CRANFORD, NJ — Denied an opportunity last year due to the pandemic to attempt to join Brearley (2006-2011) and Roselle Park (1997-2003) as the only wrestling teams to win the county championship seven straight seasons, Cranford is still hoping to win the county title for the seventh consecutive time.
While COVID-19 pinned down last year’s Union County Tournament, after Cranford won the title six straight seasons from 2015-2020, the annual wrestling extravaganza is back.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 15, at the Thomas Dunn Sports Center in Elizabeth, wrestling’s 46th annual Union County Tournament has been moved to Sunday, Jan. 23, at Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark. Both gymnasiums at Johnson will be used, with competition scheduled to commence at 9 a.m.
The seeding meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20, at Union.
“We’re really looking forward to it,” said Cranford wrestling head coach Pat Gorman, who has guided Cranford to the past six titles.
In place of not having the UCT on Saturday, Jan. 15, Cranford went to West Essex and wrestled West Essex and Don Bosco Prep, falling to both. Westfield also lost to both.
“It wasn’t a good day for Union County wrestling,” Gorman said.
Cranford began the week at 9-4 and Westfield at 8-2. They are the favorites for the UCT on Sunday, Jan. 23.
In the 2020 UCT at Union, Cranford won with 244 points, while Westfield, guided by wrestling head coach Glen Kurz, was second with 233.5.
“We made some mistakes over the weekend, so we’re looking for a reset and to make up for them,” Gorman said.
Cranford was scheduled to wrestle at Union on Wednesday, Jan. 19, and, on Friday, Jan. 21, has a home match scheduled against Linden.
Cranford and Westfield also began the week undefeated against Union County schools. Cranford’s other losses were to Audubon and Raritan at the Woodstown Duals on Thursday, Dec. 30.
Cranford’s next big match will be at Westfield on Friday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m.; however, first the Cougars are scheduled to wrestle at Scotch Plains on Tuesday, Jan. 25, and then host Plainfield on Wednesday, Jan. 26.
Cranford began the week with two undefeated wrestlers, seniors Colin Murray at 165 and Kevin Shriner at heavyweight. Shane Kanterman, a junior, has just one loss at 190.
Another Cranford wrestler with just one loss is freshman Jordan Chapman at 157. His potential is unlimited, according to Gorman.
“His only loss came on a slam,” Gorman said. “The county final could come down to him vs. (Michael) Murphy of Westfield at 157.”
Murphy is a junior and began the week undefeated.
Two other freshmen include Jake Zarzecki at 106 and Dylan Jones at 144. Jones’ father, Gary, wrestled at Cranford in the 1980s.
“We’re kind of young, with just three seniors,” Gorman said.
Cranford’s other senior is Ronan Waters at 120.
UCT format for Sunday at Arthur L. Johnson High School
First- and second-place winners will have four matches, while all other place winners could have five to six matches.
A loss in the pre-preliminary round, pigtail, will eliminate a contestant from further competition.
Lose in the quarters and you can wrestle back to third place.
All matches in the consolations, wrestlebacks, will be two minutes, two minutes, two minutes.
Team scoring will continue throughout the wrestlebacks.
Team scoring will continue to fourth place.
Wrestling will continue to fifth and sixth place.
“Even if a team has a lineup of just two or three wrestlers, we felt it was still important to have a county tournament,” said Gorman after county coaches convened via Zoom. “I was glad that we were able to figure it out.”
Kanterman and Shriner placed second as sophomores two years ago, Kanterman the finalist at 160 and Shriner at heavyweight.
“Getting it in is important for the kids, especially those that may not place in any other tournaments,” Gorman said.
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