Phillipsburg High School's Matt Santini tackles the best in NJSIAA wrestling tournament's 215-pound weight class

Friday, March 06, 2009

By BRIAN FORTNER

The Express-Times

PHILLIPSBURG | Matt Santini has had a pretty nice run.

The Phillipsburg High School senior has been a member of numerous state championships in his four years as a high school athlete.

Santini was part of the Stateliners football team that won a sectional crown in 2005; this past December, he was a two-way starter when P'burg defeated Rahway in the North 2 Group 3 title game.

Last month, he played a key role in leading the 'Liners to the Group 4 wrestling title.

Starting today, Santini will be going after a championship all his own when the NJSIAA state wrestling tournament begins at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

"It doesn't even compare," said Santini, of the difference between competing for a sectional title in football and wrestling for a state title in Atlantic City. "In football, it's coming together with your teammates -- guys that you've counted on all year and guys that are counting on you. This weekend, it's all you and only you. This is where you can leave your mark in the history books."

The tournament starts at 5 p.m. with preliminaries followed by pre-quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m.

Santini (32-7) is the No. 2 seed in the top half of the 215-pound bracket. He will have his hands full, but the 'Liners ace has been thriving on the pressure of the big match.

Last weekend, Santini opened some eyes by knocking off Randolph's Mike Suk, 7-1, to win the Region 1 title.

"That was a nice win," said Santini, who is making his second trip to states. "(Suk) is a pretty big name around the state. I think I shocked some people with that one."

"He's definitely peaking at the right time." P'burg coach Jason Magditch said. "I don't really think Matt gets the type of recognition he deserves. This weekend will tell the tale."

That tale begins with Santini's possible pre-quarterfinal round opponent, Zach Greenwald of Paulsboro. Greenwald (34-3) owns two wins over Santini this season.

The Red Raiders junior defeated Santini, 5-4, in three overtimes in the consolation final of the Escape the Rock Tournament at Council Rock South on Jan. 10. Greenwald had his hand raised again when the two met at The Pit in early February. He pinned Santini in overtime in P'burg's 48-13 win.

"I'm definitely looking forward to this match," Santini said. "We've had some pretty good battles the past two years. This is the one that counts. We know each other's style really well. The slightest mistake will probably decide the match."

If Santini gets past Greenwald, he should have a clear path to the semifinals and a match with two-time state runner-up Glenn Carson of Southern Regional. Carson is the favorite to win the state title.

Making it to the semifinals won't be easy for Santini, who will be at a distinct size advantage in each bout.

"Realistically, Matt's a true 189-pounder," Magditch said. "He weighs in at about 204 pounds. He made the decision before the season to move up to 215 and let Jared Crouse go at 189. But Matt came into the program as a young kid, wrestling at a heavier weight. He's used to going against the bigger guys."

None of that concerns Santini. He's comfortable right where he's at.

"I don't really worry about all that stuff," Santini said. "Everybody's tough in this tournament. A seeding is just a number, and I can't control the fact that guys are a little bigger than me. They lace up their shoes the same way I do. They step on the scales the same way I do. It's a matter of who wrestles at the higher level at that moment."

Brian Fortner can be reached by e-mail at sports@express-times.com.