Kellen Bradley has been eager for his opportunity. He waits no more.
Regarded as one of the top young assistants in the area, Bradley officially was named the new head wrestling coach at North Warren during Monday night's Board of Education meeting.
"I'm excited to take over at North Warren," said Bradley, a mathematics teacher at the Blairstown-based school. "When I took the assistant job, I viewed this as a diamond in the rough -- with great potential."
Bradley, a former Kittatinny standout, joined North Warren's staff this past season as the heir apparent to Scott Stoll, a former wrestler and graduate of Vernon Township High School. North Warren went 34-44 overall, including a 13-6 campaign this past season under Stoll, a former assistant coach who took over the program when Matt Parzero stepped down following the 2013-14 season.
"It felt good [going 13-6], it was a good season," Bradley said. "But I looked at it like we had one guy [senior heavyweight Joey Sprague] qualify for the Region 1 Tournament. That's not where I want us to be."
Bradley has wrestled for and coached with some of the top coaches in New Jersey. He previously served on John Gardner's staff at High Point -- on and off since the 2010-11 season. While wrestling for John Gill at Kittatinny, Bradley won district titles in 2003 and '04, and a Region 1 title at 103 pounds as a sophomore in '03. He was a region runner-up and a seventh-place finisher in the state tournament at 130 pounds as a senior in '05, finishing with a career mark of 93-18 despite seeing no varsity action as a freshman.
During Bradley's four seasons, the Cougars won four North 1, Group 2 sectional and Group 2 state championships, as well as four District 3 and Sussex County Interscholastic League titles. Those teams also were ranked No. 2 in the final New Jersey Coaches Association Polls in 2003 and '04, and third in '05. Bradley went on to wrestle for Scott Goodale and graduate from Rutgers University.
"Between the three of those guys [Gill, Gardner and Goodale], I will take pieces and things from each," said Bradley, who includes former SIR wrestling club owner Shawn Hall among his biggest influences. "Gill's teams are always competitive top to bottom, and he can turn guys into competitive wrestlers at the varsity level. Gardner taught me to be more relaxed than maybe I am some times, and if you hold high expectations, the kids will live up to them. They expect to win at High Point.
"Goodale is a good motivator and a great practice room guy. Shawn gave me my start. He taught me a lot."
Bradley is among several wrestlers under Gill to join the high school coaching ranks. Eric Bollette (Newton), Brian Bollette (Morris Hills), Tyler Branham (Hanover Park) and Dave Hughen (Boonton) are also head coaches, while Will Livingston (Pope John), Bryant Wanamaker and Dave Sylvester (Morris Hills) and Jerry McMickle (Parsippany) are assistants. In addition, Jared Roe, Mike Gummerson and Sean Lombardi all currently serve on Gill's staff.
Bradley has yet to put together his staff, but Eugene Fluri is expected to return in some capacity. Fluri has been a longtime assistant and also serves as North Warren's head football coach. Former wrestling coach and High Point great Chris Jones also is in the building. Jones, who guided the Patriots to their only sectional championships in 2006 and '07 (North 1, Group 1), is a special services teacher.
As for the schedule, Bradley said it's nearly complete. North Warren will open the season against Warren Hills on Friday, Dec. 14, while the Patriots will see Newton, North Hunterdon, Sparta and Voorhees along the way in dual meets. The tournament schedule includes annual dates in the Linn Crawn Memorial Classic at Kittatinny on Thursday, Dec. 27 and Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex on Saturday, Jan. 12.
"We've ramped it up. My philosophy is to not shy away from tough competition," he said.
With 11 starters returning next season, Bradley feels the program is in good shape moving forward.
"We had a young team [in 2017-18] with a lot of potential," he said. "They are starting to buy in and realize they need to put in a lot more time during the offseason. With the right mentality, I think they can get it done."
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Field hockey: Voorhees picks Hughes as head coach
Voorhees has a new head coach after a four-month-long search.
Shannon Hughes, a former star player at South Plainfield and Rider University, was approved as the program's eighth head coach during a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.
Vikings athletic director Brian Baumann confirmed the hiring via text message on Wednesday.
Hughes succeeds Taylor Webb, a star player at Voorhees and the Hunterdon County school's head coach the previous seven seasons. At South Plainfield, Hughes played for her mother, Cheryl, who succeeded longtime coach Fran Flannery. Shannon's sister, Caity, shattered every South Plainfield scoring record before graduating in 2017.
Shannon Hughes enjoyed a stellar playing career -- scoring 28 goals with 23 assists her senior season in leading South Plainfield to a 20-4 record and its second straight appearance in the North 2, Group 2 sectional final. Upon graduation in 2014, Hughes shared the Middlesex County school's all-time point record with Meghan Schweers before Caity Hughes broke it her junior season in '15. Another sister, Meghan, also played for the Tigers.
At Rider, Shannon Hughes, a forward, led the team in assists this past season with seven and finished with career totals of 11 goals and 13 assists in 77 games (36 starts). The Broncs finished 8-11 in 2017 and lost in the opening round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament.
Webb, 33, a former midfielder and considered one of the school's greatest players, guided her teams to an overall mark of 112-31-4, including a 14-6 campaign in 2017. The Vikes captured four Skyland Conference division titles as well as a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament title (2012) and a sectional championship (2016).
Baumann, who has been on the job for two years, admitted during a December interview that finding Webb's successor wouldn't be an easy task.
"You're not going to replace her knowledge and love for the game ... it's a huge loss," he said.
Voorhees, which has had just three losing seasons in its 43-year history and none since 2004, has long been one of the state's most successful and storied programs. Webb played under former coach Ann Bonavita, who built the program into a powerhouse during her 11 seasons from 1992-2002.
Bonavita's final season as head coach -- she also served as Webb's assistant for a few seasons -- culminated with a North 2, Group 2 sectional title before dropping a tough 2-1 decision in overtime to eventual Group 2 champion West Essex in the state semifinals. Webb, who still owns the Vikes' all-time assists record (58), went on to play at the University of Iowa before transferring back home to finish her career at Rider.
Webb became Voorhees' seventh head coach in 2011, succeeding Beth Stocker, who continued the program's winning tradition in her eight seasons from 2003-10. Under Stocker, the Vikes went 130-29-9 and captured the North 2, Group 3 title in 2006, falling 1-0 to Moorestown in the Group 3 title game -- the Hunterdon County school's second and last appearance in a state final.
Voorhees went nine seasons after that postseason loss without winning a sectional title until a 1-0 win in overtime against Hackettstown secured the North 2, Group 2 championship in what would be Webb's second-to-last season.
Shannon Hughes, a former star player at South Plainfield and Rider University, was approved as the program's eighth head coach during a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.
Vikings athletic director Brian Baumann confirmed the hiring via text message on Wednesday.
Hughes succeeds Taylor Webb, a star player at Voorhees and the Hunterdon County school's head coach the previous seven seasons. At South Plainfield, Hughes played for her mother, Cheryl, who succeeded longtime coach Fran Flannery. Shannon's sister, Caity, shattered every South Plainfield scoring record before graduating in 2017.
Shannon Hughes enjoyed a stellar playing career -- scoring 28 goals with 23 assists her senior season in leading South Plainfield to a 20-4 record and its second straight appearance in the North 2, Group 2 sectional final. Upon graduation in 2014, Hughes shared the Middlesex County school's all-time point record with Meghan Schweers before Caity Hughes broke it her junior season in '15. Another sister, Meghan, also played for the Tigers.
At Rider, Shannon Hughes, a forward, led the team in assists this past season with seven and finished with career totals of 11 goals and 13 assists in 77 games (36 starts). The Broncs finished 8-11 in 2017 and lost in the opening round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament.
Webb, 33, a former midfielder and considered one of the school's greatest players, guided her teams to an overall mark of 112-31-4, including a 14-6 campaign in 2017. The Vikes captured four Skyland Conference division titles as well as a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament title (2012) and a sectional championship (2016).
Baumann, who has been on the job for two years, admitted during a December interview that finding Webb's successor wouldn't be an easy task.
Voorhees, which has had just three losing seasons in its 43-year history and none since 2004, has long been one of the state's most successful and storied programs. Webb played under former coach Ann Bonavita, who built the program into a powerhouse during her 11 seasons from 1992-2002.
Bonavita's final season as head coach -- she also served as Webb's assistant for a few seasons -- culminated with a North 2, Group 2 sectional title before dropping a tough 2-1 decision in overtime to eventual Group 2 champion West Essex in the state semifinals. Webb, who still owns the Vikes' all-time assists record (58), went on to play at the University of Iowa before transferring back home to finish her career at Rider.
Webb became Voorhees' seventh head coach in 2011, succeeding Beth Stocker, who continued the program's winning tradition in her eight seasons from 2003-10. Under Stocker, the Vikes went 130-29-9 and captured the North 2, Group 3 title in 2006, falling 1-0 to Moorestown in the Group 3 title game -- the Hunterdon County school's second and last appearance in a state final.
Voorhees went nine seasons after that postseason loss without winning a sectional title until a 1-0 win in overtime against Hackettstown secured the North 2, Group 2 championship in what would be Webb's second-to-last season.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Wrestling: Sbriscia tabbed as Warren Hills coach
Warren Hills' search for a new head wrestling coach is over.
Dave Sbriscia, a former wrestler for the Warren County school and an assistant on former Blue Streaks coach Jarrett Hosbach's staff, accepted the position on April 17, pending approval by the Board of Education. His hiring was not on Tuesday's agenda, and the next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, May 8.
Former PIAA state qualifier Josh Nordmark, a Stroudsburg High School alum who also is employed in the district a science teacher at Warren Hills Middle School, was also a finalist for the job. He and Sbriscia had final interviews on Monday.
"I'm very excited. Dave was very prepared and has a plan in place," Warren Hills athletic director Geri McKelvey said on Tuesday.
Longtime area coach Rick Thompson, along with former Delaware Valley and Voorhees assistant coach Steve Barkman, former Paramus coach and Wilson Area High School star Steve Klass and former Camden Catholic coach John Denuto also had recently interviewed for the job, which opened when Hosbach resigned after 13 seasons following the 85th State Championships in Atlantic City earlier this month. It was immediately speculated that Sbriscia would be a candidate to become the 81-year-old program's eighth head coach.
The advertisement seeking fall and winter coaches was posted on the school's web site on Feb. 28. McKelvey, who originally had no timetable to fill the head wrestling position, recently said she felt it was necessary to expedite the hiring process with scheduling and offseason commitments hanging in the balance.
Sbriscia, a 2006 graduate and a three-year wrestler for Warren Hills, going 78-22 overall, won two district titles and was a two-time region placewinner -- winning a Hunterdon-Warren Tournament championship at 215 pounds in his senior season. He is a Health and Physical Education teacher at the middle school.
Nordmark, who has been running his own club -- Ring of Fire in Monroe County, Pa. -- since 2006, wrestled for longtime coach Ron Spinner at Stroudsburg before graduating in 1996. Nordmark, the only candidate with no prior high school coaching experience, qualified for the state tournament in Hershey, Pa., his junior season, going 29-8 and finishing third in the Northeast Region at 130 pounds in '95. He went on to wrestle and graduate from Bloomsburg University.
Klass and Thompson were the only candidates with previous head coaching experience.
Klass, a PIAA Class AA state runner-up at Wilson as a senior in 1993 under legendary coach Dave Crowell, did a fine job in his nine seasons at Paramus. Klass, who amassed 119 career wins for the Warriors, guided his teams to six sectional final appearances and the North 1, Group 3 title in 2015. The Spartans were the Group 3 runners-up in '15, after defeating Sparta, 29-24, in the sectional final. Klass, who resides in Easton, Pa., and is still employed at Paramus as a biology teacher, is currently on Crowell's staff at Nazareth.
Thompson, 62, who stepped down after nine seasons as the head coach at Bangor Area High School in Pennsylvania following the 2016-17 campaign, also has made stops at Mountain High School (Orange, N.J.), Hackettstown, Franklin and Voorhees in addition to his three successful stints at Phillipsburg, where his teams went 268-59-1 overall and captured 15 sectional and seven state championships -- the most under any Stateliner coach.
Overall, Thompson, a Slippery Rock University graduate, is 471-231-4 -- going 124-81 in his most recent stint at Bangor. An accomplished wrestler, Thompson won two state titles (1971 and '73) and placed third ('70), while winning four district and three region championships for the Stateliners.
Hosbach's teams at Warren Hills finished 165-135 overall, including a 7-13 campaign this season. The Streaks advanced to the North 2, Group 3 sectional semifinals, dropping a 48-25 decision to champion Voorhees.
Dave Sbriscia, a former wrestler for the Warren County school and an assistant on former Blue Streaks coach Jarrett Hosbach's staff, accepted the position on April 17, pending approval by the Board of Education. His hiring was not on Tuesday's agenda, and the next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, May 8.
Former PIAA state qualifier Josh Nordmark, a Stroudsburg High School alum who also is employed in the district a science teacher at Warren Hills Middle School, was also a finalist for the job. He and Sbriscia had final interviews on Monday.
"I'm very excited. Dave was very prepared and has a plan in place," Warren Hills athletic director Geri McKelvey said on Tuesday.
Longtime area coach Rick Thompson, along with former Delaware Valley and Voorhees assistant coach Steve Barkman, former Paramus coach and Wilson Area High School star Steve Klass and former Camden Catholic coach John Denuto also had recently interviewed for the job, which opened when Hosbach resigned after 13 seasons following the 85th State Championships in Atlantic City earlier this month. It was immediately speculated that Sbriscia would be a candidate to become the 81-year-old program's eighth head coach.
The advertisement seeking fall and winter coaches was posted on the school's web site on Feb. 28. McKelvey, who originally had no timetable to fill the head wrestling position, recently said she felt it was necessary to expedite the hiring process with scheduling and offseason commitments hanging in the balance.
Sbriscia, a 2006 graduate and a three-year wrestler for Warren Hills, going 78-22 overall, won two district titles and was a two-time region placewinner -- winning a Hunterdon-Warren Tournament championship at 215 pounds in his senior season. He is a Health and Physical Education teacher at the middle school.
Nordmark, who has been running his own club -- Ring of Fire in Monroe County, Pa. -- since 2006, wrestled for longtime coach Ron Spinner at Stroudsburg before graduating in 1996. Nordmark, the only candidate with no prior high school coaching experience, qualified for the state tournament in Hershey, Pa., his junior season, going 29-8 and finishing third in the Northeast Region at 130 pounds in '95. He went on to wrestle and graduate from Bloomsburg University.
Klass and Thompson were the only candidates with previous head coaching experience.
Klass, a PIAA Class AA state runner-up at Wilson as a senior in 1993 under legendary coach Dave Crowell, did a fine job in his nine seasons at Paramus. Klass, who amassed 119 career wins for the Warriors, guided his teams to six sectional final appearances and the North 1, Group 3 title in 2015. The Spartans were the Group 3 runners-up in '15, after defeating Sparta, 29-24, in the sectional final. Klass, who resides in Easton, Pa., and is still employed at Paramus as a biology teacher, is currently on Crowell's staff at Nazareth.
Thompson, 62, who stepped down after nine seasons as the head coach at Bangor Area High School in Pennsylvania following the 2016-17 campaign, also has made stops at Mountain High School (Orange, N.J.), Hackettstown, Franklin and Voorhees in addition to his three successful stints at Phillipsburg, where his teams went 268-59-1 overall and captured 15 sectional and seven state championships -- the most under any Stateliner coach.
Overall, Thompson, a Slippery Rock University graduate, is 471-231-4 -- going 124-81 in his most recent stint at Bangor. An accomplished wrestler, Thompson won two state titles (1971 and '73) and placed third ('70), while winning four district and three region championships for the Stateliners.
Hosbach's teams at Warren Hills finished 165-135 overall, including a 7-13 campaign this season. The Streaks advanced to the North 2, Group 3 sectional semifinals, dropping a 48-25 decision to champion Voorhees.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Wrestling: WH set to interview coaching candidates
Warren Hills appears to be close to hiring its next head wrestling coach.
Open Mike has learned Dave Sbriscia, a former wrestler for the Warren County school and an assistant on former Blue Streaks coach Jarrett Hosbach's staff, is among six candidates slated for interviews to be conducted on Thursday and Friday.
The others, according to multiple sources, are: longtime area coach Rick Thompson, along with former Delaware Valley and Voorhees assistant coach Steve Barkman, former PIAA state qualifier Josh Nordmark, a Stroudsburg High School alum and a science teacher at Warren Hills Middle School, as well as former Paramus coach and Wilson Area High School star Steve Klass.
The sixth member of this group, who has New Jersey ties, has yet to be identified.
"We will have a better grasp [of who the best candidate is] by the end of the week," said athletic director Geri McKelvey, who would neither confirm or deny whether any of the names above were on the scheduled interview list. The next Board of Education Meeting will be held on Tuesday, with another slated for Tuesday, April 24.
"By the end of April, we will have all of our [fall and winter] head coaches. Then they can pick their assistants."
Hosbach, who guided the Warren Hills program for the past 13 seasons, officially submitted his letter of resignation following the 85th State Championships in Atlantic City earlier this month. It was immediately speculated that Sbriscia would be a candidate to become the 81-year-old program's eighth head coach.
The advertisement seeking fall and winter coaches was posted on the school's web site on Feb. 28. McKelvey, who originally had no timetable to fill the head wrestling position, said on Tuesday that she felt it was necessary to expedite the hiring process in recent days with scheduling and offseason commitments hanging in the balance. Another factor limiting the candidate pool is the unknown with regards to potential teaching positions becoming open for the next school year, but McKelvey feels they will be scarce with the current budget.
"I don't want to hurt kids' opportunities," McKelvey said. "I don't want to make those decisions without the coach's input. Right now, there is no coach as a contact for the out of season [events]."
McKelvey outlined her criteria for hiring the next coach earlier this month.
"I'm looking for someone who will take control of the program, someone with managerial know-how, and will look out for the best interests of our kids," she said. "There are a lot of things, not just the knowledge of the sport."
The second-year AD also formed a committee to help with selecting the next coach.
"We have a lot of people with head coach-mentality on the panel," she said. "Whoever we hire has to have that mentality, and they'll know whether [that candidate] can handle it."
Sbriscia, a 2006 graduate and a three-year wrestler for Warren Hills, going 78-22 overall, won two district titles and was a two-time region placewinner -- winning a Hunterdon-Warren Tournament championship at 215 pounds in his senior season.
Thompson, 62, who stepped down after nine seasons as the head coach at Bangor Area High School in Pennsylvania following the 2016-17 campaign, also has made stops at Mountain High School (Orange, N.J.), Hackettstown, Franklin and Voorhees in addition to his three successful stints at Phillipsburg, where his teams went 268-59-1 overall and captured 15 sectional and seven state championships -- the most under any Stateliner coach.
Overall, Thompson, a Slippery Rock University graduate, is 471-231-4 -- going 124-81 in his most recent stint at Bangor. An accomplished wrestler, Thompson won two state titles (1971 and '73) and placed third ('70), while winning four district and three region championships for the Stateliners.
Barkman, who is involved with the Hunterdon Hills Wrestling Club, served on Dave Gaunt's staff at Del Val for two seasons in the mid-1990s. Barkman, a district champion at Hunterdon Central and an NCAA Division I qualifier at Indiana State, won a gold medal at 63 kilograms in Greco-Roman at the 2015 Veterans World Championships in Greece -- just the seventh U.S. wrestler to do so at the time.
Klass, a PIAA Class AA state runner-up at Wilson under legendary coach Dave Crowell, did a fine job in his nine seasons at Paramus where he led his teams to six sectional final appearances and the North 1, Group 3 title in 2015. The Spartans finished as the Group 3 runner-up in '15, and defeated Sparta, 29-24, in the sectional final. Klass, who still teaches at Paramus, is currently on Crowell's staff at Nazareth.
Hosbach's teams at Warren Hills finished 165-135 overall, including a 7-13 campaign this season. The Streaks advanced to the North 2, Group 3 sectional semifinals, dropping a 48-25 decision to champion Voorhees.
Open Mike has learned Dave Sbriscia, a former wrestler for the Warren County school and an assistant on former Blue Streaks coach Jarrett Hosbach's staff, is among six candidates slated for interviews to be conducted on Thursday and Friday.
The others, according to multiple sources, are: longtime area coach Rick Thompson, along with former Delaware Valley and Voorhees assistant coach Steve Barkman, former PIAA state qualifier Josh Nordmark, a Stroudsburg High School alum and a science teacher at Warren Hills Middle School, as well as former Paramus coach and Wilson Area High School star Steve Klass.
The sixth member of this group, who has New Jersey ties, has yet to be identified.
"We will have a better grasp [of who the best candidate is] by the end of the week," said athletic director Geri McKelvey, who would neither confirm or deny whether any of the names above were on the scheduled interview list. The next Board of Education Meeting will be held on Tuesday, with another slated for Tuesday, April 24.
"By the end of April, we will have all of our [fall and winter] head coaches. Then they can pick their assistants."
Hosbach, who guided the Warren Hills program for the past 13 seasons, officially submitted his letter of resignation following the 85th State Championships in Atlantic City earlier this month. It was immediately speculated that Sbriscia would be a candidate to become the 81-year-old program's eighth head coach.
The advertisement seeking fall and winter coaches was posted on the school's web site on Feb. 28. McKelvey, who originally had no timetable to fill the head wrestling position, said on Tuesday that she felt it was necessary to expedite the hiring process in recent days with scheduling and offseason commitments hanging in the balance. Another factor limiting the candidate pool is the unknown with regards to potential teaching positions becoming open for the next school year, but McKelvey feels they will be scarce with the current budget.
"I don't want to hurt kids' opportunities," McKelvey said. "I don't want to make those decisions without the coach's input. Right now, there is no coach as a contact for the out of season [events]."
McKelvey outlined her criteria for hiring the next coach earlier this month.
The second-year AD also formed a committee to help with selecting the next coach.
"We have a lot of people with head coach-mentality on the panel," she said. "Whoever we hire has to have that mentality, and they'll know whether [that candidate] can handle it."
Sbriscia, a 2006 graduate and a three-year wrestler for Warren Hills, going 78-22 overall, won two district titles and was a two-time region placewinner -- winning a Hunterdon-Warren Tournament championship at 215 pounds in his senior season.
Thompson, 62, who stepped down after nine seasons as the head coach at Bangor Area High School in Pennsylvania following the 2016-17 campaign, also has made stops at Mountain High School (Orange, N.J.), Hackettstown, Franklin and Voorhees in addition to his three successful stints at Phillipsburg, where his teams went 268-59-1 overall and captured 15 sectional and seven state championships -- the most under any Stateliner coach.
Overall, Thompson, a Slippery Rock University graduate, is 471-231-4 -- going 124-81 in his most recent stint at Bangor. An accomplished wrestler, Thompson won two state titles (1971 and '73) and placed third ('70), while winning four district and three region championships for the Stateliners.
Barkman, who is involved with the Hunterdon Hills Wrestling Club, served on Dave Gaunt's staff at Del Val for two seasons in the mid-1990s. Barkman, a district champion at Hunterdon Central and an NCAA Division I qualifier at Indiana State, won a gold medal at 63 kilograms in Greco-Roman at the 2015 Veterans World Championships in Greece -- just the seventh U.S. wrestler to do so at the time.
Klass, a PIAA Class AA state runner-up at Wilson under legendary coach Dave Crowell, did a fine job in his nine seasons at Paramus where he led his teams to six sectional final appearances and the North 1, Group 3 title in 2015. The Spartans finished as the Group 3 runner-up in '15, and defeated Sparta, 29-24, in the sectional final. Klass, who still teaches at Paramus, is currently on Crowell's staff at Nazareth.
Hosbach's teams at Warren Hills finished 165-135 overall, including a 7-13 campaign this season. The Streaks advanced to the North 2, Group 3 sectional semifinals, dropping a 48-25 decision to champion Voorhees.
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Wrestling: Ostir OW as Jersey wins Lions Classic
Warren Hills senior Jarod Ostir was among six area wrestlers who were victorious in helping New Jersey end its skid with a 32-17 victory over Pennsylvania in the 38th annual Easton Lions Club All-Star Wrestling Classic on Tuesday night at Easton Area High School's 25th Street Gymnasium.
It was the first win for the Garden State -- the match pits seniors from New Jersey against their counterparts from Pennsylvania's rugged District 11 -- since 2012.
Pennsylvania, which had won the previous five events, still owns a 22-16 lead in the all-time series dating to 1981.
Ostir, a district champion and region runner-up who is tied for 13th on the Blue Streaks' all-time wins list with 91, rolled to an 11-1 major decision over Parkland's Adam Lizak, who finished fourth in the PIAA Class AAA Northeast Region.
Scott Fernandes of Voorhees (195) and Hunter Graf of Hunterdon Central (132), along with state placewinners Andrew Gapas of North Hunterdon (138), Alex Carida of Hackettstown (145) and Brian Meyer of Phillipsburg (152) also won for the New Jersey squad.
Carida's 2-0 decision over Freedom's Ben Huber, clinched it for New Jersey. Meyer, a state runner-up, capped the four-bout run for Jersey, which won six of the last seven to close out the match, with a 6-3 win over Bangor's Eddie Hay.
NEW JERSEY 32, PENNSYLVANIA 17
160 -- Caleb Clymer (43-1, 144-23, D1, R1, S1), PA-Northwestern, tf. William Hughes (26-7, 54-34, D1, R3), North Hunterdon, 15-0, 3:12.
170 -- Cade Wilson (36-5, 102-30, D1, R1, S3), PA-Nazareth, d. Lance Wissing (41-6, 49-26, D1, R3), Phillipsburg, 7-2.
182 -- Jarod Ostir (28-4, 91-37, D1, R2), NJ-Warren Hills, md. Adam Lizak (31-14, 49-29, D4, R4), Parkland, 11-1.
195 -- Scott Fernandes (37-6, 115-39, D1, R2), NJ-Voorhees, d. Haakon Matthewson (20-5, 47-16, D5, R5), Bangor, 3-0.
220 -- Sam Wustefeld (48-3, 116-15, D1, R1, S2), NJ-Scotch Plains-Fanwood, p. Jacob Frank (26-9, 44-21), Easton, 1:57.
285 -- Jonathan Pineda (32-7, 69-18, D1, R2), PA-Easton, d. Joe Andes (40-3, 86-33, D1, R1), Hackettstown, 3-1.
113 -- Michael Caso (34-13, 86-35, D2, R3), NJ-West Morris, d. Jon Consorti (23-8, 112-29, D1, R2), Wilson, 5-4.
120 -- Matt Armamento (43-5, 101-21, D1, R1), NJ-Roselle Park, d. Logan Ninos (24-18, 89-61, D4, R4), Northampton, 7-6.
126 -- Nick Dolak (23-9, 90-34, D4, R2), PA-Parkland, p. Codey O'Rourke (26-10, 57-39, D2, R4), Warren Hills, 1:45.
132 -- Hunter Graf (38-6, 143-29, D1, R2), NJ-Hunterdon Central, d. Ryan McGuire (32-6, 131-38, D1, R2, S5), Notre Dame-Green Pond, 3-2.
138 -- Andrew Gapas (37-5, 109-26, D1, R3, S6), NJ-North Hunterdon, md. Jason Jones (37-6, 150-48, D1, R2, S7), Saucon Valley, 8-0.
145 -- Alex Carida (46-2, 142-28, D1, R1, S3), NJ-Hackettstown, d. Ben Huber (23-6, 97-30, D4, R5), Freedom, 2-0.
152 -- Brian Meyer (39-3, 131-35, D1, R1, S2), NJ-Phillipsburg, d. Eddie Hay (29-6, 118-32, D3, R4), Bangor, 6-3.
Outstanding Wrestler Award -- Jarod Ostir, Warren Hills.
It was the first win for the Garden State -- the match pits seniors from New Jersey against their counterparts from Pennsylvania's rugged District 11 -- since 2012.
 |
| Jarod Ostir after winning the District 12 title this season. |
Ostir, a district champion and region runner-up who is tied for 13th on the Blue Streaks' all-time wins list with 91, rolled to an 11-1 major decision over Parkland's Adam Lizak, who finished fourth in the PIAA Class AAA Northeast Region.
Scott Fernandes of Voorhees (195) and Hunter Graf of Hunterdon Central (132), along with state placewinners Andrew Gapas of North Hunterdon (138), Alex Carida of Hackettstown (145) and Brian Meyer of Phillipsburg (152) also won for the New Jersey squad.
Carida's 2-0 decision over Freedom's Ben Huber, clinched it for New Jersey. Meyer, a state runner-up, capped the four-bout run for Jersey, which won six of the last seven to close out the match, with a 6-3 win over Bangor's Eddie Hay.
NEW JERSEY 32, PENNSYLVANIA 17
160 -- Caleb Clymer (43-1, 144-23, D1, R1, S1), PA-Northwestern, tf. William Hughes (26-7, 54-34, D1, R3), North Hunterdon, 15-0, 3:12.
170 -- Cade Wilson (36-5, 102-30, D1, R1, S3), PA-Nazareth, d. Lance Wissing (41-6, 49-26, D1, R3), Phillipsburg, 7-2.
182 -- Jarod Ostir (28-4, 91-37, D1, R2), NJ-Warren Hills, md. Adam Lizak (31-14, 49-29, D4, R4), Parkland, 11-1.
195 -- Scott Fernandes (37-6, 115-39, D1, R2), NJ-Voorhees, d. Haakon Matthewson (20-5, 47-16, D5, R5), Bangor, 3-0.
220 -- Sam Wustefeld (48-3, 116-15, D1, R1, S2), NJ-Scotch Plains-Fanwood, p. Jacob Frank (26-9, 44-21), Easton, 1:57.
285 -- Jonathan Pineda (32-7, 69-18, D1, R2), PA-Easton, d. Joe Andes (40-3, 86-33, D1, R1), Hackettstown, 3-1.
113 -- Michael Caso (34-13, 86-35, D2, R3), NJ-West Morris, d. Jon Consorti (23-8, 112-29, D1, R2), Wilson, 5-4.
120 -- Matt Armamento (43-5, 101-21, D1, R1), NJ-Roselle Park, d. Logan Ninos (24-18, 89-61, D4, R4), Northampton, 7-6.
126 -- Nick Dolak (23-9, 90-34, D4, R2), PA-Parkland, p. Codey O'Rourke (26-10, 57-39, D2, R4), Warren Hills, 1:45.
132 -- Hunter Graf (38-6, 143-29, D1, R2), NJ-Hunterdon Central, d. Ryan McGuire (32-6, 131-38, D1, R2, S5), Notre Dame-Green Pond, 3-2.
138 -- Andrew Gapas (37-5, 109-26, D1, R3, S6), NJ-North Hunterdon, md. Jason Jones (37-6, 150-48, D1, R2, S7), Saucon Valley, 8-0.
145 -- Alex Carida (46-2, 142-28, D1, R1, S3), NJ-Hackettstown, d. Ben Huber (23-6, 97-30, D4, R5), Freedom, 2-0.
152 -- Brian Meyer (39-3, 131-35, D1, R1, S2), NJ-Phillipsburg, d. Eddie Hay (29-6, 118-32, D3, R4), Bangor, 6-3.
Outstanding Wrestler Award -- Jarod Ostir, Warren Hills.
Monday, March 12, 2018
Wrestling: Thompson, Sbriscia apply for WH job
It didn't take long for some names to surface as Warren Hills seeks its next head wrestling coach.
Open Mike has learned that former Phillipsburg coach Rick Thompson and Dave Sbriscia, a former wrestler for the Warren County school and an assistant on former Blue Streaks coach Jarrett Hosbach's staff, have inquired about the vacant position.
Hosbach, who guided the Warren Hills program for the past 13 seasons, officially submitted his letter of resignation last Monday morning. It was speculated that Sbriscia would be a candidate to become the 81-year-old program's eighth head coach, but Thompson, one of the most decorated coaches in New Jersey history, is certainly an intriguing name in the process.
The advertisement seeking fall and winter coaches was posted on the school's web site on Feb. 28. Although the deadline to apply was this past Friday -- a span of nine days -- athletic director Geri McKelvey said she was giving it 15 days since Hosbach had just submitted his letter. She also said there is no immediate rush to hire a new coach.
"To be fair, we wanted to give [candidates] an ample amount of time," said McKelvey, who figured she had received four or five inquiries about the wrestling job as of this morning. "But it's not on my radar right now as I'm focused on getting our spring sports up and running."
McKelvey also realizes the unknown of potential teaching openings for 2018-19 may also be limiting the number of potential candidates, though she is still accepting applications. As someone who has been employed at the school for 24 years, McKelvey is well aware of its rich wrestling tradition -- formed under legendary coach John Goles -- and how important that next hire will be to the community.
"We're not going to fill [the coaching position] for the sake of filling it," McKelvey said. "I'm not opposed to giving it a little extra time. We don't create jobs to hire coaches. It's education first, then athletics. We will go through the process and I will create a panel [to help with finding a coach]."
What qualities is McKelvey seeking in that next coach?
"I'm looking for someone who will take control of the program, someone with managerial know-how, and will look out for the best interests of our kids," she said. "There are a lot of things, not just the knowledge of the sport."
Sbriscia, a 2006 graduate and a three-year wrestler for Warren Hills, going 78-22 overall, won two district titles and was a two-time region placewinner -- winning a Hunterdon-Warren Tournament championship at 215 pounds in his senior season.
Thompson, considered one of the sport's premiere motivators, stepped down after nine seasons as the head coach at Bangor Area High School in Pennsylvania following the 2016-17 campaign. But he's ready to get back in the saddle.
"I made a mistake [retiring from coaching]," Thompson recently told Open Mike. "I'm not looking to step on anyone's toes [at Warren Hills]. All I can do is offer my services."
Thompson, 62, also has made stops at Mountain High School (Orange, N.J.), Hackettstown, Franklin and Voorhees in addition to his three successful stints at Phillipsburg, where his teams went 268-59-1 overall and captured 15 sectional and seven state championships -- the most under any Stateliner coach.
Overall, Thompson, a Slippery Rock University graduate, is 471-231-4 -- going 124-81 in his most recent stint at Bangor. An accomplished wrestler, Thompson won two state titles (1971 and '73) and placed third ('70), while winning four district and three region championships for the Stateliners.
His first tour as Phillipsburg's head coach was from 1980-88, leading the school to seven team state finals in eight seasons at the helm and its first championship in '83. His second tour was from 1991-95, where he won two more titles in Group 3. The third tenure was for three seasons from 2003-06, guiding the 'Liners to a Group 3 championship in 2004.
Hosbach's teams at Warren Hills finished 165-135 overall, including a 7-13 campaign this season. The Streaks advanced to the North 2, Group 3 sectional semifinals, dropping a 48-25 decision to champion Voorhees.
During his tenure, Hosbach guided Warren Hills to its fifth sectional title in 2007, while coaching 29 district, nine region and 17 county champions, along with three state placewinners -- Dave Richmond (third in 2006), Jon Slack (third in 2010) and Andrew Pacheco (sixth in 2014).
Warren Hills, which had a lot of success on the youth level this season, is expected to return nine starters on the high school team in 2018-19, including state qualifier Nick Galka (220) as well as Region 3 qualifiers Greg Slivka (113), Chris Ostir (145), Nick Hildebrant (160) and Duro Ajayi (285).
Open Mike has learned that former Phillipsburg coach Rick Thompson and Dave Sbriscia, a former wrestler for the Warren County school and an assistant on former Blue Streaks coach Jarrett Hosbach's staff, have inquired about the vacant position.
Hosbach, who guided the Warren Hills program for the past 13 seasons, officially submitted his letter of resignation last Monday morning. It was speculated that Sbriscia would be a candidate to become the 81-year-old program's eighth head coach, but Thompson, one of the most decorated coaches in New Jersey history, is certainly an intriguing name in the process.
The advertisement seeking fall and winter coaches was posted on the school's web site on Feb. 28. Although the deadline to apply was this past Friday -- a span of nine days -- athletic director Geri McKelvey said she was giving it 15 days since Hosbach had just submitted his letter. She also said there is no immediate rush to hire a new coach.
McKelvey also realizes the unknown of potential teaching openings for 2018-19 may also be limiting the number of potential candidates, though she is still accepting applications. As someone who has been employed at the school for 24 years, McKelvey is well aware of its rich wrestling tradition -- formed under legendary coach John Goles -- and how important that next hire will be to the community.
"We're not going to fill [the coaching position] for the sake of filling it," McKelvey said. "I'm not opposed to giving it a little extra time. We don't create jobs to hire coaches. It's education first, then athletics. We will go through the process and I will create a panel [to help with finding a coach]."
What qualities is McKelvey seeking in that next coach?
"I'm looking for someone who will take control of the program, someone with managerial know-how, and will look out for the best interests of our kids," she said. "There are a lot of things, not just the knowledge of the sport."
Sbriscia, a 2006 graduate and a three-year wrestler for Warren Hills, going 78-22 overall, won two district titles and was a two-time region placewinner -- winning a Hunterdon-Warren Tournament championship at 215 pounds in his senior season.
Thompson, considered one of the sport's premiere motivators, stepped down after nine seasons as the head coach at Bangor Area High School in Pennsylvania following the 2016-17 campaign. But he's ready to get back in the saddle.
"I made a mistake [retiring from coaching]," Thompson recently told Open Mike. "I'm not looking to step on anyone's toes [at Warren Hills]. All I can do is offer my services."
Thompson, 62, also has made stops at Mountain High School (Orange, N.J.), Hackettstown, Franklin and Voorhees in addition to his three successful stints at Phillipsburg, where his teams went 268-59-1 overall and captured 15 sectional and seven state championships -- the most under any Stateliner coach.
Overall, Thompson, a Slippery Rock University graduate, is 471-231-4 -- going 124-81 in his most recent stint at Bangor. An accomplished wrestler, Thompson won two state titles (1971 and '73) and placed third ('70), while winning four district and three region championships for the Stateliners.
His first tour as Phillipsburg's head coach was from 1980-88, leading the school to seven team state finals in eight seasons at the helm and its first championship in '83. His second tour was from 1991-95, where he won two more titles in Group 3. The third tenure was for three seasons from 2003-06, guiding the 'Liners to a Group 3 championship in 2004.
Hosbach's teams at Warren Hills finished 165-135 overall, including a 7-13 campaign this season. The Streaks advanced to the North 2, Group 3 sectional semifinals, dropping a 48-25 decision to champion Voorhees.
During his tenure, Hosbach guided Warren Hills to its fifth sectional title in 2007, while coaching 29 district, nine region and 17 county champions, along with three state placewinners -- Dave Richmond (third in 2006), Jon Slack (third in 2010) and Andrew Pacheco (sixth in 2014).
Warren Hills, which had a lot of success on the youth level this season, is expected to return nine starters on the high school team in 2018-19, including state qualifier Nick Galka (220) as well as Region 3 qualifiers Greg Slivka (113), Chris Ostir (145), Nick Hildebrant (160) and Duro Ajayi (285).
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Wrestling: Easton Lions Club Classic matchups, info
The 38th annual Easton Lions Club All-Star Wrestling Classic will be held on Tuesday at Easton Area High School's 25th Street Gymnasium.
The match pits seniors from New Jersey against their counterparts from Pennsylvania's rugged District 11. The high school event, slated for 8 p.m., is preceded by a youth event at 6.
Pennsylvania won last year's event, 26-21. New Jersey, which has lost the last five events, had won three straight and four of the five classics prior to a 32-15 setback in 2013. Pennsylvania leads the overall series, 22-15, dating to 1981.
Bouts will be three periods of 2 minutes, 1 1/2 and 1 1/2 minutes in length.
Tickets, available at the door, are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors (65 and older) and $3 for students.
Tentative high school matchups (New Jersey listed first):
113 -- Michael Caso (34-13, 86-35, D2, R3), West Morris, vs. Jon Consorti (23-8, 112-29, D1, R2), Wilson.
120 -- Matt Armamento (43-5, 101-21, D1, R1), Roselle Park, vs. Logan Ninos (24-18, 89-61, D4, R4), Northampton.
126 -- Codey O'Rourke (26-10, 57-39, D2, R4), Warren Hills, vs. Nick Dolak (23-9, 90-34, D4, R2), Parkland.
132 -- Hunter Graf (38-6, 143-29, D1, R2), Hunterdon Central, vs. Ryan McGuire (32-6, 131-38, D1, R2, S5), Notre Dame-Green Pond.
138 -- Andrew Gapas (37-5, 109-26, D1, R3, S6), North Hunterdon, vs. Jason Jones (37-6, 150-48, D1, R2, S7), Saucon Valley.
145 -- Alex Carida (46-2, 142-28, D1, R1, S3), Hackettstown, vs. Ben Huber (23-6, 97-30, D4, R5), Freedom.
152 -- Brian Meyer (39-3, 131-35, D1, R1, S2), Phillipsburg, vs. Eddie Hay (29-6, 118-32, D3, R4), Bangor.
160 -- William Hughes (26-7, 54-34, D1, R3), North Hunterdon, vs. Caleb Clymer (43-1, 144-23, D1, R1, S1), Northwestern.
170 -- Lance Wissing (41-6, 49-26, D1, R3), Phillipsburg, vs. Cade Wilson (36-5, 102-30, D1, R1, S3), Nazareth.
182 -- Jarod Ostir (28-4, 91-37, D1, R2), Warren Hills, vs. Adam Lizak (31-14, 49-29, D4, R4), Parkland.
195 -- Scott Fernandes (37-6, 115-39, D1, R2), Voorhees, vs. Haakon Matthewson (20-5, 47-16, D5, R5), Bangor.
220 -- Sam Wustefeld (48-3, 116-15, D1, R1, S2), Scotch Plains-Fanwood, vs. Jacob Frank (26-9, 44-21), Easton.
285 -- Joe Andes (40-3, 86-33, D1, R1), Hackettstown, vs. Jonathan Pineda (32-7, 69-18, D1, R2), Easton.
The match pits seniors from New Jersey against their counterparts from Pennsylvania's rugged District 11. The high school event, slated for 8 p.m., is preceded by a youth event at 6.
Pennsylvania won last year's event, 26-21. New Jersey, which has lost the last five events, had won three straight and four of the five classics prior to a 32-15 setback in 2013. Pennsylvania leads the overall series, 22-15, dating to 1981.
Bouts will be three periods of 2 minutes, 1 1/2 and 1 1/2 minutes in length.
Tickets, available at the door, are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors (65 and older) and $3 for students.
Tentative high school matchups (New Jersey listed first):
113 -- Michael Caso (34-13, 86-35, D2, R3), West Morris, vs. Jon Consorti (23-8, 112-29, D1, R2), Wilson.
120 -- Matt Armamento (43-5, 101-21, D1, R1), Roselle Park, vs. Logan Ninos (24-18, 89-61, D4, R4), Northampton.
126 -- Codey O'Rourke (26-10, 57-39, D2, R4), Warren Hills, vs. Nick Dolak (23-9, 90-34, D4, R2), Parkland.
132 -- Hunter Graf (38-6, 143-29, D1, R2), Hunterdon Central, vs. Ryan McGuire (32-6, 131-38, D1, R2, S5), Notre Dame-Green Pond.
138 -- Andrew Gapas (37-5, 109-26, D1, R3, S6), North Hunterdon, vs. Jason Jones (37-6, 150-48, D1, R2, S7), Saucon Valley.
145 -- Alex Carida (46-2, 142-28, D1, R1, S3), Hackettstown, vs. Ben Huber (23-6, 97-30, D4, R5), Freedom.
152 -- Brian Meyer (39-3, 131-35, D1, R1, S2), Phillipsburg, vs. Eddie Hay (29-6, 118-32, D3, R4), Bangor.
160 -- William Hughes (26-7, 54-34, D1, R3), North Hunterdon, vs. Caleb Clymer (43-1, 144-23, D1, R1, S1), Northwestern.
170 -- Lance Wissing (41-6, 49-26, D1, R3), Phillipsburg, vs. Cade Wilson (36-5, 102-30, D1, R1, S3), Nazareth.
182 -- Jarod Ostir (28-4, 91-37, D1, R2), Warren Hills, vs. Adam Lizak (31-14, 49-29, D4, R4), Parkland.
195 -- Scott Fernandes (37-6, 115-39, D1, R2), Voorhees, vs. Haakon Matthewson (20-5, 47-16, D5, R5), Bangor.
220 -- Sam Wustefeld (48-3, 116-15, D1, R1, S2), Scotch Plains-Fanwood, vs. Jacob Frank (26-9, 44-21), Easton.
285 -- Joe Andes (40-3, 86-33, D1, R1), Hackettstown, vs. Jonathan Pineda (32-7, 69-18, D1, R2), Easton.
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