Victorious Vercammen - HNT Wrestling Notebook: Monroe's Emburgia finally gets nemesis

Victorious Vercammen - HNT Wrestling Notebook: Monroe's Emburgia finally gets nemesis

Brendan Vercammen became South Brunswick's third medalist in as many years with a 3-2 victory over Plainfield junior Dawud Hicks, the reigning Union County Tournament champion, in the 171 fifth-place final.

"I wanted to place Top 8 and I got fifth," Vercammen said. "In all the state rankings I wasn't ranked. I wasn't predicted to place, so it feels good."

In their only previous meeting, Hicks pinned Vercammen during a summer tournament. The duo train together at the same club, The Edge.

Vercammen familiarized himself with Hicks' style even further by watching Hicks closely in a 6-4 wrestleback round win over Voorhees' Mike Hafke.

"I watched him wrestle Hafke and Hafke would take shots and Dawud countered him and got the takedowns, so I was kind of anxious to shoot," Vercammen said.

"I'm smart in the way I wrestle. I'll be aggressive, but I know (when) a guy is good at countering shots, I'll try to take it on the mat and go upper body."

March 7, 2010

HNT Wrestling Notebook: Monroe's Emburgia finally gets nemesis

By GREG TUFARO
STAFF WRITER

A three-time region champion and four-time state qualifier, Sam Emburgia had little to show for his repeated trips to Atlantic City until Sunday.

The Monroe High School senior pinned nemesis Nick Heilmann of South Plainfield to place third in the 135-pound weight class at Boardwalk Hall.

Emburgia, who lost to Heilmann in three previous meetings, two of which came in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament finals, finally exorcised more than one demon.

In three prior trips to Boardwalk Hall, Emburgia won just one state tournament bout.

"I didn't understand what was going on," Emburgia said of his prior track record. "I didn't know why I kept not doing as good as I should. It's just a matter of peaking at the right time.

"That kid (Heilmann) has beaten me every time — over and over and over again. Wrestlebacks are tough. I just got on a roll and I was just beating everybody. It feels so good."

Heilmann actually appeared to be in control of the match with a near-side cradle when Emburgia quickly turned the tide.

"He went to finish a cradle and as he hit (it), I got his leg up in a Fireman's," Emburgia explained. "I backhooked his arm and caught his wrist and just stacked him up on his shoulders."

Oh Brother!

The consolation finals proved bittersweet for the Heilmann brothers as senior Nick and freshman Troy, wrestling for the last time together as members of the South Plainfield program, each lost their respective bouts.

Monroe's Sam Emburgia pinned Nick in the 135 third-place final, while Troy dropped a 4-3 decision in the 112 fifth-place final to Bloomfield's Chris Lantz.

Teammate Ryan Sacco, one of five Tigers to medal, placed seventh at 145 with a 7-2 decision of Rahway's Diego Chavez.

The older Heilmann, who had defeated Emburgia in three prior meetings, earned his third medal. Nick warmed up with Troy prior to the younger's Heilmann's bout.

"It was real special warming up with him," Troy said. "It was a real nice experience, especially throughout the year, winning a state championship on arguably the best team in South Plainfield history. "I thought I had a good tournament, but I wanted to finish on a good note. I came close, but I couldn't finish a couple of those shots at the end (of the match with Lantz).

"My coaches told me I should be proud because I got to accomplish this my freshman year. A lot of kids don't get to accomplish it until they are seniors or maybe ever."

Unlike his older brother, a team captain who holds South Plainfield's prestigious school record for career victories, Troy will return next season.

"I'll use this as motivation," Troy said of the loss. "I'm probably going to come back next year at the same weight and shoot for a state championship."

Troy said he will work out with Nick during the summer before the older Heilmann heads off to college.

"We'll probably be training during the offseason and I'm sure we will be able to look back on this one day and it will be real nice."

Victorious Vercammen

Brendan Vercammen became South Brunswick's third medalist in as many years with a 3-2 victory over Plainfield junior Dawud Hicks, the reigning Union County Tournament champion, in the 171 fifth-place final.

"I wanted to place Top 8 and I got fifth," Vercammen said. "In all the state rankings I wasn't ranked. I wasn't predicted to place, so it feels good."

In their only previous meeting, Hicks pinned Vercammen during a summer tournament. The duo train together at the same club, The Edge.

Vercammen familiarized himself with Hicks' style even further by watching Hicks closely in a 6-4 wrestleback round win over Voorhees' Mike Hafke.

"I watched him wrestle Hafke and Hafke would take shots and Dawud countered him and got the takedowns, so I was kind of anxious to shoot," Vercammen said.

"I'm smart in the way I wrestle. I'll be aggressive, but I know (when) a guy is good at countering shots, I'll try to take it on the mat and go upper body."

Unfitting End

A third trip to the state tournament ended in injury for Perth Amboy senior Joel Perez, whose ailing knees prevented him from competing in the consolation finals.

Perez forfeited his seventh-place bout at 215 to Wall's Andrew Marr. Perez, who missed two weeks of the season with ailing knees, ends his career with 95 wins.

He suffered a 3-2 loss to Paulsboro's Zach Greenwald, who advanced to the state finals, in the quarterfinal round.

"I just wish that Joel was healthy," Perth Amboy coach Mike Giordano said. "This is as far as his knees could take him. I think a healthy Joel could be in the finals."

Tyson Places 5th

Monroe's Marc Tyson, a senior who only started wrestling four years ago, placed fifth at 215 with a 5-1 win over DePaul Catholic's A.J. Mott

"This was awesome. I had to go out there with the most energy," Tyson said. "I left it all out there on the mat and it came out in my favor.

"I'm very satisfied. Last year I was upset. I lost in the first round. I've been working hard all year and training for this. I wanted to end my season with a win."

Rough Round

Three area wrestlers came up just short in the consolation finals with each enduring one-point losses.

Old Bridge teammates Conor Hayes (140) and Nick Orak (189) each placed sixth, while Franklin's Colin Hewitt (152) medaled for the third straight year, placing fourth.

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