Raiders Wrestlers Knock Down Parsippany Hills

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School wrestling team has been working through a pretty tough stretch of meets.

After losses to Piscataway and Cranford last Saturday, the young Raiders got contributions from unheralded wrestlers to knock off Parsippany Hills 47-24 Tuesday night in Scotch Plains. The Raiders won their third match in nine outings.

"It was a good match," Scotch Plains-Fanwood coach John Scholz said.

Junior Sebastian Rosen, who had to sit out last year after transferring from St. Benedict Prep after his freshman year, bumped up from 152 pounds to 171 to score a pivotal 13-2 major decision against Mike Allesandra. And then sophomore 285-pounder Anthony Tufaro scored a clinching pin. Parsippany Hills forfeited to Raider sophomore Andrew Jacobs at 215 and moved Brett Popitz up to 285. But Tufaro ruined the strategy by pinning Popitz in just 1:14.

"Anthony was very pumped about it," Scholz said. "He was so happy."

Scholz was very happy for Rosen, who missed his sophomore year because he had to sit out due to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association transfer rule. Scotch Plains-Fanwood appealed the decision by the state association, but was denied.

"We did everything possible, the parents, our athletic director, but the state said no," Scholz said. "I really felt bad for the kid."

Rosen dominated Alessandra from the start on Tuesday. He took a 4-0 lead in the first period with a takedown and near fall.

"He racked up the points, he really dominated," Scholz said. "He was putting in legs, cross body rides, power halves. He almost had the guy pinned. He had a great match. He's really come along nicely."

Rosen's birthday was Friday and he lost a match against Union. He missed Saturday's matches with an illness. Scholz said that he'd like to see Rosen get to wrestle at 152 pounds.

Seniors Tristan Bundy (125), Juwan Gaines (135) and Brian Laspe (189) had falls along with sophomore Sean Cannon (130). 

"Sean really came back. It was 2-1, 5-2 and 7-3 and in the third period he just put the kid to his back," Scholz said.

Senior Josh Foote recorded a major decision win at 145. Sophomore Mike Steinfield had a solid 7-2 win at 140.

"Everybody did their jobs," Scholz said.

The Raiders are now off until Saturday, when they will participate in the first-year Union City Tournament along with Montclair, Morristown and Passaic Tech, among others.