MAPLEWOOD – Columbia High School wrestling team had a busy and tough week. The Cougars wrestled five meets and participated in a Freshman and JV tournament.
During the week, the grapplers lost to a good Irvington team, 63-12. Columbia wrestled only seven of the 14 weight classes and won two. The winners were 120-pound Devin Rocha and 152-pound Blake McGowan.
On Wednesday, Feb. 3, the Cougars hosted Glen Ridge and won, 58-12. Devin Rocha won 6-1 at the 120-pound bout; 132-pound Sam Wren-Harden won, 11-0; 152-pound Blake McGowan won by pin; and 195-pound Ralph Ravix won by pin. Tianga, at 106; Bonhomm, at 138; DeBruhl, at 170; Egwuonwu, at 182; Charles, at 220; and Bent, at 285, won by forfeits.
On Saturday, Feb. 6, the Cougars hosted a quad meet with Colonia, Madison and Summit. Unfortunately, the team lost all three meets. However, against Colonia in a 46-34 loss, the grapplers won five of the nine matches wrestled. The team won four of the 10 matches in a 43-24 loss against Madison. Against Summit, the Cougars won four matches by forfeit and one by a pin in a 45-30 loss.
Winning against Colonia were 120-pound Rocha by a 13-2 score; 152-pound McGowan by pin; 195-pound Ravix by pin; 220-pound Charles by pin; 285-pound Salaam by pin; and 170-pound Debruhl by forfeit.
Winning against Madison were 106-pound Tianga by a pin; 132-pound Wren-Harden, 10-3; 152-pound McGowan, 6-5; 195-pound Ravix by a pin, and 170-pound DeBruhl by forfeit.
Against Summit, 195-pound Ravix won by fall, while 120-pound Rocha, 152-pound McGowan, 170-pound DeBruhl, and 285-pound Bent won by forfeit.
On Sunday, Feb. 7, the Cougars traveled to West Orange for the King of the Mountain Freshman and JV tournaments.
Columbia entered three wrestlers in the Freshman tourney and eight in the JV tourney.
Aamier Bonhomm, Columbia’s freshman 138-pound wrestler, won his weight class, as did 170-pound freshman wrestler Ebuka Egwuonwu.
In the JV tourney, juniors Ralph Ravix and Jabreil Salaam won the 195-pound and 285-pound weight classes and 182-pound Tristan Rocke placed third. Sophomores Akil DeBruhl and Charles Byrd placed second at 160-pound and and 285-pound; and freshman Blake McGowan was fourth at 152 pounds.
The Cougars host Morris Catholic on Wednesday, Feb. 10, and host a tri-meet with Paterson Kennedy and JP Stevens on Friday, Feb. 12.
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