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The Regular Season (A-team) Bearcats bury Bulldogs in season opener 55-16 January 5, 2000
Fords Bearcat wrestlers registered six pins--five of them in the first period--on their way to a 55-16 win over Metuchen in the ‘Cats season opener. Peter Buttitta (56) had the night’s fastest pin in just 0:15. Rookie JR Ruiz (93) won by fall in just 28 seconds, and teammates Bobby Prachar (70) and Captain Brett Epps scored their pins in 45 seconds. Chris Hrabinski (80) pinned his opponent in 58 seconds and Co-Captain Kacy Epps (67) registered his fall in 3:40. Michael Buttitta (50), Matt Hart (60), Danny Sturchio (73) and Co-Captain Chris Christie (76) scored decisions in the win. Vin Maglione won by forfeit. The Bulldogs won just one match with Mike Jachim taking a decision, and two forfeits rounded out Metuchen’s scoring. Coach Carl Buttitta said, “I saw our guys do some things I wasn’t happy with, and we’ll work to get better, but it’s a good way to start a season.” |
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Bearcats ground Mat Hawks 55-16 The Fords Bearcats invaded the nest of North Edison’s scrappy Mat Hawks last night and came away with their second consecutive 55-16 win to remain undefeated.
Five ‘Cats registered pins--two in the first period--with Kacy Epps (67) getting the night’s quick pin at :35. and Bobby Prachar (70) notching his fall in :45. Also going the pin route were Brett Epps (86-2:00), J.R.Ruiz (93-1:48) and Ed Karasiewicz (HWT-3:00). Vin Maglione (110) scored a major decision and Chris Hrabinski (80) won by decision to close out the Bearcats’ scoring. Forfeits by both teams and a decision by North Edison accounted for the final score, the same score by which the Bearcats topped Metuchen in their home opener last week. Coach Carl Buttitta kept the win in perspective. “North Edison’s a great program with good coaches and tough kids. They had a bunch of forfeits in the lower weights, so the score could have been closer. But our guys who did compete wrestled well. I was proud of them.” 2/1/00 Vikings top Bearcats on late forfeits 35-30 After the last match was over the Fords Bearcats had a 30-23 lead over South Brunswick at the Vikings’ gym. But the Cats had no one in the last two weight classes and those forfeits lifted the Vikings to victory. The Bearcats dropped their second match in a row, marking the first time in three years that the team has lost more than one match in a season. The Bearcats got pins from Bobby Prachar (70) and Danny Sturchio (73), and Tom Hogan (63) and Chris Hrabinski (80) earned decisions. Peter Buttitta (56) and Brett Epps (86) won their matches via forfeit to round out the Bearcats’ scoring. “Forfeits hurt us,” said Coach Carl Buttitta, “but the kids wrestled well. Even those who came up short never quit. That will pay off big down the road.” |
Woodbridge snaps Bearcat Jinx 1/31/00
For the last two years, the Fords Bearcats had the number of powerful archrival Woodbridge, but last night Woodbridge snapped the streak, handing the Bearcats their first loss of the season 54-23. Only four Bearcats managed to get in the win column, though four close matches in the middle weights could have made the difference. Co-Captain Kacy Epps (67) pinned Robert Nevins in 2:25 and Chris Hrabinski (80) registered a pin against George Huha in the third period. Captain Brett Epps (86) took a forfeit when his opponent Damian Mangine failed to make weight, and Peter Buttitta (56) scored a tech fall over Willie Buchan. Matt Hart (60), Bob Prachar (70), Dan Sturchio (73) and Chris Christie (76) all wrestled well, but each dropped close decisions to their opponents. Tommy Hogan (63) was tied with Tyler Jackow when the two fell out of bounds, injuring Hogan’s leg so he could not continue. The Cats’ also forfeited three weight classes. “You can’t give up easy points to a team like Woodbridge,” said coach Carl Buttitta. “They come to wrestle all the time. But we’ll see them again in the league tournaments.” |
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Bearcats trap Mat Rats 2/8/00 Bearcats trap Mat Rats 40-33
Five Bearcat wrestlers pinned their opponents as the Fords Bearcats beat rival Old Bridge for the first time in two years, despite forfeiting three weight classes. State Qualifier Brett Epps (86) registered the fastest pin of the night--and the Bearcats’ season--with an eight-second fall. Vin Maglione (HWT) checked in with a twenty-five second pin, while Matt Hart (60) and Kacy Epps (67) each planted their opponents in fifty seconds. Chris Hrabinski (80) scored his fall in 3:30. The Bearcats also got a major decision from State Qualifier Tom Hogan (63), while Peter Buttitta (56) and Chris Christie (76) earned decisions. The win raised the Bearcats’ record to 5-2 for the season. |
Bearcats Bounce Back Bearcats bounce back with double win 2/5/00
After losing two matches in a row for the first time ever, the Fords Bearcats wrestlers bounced back impressively with convincing wins over up and coming Sayreville (49-33) and always-tough East Brunswick (54-27). In the Sayreville match, four Cats planted their opponents with captain Brett Epps (86) registering the fastest pin in just 0:15. Little brother Kacy Epps (67) took thirty seconds to score his fall, and was joined by Matt Hart (60-1:20) and Tom Hogan (63-1:40) in the pin column. Peter Buttitta (56) scored a major decision and Bob Prachar (70) earned a decision in the contest. The balance of the Bearcats’ scoring was via forfeit. In the East Brunswick match, six Bearcats won via the pin route with Michael Hart (60) winning fast pin honors with a thirty-second fall. Peter Buttitta (56) pinned his opponent in forty-five seconds, and the Epps brothers (Kacy--67 and Brett--86) both took fifty seconds to plant their opponents. Also pinning to win were Chris Christie (76-1:30) and Bob Prachar (70-2:40). Chris Hrabinski (80) earned a decision, and forfeits accounted for the balance. The bouts left the Bearcats with a 4-2 record as they look ahead to matches next week with Old Bridge and Monroe. 2/9/00 Forfeits de-claw ‘Cats in loss to Monroe Spotting your opponent thirty points before a match begins puts your team at a disadvantage, and it was a deficit even five pins and an Injury/Default win couldn’t overcome as the Fords Bearcats lost to Monroe 47-36 at the Fords Middle School. The Bearcats fought valiantly to overcome five forfeits, but fell just short as Monroe handed the ‘Cats their third loss of the season. Kacy Epps (67) scored the night’s fastest pin at :34, and Peter Buttitta’s (56) came in right behind at :35. Captain Brett Epps (86) registered his fall at 1:30, and Matt Hart (60) and Danny Sturchio (73) clocked theirs at 2:15 and 2:30 respectively. Tom Hogan (63) won by Injury Default to finish the ‘Cats scoring. “When you give up five forfeits, it takes a great effort just to break even,” said Coach Carl Buttitta. “Our kids fought tough; we almost had ‘em on the strength of our pins, but we came up short.” The Bearcats face North Brunswick and Piscataway this weekend in a tri-match at North Brunswick. |
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Cats split two in Tri-meet 2/12/00 The Fords Bearcat wrestlers faced Piscataway for the first time and came away winners, but dropped a close decision to North Brunswick in tri-meet action last weekend.
In the Piscataway bout, five Bearcats won by pin, while three earned decisions to put them on top of a 45-24 score. Fast pin honors went to Brett Epps (86) who planted his man in :45. Peter Buttitta (56), Tommy Hogan (63), Kacy Epps (67) and Bobby Prachar (72) all scored falls in the second period of their matches. Mike Buttitta (50) and Chris Christie (76) won by decision, and JR Ruiz and Vin Maglione won via forfeit. Pins usually carry the Cats’ load, but against host North Brunswick, only three Cats earned falls. Matt Hart (60) and Bobby Prachar (67) notched theirs in the first period, while Brett Epps (86) scored his in the third. Peter Buttitta (56) earned six by injury default. Tommy Hogan (63) earned a tech fall and Chris Christie (76) won by decision to finish the scoring in the required weights. A forfeit at heavyweight would have given the Cats a 41-40 win, but heavyweight points are optional and the final score was 40-35 in favor of North Brunswick. The weekend action gives the Bearcats six wins and four losses on the season with two matches remaining. Eagles claw Cats 45-27 2/17/00 If the Bearcats don’t pin, they usually don’t win due to eighteen points in forfeits that have been in the lineup since December. Such was the case at the Fords Middle School last night as the Cats dropped their fifth decision to scrappy Edison, giving up four weights to forfeits. Five Bearcats wrestled into the win column, but only two--Peter Buttitta (56) and Tom Hogan (63) registered falls. Buttitta earned fast pin honors for the night with a forty second fall, and Hogan’s pin came in the third period. Bob Prachar (72), Chris Christie (76) and Brett Epps (86) won decisions and Chris Hrabinski (80) won via forfeit. The Bearcats are 6-5 on the season with one match to go against South River. Wrestler sets mark as Bearcats batter Rams 44-21 in season finale 2/23/00 Wrestling in his last regular season bout at the sixth grade level, Bearcat Captain Brett Epps set a Bearcat record by finishing the season undefeated--and unscored upon--as the Fords Bearcat wrestlers concluded their regular season on a winning note by besting South River 44-21. Mike Hart (60) earned fast pin honors on the night with a 40 second fall. He was joined in the Pinners’ Circle by Brett Epps (86-2:29) and Tom Hogan (63-3:20). Bob Prachar (70) earned a tech fall and Chris Christie (76) won a decision. Kacy Epps (67), Chris Hrabinski (80) and JR Ruiz (93) won by forfeits. The Bearcats posted a 7-5 mark on the season and will head into the Mid-Jersey A-League Tournament on March 5 at South River High School. |
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