SB wrestling looking for more success on the mats
Vikings have a mixed bag of athletes heading into season
BY RICHARD JEROME Correspondent
The South Brunswick High School wrestling team is looking to improve on last year's 15-11 mark, but that's not the extent of coach Joe Dougherty's ambitions.

Top: South Brunswick's Kevin Wadiak (l) applies pressure on Cinnaminson's Mike Toryk during a Dec. 20 match. Below: SB's Colin Preacher (white headgear) competes in a match against Cinnaminson's Marcus Murden.

"Aside from getting better and better every day," says Dougherty, in his 21st year as Viking boss, "our ultimate goal is the same every year: to win the districts."

The Vikings are 2-1 in dual meets so far, after opening with an elimination tourney last weekend. Standouts for SBHS included 140-pound senior Kevin Wadiak as well as another senior, Cody Shelcusky, who wrestles at 160 to 171 pounds, and 189-pounder Brendan Vercammen, who is coming off a fine 21-8 season.

Overall, South Brunswick has 57 grapplers in its program, about 25 of whom are freshmen.

"We have a mix of experienced and inexperienced wrestlers," says Dougherty. "I wouldn't call it a rebuilding year, because we have pretty much the same proportion as last year's team. It's very similar. It's not as if I'd lost 12 starters."

Running down the rest of the roster, SBHS has sophomore James Pagano at 112, coming off an 18-14 campaign, with junior Frank Capraro (11-22) at 119 and senior Manny Ortiz (10-11) in the 135-pound division. Joining Wadiak (who was 9-18 last year) at 140 is junior Mike McMurray, who was an even 12-12 in 2007-08.

Senior Colin Preacher (4-7) is at 145 along with soph Craig Cleffi (7-7). The 152-pound returnee, senior Edmond Jasabe was 7-13, while Shelcusky was 16- 17. Among the top newcomers are several freshmen, including Fran White, at 103, Luke Rimmer (119), Tyler Jaramillo (125) and 135-pound Drew Seroka. Seniors Jordan Boulware and Trey Rasmussen and sophomore Lucas DelPiano are at 152; junior Jeff Goldhagen grapples in the 171- pound class along with senior Josh Weinstein. Another 12th-grader, Randy Christie, comes on to wrestle 189.

So far, the coach seems relatively pleased with his team's work ethic, although there remains some work to be done.

"A large number of them are working hard, trying to achieve their goals," says Dougherty. "But not everyone is on the same page yet. The upperclassmen have to develop leadership skills. I can tell the kids what they have to do, but to see their peers do it, that makes a large impact."

The Vikings wrestled J.P. Stevens on Dec. 23 and this weekend enter the highly competitiveMustang Classic at Brick Memorial.