CRANFORD, NJ — In the past quarter of a century, there have been three Union County wrestling dynasties. The third one continues to roll along, escaping the clutches of all who attempt to grab the headlines away from it.
On Sunday, Jan. 23, in Clark — at the two gymnasiums housed at Arthur L. Johnson High School — the Cranford Cougars proved, once again, that they could not be halted, as they captured the 46th annual wrestling Union County Tournament championship, outscoring second-place Governor Livingston High School 244-202. Westfield High School, which was seeking its first title since 1990 and which came in second to Cranford in the previous tournament two years ago, finished third with 200.5 points.
Cranford won the UCT for the seventh straight season, joining Roselle Park and David Brearley high schools as the only three programs that have accomplished this feat in the past 25 years. Roselle Park won every tournament from 1997 to 2003, and David Brearley won every tournament from 2006 to 2012.
Cranford High School won six in a row from 2015 to 2020. There was no tournament last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cougars will attempt to win an eighth straight UCT championship next year, with the event planned to be back at Union High School’s Louis J. Rettino Gymnasium.
All 14 of Cranford’s wrestlers placed among the top six, with seven of them advancing to the finals. Winning championships, all for the first time, were senior Colin Murray at 165, junior Dylan McDonald at 215 and senior Kevin Shriner at heavyweight.
All three were key starters on Cranford’s state championship football team this past fall. Murray and Shriner continue their final wrestling seasons with undefeated records.
“Everyone pitched in,” said Cranford head coach Pat Gorman, who has guided Cranford to all seven crowns. “That’s how we won Sunday, and that’s how we’ve won in the past, with everyone doing their part.”
Shriner finished second at heavyweight as a sophomore two years ago. For the second time in two tournaments, Shane Kanterman finished second. He was second on Sunday, Jan. 23, at 190 as a junior and was second in 2020 at 160 as a freshman. Kanterman was also a menacing player on the gridiron for the North 2, Group 3, state-champ Cougars.
“I’m very proud of all of our wrestlers,” Gorman said. “We’re at a good point in the season to see where we’re at.”
Murray, the top seed, won by forfeit against Anthony Robbins of Scotch Plains in the 165 final. That was the only bout of the 14 finals that was decided by forfeit.
‘It was unfortunate that Colin couldn’t wrestle his match in the finals,” Gorman said.
Cranford’s two big guys, McDonald and Shriner, came through to provide the Cougars with key team points. They were part of Cranford’s famed offensive line that opened up huge holes for Murray and fellow Cougar running backs to run through.
“They both have improved so much and in less than a year, with our season last year being in the spring,” Gorman said. “I also think being part of a state championship football team helped them.”
Gorman and fellow Union County coaches didn’t want to go a second straight season without a tournament.
“For the seniors this year, if they didn’t wrestle varsity as freshmen, this was to be only the second time they could wrestle here, the first time being as sophomores two years ago,” Gorman said.
Heralded Cranford freshman Jordan Chapman, with just one loss on a slam, faced undefeated Westfield junior Michael Murphy, as expected, in the 157 final. A very good match went right down to the wire, with Murphy prevailing 9-7.
Murphy was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler for upper weights, while teammate Luke Jacobs, a senior, was the Outstanding Wrestler for the lower weights. Jacobs, like Murphy, won his first UCT title, at 138.
In 2020, both wrestler finished second: Murphy at 145 and Jacobs at 113.
“Jordan hasn’t really faced a lot of top-quality wrestlers,” Gorman said. “He might face Murphy again this week.”
Cranford is scheduled to wrestle at Westfield on Friday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m.
Cranford began the week at 11-4 and Westfield at 10-5. Neither has lost to a Union County opponent.
Photo Courtesy of Pat Gorman