So when I get about 10 emails in a week asking me when my next team update is coming it?s a pretty good indication that I?ve waited too long to post this!

Let?s be honest, though, even with these low frequency emails, my best attempts at humor are questionable - I don?t think anyone would want to see what comes out of my mouth if I have to post more often!

Anyway, sorry for the delay, guys! Needless to say we?ve been very busy: competing, improving, training, rinsing and repeating.

More...

January is the grind phase of the season, but it?s also where we start to turn the corner from all the hard work put in earlier in the year. This year is no exception and our guys have been doing big things!

He?s Electric

First off, I haven?t written since our own Cliff Wang was awarded the Con Ed Scholar Athlete Award earlier this month. (See what I did there: ?Con Ed???He?s electric?? what did I tell you? Questionable at best!)

Seriously, though, this is a huge honor. This award is given out once a week across all of Section 1 to only one athlete in any sport, from any school. Cliffton is the fourth Panther Wrestler to receive this honor (joining the illustrious company of Rob Moyle ?88, Anthony DeMaio ?92 and Trey Aslanian ?13). I also believe with this award that the wrestling program has more Con Ed Scholar Athlete Award Winners than any other athletic program at Edgemont!

You can check out Cliff?s radio interview here: http://www.whud.com/con-edison-athlete-of-the-week/

In the meantime, since winning the Con Ed award, Cliff has won the Shoreline Tournament (Westchester?s toughest tournament), took 4th at Eastern States (the toughest HS tournament in the northeastern US), and moved into 2nd place on Edgemont?s all-time career victory list (158 and counting as I write this).

Way to go Cliff!

More Hardware

It?s hard not to be proud of the rest of our team as well with some very impressive performances turned in this month!

At the Ardsley Tournament, we walked away with four individual champions and a runner-up. Congrats to our champions freshman Miles Teperman (113 lbs); junior Georgie Guarnieri (138 lbs); and seniors Mike Schwartz (182 lbs) and Surmed Khan (285 lbs); and to finalist senior Zeke Cohen (145 lbs). Even tough guys smile sometimes!

At Shoreline, in addition to Cliff?s title, sophomore Nick Meglino and senior George Mellor took 5th and 6th, respectively. Unfortunately they had to wrestle each other, so we couldn?t resist taking the obligatory UFC-style stare down pic.

At the Hen Hud Tournament, George Mellor was a champion at 138 pounds. Mike Schwartz took 4th, and Surmed Khan placed 6th.

Team Effort

Even more impressive is the effort our team has put forth in our dual meets. With several holes in our line-up, many of you know we are much stronger in a tournament format than a dual meet format. Apparently our wrestlers, never got that message.

In the last two weeks, we wrestled #1-ranked Putnam Valley to a very close match and rattled off a win at home last Friday night in front of a packed house against Irvington. Both were total team efforts!

This Tuesday, at this year?s installment of the Bronx River Cup between us and large-school cross-town rival Scarsdale, the results were similar. Despite forfeiting 5 weight classes, we won 9 out of 10 bouts to take the victory. Unfortunately, the Scarsdale Wrestling program seems to have lost the actual Bronx River Cup - so we?re hoping they?ll get us a replacement soon!

Have you seen this cup? Tip line: 914-725-1500

Doing some good

Big thanks to Irvington Wrestling for co-sponsoring our fundraiser for the American Cancer Society at our match this past Friday night! Together we raised $1,657 in honor of Robert Schwartz, father of senior Mike Schwartz. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who came out for the match and supported the cause!

35 and Counting

This Saturday is the the 35th Annual Edgemont Wrestling Tournament, featuring 200 wrestlers from 19 schools! Action kicks off at 9 AM and continues all day on four mats in two gyms! Finals are tentatively scheduled for 4 PM. We?d love your support. Stop by and say hi!

Ok. I?m all typed out. I?m sure I can count on you guys for some witty emails (and pointing out my typos) as usual!

Talk to you soon!

Feed the Panther!

Pete Jacobson
Head Coach
Edgemont Wrestling