EBHS Wrestling Has Talent to Improve From Last Season

While the East Brunswick High School wrestling team may have finished with a record of 7-13 last year, it certainly had its moments.

East Brunswick made out much better in the post-season tournaments. Julian Quintin, who has graduated, was second in both the Greater Middlesex Conference and district tournaments.

Fortunately, a couple of the returnees did even better.S

John Schleifer, just a sophomore, has already made a major impact on the program. He placed first in the GMC, districts and regions. Schleifer finished eighth in the state last season.

Mike O'Kane, a junior, was first in the districts and third in the GMC last season.

Schleifer and O'Kane will handle the spots at 152 and 160 pounds. Whichever way coach Matthew Pazinko happens to use them each match, East Brunswick is likely to have a big advantage.

According to Pazinko, Sean Glasgow, a freshman, is the top newcomer. Glasgow will wrestle at 126 or 132 pounds.

"He went undefeated as an eighth-grader," Pazinko noted of Glasgow. "He's very athletic."

Mike Niccalaro, a junior that placed second in the districts, is also available to handle 126 or 132 pounds. Both should be tremendous options for Pazinko.

Michael Quintin, a sophomore, was third in the districts last season. He will wrestle at 220 pounds.

Either Tyler Schwartz or Eric Frazee, both freshmen, will wrestle at 106 pounds.

Sophomores Mina Girgis and Tyler Gallagous (a fourth place finisher in the districts) are the options at 113 pounds.

Eric Webber, a junior, will handle 120 pounds. Webber placed third in the districts last season.

Patrick Dougherty (junior), Travis Lutzko (junior) and  Zach Keller (senior) are competing at  138 pounds. Dougherty, Lutzko and Zeller join Garrett Kohn (junior) in the mix at 145 pounds.

Sam Kim (sophomore) and James Kalbach (junior) are options at 170 pounds.

Greg Kruger (182 pounds),  Mamound Soliman (a junior at 195 pounds) and Oliver Piuri (a junior heavyweight) are the other members of the team.

This is a relatively young team, but it does have varsity experience.

"The projected line-up only has two weights (106 and 285) that may be filled without varsity experience," Pazinko noted.

In addition to varsity experience, this team also has wrestlers that know what it takes to compete against the best in the state.

"John Shleifer brings state experience," Pazinko said. "Mike O’Kane and Mike Niccolaro narrowly missed states last year."

East Brunswick will open the season on Saturday in the Sayreville Tournaments. This is a team that should improve on last season's 7-13 mark. It's also a team that plans to keep wrestling well in March.

"We hope to challenge for the districts team title this year," Pazinko said.