In the break

Our winter all area team runs Sunday (March 25).

Since the state wrestling tournament was moved up a week, I've been in an unusual spot, having a head start on the rest of the folks on our staff. Simeon Pincus, who has the ice hockey beat, will set a staff record for the latest ending winter beat. Bridgewater-Raritan will play Randolph for the state championship Friday 6 p.m. at Mennan Arena in Morris Township. That would be March 23.

I've reached out to Iowa State 197 pounder Kurt Backes of Branchburg, who was second in the NCAA Division 1 Tournament Saturday night. Backes and Hampton's Robbie Preston of Harvard -- the Crimson's 133-pounder -- both went to Blair Academy, so we didn't get a chance to cover them in high school. I hope to have something more detailed on Kurt's career at Iowa State later in the week. Backes was beaten in sudden death overtime by American University's Joshua Glenn.

Pingry school graduate Zac Shanaman, who now wrestles at Penn, didn't place at 145.

Talked to Middlesex's new head baseball coach Mike O'Donnell Sunday and he told me he figures it may take until a week from Wednesday for most teams to get outside again. The snow, ice, sleet and whatever else that fell Friday is going to take some time to melt. Baseball season in New Jersey is so, so wonderful.

Off to Clinton.