Wrestling: Pomrinca’s bid for state ends in semis
ATLANTIC CITY – Countless times North Hunterdon senior Ryan Pomrinca had won bouts like the one he was locked into with Holy Spirit’s Patrick D’Arcy in Saturday night’s 126-pound state final.
Pomrinca was in the second tiebreaker with D’Arcy and would surely get free to tie the bout and force an ultimate tiebreaker where he would advance into his first final. That
But D’Arcy was able to ride Pomrinca out for 30 seconds for a 2-1 win, leaving Pomrinca to a Sunday morning’s wrestleback against Randolph senior AJ Vindici. Prominca was third last season at 126 and seventh as a 113-pound freshman.
Pomrinca was bidding to become the Lions' 13th state champion and first since Ricky Frondorf won back-to-back titles at 152 pounds in 2002 and '03.
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North Hunterdon coach Tim Flynn said there wasn’t anything the Lehigh University-bound Pomrinca had done wrong, but simply couldn’t break free. That Pomrinca’s game plan was sound, that he was confident against a wrestler he had no history with.
Pomrinca (38-1) came to AC as Hunterdon and Warren counties all-time winningest wrestler with a 151-12 record. He had just become North’s 70th region champ and the Lions’ first repeat Region 5 title. Pomrinca became North Hunterdon's 70th Region V champ and first repeat winner since 285-pounder Jack Delia won in 2010-11.
“Pomrinca is a great wrestler, and a battler, and hat’s off to him,’’ said D’Arcy, beaten by Bergen Catholic’s Nick Suriano in last year’s state 113-pound final.
Manville gets place
Manville junior 113-pounder Brian Kuhlman became the Mustangs first state place winner since 1977 by beating Haddon Township’s Chris Wolf 5-1. The last Manville placers were 141-pound state champ Bob Specian and 158-pounder Jim Barnowski, who was fourth.
“Last year helped me, but more than anything it really motivated me,’’ said Kuhlman, who went 1-2 at 106. “I lost in the round of 16 last year and I don’t want to do what I did last year. I want to improve every year and losing there (this year) wouldn’t have improved anything.
“That’s my ultimate goal (to win), I wanted to obviously, but more than anything I wanted to place and that would make me happy,’’ said Kuhlman, 36-5.
Kuhlman was beaten by St. Peter Prep junior Alec Kelly in his fourth wrestle back bout Saturday and will wrestle New Milford sophomore John Burger for seventh Sunday morning.
Voorhees’ junior 120-pounder Kyle DiNapoli will also wrestle for seventh, facing Emerson-Park Ridge junior Sam Schneider. Kuhlman went 1-2 at last year’s tournament at 113. DiNapoli beat Hanover Park’s Lou Raimo 5-2 to clinch a place.
“Last year I came in not really knowing what to expect, I just knew it was the big show and I got a little nervous under bright lights, but I think the experience last year and all the big national tournaments I went to in the off season helped prepare me for this one, when I came in this year it was familiar territory,’’ said DiNapoli. “Kids get caught out here.’’
Bridgewater-Raritan junior 170-pounder Kyle Murphy will meet sophomore Dom Maniero of St. Joseph of Montvale for seventh place. Maniero has wrestled all the way back from a 6-4 preliminary round bout loss to Kyle Wojaszek of Brick Township.
Bound Brook best
Bound Brook sophomore 138-pounder Mehki Lewis, seventh last year at 132, will meet Paramus’ junior Alex Sebahie in the wrestleback semifinal this morning. Lewis beat Sehabie for seventh last season. Lewis and the Crusaders’ 106-pound freshman Joe Casey are part of Bound Brook’s best-ever state tournament. Casey will wrestle junior Jonathan Tropea of St. Joseph-Montvale. Tropea came into the tournament as the upper bracket top seed.
Bound Brook will have five state tournament place winners – Lewis and Casey and state finalists Stephan (145) and Sean Glasgow
Staff writer Harry Frezza: hfrezza@mycentraljersey.com