their best season as a team.
Freehold
Freehold High School freshman standout Nico Messina truly had his eyes opened in Atlantic City. He won more than 35 matches in his first year on the mats, but competition was at a whole new level at Boardwalk Hall.
“Once you get to this level, everyone is good,” Freehold coach Matt Shepherd said before going to Atlantic City.
Messina defeated Tyler Pepe from Saint John Vianney High School in the preliminary round of the 106-pound weight class before a 16-1 technical fall to Samuel Eddie Alverez of St. Joseph Regional High School of Montvale in the pre-quarterfinals.