Seven Local Wrestlers Earn District 30 Titles

Clinging to a three-point lead, Martel Harrison watched the seconds tick down in his championship match. The seconds seemed like minutes to the Highland High School heavyweight. Finally, as the clock ticked under five seconds, Harrison felt at ease knowing his hours in the practice room were about to result in a district title.

“The last few seconds I just kept looking at the clock and thinking, ‘Hold on just a couple more seconds,’” Harrison said. “With four seconds left I said, ‘I got this.’ I looked up at the clock and knew I had it.”

Harrison made the Tartans proud as he became the heavyweight champion at the District 30 Wrestling Tournament Saturday, at Overbrook.

“It means so much to me,” said Harrison. “This is my first time winning a big tournament, being on top. I have been working so hard. Last year, I kind of slacked off and lost to the first seed in overtime by one point. I just worked hard in the offseason so I could come back and win it this year.”

While Harrison was the lone Highland wrestler to win a title, he certainly was not the only Gloucester Township athlete to end the day on top of the podium. As expected, Timber Creek dominated the tournament, producing six individual champions and five others who made it to the podium at second or third place. The Chargers easily defended their team title in a performance that was nothing short of spectacular.

John Amato, Ricky Carter, Brandon Keller, Dom Ruggierio, Bryce Shade and Robert Shade all left with first-place medals, while Brandon Virgilio placed second. Each will compete in the Region 8 Tournament, which begins Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday at Egg Harbor Township.

“When we came in here, our coach (Nick Cottone) wanted us to dominate the district,” said Amato, who won his championship 106 bout by a 14-2 major decision. “With us having (six) district champs, we accomplished that.”

Keller’s championship match proved to be extra special as his 11-1 major decision at 132 was the 100th victory in his prestigious career. Although he’s already won a pair of Region 8 titles, the significance of winning his 100th match in a district final was not lost.

“It’s real cool that it was in the final,” Keller said. “I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get it earlier because I lost in the state semifinals (of the team tournament), but I have been practicing to avenge that loss and it is kind of cool that I got it in the finals at districts.”

Like many of his teammates, Keller was never challenged in the three-round tournament. He said relentless training has toughened all of the Chargers up for this grueling time of year.

“Everyone has been practicing even harder than we were before this last week,” Keller said. “Everyone is working to make everyone else better, not just for themselves.”

Saturday’s finals featured a couple of local showdowns. The 120 finals were particularly exciting as Carter and Highland’s Brian Ceaser competed in a close match. Carter led just 3-0 after two periods, but ended the match with a pin 24 seconds into the third period.

“I feel really comfortable on top and I just stuck it to him,” Carter said. “That’s where my strength is. I just stacked him in the beginning of the period and he was overwhelmed.”

Winning a district final is nothing new for Carter, who is also a defending region champion.

“It’s pretty exciting to win it three years in a row,” said Carter. “I came a long way from my freshman year to now.”

The other local final pitted No. 1-seed Bryce Shade against No. 2-seed Anthony Irvin of Trion at 152. Irvin was never able to get started as Shade scored a takedown and pin in just 21 seconds.

Irvin will still be moving on to the Region 8 Tournament, as will teammate Seth Tinsley, who placed third at 285. Highland’s Ryan Wade (second at 138) and Sheldon Morris (third at 145) also qualified.