By: Ken Weingartner
Experience can be a great teacher, provided it has an attentive student.
Joe Dougherty has gotten the idea his South Brunswick High wrestlers might be beginning to understand this concept.
The Vikings, who lacked aggressiveness during their first three matches and one tournament appearance, opened the new year by defeating East Brunswick, 46-27. The Bears entered the match ranked No. 3 in Middlesex County according to one local poll.
"We hadn’t been aggressive at all," Dougherty said. "The kids were letting the matches come to them rather than dictating the pace. We had kids that could have performed better, we think, but they didn’t attack or engage, so they didn’t have a chance to perform to what we think their potential is.
"Against East Brunswick, they dictated the pace of the match. We won some matches that on paper we shouldn’t have won. We got bonus points in some matches that, again on paper, we weren’t supposed to. You can tell kids things until you’re blue in the face, but until they experience it, that’s the best teacher. We beat a team that we probably shouldn’t have, and we beat them handily at that. I’m exceptionally proud."
The match started at heavyweight, and Matt Clancy got the Vikings rolling by pinning his opponent. Dan White followed with a pin at 103 and Vinnie Biondo won a decision at 112. Garrett Nasdeo scored a major decision at 119 while Kyle Wadiak (135), Brady Shelcusky (171), Derek Shelcusky (189) and Sean Holland (215) also got bonus points by recording pins.
Justin Delpiano (140) also notched a big win, defeating last season’s district runner-up Tim Ackerman by decision.
"We don’t have a young team, but it’s very inexperienced," Dougherty said. "We’re just trying to get some experience, but with our schedule it’s hard. You’re always running into a hammer. It’s hard to get out there and work on what you need to work on when that happens. But I’m hoping they can start seeing some type of benefit from the schedule.
"We’ve just got to keep kids off their backs so that they’re going six minutes to see some type of benefit against this type of competition. That’s the key."
The schedule has been tough, and gets no easier. The Vikings (1-3) have already faced two of the state’s Top 25 teams, and have three more Old Bridge, South Plainfield and Hunterdon Central coming up next.
"The kids are working hard," Dougherty said. "Winning and losing isn’t the thing. Doing what we need to do is what’s important. We want to see the kids engage in neutral, and attack. That’s what South Brunswick wrestling is known for when we’re going well. That’s what we’re trying to emphasize.
"They’re responding well. They want to uphold the traditions established here over the years. I don’t know if [East Brunswick] will be a springboard, but we’re moving in a positive direction."
BACKPOINTS: Brady Shelcusky was South Brunswick’s top finisher at the Mustang Classic tournament, placing third. Delpiano and Nasdeo finished fourth while White was fifth … East Brunswick was coming off a first-place finish in the Raider Invitational, where it had four individual champs … South Plainfield and Old Bridge topped the county rankings entering this week.
