Schools
SPF Swim Team, Wrestling Champ Honored By BOE
Heavyweight wrestler Anthony Tufaro and 27 members of the boys' swim team were honored for their exceptional seasons at Thursday's Board of Education meeting.
Friends and family filled every seat and lined the walls of the meeting room as the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education paid tribute to champion wrestler Anthony Turfaro and members of the boys' varsity swim team.
The Board honored Tufaro and his coach, TJ Gavor, for their stellar season. The SPF high school Varsity Wrestling Team had their most triumphant season in five years, ending with a solid record of 33 wins and 5 losses.
Turfaro, a junior who wrestles in the heavyweight division, began his winning streak by winning the Union City Invitational Tournament. After that, he won the Union County Tournament, placed third in the District 11 Tournament and then captured the Region 2 Tournament heavyweight title. After competing against wrestlers from across the state, Anthony was honored at the State Championship as one of the top 8 wrestlers in New Jersey.
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SPFHS Principal and former wrestling coach, David Heisey, was on hand to congratulate Turfaro and Gavor.
“Heavyweight is a very difficult weight class," Heisey said. "It takes a great deal of agility, skill, strength and intelligence and Anthony has it all. Placing eighth means that somewhere along the line you may get beat, but you wrestle back to the top. As a former wrestling coach myself, I believe that the guys that might lose somewhere along the line and wrestle back for a place should get the big trophy. It’s a great achievement.”
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Gavor also took to the podium to commend Turfaro for his exceptional season.
“Anthony is a tireless worker and his success directly relates to his dedication to the sport,” Gavor said. “He is a true example of what a Scotch Plains student-athlete should stand for.”
After the ceremony Gavor, who also works as a social worker in the district, spoke freely about Anthony’s dedication to the sport.
“A lot of people don’t understand the intensity of the sport,” Gavor said. “At the State finals, Anthony competed in five matches in two days. You’re body really takes a beating after that, but he kept going… He is one of the finest young men I have ever had the honor of coaching.”
“It was a tough season,” Turfaro added. “It was a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun. Hopefully next year we will go even farther,” he said.
The Board then asked 27 smiling swimmers along with their coaches, Jessica Hulnik and Judy Sharkee, to squeeze together in the front of the room, to be honored by the Board for another exceptional season. The team has made it to the state semifinals each of the last two years.
BOE member Joanne Cleary explained that the 2012 boys' varsity swim team finished the season with an impressive 15-2 record. The team won the Union County Conference and the North Section 2 State Sectional Championships. Greg Baliko was named Union County Swimmer of the Year.
Heisey arrived at the podium again, State Sectionals trophy in hand.
“To get to the State Semi-finals two years in a row is almost unheard of,” Heisey said. “While you didn’t win the state title, you certainly don’t have anything to be ashamed of. You had an amazing season. You have created a culture of excellence and are setting the stage for future teams to do the same.”
Head Coach Jessica Hulnik began by thanking Sharkee. “I couldn’t do any of this without her,” she said.
“I am extremely proud of these guys,” Hulnik said. “Being state finalists two years in a row is not easy. This is a good group that steps up to every challenge. I consider it an honor and a privilege to work with them. This year alone we broke 10 of the 11 records we set last year. It’s been a wild two years.”
Superintendent Dr. Margaret Hayes also commended the evening’s athletes, noting that the Varsity Swimmers broke four records at the Union County Championship. BOE President Trip Whitehouse also shared his congratulations.
“Over the year Scotch Plains athletics have been known for success on turf and sometimes on hard wood, and now they know that we succeed in the water and on the mat as well… Until this season, I never realized how cool it is to be poolside watching you guys compete. It gave me pride to see how well you compete and also how well you represent our town and our school.”
