2/19/2010 - Wrestling Needs A TOC
We’re No. 1.
That chant was heard throughout the Ritacco Center in Toms River Sunday after a wild day of wrestling at the team state championships.
But the question is which school is No. 1, or better yet, is there a clear-cut No. 1 team in the state? I’m glad I don’t have to answer that (that means you Bob Behre), but I will (as always) throw in my two cents in what will be a raging debate until the coaches poll and the Star-Ledger poll are released.
First off, we wouldn’t be having this conversation if it wasn’t for the outstanding effort South Plainfield turned in when the Tigers stunned High Point 26-24 in the Group 3 final. If High Point would have won, it would have locked up its second No. 1 ranking in the last three years.
And like High Point coach John Gardner said, in his always classy post-match remarks, give all the credit to South Plainfield. The Tigers earned the win and the state title. But did they earn the top ranking in the state?
Ah, yes, the $1 million question. I’m surprised the wrestling forum on nj.com hasn’t blown a fuse already with all the talk about which is the top team in the state. Every school in the debate has a legitimate case and their fans are not too shy about pleading it.
Ok, let’s break down why there is so much confusion as to which school is No. 1. With its loss to South Plainfield, High Point finishes one of its finest seasons ever with a 23-2 mark with only one loss to a New Jersey team, South Plainfield.
With the win, South Plainfield finished its season with a stellar 26-2 mark with one loss to a Jersey team, a fairly lopsided one to Group 4 champion Jackson. So Jackson should be No. 1, right?
Well, to quote, the ever-quotable Bill Rawson, not so fast in this wild and wacky world of New Jersey wrestling. You see, Jackson (19-2) has two losses on its resume, a big one to High Point in December and to Long Branch in the Shore Conference tournament.
So Long Branch must be No. 1, right?
Well, the Green Wave won another Group 2 title Sunday and finished the season 28-3, but as any wrestling fan who hasn’t been under a rock knows, Long Branch lost to High Point in a classic with its other New Jersey loss coming to Blair Academy and there is no shame in that.
If you aren’t thoroughly confused by now, let’s throw another monkey wrench into the equation. How about Group 1 champion Paulsboro? The storied program from South Jersey wrapped up its unprecedented 27th state crown with a convincing 40-18 win over Newton.
The Red Raiders finished the season 24-1 and went undefeated against New Jersey competition. Some may scoff at their schedule, but the Red Raiders have a certain cache in New Jersey wrestling circles due to their three-decade run of dominance.
So you maybe asking which team is No. 1, smart guy?
The answer is, drum roll, please----I have no idea.
How about that for a copout? But I have a solution for the future and it isn’t exactly groundbreaking because wrestling junkies have been talking about it for years. What is it?
A Tournament of Champions.
Just like in basketball, field hockey, tennis and lacrosse, now more than ever we need a TOC in wrestling. The years of certain teams’ dominance are over as a young and talented Timber Creek squad showed when it nearly bumped off South Plainfield in the Group 3 semifinals.
There are just too many good teams right now, and that is great for a sport that is dying in other parts of the country and on the college level partly due to Title 9.
How much of a spectacle would it be if the six group champs (yes, we have to invite the Non-Publics) got together for a two-night event culminating at Rutgers? You would seed the teams 1-though-6 and the top two teams would receive a bye.
The seeding would be based on the power points used when the teams were originally seeded for the sectional tournament. I know that may not sound fair, but it is the fairest way I can come up with.
But I would take head-to-head into consideration over power points. I will get to that later.
But no matter how you seed it, it would be a magnificent event and showcase for New Jersey wrestling, especially if the fans fill up the RAC. I’m sure Rutgers coach Scott Goodale wouldn’t mind hosting the best the state has to offer in his own house.
Ok, so this is how I would seed the six teams if there was a TOC this year. 1. Long Branch, 2. Jackson, 3. South Plainfield, 4. Don Bosco (Non-Public A), 5. Paulsboro, 6. Camden Catholic (Non-Public B).
Although Jackson had more power points than Long Branch, it lost straight up to the Green Wave. The rest of the seeds were based on power points.
So on opening night, I would have No. 3 South Plainfield and No. 6 Camden Catholic duke it out after the No. 4-5 clash between Don Bosco and Paulsboro. These two matches I would hold at Hunterdon Central the Tuesday after the group finals.
Then on Wednesday, I would have the semifinals and finals at Rutgers in what would be a whale of a night of wrestling. I know it would be tight with districts just two days later, but it could be done.
The wrestling season is a sprint anyway due to the state’s deal with Atlantic City for the individual championships, so two more days of wrestling I don’t think would hurt any of the teams.
Hopefully, the wrestling committee will at least think about developing a TOC. I know the wheels of progress can turn pretty slow when it comes to wrestling, but the time for a TOC has come.
PROFILES IN COURAGE….It takes a special type of athlete to become a wrestler. It is physically and mentally grueling and extremely unforgiving. I think that’s why it has such a cult following because some people can’t get past the brutality of the sport.
But for others, they appreciate the athleticism, mental and physical toughness and mind game that wrestling presents. There is truly nothing more fun to watch in high school sports than a terrific wrestling match between two skilled kids.
What impresses me the most is the toughness and I witnessed two of the gutsiest performances I’ve seen a long while this past weekend and I want to share it with you.
First, we go the North 1, Group 1 final between Newton and Kittatinny. Newton was looking to win its second straight section crown but the Braves had their hands full with a very game Kittatinny squad.
At 130 pounds, Clarke Moynihan of Kittatinny was in complete control against a very banged up Steven Churchill of Newton who was making just his second appearance in several weeks due to a shoulder injury.
In fact it looked like Churchill was being held together by all the tape wrapped around his shoulders and torso. He would have made King Tut proud.
So Moynihan was taking care of business but he got careless and slammed Churchill to the mat and was deducted a point as Churchill was sprawled out. Churchill and the Braves could have stopped the match right then and there, picked up six points, and nobody with any sense would have argued.
Newton coach Eric Bollette stood and watched as Churchill was being tended to. I’m sure the injury default scenario went through his head because at that point the Braves were in real trouble.
But somehow, Churchill got his wits about him and Bollette decided to let him continue. I would love to say he came back and won, but not every story has a Hollywood ending.
Moynihan won the bout 6-1 and it took a wild win and pin from Teddy Sibblies a few bouts later to save the day for the Braves and a return trip to Toms River.
But it seemed like the wrestling gods smiled on the Braves as they won the title on the mat, not on a slam call ala Jefferson back in the early 1990s in the Group 2 final against Delaware Valley.
The son of former Morris Knolls wrestling coach Jeff Churchill, Steven showed the heart of a lion and he should be commended for his effort. Way to go, Steven.
Then just 24 hours later, Billy Gould, the feisty and talented 119-pounder from High Point, took the mat for his bout against Dylan Painton of South Plainfield in the Group 3 final.
Gould’s ankle was in a soft cast up to about a week ago after he injured it at the Final Four in Easton, Pa. on Jan. 23. The match was just starting to heat up and Painton went for an ankle pick and twisted Gould’s ankle.
Gould immediately asked for time and the pain on his face told the whole story. Somehow he found the courage to continue and despite wrestling on one leg, he pulled out a 4-2 victory in one of the most courageous efforts I’ve ever seen.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, there would be no Hollywood ending here either as they fell to the Tigers. But that takes nothing away from what Gould did. Amazing.
So if you don’t think it takes that certain something to be a wrestler, than you didn’t see what Churchill and Gould did this weekend.
That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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