Wrestling: Pomrinca caps great career with a third
ATLANTIC CITY – Having to wrestle Sunday morning at Boardwalk Hall wasn't how North Hunterdon senior 126-pounder Ryan Pomrinca had planned to finish his high school career.
After suffering a 2-1 tiebreaker two semifinal loss Saturday night to Holy Spirit's Patrick D'Arcy in the NJSIAA Tournament, the wrestle back round was where the all-time Hunterdon/Warren winner went.
Pomrina had wanted to become North's 13
th state champ, its first since Ricky Frondorf won back-to-back titles in 2002-03 and the first Lion to advance to the final since 285-pounder Jack Delia in 2011 and 2010.
"He was pretty busted up (after the semifinal loss) as we all were that he wasn't going to be in the finals, he just asked me 'do I wrestle again tonight?' and I said 'no, tomorrow,' and he said 'who do I have?' and I said 'don't know yet,' and he said, 'ok coach, let's go back to the hotel,''' said North Hunterdon coach Tim Flynn.
He beat Randolph's A.J. Vindici 4-1 in a wrestle back semifinal, then finished third for the second time at the NSIAA Tournament had three takedowns in a 7-3 win over DePaul senior Matt Noble. Pomrinca had beaten Noble – who transferred to DePaul after his sophomore year from Bridgewater-Raritan – 3-2 Saturday in a state quarterfinal.
"This time I had a better for feel for him than yesterday, I knew what I had to do,'' said Pomrinica.
The experience of placing third at 126 last year, and seventh at 113 as a freshman assisted Pomrinca in getting back on track.
"It's a certain feeling when you lose like that in the semis, lose a tough one in the quarters, but it turned a switch on in me, I had to take third, there's nothing stop me from doing that I have to always have that kind of mindset,'' said Pomrinca.
Flynn said some wrestlers can't recover quickly enough from a late round loss. But Flynn said Pomrinca stayed by himself Saturday night, got a good night's sleep, woke up and said "let's do it.
"He got himself ready in a hurry,'' said Flynn.
Pomrinca, who'll wrestle at Lehigh, finished the season 40-1 and 155-13 for his career.
"I'm super about being able to make history at North Hunterdon and having my name on the wall, the win record at North, the county records, I hope they stay for a while,'' said Pomrinca. "My coaches have been there with me all the way and there's no way I would have achieved these things I've done and as far as I've gotten without them.''
All seniors are missed, especially one with 155 wins, but there was much more with Pomrinca, Flynn said.
"The way he carried himself the last four years he'll be successful in wrestling in college and whatever he chooses to do,'' said Flynn. "
Lewis finishes third
Bound Brook sophomore 138-pounder Mehki Lewis was third after a seventh at 132 last year. Lewis wouldn't concede satisfaction after bouncing back with six straight wins after Friday night's pre-quarterfinal 2-1 ultimate tiebreaker loss to Mendham junior Eric Friedman. Friedman wound up eighth.
Lewis pinned Paramus' Alex Sebahie and then topped Clifton junior Mohammed Farhan 3-1 Sunday morning in sudden victory in the consolation final to finish the season 43-3. He's 81-11 in two years.
"I feel like I have to come prepared to wrestle so I won't get upset,'' said Lewis. "I look at this as a loss because I wanted to get to the finals.''
Lewis' teammate, freshman 106-pounder Joe Casey, beat Bergen Catholic freshman Carmen Ferrante 3-2 for seventh.
"I knew he saw my slide by coming, so I went for a headlock hard and tried to get around him as quickly as possible,'' said Casey of his winning takedown.
Bridgewater-Raritan junior 170-pounder Kyle Murphy beat sophomore Dominic Maniero of St. Joseph of Montvale 3-1 for seventh place. Manville junior 113-pounder Brian Kuhlman placed eighth, becoming the Mustangs' first state tournament place winner since 1977 when Bob Specian won the 141-pound state title and Jim Barnoski was fourth at 158. Voorhees junior 120-pounder Kyle DiNapoli was also eighth.