Monday, March 10, 2008

5 from Somerset and a Somerville correction

Just to append to my earlier post, Somerset County had five place winners -- four from District 18, the other from District 12.

Champions Jimmy Kirchner (125 of Somerville), Brendan Ard (171 of Watchung Hills) and Andrew Campolattano (189 of Bound Brook). Bridgewater-Raritan senior Andrew Hampton was fourth at 160 and Franklin freshman Colin Hewitt was seventh at 135. Those four are out of 18. Ard is out of District 12.

Just a correction. The last two days I've written that Wayne Hicks, the last Somerville wrestler to win a state title before Kirchner's win, won at 106 pounds in 1962. He actually won at 106 in 1961 and at 115 in 1962.

Somebody from Florida, who wrestled Hicks back in the day, checked in to remind me. Thanks, Frankie C!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ard's methodical, patient and very effective style was on full display through all his matches. An opponent who tries to match his style is basically sealing his own fate. It seems if you don't attack or attack less than full bore, you're playing into his hands. He plays the edge of the mat very well, both offensively and defensively. It would be interesting to know what wrestlers he's lost to and what their styles were. Hess, Rinaldi and Seidenberg obviously didn't have the answer.

Kirchner's rise to the title was nothing less than inspirational, and giving him the OW would have been no knock on Winston.