Region Wrestling Thoughts and Notes

I spent Saturday at the Pine Belt Arena where the Region VI Wrestling championships were held and discovered that often the best sites are not necessarily on the mat but often around it.

It is really interesting to watch the parents, mainly the fathers of these high school wrestlers as they try and extend their seasons and often their careers in a pressure-packed atmosphere. Only the top three finishers in each weight class advanced to this week’s state championships in Atlantic City so often the real gut-wrenchers were matches in which kids were just trying to keep the dream alive.

Some fathers were actually embarrassing with their antics and criticisms but I watched one who had it right. As his son came off the mat in tears with his career over his father hugged him, told him to take a deep breath and stay in his arms for as long as he needed. When his son finally composed himself enough to walk away I turned to the parent and said “that’s what a father is supposed to do” and he simply nodded in agreement. Others could learn from that.

BJ Clagon is the lone returning state champion from Region VI and the Toms River South 145-pounder certainly looks like he’s poised to become only the second wrestler from his school to win two state titles where he would join legendary Jeff Parker. Clagon pinned his quarterfinal round opponent in 31 seconds, toyed with his opponent in the semis and then decked Jackson’s Spencer Young in 31 seconds in the finals to collect his third straight region championship.

The Rider University-bound Clagon is the top seed at 145 but will get tested in a weight class that includes TJ Miller of Camden Catholic and South Plainfield’s Troy Heilmann.

The biggest surprise of the weekend had to be the performance of CBA’s Mike Oxley who moved up to the 195 pound weight class and collected maybe the two most exciting wins of the tournament. The junior got a takedown with one second left to best Jackson Memorial’s Ken Bradley in the semifinals and then in the finals against Matt Moore of Brick Memorial, collected a reversal and back points in the final seconds for a 5-3 victory.

Moore was not only undefeated coming into the match but had no given up a point all season long. For his performance, Oxley was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Region.

Congrats to Brick Memorial’s Dan O’Cone, who was named Region 6 Coach of the Year. O’Cone’s Mustangs won the Group 4 state title this season and he will have a region-high 6 wrestlers competing in Atlantic City this weekend.