Lake Riviera team takes second in Ocean County

BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer

Conor Brennan comes into the Lake Riviera Gym at 5:30 a.m. on many mornings to lift weights and get in some running.

"I've worked a lot harder to be where I am," said Brennan, who ran his record to 20-0 at 100 pounds as he repeated as the Ocean County middle schools champion in that meet early last week at Lake Riviera and then prevailed in the Tri-County Ocean-Monmouth-Middlesex championships on Thursday.

Brennan was one of three Lake Riviera wrestlers to win a tri-county title. and did it in dramatic fashion with a 3-1 overtime decision. A year ago, Brennan had lost an 8-0 decision to the same opponent, and this time he was going into overtime for the first time. He used a double-leg takedown to win it in overtime. He forced the overtime with an escape point late in regulation.

Brennan admitted he was a little nervous "but I knew I had the energy and confidence."

Other winners included seventh-grader Jesse Lyons at 150 pounds, who pulled out a 4-2 victory in double-overtime, and Anthony Moriarty at 170, who pinned his opponent. Lyons has been wrestling despite dealing with diabetes.

"I thought it was one of the best matches I ever wrestled," said Lyons. "Dealing with diabetes is not easy and not hard either. I just watch myself and what I eat."

Lyons said he has gotten "a lot quicker on the mat" than he was last year. "And I knew a lot more going in," he said. "I've learned a lot from Coach Panuska."

Four others from Lake Riviera reached the Ocean County finals but were stopped short of advancing - Matt Rackliffe at 70 pounds, Dan Wojtaszek at 90, Kyle Emerson at 144 and Brad Hibbard at 158.

Their efforts helped Lake Riviera finish second in the team standings to Goetz of Jackson.

Also, Dave Santos of Veterans Middle School went all the way at 114.

Brennan returns to the mats next Sunday to compete in the Jersey Shore Junior Wrestling Tournament at Long Branch for the Brick Recreation Mat Rats II program.

Many others will compete for the Brick Recreation Mat Rats I program in the team tournament championships on Saturday at Jackson. Both meets start at 9 a.m.

Mat Rats I advanced into the championship round of four when it swept a double-dual meet against Howell I, 66-30, and Howell II, 79-15, on Saturday to finish its regular schedule 13-1. Jackson finished unbeaten in the league.

Mat Rats II also had a shot at making the league's four-team tournament when it beat Howell II, 69-20, and then lost to Howell I, 53-42. Howell I swept the final four weight classes for the victory.

"It was a heartbreaker. We wrestled well but we were flat," said Mat Rats II coach Pete Anderson of the loss. "It was the first time that Mat Rats II went into the A Division because the unbeaten team in the B Division moves up and we won the B last year. It was tough going this season but the guys did well going against so many tough teams. The pressure was a little bit more but the kids handled it well."

Lyons and Mat Moore at 100 pounds pinned both opponents for Mat Rats I, while Hibbard, Vic Rivera at 140 and Shane Panuska, who wrestled at 107, each won both bouts with a pin and a decision. Santos and Wojtaszek also went 2-0 along with John Ghione (52), Dan Rackliffe (56), Ryan Jachim (60), Joe Ghione (64), Brian Matthews (68), Matt Rackliffe (72) and Jordan Loiodice (95).

Brennan was one of five Mat Rats II wrestlers to go 2-0, including a pin.

The others were Emerson, Moriarty, Jared Wagner (100) and Justin Henaehan (140). Bill Godfrey (60), Dean Sherry (72) and Joe Paton (90) each winning a pair of decisions.