Standout senior wrestlers David Brown of Union and Chris Gural of Roselle Park earned medals for their performances at this weekend’s 83rd annual NJSIAA Tournament at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.
Brown, who captured his first Region 3 championship at Union last weekend and was making his second straight NJSIAA Tournament appearance, placed eighth at heavyweight.
Brown won his Friday night pre-quarterfinal bout over Keith Swartley of Cinnaminson 2-1 after losing to the same wrestler in his final states bout a year ago. Brown was then edged by Joe Longobardi of River Dell 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Longobardi is wrestling in the final.
Gural won in the wrestlebacks to earn a shot at third place. There he was defeated to finish fourth in the state at 106.
In Region 3 competition, Gural garnered his 100th career victory.
Brown and Gural were the only two of the 15 wrestlers from Union County schools that earned medals this weekend.
Brown was the first Union wrestler to earn a medal since senior David Bubnowski placed second in the state at 135 back in 1996.
Bubnowski was the second of seven wrestlers to win four Union County Tournament championships, doing so from 1993-1996.
Union’s Larry Guarino was the first, winning titles from 1985-1988.