The Glen Rock High School Wrestling team enters a pivotal week in its season as it tries to qualify for the state sectional tournament. With the cutoff to make the top eight teams in the section coming up on Saturday, Glen Rock faces a busy week, with five matches before the deadline. The Panthers host Lodi on Wednesday at the Glen Rock High School gym at 6 p.m., have an away meet Friday at Secaucus, and a quad meet at Saddle Brook Saturday, against Saddle Brook, Leonia and Fort Lee.
“This week is very, very big for the program,’’ coach Corey Fitzpatrick said. “In my eyes, to secure a spot, we must go 5-0 this week.’’
The Panthers (7-6 in dual meets this season) pulled out a thrilling, 31-30 victory over Cresskill Friday night, rallying from a 27-16 deficit by winning three of the last four matches, with junior Will Scherer winning the final match to secure the victory.
Freshman Greg Schlett, wrestling at 152 pounds, started the comeback by pinning his opponent, netting the Panthers six much-needed points. Senior Tim Schmitt, wrestling at 160, lost a two-point decision, which left the Panthers trailing 30-22, with two matches remaining. To complete the comeback, Glen Rock needed to win both matches, and one of them needed to be by pin, which would be worth six points. Junior Kyle Fisher, who normally wrestles at 152, moved up two weight classes, to 170, and he got the pin Glen Rock needed to have a chance. That set the stage for Scherer, a first-year wrestler also wrestling above his weight, at 182. Scherer won by decision, 9-4, to close it out.
With seven wins, Glen Rock already has one more victory than it did all last season, when it finished 6-20 in dual meets. If the Panthers qualify for the sectionals, it will be their first time doing so as a stand-alone program since 2001.
Glen Rock High School senior Jacob Slump and the rest of the Panthers open their 2017-18 season on Saturday. GRNT file photo
