In a time of need, the dedicated Phillipsburg wrestling community pulls together to support its team.
Last spring, coach Dave Post and the Stateliners were scrambling to find an opening in a tournament to start the 2013-14 season, with a late starting date in New Jersey preventing the Warren County school from competing for a fifth straight year in the rugged King of the Mountain Tournament, which was held this past weekend in Pennsylvania.
The Garden State opens its season this Friday, but as luck would have it, Post called on an old acquaintance last spring and an invitation to the Reno Tournament of Champions was extended to the 'Liners. P'burg won the tournament title in its last trip west in 2008, when Jason Magditch was the head coach.
"I met [Reno tournament director] Ross Aguiar at the NCAAs in Philadelphia [in 2011] and he wanted us to come back, but I told him we were happy at King of the Mountain," Post said. "For us to go out there, it takes a whole year of fundraising, so we can't go every year."
No money, no problem. Within a relatively short period, the P'burg wrestling club got on board and rounded up enough funds for the team to make a return trip to Nevada -- smashing all previous records set in fundraising events such as the annual, "Night at the Races" and golf outing.
"We made $6,000 more at the golf outing alone," Post said. "It costs us $10,000 just in airline tickets."
So, Phillipsburg now embarks on its season in the two-day Reno Tournament of Champions on Friday and Saturday. The 'Liners will be shorthanded as junior Corey Zinsmeister (138) and Jimmy Schuitema (145), a district and region champion, are sitting out while recovering from last season's shoulder issues, while the squad will travel without a heavyweight. Veteran backups -- junior Donald Agans and senior Garrett Wolfinger -- will compete in their absence. In addition, junior Yann Ondele, who saw varsity action last season, will fill in at 182 for junior Joe Maso, a District 1 runner-up, who is out for personal reasons.
Sophomore Brandon Paetzell (106), who finished fifth in the state as a freshman, junior Max Elling (152) and senior Jake Kocsis (170) are all returning state qualifiers, while senior Broderick Bupivi (160) finished fourth in Region 1 last season.
"We're pretty excited," Post said of the upcoming season. "We have 50 kids in the room and that's a lot. We have a lot of good guys rolling around in the room and the competition is key. It's fun watching state level-caliber kids bang heads. I feel like I'm watching state semifinal bouts in practice."
Also among the 99-team field are Pennsylvania rivals Easton and Emmaus, along with four teams ranked nationally in Intermat's Top 50 -- Maple Mountain, Utah (40), Poway (45) and Vacaville (42) from California, and Centennial, Idaho (48).
For the first time in recent memory, and perhaps ever, Phillipsburg will not wrestle a dual meet, due to the late start and the holidays falling mid-week, until after New Year's -- hosting highly-regarded Parkland (Pa.) at The Pit on Jan. 2. After Reno, the 'Liners will return to action at the Bethlehem Holiday Classic on Dec. 28-29.
"We'll harden the kids up with tournaments," Post said.
Phillipsburg's projected Reno lineup (last year's varsity records):
106 -- So. Brandon Paetzell (37-7)
113 -- So. Tyler Agans (1-0)
120 -- So. D.J. Wissing (1-0)
126 -- Sr. Tylor Petchonka (9-12)
132 -- Jr. Steve Friedman (19-15)
138 -- Jr. Donald Agans (1-5)
145 -- Sr. Garrett Wolfinger (0-0)
152 -- Jr. Max Elling (26-15)
160 -- Sr. Broderick Bupivi (24-14)
170 -- Sr. Jake Kocsis (30-12)
182 -- Jr. Yann Ondele (1-9)
195 -- Jr. Tim Hinkle (15-15)
220 -- Fr. Drew Horun
285 -- No entry
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