Wrestling: South Plainfield puts division win streak on line
One of the more compelling backstories in Greater Middlesex Conference athletics lore occurred the last time the South Plainfield High School wrestling team lost a Red Division dual meet.
The top-ranked Tigers, who will put their streak of 39 consecutive division victories on the line against second-ranked Monroe when the Home News Tribune Top 10 powers battle at the Rutgers Athletics Center on Friday at 4 p.m., have won the last six division championships.
South Plainfield dropped a 31-29 decision to Perth Amboy in February of 2008 as the Panthers became the first league member to defeat the Tigers since 2003.
Jimmy Martinez registered the most dramatic victory of that dual meet, recording a pin in the 135-pound bout with just four seconds remaining to lead Perth Amboy to the stunning upset.
Martinez, who always tucked his shoulder-length hair inside a do-rag before taking the mat, told head coach Mike Giordano before the South Plainfield dual that he forgot to bring the head covering with him.
The referee told Giordano Martinez could not wrestle without a do-rag. Martinez then agreed to let Giordano cut six inches from his locks before the match. While clipping away, Giordano, who already told his charges that wrestling South Plainfield was tantamount to David squaring off against Goliath, relayed another biblical anecdote.
He told Martinez that Samson believed he would lose his great strength if he were ever to cut his hair.
"I told Jimmy what gave Samson his strength wasn't his hair, it was his belief in God," Giordano said. "Then as he's going out on the mat to wrestle, he hands me his do-rag. I was convinced he didn't have it. He said, 'Here, coach.' He had it with him the whole time! I couldn't believe it! This was his way of showing belief in our program and what we are doing here."
South Plainfield rebounded from loss to win its next 39 division duals by an average of 38 points with East Brunswick coming the closest to posting an upset with a 38-24 loss five years ago.
Most of the Tigers victories against division foes during that span could have been significantly greater had head coach Kevin McCann not sat starters due to match limits or opted to give less experienced wrestlers mat time.
Monroe must rely, not on Martinez-like magic, but on talent and a near-flawless performance if it is to defeat the Tigers.
"When you are wrestling South Plainfield, each person has to do their job and you have to chip away," Monroe head coach Billy Jacoutot said. "Each guy has to grind out some things and people need to be smart about giving up bonus points, getting bonus points and winning a couple of close ones. Funny things can happen if people are determined."
Monroe matches up well with South Plainfield, which will be without 160-pounder Jordan Handwerger (9-1), who is sidelined with an injured hand likely until the start of the conference tournament.
Handwerger's absence was felt over the weekend at the Virginia Duals, where the Tigers finished 2-2 in the tournament after losing 35-30 to Arvada West of Colorado, an opponent McCann felt his team could have defeated had it been at full strength.
"Obviously he's a senior and he's battle-tested," McCann said of Handwerger. "We want to have him in the lineup, but we expect our guys behind him to step up and do the job. Whoever we put out there, we expect to win."
South Plainfield will be favored at 106, 113, 126, 152 and 182 pounds. Monroe will be favored at 132 and 195 pounds. Both teams could be favored elsewhere depending upon any lineup moves Jacoutot makes.
Unlike the Tigers, whose lineup is pretty much set, Monroe can make moves at 138 and 145 pounds, where Chris Muce and Donny Albach can flip flop, and at 160 and 170 pounds, where Kevin Creech and Chris Turchio could wrestle at either weight class.
The Falcons must likely win tossup bouts at 120, 220 and 285 to position themselves for an upset. Of course, scoring bonus points and losing small will be critical for both teams, neither of which may break 30 points.
"If we don't win close matches against Monroe they are going to knock us off," said McCann, whose team did not have as much success as he would have liked in close bouts at the Virginia Duals. "We've got to find ways to win the close matches and minimize the damage and score bonus points."
Each team will be looking to score bonus points at specific weight classes. One of the dual's most intriguing matchups may be between Monroe's Sal Profaci, arguably the state's best 132-pounder, and Kyle Bythell (13-2).
"Monroe is an improved program," said McCann, whose Tigers have won 10 of the last 11 Red Division championships. "They are really tough. I think we are going to have to be on our game to beat them."
The dual will be wrestled before Rutgers' showdown with Penn State. McCann said he does not believe the atmosphere will adversely impact either team, even though his squad is more accustomed to competing at college venues.
"Does it benefit us?" McCann asked. "I don't know. Jacoutot does a great job getting his kids ready. The atmosphere is not going to be a factor."
Jacoutot, whose team bumped up to the Red Division after winning the White Division title a year ago, said the Falcons obviously want to win but are more concerned about a good showing, figuring the latter could lead to a victory.
"Let's represent ourselves and represent our abilities," Jacoutot said, "and let the score shake out."
NO. 2 MONROE VS. NO. 1 SOUTH PLAINFIELD PROBABLE MATCHUPS
106: Andy Lombard or Nicholas DePalma (Monroe) vs. Joe Heilmann, 13-3
113: Andy Lombard or Nick Lombard (Monroe) vs. Jake Giordano, 6-9
120: Shawn Gardini (Monroe) vs. Ryan DuHamel, 5-7
126: Joe Zargo (Monroe) vs. Ryan Walsh, 13-2
132: Sal Profaci (Monroe) vs. Kyle Bythell, 13-2
138: Chris Muce or Donny Albach (Monroe) vs. Dan Hedden, 11-4
145: Chris Muce or Donny Albach (Monroe) vs. Frank Ferraro, 13-3
152: Jared Parisen (Monroe) vs. Chris Maszczak, 6-9
60: Kevin Creech or Chris Turchio (Monroe) vs. Tommy Dunn, 4-4 or Ben Lundy, 5-1
170: Kevin Creech or Chris Turchio (Monroe) vs. Nicholas DiFrancesco, 6-9
182: Kaylon Bradley (Monroe) vs. Christian Gonzalez, 9-3
195: Pat Dressel (Monroe) vs. Dion Pender, 4-5
220: Nick Goff or Nick Fromhold (Monroe) vs. Dakota Pauls, 9-4
285: Nick Goff or Nick Fromhold (Monroe) vs. Matt Szeman, 7-7