Giusti, Suozzo lead O.B. wrestling to solid season
Team finishes with 13-5 dual-meet record, sends six to state tourney
BY WARREN RAPPLEYEA Staff Writer
The Old Bridge High School wrestling team featured three Region 5 champions and sent a total of six competitors to the NJSIAA Tournament.

JEFF GRANIT staff Old Bridge's John Giusti (top) grapples with Fair Lawn's Joe Kover during their 130-pound wrestleback match in the NJSIAA wrestling tournament at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Giusti finished the season with 36 wins, 22 coming by way of pinfall.

Though the Knights did not fare well in Atlantic City, they nonetheless put together an outstanding campaign. Old Bridge was 13-5 in dual meets and four grapplers surpassed 30 victors, led by John Giusti's 37 wins.

"Our guys worked hard throughout the year and we were really at our best in the District 20 and Region 5 competitions," coach Bryan Garnett said. "The best thing is we're still a very young team and a lot of these guys will be back next year."

Giusti, Chris Suozzo (171) and sophomore Conor Hayes (103) won their weight classes at both the district and regional events. Giusti ended up with a 37-3 mark to go with 13 falls, while Suozzo went 36- 4 with 22 falls to his credit. Giusti and Suozzo also won their weight divisions at the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament. Hayes, meanwhile, posted a 26-7 record and had seven falls.

David Zafrani (215) and junior Trevor Haughney were 30-match winners, too. Zafrani went 35-9 with 14 falls, taking third place in the GMC, District and Region along the way. Haughney (160) was 31-10 and won the District 20 crown.

Justin Kitchen (145) and sophomore Nick Orak (189) put up 26 wins apiece, with Kitchen taking second in the district and third in the region. Joey Dunn (140) won 19 matches and Andrew Schaeffer (119) posted 16 victories for the Knights.

Several younger grapplers also made their marks, including freshman Phil Sandford (125), who went 17-18 with 14 falls and sophomores Jamie Bond (135) 15 wins; Steven Zafrani (152), seven triumphs; and David Fitzgerald (112), six wins, all gained valuable experience.

Garnett also broke a handful of other wrestlers into the lineup from time to time to give them a taste of varsity competition. They include juniors Larry McDonald (130), Nick McIntosh (135), Chris Giordano and Robert Weiss (140); sophomore Sean Breen and Sebastian Bea (130), Andrew Tye (HW) and Yeswanth Parcha (112), along with freshmen Vin Rossi (171), Steve Vander Valk (135) and Frank Butta (103).

"We were able to get a lot of guys in this year," Garnett said. "That will definitely help us in the future. Still our team had a very good year. Six of our wrestlers made it toAtlantic City and we did well in the regions and districts."