ATLANTIC CITY - Jan Rosenberg’s first match on Saturday (March 6) morning was "awesome," according to Morris Knolls wrestling coach Larry Rizzo.
And Jan Rosenberg’s second match showed just how "awesome" the talent level is at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, where the NJSIAA’s State Wrestling Tournament is holding its three-day competition Friday through Sunday, March 5-7.
Rosenberg, the Eagles' sophomore 103-pounder who capped a 35-6 record for the season by splitting four matches in Aycee, won his first wrestleback bout Saturday morning by beating Nick Wahba of Somerville, 4-1. In his second wrestleback later in the morning, he was caught in a head lock by John Hennelly of Delsea Regional and pinned at 1:24.
"Jan's first match was just awesome," Rizzo said after the loss to Hennelly. "He went 0-0 with the kid through the first period and then took bottom at the start of the second period.
"Now, we had heard that Wahba was tough on top, a cradle specialist, but we still wanted Jan to be on bottom for the second period. Jan got an escape in the first 30 seconds of the period and then took down Wahba with a beautiful double-leg 30 seconds later.
“He rode him out and survived a late stalling point to win it ... he wrestled a sound match, a very smart match and really looked good in that 4-1 victory."
In the second match, however, Hennelly got Rosenberg tied up and it took Rosenberg "... a good 25 seconds to get out of his grasp and avoid the takedown," Rizzo said.
"As soon as he regained his balance, he came in with his head too low and Wahba went around his head to a front headlock and just powered him over. You make a little mistake like that down here where all the kids are good and it's going to hurt you.
"“He had a tight hold on Jan's head and unfortunately for Jan, this time there was no way for him to recover.”
Rosenberg has two more seasons to do improve upon his efforts of the past two days, efforts that established the Knolls sophomore as one of the top 12 103-pounders in the state.
"He was 2-2 for his first trip here ... advancing this far will certainly help him in seeding if he makes it down here again next year. But knowing his work ethic, I’m sure he’ll be back.”
Notes: With Rosenberg finishing at 35-6 and Adam Ramadan wrapping up at 32-8 and Steve McKowen closing out his season with a 33-6 mark, the "Big Three" - or, as Rizzo calls them, "The Three Amigos" - finshed the 2009-2010 season with a combined record of 100-20.
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Rosenberg splits Friday bouts; Ramadan bows out
ATLANTIC CITY - Morris Knolls High School sophomore Jan Rosenberg took the advice of his coach and was able to block out the crowd Friday (March 5) night when the NJSIAA State Wrestling Tournament opened its three-day run in Boardwalk Hall at Atlantic City.
Rosenberg (35-5) defeated Jared Straub (25-6) of Hamilton West, 6-3, in a preliminary-round match at 103 that Morris Knolls wrestling coach Larry Rizzo called "... the best first-match of any of the previous 14 wrestlers I have taken to Aycee.
"The crowd and all the tournament noises didn't bother Jan at all ... he didn’t hesitate one bit and went right at Straub," Rizzo explained after the match. "He scored a takedown and got back points early and the match was never in jeopardy."
Rosenberg's match in the round-of-16 didn’t go as well, however, and the Eagle sophomore was pinned by Kyle McNulty (27-3) of Toms River North in 2:23.
"“McNulty is a senior who is probably the strongest 103-pounder I’ve ever seen," Rizzo said. "Jan gave up a late takedown in the first period as he pretty much held his own, but McNulty put him in an arm bar early in the second period and it was over.
"Fortunately, he has an opportunity to keep on wrestling in the wrestlebacks."
The wrestlebacks start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 6, and Rosenberg will face Nick Wahba (32-4) of Sommerville, who didn't wrestle in the preliminary-round and then lost a 10-2 decision to Anthony Ashnault (41-0) of South Plainfield in the pre-quarters.
Rosenberg will have to win five bouts over the course of the next two days in order to place third in his weight class.
Rosenberg's teammate Adam Ramadan (32-7), was majored by Matt Sausman (19-1) of Camden Catholic, 10-1, in their bout at 119 after Sausman had built up a 9-1 lead after two periods.
Sausman, who finished third at 103 last year, had moved up two weight classes this season but, according Knolls head coach Larry Rizzo, "... was the same strong and aggressive wrestler he was at 103," and even predicted before hand that, of his two wrestlers, "... Ramadan would have the tougher time.”
Rizzo was right.
"Adam had his hands full ...plus, he was a little hesitant and didn’t move real well,"Rizzo said after the match. "The kid from Camden Catholic is a superior wrestler and Adam did what he could.”
Notes: There are two reports coming out of Boardwalk Hall concerning the problems with the weigh-ins of some of the wrestlers ... one official reported that some of the wrestlers who weighed well before the 3 p.m. weigh-in time were told their weights were not official because it was too early ... another report said it was found that one scale took longer than usual to re-calibrate itself after a wrestler weighed in and, if the next wrestler got on the scale too soon, his reading would be inaccurate ... Wahba, Rosenberg’s Saturday opponent, had been scheduled to wrestle David Bosse (28-2) of Robbinsville in the preliminary round, but Bosse’s first weigh-in was not deemed official ... Bosse had something to eat before his scheduled 5 p.m. match against Wahba and, when told he had to weigh-in a second time, he failed to make weight and was not allowed to compete.
Wrestling starts on Saturday, March 6 - Day Two of the state meet - at 10 a.m. with quarterfinals and the first round of wrestlebacks ... a second round of wrestlebacks will start at noon ... the semifinals and two more rounds of wrestlebacks are scheduled to start at 5 p.m. ... on Sunday, March 7, wrestlebacks for 7th/8th, 5th/6th, and 3rd/4th medals will be held starting at 10 a.m. and the championship bouts will follow at 2 p.m.
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Rosenberg, Ramadan, Rizzo gettin ready to wrestle
DENVILLE - Morris Knolls High School wrestling coach Larry Rizzo has been to the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships enough to offer some sound "off-the-mat" advice to his two state qualifiers.
Jan Rosenberg (103) and Adam Ramadan (119) will see action when the three-day tournament begins in Atlantic City in Boardwalk Hall on Friday, March 5, at 5 p.m., and Rizzo has been talking to them about what to expect ever since they qualified for the states by coming in third in the Region 1 tournament at Wallkill Valley on Monday, March 1.
"I cautioned them that a lot of what goes on down in Aycee has to do with how they react to the crowd," Rizzo said. "I told them that there will be a lot of people in the stands Friday night, but the only people watching them will be the same family, friends and fans who have been watching them all season.
"But nobody really knows how a young wrestler will handle it until their first match gets underway."
The 24 wrestlers in each of the 14 weight classes at the state tournament were split into top and bottom brackets with the eight region champs - four in each bracket - drawing a bye. Four other wrestlers in each bracket were also seeded, leaving four unseeded wrestlers in each bracket.
Neither Rosenberg nor Ramadam were awarded seeded positions in their respective weight classes.
When Rosenberg (33-4) steps out onto the mat Friday evening, he'll be facing Jared Staub of Hamilton West. Staub compiled a 25-5 record this winter and was awarded the No. 7 seed in the bottom bracket.
"Staub is a freshman about whom we know little," Rizzo said. "But we know he's good or else he wouldn't be here."
Ramadan (32-7) meets Matt Sausman of Camden Catholic in his first bout Friday evening. Sausman was 18-1 for the season and drew the No. 3 seed in the bottom bracket.
"Sausman placed third at 103 last year and has moved up two weight classes this season," Rizzo said. "From what we hear, he's still a very physical wrestler."
Rizzo said both of his wrestlers went through a light workout on Tuesday (the day after the Region 1 tournment ended) and will go heavier on Wednesday before going through another light workout on Thursday.
"They're both anxious to get started," Rizzo said. "Actually, all of us here are anxious to get going ... we're all looking forward to the wrestling."
The schedule: Wrestling begins at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 5, with preliminary-round action; the pre-quarters will follow at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, March 6, quarterfinals and the first round of wrestlebacks will start at 10 a.m. with the second round of wrestlebacks scheduled for noon. The semifinals and wrestleback quarterfinals are scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
On Sunday, March 7, the consolation finals for third/fourth, fifth/sixth, and seventh/eighth places will start at 10 a.m. with the state championship bouts to follow at 2 p.m.
