TEAM TO WATCH South Brunswick wrestling won five consecutive matches this season

This week in Middlesex County wrestling (High school Wrestling news)

By THE STAR-LEDGER / Wrestling News
January 12, 2010, 4:05PM
WRESTLER TO WATCH South Plainfield's Anthony Ashnault, a 103-pound freshman, went undefeated through his six matches at the Virginia Duals last weekend, increasing his mark to 16-0 this season. Ashnault recorded a pin, two majors and three decisons to help South Plainfield, ranked No. 3 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, earn a third-place finish in the 30th annual tournament in Hampton, Va. Ashnault will be tested again at Saturday's GMC-Shore Challenge in Toms River, where he may face fellow freshman Brian Hamann, a tough 103-pounder, of Jackson.

TEAM TO WATCH South Brunswick won five consecutive matches this season, including a 44-22 victory over Perth Amboy on Jan. 6, before falling, 34-24, to Old Bridge on Saturday. The 6-2 squad lost six starters to graduation last season, but South Brunswick returned senior Brendan Vercammen, a Region 5 champion at 171 pounds in 2009. Teammates James Pagano (135 pounds), Tyler Jaramillo (140) and Jeff Goldhagen (189) each qualified for the Region 5 tournament last year. South Brunswick faces Sayreville on Saturday as it tries to avenge a 31-29 loss suffered last year and then it squares up against South Plainfield, No. 3 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, on Tuesday. MATCH TO WATCH Old Bridge (5-0) travels to No. 3 South Plainfield (13-1) tonight to try to solidify itself as one of the GMC's premier teams. Old Bridge, the defending District 20 champion, returns 10 starters, including three state qualifiers in seniors Conor Hayes (140), Steve Zafrani (171) and Nick Orak (189). All thre efinished third in Region 5 last winter. Orak could meet South Plainfield's Mike Wagner, who placed fourth at 171 pounds in 2009 and has compiled a 13-0 record this year. South Plainfield, the defending GMC tournament champion, already has eight wrestlers with more than 10 victories, including 135-pounder Nick Heilman (15-0), who placed seventh in the state at 130 pounds last season, and 119-pounder Tyler Hunt (12-3), who won the Region 3 title at 103 pounds in 2009. -Mike Berg