Two Point Boro Wrestlers Get First Place Medals in District 23 Championships

One wrestler won with control. The other won with poise.

Two Point Pleasant Borough High School wrestlers went home with first-place medals after victories in the finals of the District 23 Wrestling Championships at Brick Memorial High School Saturday.

While Point Borough finished fifth in the team standings behind champion Brick Memorial, the Panthers completed the tournament on a high note when junior 113-pounder Ryan Harter and freshman 120-pounder Daniel Nobbs won championships.

Point Pleasant Beach was seventh in the team standings.

Like all wrestlers who finished in the top three at all 14 weight classes, Harter and Nobbs will be headed for the Region VI Championships Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River.

“The two kids came into the finals and got the job done,’’ said Point Borough coach Pat Brady. “They’ve worked hard all season and, finally, it paid off.’’

Harter, who was the No.1 seed, improved his season record to 30-2 with a 4-0 victory in the title bout over Trey Watkins of Point Beach.

“Ryan (Harter) got the first takedown and then controlled the bout,’’ Brady said. “He got the lead and never let Watkins back in the match.’’

Harter also had victories over Juan Torres of Monmouth Regional and Jack Wishart of Wall yesterday.

Watkins, who fell to 23-6 with the loss in the final. Watkins had two pins in the quarter- and semifinals Saturday.

Meanwhile, Nobbs, the No.2 seed at 120 pounds, nipped top-seeded Sean Stephenson of Brick Memorial, 2-1, in the title bout.

“What I liked was that he never stopped attacking,’’ Brady said of Nobbs. “He showed great poise and beat a quality wrestler in the final. He is in great condition.’’

Nobbs advanced to the finals with a pin against Edward Franzoni of Manasquan in the quarterfinals and a 12-0 major decision over Eliezer Santiago of Neptune in the semifinals.

Nobbs is now 29-4.

“I need to check, but he might be the first freshman at Point Borough to win a district title,’’ Brady said.

Point Borough’s Andrew Miller, who was the top seed at 220, was pinned in the final by John Seidle of Neptune.

Dan DiMaria (152) placed third for Point Borough at 152 pounds after a third-period pin in the consolations.

Point Pleasant Beach also received a second-place finish from Robert Finnerty. Finnerty, 28-2, was caught and pinned by top-seeded Cliff Ruggiero of Brick Memorial in the 138-pound final.

Third for the Garnet Gulls at 145 pounds was Riley Kelly. Kelly was beaten in the semifinals by eventual champion Evan Berti of Brick Memorial, but rallied for a 7-5 win over Sam Koenig of Shore Regional in the consolations.