By Andy Loigu

A pair of Warren Hills Blue Streaks, a Belvidere County Seater, and a former Blue Streak who transferred to Phillipsburg were among the all-stars in the lineup on Wednesday evening, as a team of Northwest Jersey seniors took on a squad representing the Lehigh Valley and Poconos regions in the 39th annual Lions Club Wrestling Classic at Easton High School’s venerable 25th Street Gym.

Proceeds help various charitable organizations maintain their public service in the area.

The Pennsylvania squad had one of its strongest lineups in many years, with several talented legitimate Division I college recruits performing for the fans. Pennsylvania won this year’s match 37-12 to extend its lead in the classic’s series to 23-16.

Former Blue Streak Cody Harrison, now a P’burg Stateliner, is headed for a wrestling career at Rutgers University, and he gave his fans something to remember him by with a win by pin in 4:58 over Logan Pagotto of Lehighton at 145 pounds.

Nick Galka and Duro Ajayi, both of Warren Hills, lost close decisions in defensive bouts at 220 and 285 pounds, respectively. Nick Nittoli of Bangor edged Galka 2-1 and Sami Khamis of Stroudsburg won a 1-0 decision.
At 113 pounds, Quinn Melofchik of Belvidere (Warren County’s record holder for career wins) lost a hard-fought 5-3 decision to Nick Onea of Pottsville.

Phillipsburg had four wrestlers selected to the honors lineup. Alongside Harrison, Austin Roth, Travis Jones and Kyle Tino represented the Stateliners, with Jones making a fashion statement by wearing a Spider-Man singlet while winning a wild 15-10 decision over Travis Brown of Bethlehem in the 132-pound bout. Jones and Brown reversed and nearly pinned each other in an entertaining six minutes of action.

“I love superheroes and Spider-Man is my favorite,” Jones said. “I wrestled with it last summer and I’m glad they let me show it tonight. I went out there to have fun, maybe a little bit too much fun because it got kinda scary out there, but fun is what this night is all about for the wrestlers and the fans who have supported us.”

Roth lost an overtime decision to Damen Moyer of Bethlehem at 195 pounds. Tino was pinned in the 138-pound bout by Marckis Branford of Wilson. 

The son of a former Stateliner was voted Outstanding Wrestler by the media covering the match. Luca Frinzi of Bethlehem Catholic (a Lehigh University recruit) was presented the trophy which he earned by pulling off a four-point move (reversal with back points) in the late stages of a 5-3 win over Mike Wilson of North Hunterdon at 160 pounds.

Frinzi’s dad, Scott, won the Outstanding Wrestler Award at the 1992 Lions Classic, wrestling for New Jersey and Phillipsburg.
Luca Frinzi was rewarded for a gutsy decision he made on the mat. He had the option of picking the neutral position for a restart, but decided to rely on his sit out, roll and drive skills, and chose the bottom position. Wilson maintained control when the referee blew the whistle, but Frinzi still was able to execute and finish the move on sheer willpower. “I really wanted to win my last time out, to validate the honor of being asked to wrestle here. It’s a thrill that my dad and I have now both won this award, pretty cool,” he said.

New Jersey won the youth match 35-27.

In girls basketball, even though Warren Hills had its most successful season in two decades, the Blue Streaks did not make it to the New Jersey Tournament of Champions which concluded on Sunday afternoon at the Rutgers Athletic Center. The second seed Blue Streaks lost to top seed Chatham in the section final on Monday, March 4, three steps away from the Group 3 title.

What this pundit will remember about the 2019 edition of Blue Streaks girls basketball is how that team always was in attack mode, trying to destroy everything in their path, figuratively speaking. It was a lively and entertaining team, to say the least. Saying they played an aggressive, firehouse brand of basketball, would still be putting it mildly.

Now, on with the baseball, softball, lacrosse, track and field, golf, and whatever else they may put together as the weather turns warm and daylight savings time gives us long and pleasant afternoons. Good luck to all the athletes who deserve credit for putting it on the line and giving it their best shot. 

***Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.