Though their team records may state otherwise, individuals on the North and South wrestling squads saw success in the Mercer County Championships on February 2 at Robbinsville High School. North’s Joe Bryde and South’s Etai Yonah each put up impressive showings at the 16-school meet, reaching the finals in their respective weight classes.
Bryde, who wrestles in the 106-pound weight class, was defeated, 18-8, in the finals by Steinert’s Brandon Cray, a number one seed. Bryde, a junior, is 13-5 on the year. North’s Vinny Porreca also had a strong finish, coming in fifth place in the 170-pound weight class.
Yonah won the 113-pound weight class final, defeating Nottingham’s Joshua Magee, 16-9, in the title match. Yonah, now a senior, was a gymnast before he was recruited to the wrestling team as a freshman. He had a breakout junior year, making it all the way to the Mercer County semifinals where he was stopped just short of the championship.
Yonah has been an asset for the 6-12 Pirates all season. He is 18-0, having yet to lose a match. He should have the chance to continue that streak in the district tournament on February 22.
Four other South wrestlers earned medals at the Mercer County tournament. Number two-seeded Nicholas Maher earned a third-place finish in the 106-pound weight class with a 9-1 victory over Hopewell’s Austin Roskos. Maher was defeated by Bryde, 9-3, in the semifinal round.
Ben Schulman finished in fourth place in the 145-pound weight class, and Naseem Carter put up a sixth-place finish in the heavyweight division. Ryan Moshman put up a fight in the semifinals against Hopewell’s Mark Gerstacker, the top seed in the 126-pound weight class, but he fell just short and ended the day in sixth place.
