MHS junior returns ready at 145
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
David Bergida is right where he likes to be, seeded seventh for the Region 5 quarterfinals at 145 pounds and off the radar of most prognosticators’ picks to reach the Tournament of Champions.
The Montgomery High School junior was in the same boat last year when he stunned the No. 2 seed at 125 on his way to the region semifinals.
”I feel pretty confident,” Bergida said. “I have a tough match, but I’m going to go out and there and just do what I can do.
”I got seeded seventh last year and I beat the second seed, which was kind of huge for me and I lost in the semis. Taking it that far last year was way past what I expected.”
Bergida was still wrestling upset when he stopped Hunterdon Central’s Tyler Cote, 5-1, in the region preliminary round Tuesday. Bergida had advanced to regions with a third-place finish at the District 18 tournament on Saturday, for which he was top-seeded.
”I had a little anger out there,” Bergida said of his region opener. “I was still kind of mad I lost my semifinal match in districts. I didn’t think I should have been in that position. It happened. I was a little nervous. I knew I had to win that match and I wanted it more.
”Every year, I find a way to mess up and it’s by making silly mistakes. I was kind of ticked off after that semifinal match. I took it out on the third-fourth match. I feel I wrestle better when I’m going out there to prove something. I feel better when I’m the lower seed. I want to be the kid that beats that really good kid.”
Bergida will be joined in the region quarterfinals today by Cougars teammate John Moyle, a 4-1 winner over Monroe’s Wesley Glessman at 152 pounds. The third Cougars to advance beyond districts, Lenny Bird, lost to Lawrence’s Gordon Wolf at 112 pounds Tuesday.
West Windsor-Plainsboro South’s Austin Scharfstein advanced to today’s quarterfinals with a 12-4 win over Jon Black of Bishop Ahr. Princeton High’s Ian Snyder lost, 1-0, to South Brunswick’s Jordan Pagano on Tuesday. District champions earned a bye into today’s quarterfinals. The top three finishers Saturday at regions advance to the TOC in Atlantic City. Last year, Bergida didn’t get out of regions, but he was just a sophomore.
”It gave me a lot of experience coming into this year,” Bergida said. “I wasn’t as nervous when I got into the next round of the region. Whatever I can do, I have another year. Win or lose, as long as I go out there and do the best I can do, I’ll be proud of myself.
”I made it as far as I wanted to come,” he added. “Everything else after this, whatever happens, happens. I reached my goal. Making it to regions was my goal. Making states is a huge reach. I think I can make it, but I have to wrestle my match.”
Bergida already has shown tremendous improvement over last year when he was 17-15 at 125. He’s jumped 20 pounds and sports a 26-8 record after Tuesday’s win.
”I’m doing a lot better than I did last year,” Bergida said. “I had some tough losses that I don’t think I should have lost. I think I should have won a few more matches. It’s kind of good, because losing is only going to make me better.”
Bergida doesn’t want any more losses. He will have his work cut out in the quarterfinals today and the finals or wrestlebacks Saturday.
”I just have to wrestle the entire match,” Bergida said. “I can’t give up in the second period or give up silly mistakes. I have to keep being aggressive and going for points. That one second I stop wrestling and he gets two points is not acceptable.”
Bergida’s increased dedication is paying off this year. Putting more time into it is the single biggest reason he’s been able to make big jumps each year and continue to excel. He went from 103 as a freshman to 125 last year to 145 this season.
”I worked a lot harder,” Bergida said. “Right after counties sophomore year, I realized I wasn’t doing enough. I was working hard enough to stay in the same position I was, not really improving. I realized after sophomore year, I needed to step it up. I went to a lot more camps and my club, where my coach Kyle Brewer really helped. I wrestle with Fury Wrestling Club. And I kept lifting. I wasn’t trying to stay in the same weight.
”I like wrestling more now. Last summer, going into my sophomore year, I was too lazy. Going to practices and stuff, I was overall lazy. Now I enjoy going to practice and I enjoy wrestling overall. I just want to keep progressing.”