Mat Rats are flexing their muscles early on

BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer

Seven wrestlers emerged as champions in their weight classes to lead the Brick Recreation Mat Rats wrestling team in the opening weekend of action at the Toms River Christmas Tournament at Toms River East on Sunday.

Out of 29 Mat Rats wrestlers who competed, 24 finished among the top three as 11 got second-place medals and six finished in third place

They include Intermediate Division heavyweight Brad Hibbard, Bantam division wrestlers Bill Breen (50 pounds), Jack Baker (55) and Jake Scott (70), Junior wrestlers Dan Watson (119) and Anthony Miller (126), and Dean Sherry (75) in the Midget Division.

As for second place, they included in the Intermediate Division Conor Brennan (105), in the Junior Division, Vic Rivera (140), Hayden Hrymack (119), Vincent Favia (105), Mark Bixenman (95) and Nick Melon (68), and in the Midget Division, Drew Scott (95), Justin Kieslor (80), Alec Donovan (75), Brian Matthews (65) and Brian Jachim (60).

Third-place finishers were Intermediate Division heavyweight Jesse Lyons, Charles Leone (126) and Jarad Wagner (100), Junior Division wrestler Brandon Taylor (140) and Midget Division competitors Chris Casselli (75) and Kyle Wojtaszek (70).

"We lost a lot of good guys in the heavier weights, but after seeing the way some of them wrestled, it's put us a little more at ease," said Pete Anderson, one of the Mat Rats coaches. "All in all there are a few things at the start of the season we have to work out, but most of the kids handled it well and showed a lot of drive."

Anderson was thinking of departed heavyweight Bill Miller as well as Kevin Watson at 150, Matt Firneno at 140, unbeaten Dan Brennan at 130 and Kyle Guidice at 122. But many wrestlers looked ready and eager to step in and fill the void. That's important as the Mat Rats II team was moved into the A Division with the Mat Rats I team and many other formidable powers in the Jersey Shore League. Mat Rats II won the B Division last season.

Both teams got off to a great start in the opening double-dual meets of the Jersey Shore League season on Saturday against the Bayshore Youth Athletic Association. Mat Rats I beat BYAA I, 69-17, and BYAA II, 100-6, while Mat Rats II beat BYAA I, 53-39, and BYAA II, 84-15.

The teams also switched head coaches as Anderson now coaches Mat Rats II and Joe Favia coaches Mat Rats I.

Mat Rats I pointed in its victory over BYAA I the efforts of Casselli, who was losing, 6-2, when he rallied back to pin his opponent at 80 pounds. Dave Santos at 114 was locked into a tie score in his match when he got a late reversal for a 5-3 victory. Joe Ghione got two pins at 64 pounds.

"I can see the Mat Rats I team look very strong again this year and should be among the top four in the division," said Favia of the team that finished in third place in the state championships last season after finishing in second place in the Jersey Shore League A Division.

Mat Rats II pointed in its comeback victory over BYAA I a switch of wrestlers in two weight classes as Sherry went up from 72 to 76 pounds and Kyle Wojtaszek moved down to 72 and both got key victories. Mat Rats II trailed, 33-32, when Dan Watson won his bout at 122 and Anthony Miller at 126 pinned his opponent for an insurmountable 41-33 lead.

Heavyweight Anthony Moriarty got two pins as did Hunter Bechtle (85), Melon (68) and Conner Mulligan (64).

The teams travel to Tinton Falls on Saturday for a double-dual meet against the host team and Ocean. On Sunday, Mat Rats wrestlers will compete in the Hazlet Tournament.