Cougars reach goal, making SCT wrestling for first time
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
The good news for the Colts Neck wrestling teamwas its inclusion in the Shore Conference Tournament (SCT) for the first time in the program's history.

""It's [SCT] been a goal since I took over," said Cougar head coach Bob Seidel, who was a scholastic wrestling star at Wall High School.

The bad news, of course, is that the Cougars, seeded 16th, drew top-seeded state power Jackson Memorial, the defending champions, in the first round on Jan. 30.

While the Jaguars coasted as expected at home, 57-12, Seidel looked at glass as half full.

"Overall, the kids came to wrestle," he pointed out. "They didn't back down. This can only help as we look towards the (NJSIAA) Districts."

Jim Soma (135), Ryan King (145) and Jarod Burdge (189) were the Cougar winners.

Soma won by a pin fall while King and Burdge each won by a decision.

Soma andBurdge are two of the veterans on the teamwho are pointing to the District 21 Tournament (Feb. 22-23) and beyond. Soma won the District 21 title last year and was 33-5. Burdge was a place-winner at the District (third) and won 21matches.

Athird senior,Chris Fraley (130),won 23 matches and was fourth at the District championships.

They are seniors and the exceptions on what is a young team. That may explain why the Cougars are 9-11 and looking to get .500 or better in their five remaining dual meets before the District's start.

"Overall, it's [the season] been a roller coaster up and down," said Seidel. "We've had eight or nine freshmen and sophomores in the lineup at any given time.

"We won some big matches and lost some we should have one," he added.

It was a victory over his alma mater, Wall, a SCT participant, that Seidel believes got his teaminto the elite 16-teamfield.

King, one of the three winners against Jackson, is one of the many sophomores on the team.

Against Jackson, 10 of the Cougars starters were underclassmen. Tyler Fraley (103), Anthony Anzalone (112) and Tom Runko (125) are freshmen;Matt Papp (140), RyanKing (145), StephenManney (152) and King are sophomores; and John Schiermeyer (215) Fred Hyer (heavyweight) and Bill Soma (171) are juniors.

Wrestling against teams like Jackson as well as Howell, which the Cougars faced in A North, is giving the underclassmen valuable experience against some of the best wrestlers in the state and can only benefit them down the road.