Nazareth Area High School wrestlers make Senior Night truly special

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

Sometimes “Senior Night” isn't much fun for several of the honorees. They are recognized beforehand, often get to give their mother a rose and then they sit on the bench and never get to play. That was not the case at Nazareth on Thursday when the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom for Senior Night.

Thanks to a plan inspired largely by the Blue Eagles’ unbeaten 130-pounder Zach Horan, 12 — all but one — Nazareth seniors wrestled in the 60-10 win over the Patriots (usually there are just seven in the lineup). The 13th, Ben Bradley, was injured or it would have been a clean sweep.

“It wasn’t all my idea,” Horan said. “I was talking with (assistant coach) Adam Colombo and we thought it would be good if we could get all the seniors in; they're there every day and some never get to wrestle in a varsity match. I talked to a few guys who would have to move around to get everyone in and it worked.”

The biggest jump was made by the Blue Eagles’ normal 135-pounder Greg Noll, who went up to 145 to wrestle.

“It turned out under my weight I could weigh in at 138, bump to 145 and still wrestle 135 (this week),” Noll said. “At first, I had my doubts we could do it under the weight plans, but Zach and I worked a way to get everybody in. Once we did the math it worked out perfectly. The other seniors worked just as hard as I do and they deserved to be in the lineup on Senior Night. The juniors and sophomores didn't mind at all; they understood completely.”

The Nazareth seniors had to sell the idea to head coach Dave Crowell, though.
Crowell was concerned that any senior left out would feel slighted, but once everybody was slotted into spots, he gave his approval and couldn't be happier with the way it worked out.

“The whole scheme was totally their idea … and they had to challenge the head coach in order to get it done,” Crowell said. “From the seniors who planned it … to the underclassmen who willingly and cheerfully gave up their spot in the lineup, this will go down as one of the true ‘memorable moments’ of my coaching career.”

Crowell was most impressed by his seniors’ feel for the bigger picture.

“There are few things for me that can compare to witnessing a team that truly cares about something more important than themselves … and much more valuable than winning,” he said.

Horan and Noll wouldn't have had it any other way.

“It was definitely a great thing with all these guys in the lineup who have worked as hard as I did these last four years,” Horan said.

“This was a definite morale boost for the team with the seniors (who aren't usually in the lineup) getting to wrestle one last match,” Noll said. “It was a memorable night with all my friends in the lineup.”

No Terriers vs. Tigers
Last week’s snowstorms claimed a 49-year-old as one of their victims.

“We had to cancel our Hackettstown match,” Delaware Valley coach Andy Fitz said. “That's the first time in 49 years we won't have wrestled them.”

Due to conflicts, the match couldn't be rescheduled at all, which, given the tradition in the match and the highly competitive meet it could well have been between the 14-2 Terriers and 13-2 Tigers, is too bad. Hackettstown coach Frank Rodgers pointed out a perhaps more practical aspect of missing Del Val.

“I'd have loved to wrestle them; that would have been a huge boost for us with power points,” Rodgers said.

Indeed, with the Tigers very close behind No. 2 Jefferson in the North I Group 2 standings, the Del Val match may have been the difference between earning a bye and not. Ouch. Every team in Hunterdon and Warren counties made the sectionals, which start Monday at home sites.

No foreign objects, please
I enjoy fan participation in wrestling matches as much as anybody, but the Phillipsburg fans went too far Monday against Easton when they threw a certain object on the mat. Throwing any object on the mat endangers wrestlers and is a stupid thing to do. But this particular object was offensive by its nature and was thus doubly stupid.

Stateliners supporters are some of the best scholastic wrestling fans in the nation, and their dedication and passion make covering events at The Pit true highlights of any season. Actions such as throwing that object on the mat are beneath the lofty standards P'burg sets for fandom. I hope it is not repeated. That said, the Phillipsburg students’ chants often were original and witty and most welcome.

Phillipsburg senior Matt Lane paid tribute to some graduated ’Liners on the occasion of his 100th career win Monday over Easton's Calvin Daly.

“As a freshman I wasn’t sure how well I would do,” he said. “But older guys on the team like (2010 graduates) John Horak and Oliver Bruckhardt showed me what they knew and made it easier. They were a big help to me.”

Snow job?
Easton coach Steve Powell was answering reporters’ questions after the Red Rovers’ 38-14 win over Northampton on Friday, but when asked about how Easton dealt with the stormy weather last week he seemed to be directing his comments to somebody other than the assembled media.

“It was the first time in 35 years we couldn't get in a building to practice at all,” he said. “And it was all dry by (Thursday) afternoon.”

Asked if Easton would have a full practice Saturday, Powell said, “Yes.” Then a pause. “Unless it rains or something.”

Actually, as Hackettstown's Rodgers noted, storms create a need for more practice. “We have snow days, matches, snow days, matches, there’s no room for practice,” he said. “I need to get the kids in the room for practices, but there's no time.”

Fast on their feet
Powell, while pleased with any win over Phillipsburg, especially a 44-6 one, noted the Red Rovers struggled to finish on their feet.

“We had a lot of takedowns, but we must have had to take 300 shots to get them,” he said. “Normally, we like to have a higher percentage of takedowns to shots made. We’ll spend a while working on that.”

The Pit is It
Mitch Minotti, the Brad Weaver Memorial Award Winner for his performance in the win over the Stateliners, paid tribute to The Pit afterward.

“The great atmosphere in here is why they call it The Pit,” he said. “How many gyms have a nickname?"

Super sophomore
According to Saucon Valley coach Chad Shirk, it's no wonder 103-pound sophomore Bryan Israel is 27-2 and hasn’t lost since December.

“Izzy has an incredible work ethic,” Shirk said. “He is the hardest-working guy in the room. With his work ethic, other guys see that and want to bring themselves to his level.”

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