Phillipsburg wrestlers capture Tournament of Champions at Reno, Nevada.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Phillipsburg High School beat out 81 other programs Saturday -- including some of the best in the nation -- to capture the Tournament of Champions team title in Reno, Nev.

The Stateliners, who did not crown an individual champion, won with balance as 13 of their 14 wrestlers entered won at least two matches. Phillipsburg dethroned rival and two-time defending Reno champion Easton Area High School.

Matt Lane took third at 125 pounds to lead the five placewinners for coach Jason Magditch's Stateliners. Lane beat second-seeded Nick Pena of Selma (Calif.) in the third-place bout.

Phillipsburg's John Horak finished 7-2 during the two-day event and took fourth place. Oliver Brukardt at 140 pounds, Jared Crouse at 189 and Matt Santini at 215 also placed.

"To win this championship means a lot," said Magditch, the former Easton assistant in his second season at Phillipsburg. "There are a lot of nationally-ranked teams and wrestlers out here with some of the best from California, Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa and so on. Not one of our kids was seeded and overall this was a really good performance.

"I give our kids credit, it's real easy to throw in the towel and take a shower when you're in a gym 12 to 14 hours a day. But every kid battled and did their job."

The Stateliners were competing in the Reno tournament for the second time.

Easton finished with four placewinners.

Mitch Minotti took fifth at 119 pounds, Joey Rizzolino was eighth at 130, defending champion Mark Hartenstine took third at 140 and Chris Wilson placed at 215.

"We have a nice, solid lineup and a couple of kids who are capable of winning a tournament like this," Red Rovers coach Steve Powell said. "We lost a whole bunch of close matches this weekend, and those are the ones you want to win. But overall it was a great learning experience for our kids."