From left to right: Assistant coach Carl Houser, Iain Shaw, Joe Marchesano, Nick Fiorillo, and head coach Kendall Southerland at the Irvington Tournament.
GLEN RIDGE – After finishing last year with a record of 3-16, head coach Kendall Southerland is seeking improvement for this year’s Glen Ridge High School varsity wrestling team.
“We could do better this year,” admitted the coach, who said his goal for this year’s group was to finish with a .500 record.
Leading the way for the Ridges this year are 160-pound junior Joe Marchesano and 120-pound sophomore Nick Fiorillo, who are captains.
In addition, the coach said 113-pound freshman Iain Shaw and 152-pound junior Kyle Rochester are other key contributors.
“Overall, we have a young team with only four returning from last year,” Southerland said. “However, we don’t have too hard of a schedule since we dropped down into a new conference.”
Southerland, whose assistant coach is Carl Houser, has been at the helm since 2001.
Highlighting the season thus far, Southerland said his Ridgers performed well during the Irvington Holiday Tournament on Dec. 17 in the season opener as Fiorillo won first place at 120 pounds while Marchesano also won first place in his weight division.
In addition, Shaw won third place at 113, junior Camilo Villela won third place at 145 pounds, and senior Liam McCann won third place at 170 as the team placed sixth out of seven teams.
Other members competing for GRHS this season include the following: freshmen: Logan Kotronis at 126, Cole Fitton at 132, Marcella Borgenicht at 126; sophomores: Rupert Eveleigh at 113, Modesto Nogueira at 106, Drew Wohlgemuth at 113 and James Link at 160; and junior Jack Olczak at 220.
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